What’s going to air on NBC this fall when the new TV season launches? According to the network, a long list of returning favorites and the new Law & Order spin-off starring Christopher Meloni. Of course, the issue at hand is that none of these shows have been filming due to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, and there’s been no indication that production will begin anytime soon.
NBC revealed its fall schedule in a tweet, noting it’s planning to air new episodes of Superstore, Manifest, New Amsterdam, Law & Order: SVU, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Also on the schedule are three hours of The Voice each week, a new season of This Is Us, and the One Chicago block of shows. As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, though, NBC has not actually revealed when the fall season will launch. Typically, the major networks launch their programming seasons in September. NBC has yet to confirm that, though. The network, however, has revealed that a new 30 Rock special, which will be filmed remotely, will air in July to introduce the fall schedule and preview what NBC has in the works over the next year.
Still, seeing NBC’s approach to a fall season during a pandemic is to conduct business as usual is interesting, given what other networks are doing. Fox has obtained the broadcast rights to the Spectrum series LA’s Finest, while The CW is pushing most of its shows to 2021 and opting to run episodes of DC Universe’s Swamp Thing and CBS All Access’ Tell Me a Story instead.
While certain states have announced that production on TV and film can resume, safety protocols and guidelines are still in the works. Until those come to pass, the chances of TV filming beginning again seems unlikely. That said, NBC is not alone in hoping it’s business as usual. CBS is also planning to bring back its marquee shows in the fall. According to THR, though, the network is expecting to stagger the premiere dates, based on which shows go into production soonest.
While NBC hasn’t revealed whether or not they’re planning to do the same, the network is confident it will begin filming soon. “Thanks to the ingenuity of our creative teams and our partner studios, NBC has assembled a remarkably stable schedule at a time when stability is called for,” NBC chairman Paul Telegdy said in a statement. “With the reopening of the Universal lot for select productions this week, we are confident that our schedule will premiere intact later this fall. We design shows for longevity and this schedule remains a powerful propulsive force for shows to start here and carry on entertaining across generations.”
While the road to a new TV season isn’t clear just yet, the same can’t be said for movies. The Cineworld chain of theaters, which operates Regal Cinemas, has announced its plans on beginning to open theaters later in June. AMC, the largest chain of theaters in the United States, is planning to welcome moviegoers beginning in July.
And speaking of things you should be watching, consider listening to GameSpot’s weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. With new episodes premiering every Wednesday, you can watch a video version of the podcast over on GameSpot Universe or listen to audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.
