Upfronts: NBC

NBC announced quite a bit of news at their spotlight event today about what to expect this fall and beyond, even though they already announced most of this some time ago.

In the late night realm, Jimmy Fallon will be taking over for Conan as he steps into Jay Leno’s position, which will happen at some point next year. I’ve been excited about Conan’s promotion, but I’m not sure if Fallon has the comedic chops necessary for this job. He’s silly and sometimes funny, but can he carry his show as well as Conan did? Maybe so, but I have some serious doubts.

As far as primetime goes, here’s a breakdown of what’s new, what’s coming back, and what’s getting the axe, after the cut.

NEW:

* Momma’s Boys – A reality show from Ryan Seacrest that has mothers and their single, grown-up sons living together in a house with a group of potential brides. Thoughts: Ugh. I tuned out at Ryan Seacrest.

* My Own Worst Enemy – A spy show starring Christian Slater about a man who is apparently split into two personalities–a boring family man and a secret agent who is trained to kill “with his teeth”. Thoughts: The official description is just confusing, but I like Slater and the premise has potential.

* Knight Rider – The smart car, KITT, returns to TV, because the movie wasn’t enough. Thoughts: The original never interested me, and neither does the reinvention. It might be decent, but I have no plans to watch it.

* Crusoe – Based on the tale of Robinson Crusoe, this show is tagged as being “Part MacGyver, part Castaway and part Pirates of the Caribbean, this is a contemporary morality tale about love, friendship and personal discovery.” Thoughts: Sounds more like LOST without any of the interesting mythology and mysteries surrounding it. I could see Defoe’s novel being made into a made-for-tv movie, but a television show…i’m not so sure about. Depending on the direction they go in, this could be an interesting voyage or a bigger wreck than the one that strands poor Crusoe on the island.

* Kath and Kim – A mother/daughter comedy about “two brassy women who prefer the finer things in life like acrylic nails, big hair and faux diamond chips.” Thoughts: Could be funny, especially with Molly Shannon involved. Not everything she does is comic genius, though, and her last attempt at helming a TV show (Cracking Up) died a quick death.

Several other shows including The Philanthropist (From David Eick of Battlestar Galactica and the short-lived Bionic Woman), Merlin, and Kings.

RETURNING:

The Office, Medium, Lipstick Jungle, 30 Rock, Life, Chuck, Heroes, Celebrity Apprentice, My Name is Earl, Deal or No Deal, SNL, ER, Law and Order, Law and Order: SVU, American Gladiators, Biggest Loser, Last Comic Standing, America’s Got Talent.

Also, Friday Night Lights has been renewed for 13 episodes (hallelujah!), but will air first on DirecTV in the fall and then later on NBC. The much talked about Office spin-off will air after the Super Bowl, from what I’m hearing, but details about it are still almost non-existent.

CANCELED:

Bionic Woman, Scrubs (Moving to ABC), Las Vegas, 1 vs 100, Journeyman, My Dad is Better Than Your Dad, The Singing Bee

You can see the full fall schedule by going HERE.