NBC Benches Community, Sets Series Finale Date for Chuck

Joel McHale, Community and Debra Messing, Smash | Photo Credits: Justin Lubin/NBC; Will Hart/NBC

NBC will bench Community to make room for returning comedy 30 Rock on Thursdays, and has set a premiere date for new series The Firm and Are You There, Chelsea?

The network also announced Monday that its upcoming musical drama Smash will debut on Monday, Feb. 6 at 10/9c following the second episode of The Voice.

NBC orders The Firm to series

Part of a massive Thursday-night overhaul, The Firm, a TV adaptation of the 1993 Tom Cruise film, will premiere at a special day and time, Sunday, Jan. 8, before moving to Thursdays at 10/9c beginning Jan. 12. 30 Rock will return the same day at 8/7c, replacing Community, which will be benched until a later date (NBC tells The Futon Critic all 22 episodes will air). Up All Night will move into the post-Office timeslot, while Whitney will move to Wednesdays at 8/7c.

On Wednesdays, Whitney will be paired with the new comedy from Chelsea Handler, Are You There, Chelsea?, premiering Jan. 11 at 8:30/7:30c. Chelsea will be followed by Rock Center with Brian Williams, which will air at 9/8c and moves Harry's Law to Sundays at 8/7c.

NBC temporarily stops production on upcoming drama Awake

In addition to premiere dates, NBC announced the series finale date for Chuck (Friday, Jan. 27) and the season finale for Parenthood (Tuesday, Feb. 28). New reality series Fashion Star will take over Parenthood's timeslot on March 13.

In addition to Community, other shows missing from the list include Prime Suspect which has not been picked up for its back nine episodes, and midseason series Bent and Awake.

Check out the full midseason schedule below:

Monday (beginning Feb. 6)
8-10 p.m. — The Voice
10-11 p.m. — Smash  

Tuesday
8-10 p.m. —  The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m. —  Parenthood
10-11 p.m. —  Fashion Star (beginning March 13)

Wednesday (beginning Jan. 11)
8-8:30 p.m. —  Whitney
8:30-9 p.m. Are You There, Chelsea?
9-10 p.m. — Rock Center with Brian Williams
10-11 p.m. — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Thursday
(beginning Jan. 12)
8-8:30 p.m. — 30 Rock
8:30-9 p.m. — Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 p.m. — The Office
9:30-10 p.m. — Up All Night
10-11 p.m. — The Firm

Friday
8-9 p.m. — Who Do You Think You Are? (beginning Feb. 3)
9-10 p.m. — Grimm
10-11 p.m. — Dateline NBC

Sunday
7-8 p.m. — Dateline NBC (beginning Jan. 8)
8-9 p.m. — Harry's Law (beginning March 4)
9-11 p.m. — The Celebrity Apprentice (beginning Feb. 12)

What do you think of the lineup?



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38 comments

  • korean353 about a week ago
    This is a travesty. Community is the most clever, creative show on the market. It brought me back to NBC and if they cancel it, then they'll lose me again.
  • Twila Twit Yesterday
    Ditch all of the reality shows... they are for simpletons.
  • bee Yesterday
    the only time i ever really watch NBC is because of Community and Parks.
  • J-Tizzle Yesterday
    First Conan, now Community! NBC is on crack!!!!
  • Patrick about a week ago
    NBC is wondering why people hate them so much, if they cancel Community and keep Whitney, they'll know why people hate them so much
  • A B about a week ago
    community is NBC best show, The Office has been over since the wedding. Parks and Rec is okay most of the time. NBC would be dumb to get rid of Community, they need to put in a better time slot if they want more viewers. And Cancel Whitey that show sucks, then give Community the 9:30 slot or the 9 and the Office can follow it. BOOM problem sloved, your welcomed NBC
  • Egon about a week ago
    30 Rock hasn't been funny for years, The Office is limping along on life support this season, and even the commercials for Whitney are painful to watch! Yet Community, the funniest, most original comedy on TV doesn't make the cut? Clearly the folks at NBC are sniffing glue. I have no reason to watch their network or buy their products anymore.
  • knights Yesterday
    Chuck's a great show w/ a talented cast. Disappointed to see it go.
  • Kyle 6 days ago
    Why Community?! Take The Office off, Im not a fan, and even my friends who are said the show isnt what is used to be. OCCUPY GREENDALE
  • MarionT 19 hours ago
    Last week's episode of Community had me in tears. There are so few opportunities to really laugh while watching tv, it's a shame that NBC is ruining one. They make one dumb decision after another. If the show isn't working out at 8:00 on Thursday, move it. Don't just get rid of it, you dolts!
  • JanetK 21 hours ago
    Well I guess I won't be tuning into NBC very often, Grimm might be thr exception. Totally Upset over losing Chuck especially in January?
  • boops 6 days ago
    NBC needs a Vice President of Humor to tell them what is funny and what is not funny. Hey guys, Community is funny. Really, really, funny. Episodes like the Paintball (1&2) and the recent "Six Timelines" are classic sitcom episodes. You know what classic episodes are, things like Seinfeld's Bubble Boy and The Contest. Oh yeah, thats right. NBC is the network that di**ed around with Seinfeld for a couple of years and almost killed that show. Sorry, I forgot. Go back to trying to build an audience for Whitney.
  • Afterschool 4 days ago
    omg comedy central or someone needs to rescue Community if those fatheads at NBC cancel it.
  • Lora Yesterday
    With this lineup, I definitely won't be watching NBC on Monday through Thursday at all. But "Grimm" (just plain fun) and "Harry's Law" informative, entertaining -- a lawyer with morals -- what a shock!) is still on our list. There are much better regularly scheduled shows that appeal more to adults on other networks, including USA, plus much more interesting shows on the Discovery Channel, History and HI channels, and National Graphic. It would help if you found either 1) real acting talent, 2) good writers -- I could go on, but the majority of NBC shows are a bit boring and seemed to be aimed at an more uneducated audience. I probably don't fit into the age bracket NBC targets, but I haven't watched a lot on NBC for a long time.
  • JennieR 6 days ago
    Cancel Whitney and Up All Night and leave Community alone! Problem solved.
  • Samantha 5 days ago
    NBC SUCKS. Community is by far their best show.
  • dj about a week ago
    NBC's lineup has sucked for years..the only 2 shows i have faithfully watched over the last 4 years is Tonight Show and Chuck. Now NBC has done the stupidest thing ever - cancelled Chuck after 4 years and only allowing 13 episodes to "wrap up the show" which is soo stupid. and now there is gossip abut problems with the Tonight show..a staple on NBC for over 30 years. No wonder NBC is last..the shows people like - they cancel and the rest - are pure garbage. i think the NBC execs should go work for Fox..they seem to buy quality shows. IF they cancel the tonight show as well as CHuck, then NBC i am GONE as a viewer...after 30 years of watching ur network, i will be gone...Goodbye NBC..hello almost anyone else !! P.S. get ur head out of ur peacock's ass NBC, fire ur TV "specialists" who order this crap and get some new talent !
  • Jonathan 13 hours ago
    Well, with the demise of Community, I'm officially done with NBC. For those who doubt me, literally the only show I watched on NBC was Community and I have the DVR history to prove it.
  • Bill G 19 hours ago
    Community is one of the best shows out there right now. It would be a shame if they get rid of it.
  • BiggSid Yesterday
    Why did they set Chuck up to fail? Moving it to Fridays against Smackdown, what did you expect? I might never turn it to NBC!