Meet the Press: Angela Bromstad and Jeff Gaspin Talk NBC's Fall Schedule

While NBC's upfront presentation isn't scheduled to get under way until tomorrow morning, the Peacock's top brass did answer some questions about the schedule and the new programming announced earlier today.

Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment, and Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios, hosted a conference call with reporter this afternoon, to discuss NBC's fall schedule, its new pickups, and other programming and scheduling issues.

While I won't recap the entire call, here are a few tidbits from that call, organized by topic, from Chuck and Law & Order to Parenthood and The Event.

Chuck:"Chuck came out of the wild card and performed very well for us," said Bromstad. "We think it will come back stronger in the fall."

"Where we felt we could be consistent this year, we felt we should, which is why Chuck stayed on Mondays at 8," said Gaspin.

Chase: "Chase is very much a straight-ahead procedural but has an adrenaline rush you don't normally see in a procedural," said Bromstad.

Parenthood: "Parenthood has worked for us. There's a reason for that... It's a broad show that is really welcoming to so many viewers," said Gaspin.

Day One: "Right now, Day One is not scheduled to air," said Bromstad of the sci-fi project, which had been cut back from a full order, to a short run... to a two-hour backdoor pilot... and now into oblivion altogether.

Law & Order Franchise: "It was time to move on," said Bromstad about the Law & Order cancellation and the order of new iteration, Law & Order: Los Angeles. "It's about the future and overall health of the franchise... it's up to us to reinvent it with Dick [Wolf] in a very modern, inventive way."

Law & Order: Los Angeles pilot is being written, according to Bromstad. But nothing is ready for an official announcement and it be a few weeks after upfronts until information is actually available.

"Yes the chung-chung will still be there," said Bromstad, but it's "too early to say whether they were be characters crossover from... the mothership."

Bromstad said that they are still in talks with Dick Wolf about a way to wrap up Law & Order via a 2-hr movie or event. So, it's possible that the series finale, scheduled to air this month, won't be the end of the original flavor Law & Order, after all.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent will now only be on USA, said Bromstad.

Rockford Files: The Rockford Files is being reworked for midseason or even next fall. "We really want to get it right," said Bromstad. #NBC

Parks and Recreation:"It's very possible that #ParksandRec will get a run at 9:30 but we have not determined that," said Gaspin.

"One of the toughest decisions we had to make," said Jeff regarding delaying Parks and Recreation until midseason. "It's not an indication that we think it's not as good" as the other Thursday comedies.

The Event: "We think The Event will appeal to [#Chuck's] young, male viewers," said Jeff. #NBC

Heroes: "NBC and Tim Kring, we felt we had fulfilled the viewers' desire [re] length of the show but we are in discussions about 2-hr movie," said Bromstad. So it's still possible that Heroes will get a series ender. But don't hold your breath as Bromstad indicated that, if it happens at all, it would be for "next year."

NBC will unveil its schedule to advertisers tomorrow.

Channel Surfing: "Lost" Here to Stay?, NBC Unveils New Strategy, "Day One" Cut Down to Backdoor Pilot, "The Borgias," and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Variety's Michael Schneider takes a look at how ABC executives are attempting to stake out a strategy for the future of Lost, which will wrap up its run in May... but might be sticking around via ancillary products and potential sequels. "We've been talking about this for a couple of years now," ABC marketing exec VP Mike Benson told Schneider. "We want to keep it alive but make sure we maintain the integrity of the franchise. We're not about milking this thing for all that it is right now; it's important to see this live for years to come... What Lost becomes after it ends its run is up in the air. It really depends on who comes in to interpret it next." But whatever that future might hold, whether it be novels and comicbooks or indeed a spinoff series down the line, it won't involve current Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who will end their oversight on the franchise once the series wraps this spring. "Damon and Carlton laid such groundwork, it's going to be a challenge for us, and we have to rise to the occasion," said ABC marketing EVP Marla Provencio. "We have to find different, creative and innovative ways to keep the fans happy and to keep the franchise healthy." (Variety)

[Editor: in other Lost news, Obama's State of the Union Address will NOT delay ABC's intended February 2nd launch date for Season Six of Lost. It's back on track.]

Speaking yesterday at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, NBC's Jeff Gaspin announced that The Jay Leno Show would no longer hold its weeknights at 10 pm timeslot after February 12th and unveiled potential plans to shift Jay Leno to 11:35 pm, move Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show to 12:05 am, and Jimmy Fallon to 1:05 am. Additionally, Angela Bromstad gave critics a peek at the Peacock's current development slate, which includes J.J. Abrams' espionage drama Undercovers (which he'll direct), David Tennant-led legal dramedy Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, remakes of Prime Suspect and The Rockford Files, David E. Kelley-created legal drama Kindreds, thriller The Event, Jerry Bruckheimer action-procedural drama Chase, and the untitled Adam Carolla comedy. Plus, loads more info from the press tour, to boot. (Televisionary)

In other NBC-related news, the sci-fi drama series Day One, which had been cut back to four hours late last year, has had its order sliced in half again. Rather than air a four-hour mini-series as indicated by the network back in September, Day One will now air as just a two-hour backdoor pilot, with no further episodes to be shot beyond the pilot. "The pilot will still air after the Winter Olympics as was the plan for the Day One mini," writes Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva, "and NBC still keeps the door open to picking up more episodes for next season should the pilot does well." (Hollywood Reporter)

Showtime has ordered thirteen episodes of historical drama The Borgias, which will revolve around the infamous 15th century Italian crime family and will star Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia. Project, which is being viewed for a 2011 launch, is written by Michael Hirst (The Tudors), who will executive produce with Neil Jordan; the latter will direct the first two episodes. "I can guarantee you've never seen a family quite like this before," said Showtime entertainment president Robert Greenblatt, "and nor could you make up the outrageous twists and turns of their epic saga." (Hollywood Reporter)

The Los Angeles Times' Denise Martin and Joe Flint are reporting that FOX will announce a US version of Simon Cowell's UK talent competition series The X Factor will premiere in 2011. Cowell would serve as host and executive producer of the US format. "News could be made official as early as this week, people familiar with the situation said," wrote Martin and Flint. "As a result, the acid-tongued star judge of American Idol" is unlikely to stay on Fox's long-running juggernaut full time beyond the ninth season, which premieres Tuesday." (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

The Wrap's Joe Adalian is reporting that David Nutter (The Mentalist) is in advanced talks to sign on to direct Jerry Bruckheimer's NBC action procedural pilot Chase, from Warner Bros. Television. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Kathy Bates is heading to NBC's The Office, according to E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos, who got the scoop from Office executive producer Greg Daniels. She'll play the CEO of the company that buys the struggling Dunder Mifflin. "She's a larger than life character," said Daniels of Bates' character. "She has two giant Great Danes that accompany her to the office, and she's very funny. Fantastic actress. We're very excited to have an Academy Award [winning] person on the show." Meanwhile, SPOILER! Dos Santos also gets the scoop on Pam's upcoming labor pains. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Bravo reality series Flipping Out has been renewed for a fourth season. Also returning: The Rachel Zoe Project, picked up for a third season, and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List for a sixth. The news was announced at yesterday's Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, where Bravo's Frances Berwick also announced series orders for two reality projects: Thintervention, starring Work Out's Jackie Warner, and Bethany's Getting Married?, featuring Real Housewives of New York City's Bethany Frankel. In other news, Gail Simmons will host Top Chef spinoff Top Chef: Just Desserts and Top Chef: Masters will return for a second season on April 7th. The network will also launch 9 by Design," which follows husband-wife design team Robert and Cortney Novogratz and their seven children, on April 5th and Double Exposure, which follows photographers Markus Klinko and Indrani and stylist G.K. Reid, in April. (via press release)

FlashForward executive producer David S. Goyer remains optimistic about a second season renewal, despite flagging ratings for the first half of the freshman season. He also teased details about what Season Two might be about in a recent interview. "You're going to start meeting some of the faces of the enemy, starting with episode 11," said Goyer. "We'll meet a bunch of them in the second half of the season. One of the other interesting things is we'll start to let you in on who the people that engineered the blackout are and why. There are a couple more that are coming and assuming we go into season two, one of those guys will be a series regular in season two." (via Digital Spy)

Series order! ABC has given a greenlight to Scoundrels, ordering eight episodes of a US remake of Kiwi drama series Outrageous Fortune, from ABC Studios and writers Richard Levine and Lyn Greene, who will executive produce alongside John Barnett, Francie Calfo, Michael Larkin, and Michael Goldstein. Series, which revolves around a family of criminals who are forced to go straight by the family matriarch after their father lands in prison, was previously adapted for US television by Rob Thomas in 2008 and a pilot was shot with Catherine O'Hara starring. (Hollywood Reporter)

Syfy will air mini-series Riverworld and The Phantom later this year, according to The Futon Critic's Brian Ford Sullivan. Elsewhere at the cabler, Jeremy Carver and Anna Fricke have been hired to write the network's thirteen-episode supernatural thriller Haven, which is based on the Stephen King's "The Colorado Kid." That project, as well as the US adaptation of British supernatural drama Being Human, could launch as early as this summer. (Futon Critic)

FOX has ordered a pilot presentation for an untitled sketch comedy project to star Dana Carvey, who will develop and executive produce the project with Spike Feresten which will feature a "strong online component." (Variety)

Maz Jobrani (Better Off Ted), Marjan Neshat (Mercy), and Harach Titzian (24) have been cast in ABC single-camera comedy pilot Funny in Farsi, which will be directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. (Hollywood Reporter)

Oxygen announced its development slate yesterday at the TCA Winter Press Tour, unveiling several new series--including Fashion Drop, Hair Battle Spectacular, House of Glam, Russell Simmons Project, When Charlie Met Sarah, and Jersey Couture--as well as returning series The Bad Girls Club, Dance Your Ass Off, and Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, set to return for its fifth season in the spring. Former Spice Girl Mel B., meanwhile, will take over hosting duties for Season Two of Dance Your Ass Off. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: NBC Slices "Day One" to Four Episodes, James Franco Checks into "General Hospital," NBC Lands J.J. Abrams Spy Drama, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

NBC has announced that it has decided to slash the episodic order for its midseason sci-fi drama Day One to just four episodes, scheduling the series as a four-hour event mini-series rather than a thirteen-episode season. It's believed to be a cost-cutting measure as the decision will allow NBC to evaluate the mini-series' performance and ratings before committing to an ongoing series. News comes as Day One, which is slated to launch after the Olympics, has already shot two episodes and creator Jesse Alexander is said to be prepping the final two installments, which will wrap up storylines as well as leave some plot points intentionally dangling for a potential series order the following season. (Variety)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin is reporting that James Franco is set to the join the cast of ABC daytime soap General Hospital for two months. (Yes, seriously.) He'll appear in a multiple-episode story arc beginning with the November 20th episode that finds Franco portraying a mysterious new character who arrives in Port Charles and gets entangled with thug Jason Morgan (Steve Burton). According to sources, Franco took the gig because he "wants to do everything" in his career and, according to SoapNet, approached the series' producers about a role. He'll appear for work one day a week, when he will shoot several episodes for General Hospital at a time. "We are thrilled to announce that James Franco will play an integral part in a lengthy run on General Hospital this fall," General Hospital executive producer Jill Farren Phelps. "It's an honor that an actor of James' caliber would choose to spend some of his valuable time in Port Charles." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin, SoapNet)

NBC has won the bidding war for the untitled J.J. Abrams-executive produced spy thriller after outbidding rivals ABC and CBS. Pilot script, about two spies who are married, was written by Abrams and Josh Reims and will be produced by Warner Bros. Television and Bad Robot. (Variety)

Despite earlier denials, Comcast has announced that it is in talks with General Electric to form a new joint venture that would encapsulate NBC Universal. The new venture would be controlled by Comcast with a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal and would be overseen by Comcast, who plan to merge their cable holdings--including E!, Style, G4, Golf Channel, etc.--into the venture. Deal requires that Vivendi give up its 20 percent stake in NBC Universal. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Comedy fans rejoice: HBO has come on board to co-produce Chris Lilley's newest series, Angry Boys, an exploration of what it is like to be a man in the 21st century. As in Lilley's other series Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes, he will portray multiple roles as well as write the scripts for the twelve episode mockumentary-based comedy series. "There will be new characters and lots of surprises for the audience, and I'm really excited about having a longer-running series to work with," said Lilley. (Editor: I'm already anxious as I am obsessed with Summer Heights High.) Production on the series begins later this month in Australia. (Variety)

Showtime is developing single-camera comedy pilot Mouthpiece, from Fox Television Studios and writer/executive producer Carol Liefer (Seinfeld). Project, which would star Marlee Matlin and Mario Cantone, is set at a high-powered law firm. Elsewhere, Liefer has set up You and Me and He, a multi-camera comedy project at CBS about a recently divorced woman who enters a same-sex relationship only to discover that she is pregnant with her ex-husband's child. That project, which has a script commitment, hails from Sony Pictures Television and Happy Madison. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC has given a script order to drama Midnighters, based on Alloy Entertainment's novel series about a group of people, each born at midnight, who have the ability to access the 25th hour of the day in order to fight crime. Project, from Warner Bros. Television and Ally, will be written by Chad Hodge (Runaway), who will executive produce with Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Nick Chinlund (Desperate Housewives) has been cast in CBS' The Mentalist as the father of Simon Baker's Patrick Jane. Chinlund's first appearance on the series is set for November 12th, when he will first appear "in a series of circa '80s flashbacks that promise to shed light on Jane's early days as a carnie freak." The younger Jane will be played by Chris Brochu in the flashbacks, which will recount Jane's days as a circus psychic. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Josh Lawson (Chandon Pictures) has been cast opposite Alyssa Milano and Kyle Bornheimer in ABC's midseason comedy Romantically Challenged, where he replaces Eric Christian Olsen who played the role in the original pilot episode. Elsewhere at ABC, Michael Ealy (Sleeper Cell) has joined the cast of drama series FlashForward, where he will play the nemesis to Joseph Fiennes' Mark Benford. (Hollywood Reporter)

Comedy Central has ordered a pilot for comedy Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down, based on the 2006 indie film about the romantic adventures of a group of urban twenty-somethings. Luke Greenfield is attached to direct. (Hollywood Reporter)

Filming of the octoplets on TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8 has been shut down following the filing of a cease-and-desist order by Jon Gosselin. In a statement, the cabler said that production would remain on hold "pending further conversations" between the Gosselins, though they were quick to point out that filming of persons other than the eight children would continue. The filing comes on the heels of the announcement that the reality series would be relaunched as Kate Plus Eight and that Jon Gosselin's participation would be curtailed. (Variety)

FOX and 20th Century Fox Television have extended options on the cast of single-camera comedy pilot The Station, which will remain in contention for a series order while producers tweak the pilot. Series, from executive producer Ben Stiller, follows a group of CIA operatives, including Justin Bartha, John Goodman and Whitney Cummings, working in Central America on a mission to install a new dictator. Elsewhere, CBS and ABC Studios have again extended the options on the cast of drama pilot House Rules, including Zoe McLellan, Eion Bailey, Kristin Bauer, Tawny Cypress, Anna Chlumsky, and Denzel Whitaker. (Hollywood Reporter)

UK digital network Living has acquired the rights to ABC comedy series Cougar Town, which it will launch next year. (Broadcast)

FOX has acquired the US rights to UK game show The Cube, in which contestants have to complete a number of physical challenges in a set period of time. If the concept sounds familiar, it's because NBC recently announced its own reality competition series, Perfect 10, which features more or mess the same premise. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

NBC Announces Six New Series, Renews Four Returning Series... But No News for "Chuck"

NBC unveiled part of its plan for the 2009-2010 season just a few hours ahead of its infront presentation to advertisers in New York.

The Peacock ordered six new series including dramas Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy, and Day One (described as an "event series") and comedies 100 Questions and Community.

NBC also officially announced that it had renewed dramas Heroes and Southland and comedy Parks and Recreation, as well as ordering six new installments of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday.

As expected, there was no mention of on the bubble series like Chuck, Law & Order, and My Name is Earl, although the network was quick to acknowledge that additional renewals and pickups will be announced May 19th, when NBC announces its full 2009-2010 schedule. (Also missing: Medium, which some news outlets had reported as already being renewed.)

It's a rather full offering (with the potential for further orders), considering that NBC has lost its 10 pm hour during the week. Just how all of these series, along with the slew of programs that the Peacock had already renewed ahead of its infront presentation (including The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Biggest Loser,Celebrity Apprentice, and Friday Night Lights), will fit into the complicated rubric that is NBC's primetime schedule remains to be seen.

The full press release from NBC, along with descriptions, photos, and featurettes about the new series, can be found below.

NBC ANNOUNCES AMBITIOUS LINEUP OF PROGRAMMING DOMINATED BY NEW SCRIPTED SERIES FOR 2009-2010 PRIMETIME SEASON THAT EXTENDS THE NETWORK'S QUALITY BRAND

New Series Include Four Dramas: Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy and the Event Series Day One as Well as Two Comedies: Community and 100 Questions

Returning Series Pickups Include Heroes, Southland, Parks and Recreation and Six New Episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday

NEW YORK CITY – May 4, 2009 – NBC unveiled today a strong lineup of broad and diverse quality programming for the 2009-2010 television season announcing the pickups of six new series featuring four new dramas including Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy and the event series Day One, as well as two new comedies including Community and 100 Questions. Four returning series pickups were also announced today including Heroes, Southland, Parks and Recreation and the addition of six new episodes of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday skewering today's top stories in live half-hour primetime shows.

The new and returning series will launch next season and the epic event series Day One is slated to premiere out of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The Jay Leno Show will be broadcast Monday-Fridays, 10-11 p.m. ET beginning in the fall. Previously announced series pickups include The Office, 30 Rock, The Biggest Loser, The Celebrity Apprentice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Friday Night Lights, and new alternative series The Marriage Ref, Breakthrough With Tony Robbins and Who Do You Think You Are?

Additional series pickups will be announced May 19, when NBC announces its 2009-2010 schedule.

NBC unveiled pickups for the upcoming broadcast season in the first of a series of presentations today and tomorrow to key advertisers from Studio 8H-the home of NBC's Saturday Night Live-at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. Presentations will continue in Chicago on May 7 and Los Angeles on May 12.

"We are thrilled to be announcing such an awesome slate of new series that build on our existing quality brand and deliver emotional, human stories," said Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "NBC will strive to make viewers feel and our shows represent the full range of human emotion from laughter to tears. We can't wait to share these concepts with our audience and our advertising partners."

"These new series will showcase fresh talent and bold, original concepts that are extremely well executed," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "We are grateful to the producers, casts and crews -- and our team -- who have delivered incredibly compelling and entertaining new series."
In response to an evolving media marketplace and the changing needs of advertisers, NBC has created a more innovative, client-centric approach to its traditional Upfront with a series of one-on-one client presentations, which began today in New York City. These presentations are interactive and, unlike other networks' Upfront presentations, will include a Q & A with advertisers and NBC sales and entertainment executives.

NBC will also host advertisers and affiliates at a "Night of Comedy" featuring appearances by some of its biggest comedy stars including Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Rainn Wilson and Tracy Morgan on Tuesday, May 19 in New York City.

2009-2010 NEW SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

New Dramas:

PARENTHOOD

From the executive producers of the box-office hit Parenthood -- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (Oscar winners for "A Beautiful Mind"), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") -- this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family -- four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents. The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, "ER"), a financially strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, "In Treatment") and Drew (Miles Heizer, "ER"), she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia, "Heart Like a Wheel"), who are privately dealing with their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings -- sister, Julia (Christensen, "Traffic"), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, "Baby Mama") and Adam (Krause, "Six Feet Under") -- all struggling with issues of their own, it's clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life. "Parenthood" is a production from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") directs the pilot.



TRAUMA

Executive producer Peter Berg (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") delivers "Trauma," the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city's Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives -- and give meaning to their own existence in the process. Starring in "Trauma" are Derek Luke ("Notorious"), Cliff Curtis ("10,000 B.C"), Anastasia Griffith ("Damages"), Aimee Garcia ("George Lopez"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights") and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). "Trauma" is a production of Universal Media Studios and Film 44. Berg, Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "Friday Night Lights"), Dario Scardapane and Jeffrey Reiner ("Friday Night Lights") serve as executive producers. The pilot was written by Scardapane and directed by Reiner.



MERCY

"Mercy," a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best -- its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, "Dark Matter") returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq -- and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, "Rescue Me") and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, "Gossip Girl"), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes: James Tupper ("Men in Trees") as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the hospital who complicates Veronica's life; Diego Klattenhoff ("Supernatural") as Mike Callahan, Veronica's husband; and Guillermo Diaz ("Weeds") as Nurse Angel Lopez. "Mercy" is a production from Universal Media Studios and Berman Braun. Joining writer/executive producers Liz Heldens (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") and Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts ("Pushing Daisies," "Pepper Dennis") are executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (NBC's "30 Rock," "Rescue Me") is the director.



DAY ONE

From executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander ("Heroes," "Lost," "Alias") and director Alex Graves ("Fringe," "Journeyman"), "Day One" tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors -- played by Adam Campbell ("Date Movie"), Catherine Dent ("The Shield"), Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone"), David Lyons ("ER"), Derek Mio ("Greek"), Carly Pope ("24"), Thekla Reuten ("Sleeper Cell") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") -- strives to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group, all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif., embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in small victories -- and heroes are born every day. "Day One" is a Universal Media Studios production.



New Comedies:

100 QUESTIONS (fka 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne)

Emmy winner James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Friends") directs "100 Questions," a new comedy series written and executive-produced by Christopher Moynihan ("For Your Consideration") that provides hilarious answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, "Peep Show") is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage proposals -- but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, "The Ex List") – who requires her to take a 100-question compatibility test. The questions aren't easy for Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, "Women's Murder Club"), Jill (Joy Suprano, NBC's "Law & Order"), Mike (Christopher Moynihan "For Your Consideration") and Wayne (David Walton "Quarterlife"). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship. Ron West ("Psych"), Kelly Kulchak ("Psych") and Michelle Nader ("King of Queens") join Moynihan as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Tagline.



COMMUNITY

From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") comes "Community," a smart comedy series about higher education -- and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, "Community" focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin' lawyer whose degree has been revoked (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"); Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"); Danny Pudi ("Greek"); Alison Brie ("Mad Men"); and comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Saturday Night Live"). "Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap and Russo Brothers production in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Media Studios. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot that was written by Dan Harmon.



Stay tuned.