TVSquad

One of the perks NBC has over the other networks when it comes to its football coverage is what's called the flex schedule. Unlike CBS and Fox and ESPN which get the games that are scheduled months in advance without regard for ideal match ups, NBC has the option of plucking a better game for the Sunday Football Night in America broadcast. Hence the term, flex, as in flexible.

Thus far this season, NBC has had three chances to flip the switch and passed. However, on December 6, NBC has chosen a Vikings/Cardinals game over a Pats/Dolphins match.

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• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and Three Rivers.
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Eagles vs. the Bears.
• FOX has a new Brothers at 7.
• Lifetime has the movie Unstable at 7.
• Syfy has the movie Lightning Strikes at 7, followed by the movie Fire From Below.
• At 8, ABC has the American Music Awards.
• FOX has a new episode of The Simpsons at 8, then new episodes of The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
• HBO has the season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm at 9.
• Showtime has a new Dexter at 9, followed by a new Californication.
• Food Network has the season finale of Next Iron Chef at 9.
• History Channel has two new episodes of Cowboys & Outlaws at 9.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Titan Maximum.
• At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new episode of The Venture Brothers, then a new Metalocalypse.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Three Rivers, and Cold Case.
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Patriots vs. the Colts.
• At 8, FOX has a new episode of The Simpsons, then new episodes The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, followed by a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
• AMC has the premiere of The Prisoner at 8.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, then a new Next Iron Chef.
• Also at 8: Lifetime Movie Network has Ann Rule's Everything She Ever Wanted.
• At 9, HBO has a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• There's a new Dexter on Showtime at 9, followed by a new Californication.
• History Channel has a new WWII in HD at 9.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Titan Maximum.
• At midnight, Cartoon Network has a new episode of The Venture Brothers, then a new Metalocalypse.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, ABC has the two-hour season premiere of Extreme Makeover, followed by the season premieres of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters.
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then the two-hour season premiere of The Amazing Race and the season premiere of Cold Case.
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Colts vs. the Cardinals.
• At 8, FOX has the season premiere of The Simpsons, then the series premiere of The Cleveland Show and the season premieres of Family Guy and American Dad.
• TBS has The Wizard of Oz at 8.
• Nickelodeon has a new Nick News Special Edition at 8.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Challenge, followed by a new Iron Chef America.
• At 8:30, ESPN has the Red Sox/Yankees game.
• At 9, HBO has a new Curb Your Enthusiasm, then a new Bored To Death.
• Showtime has the season premiere of Dexter at 9, followed by the season premiere of Californication.
• Cartoon Network has a new Total Drama Action at 9.
• Hallmark has the movie Mrs. Washington Goes To Smith at 9.
• At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
• At 10:30, HBO has a new Entourage.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• TV Land has an Andy Griffith Show marathon all night.
• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then the Emmy Awards.
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Giants/Cowboys game.
• At 8, Great American Country has a new Soundstage.
• At 8:30, Disney has a new Jonas.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Mystery!
• HBO has the season premiere of Curb Your Enthusiasm at 9, then the series premiere of Bored To Death.
• Lifetime has a new Drop Dead Diva at 9, followed by a new Army Wives.
• Cartoon Network has a new Total Drama Action at 9.
• At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
• History Channel has a new Pawn Stars at 10.
• At 10:30, HBO has a new Entourage.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then a new Big Brother and the two-hour season finale of There Goes The Neighborhood (Note: CBS' schedule might be changed due to U.S. Open tennis).
  
• NBC has Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Bears vs. the Packers.
• At 8, FOX has the series finale (two episodes) of King of the Hill.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8.
• At 9, ABC has a new Shark Tank, then a new Defying Gravity.
• PBS has a new Masterpiece Mystery! at 9.
• ESPN2 has the U.S. Open Women's Final at 9.
• Lifetime has a new Drop Dead Diva at 9, followed by a new Army Wives.
• MTV has the 2009 Video Music Awards at 9.
• There's a new Total Drama Action on Cartoon Network at 9.
• Also at 9: HBO has the season finale of True Blood, then the season finale of Hung and a new Entourage.
• At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.

Check your local TV listings for more.

If there's one night of television that NBC has a handle on, it's Sunday. At least during football season. Football Night In America works, and you know the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That said, NBC has renewed its NFL deal for two more years. The new deal – the extension – secures that NBC will be broadcasting NFL games through 2013, so there will be plenty of games for all those analysts to yap about.

NBC has nearly enough guys to field a team on the pre-game show: Bob Costas, Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Tony Dungy, Tiki Barber, Rodney Harrison ... with Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth calling the games. Will we notice that John Madden is gone? Probably not, especially if the games are good.

NBC continues to play musical chairs on Football Night in America, the network's Sunday night blanket coverage of the NFL including a prime time game. (I'm surprised NBC hasn't added Jay Leno to the broadcast!) The latest change is an interesting one: Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy is joining the panel and former running back Jerome Bettis is out. What's interesting is that they are two completely different types.

Bettis, whose nickname is "The Bus," is well-known as the smiling winner from the 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl team. He's loud, boisterous and a larger-than-life personality. Dungy, on the other hand, was the architect and head man for the 2007 Indianapolis Colts' Super Bowl championship. He is cerebral and thoughtful and the author of a bestselling memoir, Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life. You could say that the two men are the anti-thesis of each other, which is likely why NBC has made the switch.

Here's some news that's bound to equally thrill and displease readers. MSNBC has given Keith Olbermann a new four year deal, ensuring that Countdown with Keith Olbermann remains in the cable's primetime lineup. For fans of Olbermann, the prospect of Keith's continued commentaries and his clever interpretation of the news is a good thing. For those who loathe the man -- and there are just as many detractors as fans -- this is one more reason to be ticked off with MSNBC.

The fact is that TV success doesn't depend on having everybody love you. There are many stars, in fact, who are polarizing figures. Either you love them or you love to hate them. The point is that you don't ignore them. So, Keith Olbermann will remain a part of the public discourse and that means the best media feud of the decade goes on -- Olbermann versus Bill O'Reilly.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and The Unit.
  
• NBC has a new Football Night in America, then the Giants/Eagles game.
• At 7:30, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, then new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, followed by new episodes of King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• ABC Family has the movie Dr. Doolittle: Tail to the Chief at 8.
• HGTV has the special Design on a Dime: Top 35 Secrets.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8.
• Showtime has a new Brotherhood at 8, followed by new episodes of Dexter and Californication.
• Also at 8: Style Network has the series premiere of Ruby.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
• HBO has a new True Blood at 9, then new episodes of Entourage and Summer Heights High.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Chef Jeff Project.
• At 11:45, Cartoon Network has a new Superjail, followed by two new episodes of Xtacies.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7 (or after NASCAR), ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, then new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
  
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, followed by new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and The Unit.
  
• NBC has a new Football Night in America, then the Patriots/Colts game.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then new episodes of King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• Discovery has a new Mythbusters at 8.
• TCM has All The President's Men at 8.
• Also at 8: Showtime has the season premiere of Brotherhood, followed by new episodes of Dexter and Californication.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
• HBO has a new True Blood at 9, followed by new episodes of Entourage and Little Britain.
• HGTV has a new House Hunters at 9.
• At 10, Lifetime has a new Army Wives.
• Food Network has a new Chef Jeff Project at 10.
• At 11:45, Cartoon Network has a new Superjail, then a new Young Person's Guide To History.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, NBC has a new Football Night in America, then the Steelers vs. the Browns.
• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• FOX repeats the Fringe pilot at 8, if you missed it.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece.
• G4 has the pilot of Lost at 9, with new trivia and facts.
• HBO has a new True Blood at 9, then a new Entourage.
• Also at 9: GAC has the Academy of Country Music Awards.
• At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
• Food Network has a new Feasting on Waves at 10.
• BBC America has a new Skins at 10.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.
• At 12:30am, Cartoon Network has a new Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Job.

Check your local TV listings for more.

When I spoke to Keith Olbermann at the press tour a few weeks back, I mainly wanted to get his thoughts about the comments that Fox News' Chris Wallace made earlier in the tour. Essentially, Wallace said that MSNBC isn't objective in its election coverage because they have commentators like Olbermann -- who are perceived to be "in the tank" for Barack Obama -- serve as anchors. Olbermann's remarks in response were pointed, to say the least.

But while I had Keith poised in front of my voice recorder, I wanted to ask him some questions about the origin of his Special Comments, how he thinks people determine their perception of each of the news networks, and what it will be like to sit down and do highlights with his old SportsCenter partner Dan Patrick on NBC's Football Night in America. The remainder of the interview is after the jump; we pick up with Olbermann talking about Wallace's "In the tank" line.

NBC's Football Night in America is something like too much of a good thing. The network seems intent on stuffing the Sunday night broadcast with everything but the kitchen sink.

When Tiki Barber retired from the New York Giants, he joined their broadcast. Same thing with Jerome Bettis of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then Keith Olbermann, a sports guy before becoming the host of MSNBC's Countdown, was inserted into the show. And that was on top of the three mainstays Bob Costas, Cris Collinsworth and Peter King.

Now, you can add one more star to the constellation. Dan Patrick is joining Football Night in America. Patrick, formerly the main man at ESPN -- and Keith's longtime partner on Sports Center as well as Dan's radio show -- will be paired up with Olbermann again and will be slotted in as pre-game show's co-host.

There's no question that Patrick will be an asset. His 18 years at ESPN proved that, and I admired his maverick spirit when he bolted the comforts of Bristol, Connecticut and set up a new deal with his radio show.

• At 7, NBC has a new Football Night in America, followed by the Colts/Titans game.
• ABC has The Sound of Music at 7.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7.
• At 8, CBS has a new episode of The Amazing Race.
• ESPN has the PetroSun Independence Bowl at 8.
• Lifetime Movie Network has Finding John Christmas at 8, then Christmas in Paradise.
• At 10, E! has a new episode of The Girls Next Door, followed by a new Snoop Dogg's Father Hood.

Check your local TV listings for more.