TVSquad

Actually, NBC already had its upfront over a month ago. This is a "spotlight event," a Part 2, if you will (a walk-thru set up at 30 Rock for advertisers and the media), but they did make some interesting announcements today.

This biggest announcement (though hardly a surprise at this point) was that Jimmy Fallon will take over on Late Night when Conan O'Brien takes over for Jay Leno. This will happen next year.

Here are some of the other announcements made at today's even and a recap of the new shows and the shows that have been canceled. And in this post, I promise not to fail you, rainbow chicken.

NBC unveiled their new schedule today, weeks ahead of all of the other networks, and here are some highlights of their "52-week schedule".

New shows: My Own Worst Enemy, with Christian Slater as a spy (Monday at 10); the island adventure series Crusoe (Friday at 8); the Molly Shannon sitcom Kath & Kim (Tuesday at 9:30); and the remake of Knight Rider (Wednesday at 8). The new drama The Philanthropist will air in the My Own Worst Enemy's time slot in the winter. Two other dramas will also debut in the winter: Kings (with Ian McShane) and Merlin, as will the reality show America's Toughest Jobs.

Returning: 30 Rock, Medium, The Office, Celebrity Apprentice, Life, Chuck, Heroes, Dateline, Deal Or No Deal, My Name Is Earl, America's Got Talent, Last Comic Standing, Nashville Star, The Biggest Loser, American Gladiators, SNL, ER, Law and Order, and Law and Order: SVU.

Gone: Scrubs (probably moving to ABC), Bionic Woman, Amnesia, 1 vs. 100, Journeyman.

Next week is network upfront time, when ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC announce their new fall schedules. We'll have full coverage at TV Squad (of course) and I'm handling NBC, because I just know that Studio 60 is coming back, regardless of the fact they've torn down the sets and the cast has gone on to other things. Ahem.

There's already some news for NBC ahead of their upfront. They've told four shows that they can begin staffing: The Bionic Woman, Chuck, Life, and Journeyman. So expect to see those shows on your TV sets this fall. Returning series announced so far include Heroes, ER, Medium, The Office, Law and Order: SVU, and 30 Rock.

In other news, even if NBC decides to cancel Law and Order and/or Law and Order: CI, they might find life some place else: TNT. Which is a logical place for them to go (or USA).

That's what some industry insiders are saying. NBC announced this week that the show was going into the Thursday at 9pm slot (after My Name Is Earl and The Office and before ER), but after ABC announced that Grey's Anatomy is moving to the same time slot, NBC might move it to another night to get away from that hit show. What would go into that Thursday at 9 slot? Scrubs, which isn't supposed to come back til later in the season.

Some are speculating Monday for Aaron Sorkin's new show. What do you think?

[via TV Tattle]