NBC has decided to pull out Sunday night repeats of Monk and Psych, television shows that are originally broadcast on the USA Network.  According to an updated schedule released by the network, the two shows will be replaced by a two-hour block of The Office, at least for the next two weekends.

The switch, which isn't that surprising given that both Monk and Psych didn't post good numbers, brings to a close NBC Universal's strike-era programming stunt of giving USA Network's top-rated series a shot on the broadcast network.

NBC's decision to air reruns of Monk and Pysch was tied to the work stoppage brought by the writers' strike.  Most networks had to get a little creative to keep their schedule afloat so they decided to take a few shows from their stable of cable channels and repurpose them for prime-time network broadcasting.  CBS did it with Showtime's Dexter, and NBC did it with USA Network's Monk and Psych, which started airing reruns on NBC in early April.

Monk is an Emmy Award-winning comedy drama that stars Tony Shalhoub as the titular character. The series follows the 54-year-old actor as he plays a brilliant yet obsessive-compulsive detective who is often called on by the San Francisco Police Department to solve crimes no one else can.

Psych, on the other hand, features James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young police consultant for the Santa Barbara, California Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts allow him to convince people that he is psychic.  The program also stars Dule Hill as Shawn's best friend, straight man and reluctant partner Gus, as well as Corbin Bernsen as Shawn's captious father, Henry.

Both Psych and Monk are currently in between seasons and are expected to return with new episodes on the USA Network this summer.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
(Image courtesy of USA Network)