As we’re heading into the middle of the 2013-2014 television season, the networks are starting to debut their mid-season shows. NBC has announced the series premiere dates for five brand-new shows: About a Boy, Growing Up Fisher, Believe, Crisis and American Dream Builders.
In 2012, NBC used the Olympics as a launching pad for some of their new shows, including Go On and Animal Practice (both have since been cancelled). It looks like the network is doing that yet again when the Winter Olympics takes place in February.
First up is About a Boy, which is based on a Nick Hornby novel (and movie starring Hugh Grant). This comedy will debut at 10:30pm following NBC’s Olympics coverage on February 21. About a Boy will continue to receive a strong lead-in when it makes its timeslot premiere on February 25, where it will air right after The Voice.
NBC’s other new comedy is Growing Up Fisher, starring J.K. Simmons and Jenna Elfman. Similar to About a Boy‘s debut, Fisher will premiere right after the closing ceremonies of the Olympics at 10:30pm. Two days later, on February 25, it will begin airing in its regular timeslot at 9:30pm where these two comedies will be paired up together.
TV and movie extraordinaire J.J. Abrams is teaming up with the director of the critically-acclaimed film Gravity on a new drama called Believe, about a 10-year-old girl with special powers who needs to be protected so that her abilities are not exploited. Here’s yet another example of NBC using The Voice as a lead-in. Believe premieres with a special preview on March 10 at 10pm, then will move to its regular day and time on Sunday, March 16 at 9pm.
Since the network is pairing up its two new comedies in the same timeslot, it only seems fitting that NBC would do the same for the two new dramas. And that’s exactly what’s going to happen when Crisis premieres on March 16 at 10pm, following Believe. Gillian Anderson and Dermot Mulroney star in this series, which will try and answer the question, what lengths will the most influential people in our nation’s capital go to when their children are put in danger after a man hijacks their bus?
And it wouldn’t be network (or even cable) TV without yet another reality show. Interior designer Nate Berkus, who became famous following appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, is hosting American Dream Builders, a competition series where 12 top designers and builders take on huge home renovation projects, all while competing against each other. Builders debuts on March 23 at 8pm, and will serve as the lead-in to Believe and Crisis.
Pirate drama Crossbones is also expected to debut mid-season, though a premiere date has not been announced.
A lot of these shows are starting off in other timeslots, so to make it easy for you, here is a list of all the premiere dates (and timeslot premieres) for NBC’s brand-new shows:
Friday, February 21
10:30pm: About a Boy
Sunday, February 23
10:30pm: Growing Up Fisher
Tuesday, February 25
9pm: About a Boy (timeslot premiere)
9:30pm: Growing Up Fisher (timeslot premiere)
Monday, March 10
10pm: Believe
Sunday, March 16
9pm: Believe (timeslot premiere)
10pm: Crisis
Sunday, March 23
8pm: American Dream Builders
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.
