Upfront Thoughts: NBC

Here's my quick take on the Fall 2007 primetime schedule that NBC announced earlier today....
MONDAY
8 pm Deal or No Deal
9 pm Heroes
10 pm Journeyman
Monday has the potential to be NBC's biggest night. DOND is a game show juggernaut. Heroes will have a make or break sophomore season and Heroes: Origins better not be too gimmicky. Journeyman will try to carry the futuristic vibe of Heroes, but will fare about as well as Studio 60 did.
TUESDAY
8 pm The Biggest Loser
9 pm Chuck
10 pm Law & Order: SVU
Historically, this is the night where NBC shows go to die. The Biggest Loser has a small but loyal following. Chuck will be this season's failed attempt at government geek gone good. SVU just rolls on.
WEDNESDAY
8 pm Deal or No Deal
9 pm The Bionic Woman
10 pm Life
Hey, it's another non-scripted show at 8 o'clock for NBC! DOND on Mondays and Wednesdays will wear thin. The Battlestar Galactica team is involved with The Bionic Woman, so I'll give Jamie Sommers the benefit of the doubt. Life is this season's wrongfully accused cop drama that will endure the same fate as Kidnapped.
THURSDAY
8 pm My Name Is Earl
8:30 pm 30 Rock
9 pm The Office
9:30 pm Scrubs
10 pm ER
Comedy night, done right - unless you're looking for viewers! Earl ended strongly this season, and 30 Rock still has potential in spite of its lousy finale and the Alec Baldwin mess. The Office will be critically acclaimed but hardly watched, and Scrubs takes its final lap as Zach Braff keeps trying to be a movie star. Does anybody recognize anyone on ER anymore? Who are these doctors?
FRIDAY
8 pm 1 vs. 100/ The Singing Bee
9 pm Las Vegas
10 pm Friday Night Lights
At 8 pm, it'll be Bob Saget or a karaoke reality show - you decide. Vegas returns with Magnum stepping in for Sonny Corleone. FNL fans get another season, but they'll have to tune in late on Fridays to save their show once again.
SATURDAY
8 pm Dateline
9 pm Drama repeats
10 pm Drama repeats
Kudos to NBC for airing a new show on Saturdays! OK, it's Dateline and we'll be catching predators, but we'll take it!
SUNDAY (Football)
7 pm Football Night in America
8 pm Sunday Night Football
You can't go wrong with the NFL on Sunday nights.
SUNDAY (Non-Football)
7 pm Dateline
8 pm Law & Order
9 pm Medium
10 pm Lipstick Jungle
Dateline will try to compete with 60 Minutes. Dick Wolf holds on for one more year on a tight budget with L&O. Medium follows with its 18th different night and time slot. Lipstick Jungle will battle for the 10 pm soap audience with Brothers & Sisters.
CONCLUSION
Not a bold move in sight for NBC other than the Donald finding himself off the schedule.
This is a cost-cutting lineup that will keep NBC firmly entrenched in fourth place.