TV Listings News (Page 3)

Conan O'Brien was the major loser in NBC programming debacle, which has resulted in the return of Jay Leno to 11:35 p.m.

The winners in this mess? Fans of Friday Night Lights, who will see that incredible drama return to NBC on April 30 (after it completes it current season four run on DIRECTV).

The network released its new mid-season schedule today, which will include new programming at 10 p.m. in place of Leno, starting March 1:

Mondays
8-9 p.m. Chuck
9-10 p.m. Trauma (beginning March 8 )
10-11 p.m. Law & Order (returns March 1 with two-hour episode, 9-11 p.m.; resumes in regular time slot March 8 )

Tuesdays
8-10 p.m. The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m. Parenthood (premieres March 2)

Wednesdays
8-9 p.m. Mercy
9-10 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (encores beginning March 3)
10-11 p.m. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (originals beginning March 3)

Thursdays
8-8:30 p.m. Community
8:30-9 p.m. Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 p.m. The Office
9:30-10 p.m. 30 Rock
10-11 p.m.  The Marriage Ref (premieres March 4; sneak preview Feb. 28)

Fridays
8-9 p.m. Who Do You Think You Are? (premieres March 5; Friday Night Lights, pictured above, returns on April 30)
9-11 p.m. Dateline NBC (begins March 5)

Sundays  (beginning March 14)
7-8 p.m. Dateline NBC
8-9 p.m. Minute to Win It
9-11 p.m. The Celebrity Apprentice

Monday nights are almost back in full, new episode swing this evening. Here's a look at what's on tap...

• 8:00 p.m. The 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother (pictured, CBS); More scripted scenarios on The Bachelor (ABC); House returns with a fight over a woman (Fox); Isn't it nice to have Chuck back (NBC)?
• 8:30 p.m. A new episode of Accidentally on Purpose (CBS).
• 9:00 p.m. Jake tries to win back his ex-girlfriend on Two and a Half Men (CBS); An unaired season one episode of Fringe (Fox); How much lower can Heroes sink (NBC)?
• 9:30 p.m. Sheldon offers pick-up tips on The Big Bang Theory (CBS).
• 10:00 p.m. Alyssa Milano guest stars on Castle (ABC); Catch Jay Leno at this time slot while he's still there (NBC).

As the most surprising new hit of the TV season, White Collar has been rewarded by the USA network:

It's moving from its ratings-challened Friday night time slot to Tuesday evenings at 10 p.m.

Check out the official promo for the show's January 19 return tomorrow and remember: TV Fanatic recaps and reviews this great series every week!

Move over, Michael Westen. The Burn Notice star will soon have company as a USA network spy.

The cable channel has picked up Covert Affairs for its 2010-2011 season, a drama that stars Piper Perabo as Annie Walker.

The character is a multilingual CIA trainee that's thrown into a field position due to her relationship with an ex-boyfriend. Christopher Gorham (Ugly Betty), Peter Gallagher (The O.C.), Kari Matchett (Crash) and Anne Dudek (House) will also star.

Meanwhile, Showtime has picked up The Big C, a Laura Linney-driven series that focuses on a suburban mother who's been diagnosed with cancer.

Oliver Platt is also attached to the show.

Considering the faltering ratings of both The Jay Leno Show and The Tonight Show, NBC has to make some change.

And that doesn't appear to be good news for Conan O'Brien fans.

While the network won't confirm the move, multiple sources are reporting that Leno's 10 p.m. talk show will take a break on February 1. It will then return after the Olympics... in its original 11:30 p.m. slot.

What does this mean for O'Brien? It's unclear. For, a NBC rep has simply told celebrity gossip site TMZ:

"Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today. As we have said all along, Jay's show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network. It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates. Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance."

ARE YOU ON TEAM JAY OR TEAM CONAN?

UPDATE: NBC Chairman Jeff Gaspin has now said: “I can confirm, starting Feb. 12, The Jay Leno Show will no longer air at 10 p.m."

He says his goal is to move Leno to 11:35, air him for a half hour and follow that series with Conan at 12:05 a.m. What a mess.

CBS returns to original programming tonight. Let's take a look at what's on top across the primetime dial...

• 8:00 p.m. A Navy pilot is found dead on NCIS (CBS); The med students receive their white coats on Scrubs (ABC); Georgia Tech takes on Iowa in the Orange Bowl (Fox); it's season nine of The Biggest Loser (NBC).
• 8:30 p.m. One of the final episode of Better Off Ted (ABC).
• 9:00 p.m. Another new episode of Scrubs (ABC); a petty officer is found dead on NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS).
• 10:00 p.m. The Good Wife returns with a new installment (CBS); there's a show called Teen Mom (MTV).

While television fans mourn the end of the holiday season, they can at least look forward to the return of their favorite programs. While not every series is back, tonight's primetime schedule is far more exciting than it's been in recent weeks...

• 8:00 p.m. There are two hours of Heroes (NBC); There are also two hours of Jake Pavelka as The Bachelor (ABC); Boise St. takes on TCU in the Fiesta Bowl (Fox); Amy and Anne go on vacation as The Secret Life of an American Teenager returns (pictured, ABC Family).
• 9:00 p.m. Make It or Break It is back (ABC Family).
• 11:00 p.m. We've missed you, Jon Stewart!

Once the presents are open, the turkey is finished and the eggnog has stopped flowing, millions of Americans will plop down on their couches.

At least that's what a few cable networks are hoping for, as they've lined up the following marathons of a few popular TV shows. Make your plans, and set your DVR, accordingly...

Christmas Day
Bones marathon (noon-8 p.m., TNT)

December 26
NCIS marathon (9 a.m.-2 a.m. Dec. 27, USA)

December 31
Burn Notice marathon (6 a.m.-6 a.m. Jan. 1, USA)

January 1
One Tree Hill (2 p.m.-midnight Jan. 2, SoapNET)

January 2
NCIS marathon (9 a.m.-4 a.m. Jan. 3, USA)
House marathon (6 p.m.-4 a.m. Jan. 3, Bravo)

January 3
House marathon (9 a.m.-4 a.m. Jan. 4, USA)

We may need to amend our Return Date Calendar a bit.

In an attempt to counter-program against the first Monday night episode of Chuck on NBC, Fox has shifted around its January lineup.

The return of House has been moved up from January 25 to January 11; while the network is actually adding a season one installment of Fringe to the mix. In an unusual move, an unaired first season episode of the sci-fi series will air that night - it's titled "Unearthed" and it features the now-deceased Charlie.

Meanwhile, American Idol premieres on January 12, as the season nine poster above teases.

But its results show will move to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, starting on January 27, as Fox has flip-flopped the scheduling of Idol and its new drama, Human Target.

It's confusing, but don't worry: we have a feeling Fox will remind you with a few commercials for the reality show here and there.

There's no need to stress out if you're stuck on holiday shopping lines tonight. Your favorite show isn't airing a new episode anyway.

Every primetime series is officially on hiatus until the new year. When will your favorite program return and/or premiere a new season? The answers are below...

January 4
The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love
Make It or Break It
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
Heroes

January 5
The Biggest Loser
The Good Wife (pictured)
NCIS
NCIS: Los Angeles

January 6
Friday Night Lights
Nip/Tuck
Modern Family
Cougar Town
Ugly Betty

January 8
Ghost Whisperer
Medium returns
Numb3rs

January 10
Big Love
Chuck

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