NBC Announces Fall Series Premiere Dates

NBC has announced its fall series premiere dates:

NBC kicks off the Fall 2009 season on Monday, September 14 with the highly anticipated primetime debut of "The Jay Leno Show" (10-11 p.m. ET/9-10 p.m. CT), followed by the premiere of the network's marquee night of comedy on Thursday, September 17, as "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" and new series "Community" join "Parks and Recreation" and Emmy winner "The Office."

NBC's dramas will premiere with a two-hour "Heroes" on Monday, September 21 (8-10 p.m. ET), the compelling family drama "Parenthood" premieres on Wednesday, September 23 (8-9 p.m. ET) leading into "Law & Order: SVU" (9-10 p.m. ET). The new high-octane "Trauma" will premiere the following Monday, September 28 (9-10 p.m. ET).

Emmy winner "30 Rock" returns to the Thursday comedy line-up on October 15 (9:30-10 p.m. ET).

In addition, "Saturday Night Live" returns for its 35th season on September 26 (11:30 p.m.-1:00 a.m.).

The announcement was made by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.

"NBC is proud to present more hours of comedy programming this fall than any other network with the 'The Jay Leno Show' each night at 10 p.m. and 'Community' joining the award-winning Thursday line-up," said Silverman. "We're also excited about adding two new dramas to our strong slate of quality returning shows."

"The Jay Leno Show," the first-ever entertainment program to be stripped across primetime on broadcast network television, launches on Monday, September 14 (10-11 p.m. ET) and will showcase many of the features that have made Leno America's late-night leader for more than a dozen years.

On Tuesday, September 15 (8-10 p.m.), "The Biggest Loser" returns with all new two-hour episodes, featuring more inspiration and real-life drama as this season's contestants challenge themselves to reach their weight-loss goals.

Thursday is comedy night on NBC with the only live comedy show between 8-10 p.m. on any network, "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday," kicking off the night (8-8:30 p.m. ET) beginning September 17, followed by "Parks and Recreation" (8:30-9 p.m. ET), "The Office" (9-9:30 p.m. ET) and new comedy "Community" (9:30-10 p.m. ET) from Emmy winners Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development"). "Community" focuses on a band of community college misfits, led by a fast-talking lawyer (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning more about themselves than their coursework.

On October 8, "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" will exit the 8 p.m. slot and "Community" will shift to the earlier time period, followed by "Parks and Recreation" (8:30-9 p.m. ET). A one-hour episode of "The Office" will air from 9-10 p.m. ET.

On October 15, Emmy winner "30 Rock" will launch its fourth season in the show's regular slot on Thursdays, 9:30-10 p.m. ET.

NBC's dramas return with a two-hour episode of viewer favorite "Heroes" (8-10 p.m. ET) on Monday, September 21. The following Monday, September 28, "Heroes" will continue in its 8 p.m. time period followed by "Trauma" (9-10 p.m. ET), the new adrenalin-rush action drama from executive producer Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights") that tracks a team of first-responder paramedics from San Francisco General as they face extreme conditions to save the lives of strangers and give meaning to their own in the process.

"Parenthood," from Imagine Entertainment's Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights"), premieres on Wednesday, September 23 (8-9 p.m. ET). The series, which features an all-star cast including Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Dax Shepard, Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter and Erika Christensen, tells the story of four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and unexpected joys of being a parent. Following "Parenthood" on Wednesdays is "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9-10 p.m. ET), beginning its eleventh season on September 23.

Fridays, beginning September 25, the venerable "Law & Order" (8-9 p.m. ET) returns for a record 20th season, followed by the acclaimed drama "Southland" (9-10 p.m. ET).

Beginning September 26, Saturdays in primetime will be a showcase for "Dateline NBC" (8-9 p.m. ET) and encore presentations of "Trauma" (9-10 p.m. ET) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10-11 p.m. ET).

"Football Night in America" (7-8:15 p.m. ET) and "NBC Sunday Night Football" (8:15-11 p.m.) - the number one show of the fall - will return on Sundays, beginning September 13 with a classic match-up: the Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers.

Following is NBC's Fall 2009-10 premiere schedule (all times ET):

*New programs in UPPER CASE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
7-8:15 p.m. - "Football Night in America"
8:15-11 p.m. - "NBC Sunday Night Football"

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW" (Series Premiere)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
8-10 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
8-8:30 p.m. - "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday"
8:30-9 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"
9-9:30 p.m. - "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. - "COMMUNITY" (series premiere - moves to Thursdays 8-8:30 p.m. on October 8; "30 Rock" returns October 15, 9:30-10 p.m.)
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
8-10 p.m. - "Heroes" (two hour premiere, then TRAUMA premieres 9-10 p.m. Monday, September 28)
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
8-9 p.m. - "PARENTHOOD" (Series Premiere)
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
8-9 p.m. - "Law & Order"
9-10 p.m. - "Southland"
10-11 p.m. - "THE JAY LENO SHOW"

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "TRAUMA" (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (encore broadcast)
11:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. - "Saturday Night Live"