NBC Comedy-Free Thursday, ‘Manifest’, ‘Good Girls,’ ‘Zoey’s’ Premieres

For only the second time since NBC started branding Thursday night in the early 1980s — first as “The Best Night of Television on Television” and then “Must See TV” — the lineup once dubbed “Comedy Night Done Right” will feature no comedy series.

The network today unveiled scheduling changes for late spring, which include Season 3 of Manifest replacing the 8-9 PM Thursday comedy block currently occupied by Mr. Mayor and Superstore.

This is the first time NBC has aired an ongoing drama series in the Thursday 8 PM hour. The previous time the network took comedies off the night completely was during the 2015-16 season, when several limited series aired in the 8 PM time slot: The Slap, Heroes Reborn and You, Me and the Apocalypse, as well as unscripted series Strong.

Winter 2021 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

Starting on April 1, NBC’s all-drama Thursday lineup will include Manifest, followed by anchor Law & Order: SVU leading to spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime, starring SVU alum Chris Meloni.

NBC will not be entirely without comedy presence on the schedule — the network recently opened a Tuesday comedy block with new family half-hours Kenan and Young Rock. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, which was displaced by the move, has now found a new home on Sundays, starting March 28, paired with another female-led comedy drama, Good Girls, returning for a fourth season.

Waiting in the wings is NBC comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is expected to get a premiere date soon.

Here are NBC’s newly announced premiere dates:

SUNDAY, MARCH 7
7 p.m. – “The Voice” (repeat)
9 p.m. – “Ellen’s Game of Games” (time period premiere)
10 p.m. – “Good Girls” (Season 4 premiere)

SUNDAY, MARCH 28
7 p.m. – “Ellen’s Game of Games” (repeat)
8 p.m. – “Ellen’s Game of Games” (time period premiere)
9 p.m. – “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” (time period premiere)
10 p.m. – “Good Girls”

THURSDAY, APRIL 1
8 p.m. – “Manifest” (Season 3 premiere)
9 p.m. – “Law & Order: SVU”
10 p.m. – “Law & Order: Organized Crime” (series premiere)