NBC shifts "Quarterlife" premiere

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC has set a new premiere date and a new time slot for "Quarterlife."

The acquired Internet series will launch on Tuesday, February 26, at 10 p.m., following "The Biggest Loser." Beginning March 2, it will air in its regular Sunday 9 p.m. time period.

"Quarterlife," from Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, originally was slotted to premiere February 18 and air Mondays at 9 p.m. after the new reality series "Baby Borrowers."

"'The Biggest Loser' is one of the strongest shows on television right now among young viewers, especially young women, and we see this as a perfect opportunity to capture that audience with the highly anticipated broadcast premiere of 'Quarterlife,'" said NBC's scheduling chief, Vince Manze. "In addition, in its regular Sunday time period we're providing a young-skewing original scripted alternative in an hour where the competition will be mostly unscripted programming or encores."

"Quarterlife's" competition in the Sunday 9 p.m. berth will include the midseason reality series "Oprah's Big Give" on ABC, repeats of "Cold Case" on CBS and "Family Guy" reruns or the new comedy "Unhitched" on Fox.

Another likely factor in NBC's decision is the ratings resurgence of Monday's "Deal or No Deal," which "Quarterlife" was to replace.

As a result of the scheduling plans for "Quarterlife," other recent NBC acquisitions, USA Network's comedy-dramas "Monk" and "Psych" -- originally slated to run as a two-hour Sunday block beginning March 2 -- will now premiere April 6, airing from 8-10 p.m.

NBC is the latest broadcast network to readjust its strike-impacted midseason schedule, following similar moves by Fox and ABC.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter