NBC goes all-sitcom Thursdays in January 2011, moves “The Marriage Ref” return to Sundays in March

NBC just released its midseason schedule for January through May 2011, and it's going back to comedy at 10 p.m., but just on Thursdays, and no, it doesn't involve Jay Leno.

Instead, NBC will hope to re-establish its "Must-See TV" moniker by going back-to-back sitcoms for all three hours on Thursdays in January.

The new Thursday lineup: 8 p.m., Community; 8:30 p.m., Perfect Couples; 9 p.m. The Office; 9:30 p.m. Parks and Recreation; 10 p.m., 30 Rock; 10:30 p.m., Outsourced

Note what this does.

1) It puts The Office and Parks and Rec together in an hour for the first time, which was supposed to happen all along.

2) It puts 30 Rock into 10 p.m. where it'll compete not with other broader comedies, but with The Mentalist on CBS, Private Practice on ABC, and local news on FOX.

Also of note in comedy, NBC isn't putting Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Papa's The Marriage Ref in that 10 p.m. Thursday slot for its second season, instead shipping it to a better fit with family audiences at 8 p.m. Sundays, starting in March 2011.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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