Just after announcing that Emmy winner James Spader had been cast on the hit comedy The Office, NBC announced when The Office and the rest of their scheduled series would be returning in the fall. The Office officially returns, with Spader as the new CEO, on Thursday September 22nd. NBC also announced that Football Night in America, the network’s weekly NFL offering, would return with a special Thursday night NFL Kickoff Special followed by the first NFL game of the 2011 season.
That is, of course, if there is an NFL season. The National Football League and its Players Union are still in the midst of a lock out and may not be back in time for the projected start of the NFL season on September 8th on NBC. Other notable debuts includes a premiere date for the controversial new drama The Playboy Club (Monday, September 19th) and the late premiere of the action/comedy Chuck which is returning for half a season to close out its series run on Friday, October 21st.
Full list of NBC’s Fall Premieres below:
Thursday September 8th
NFL Kick-off Special 2011 8:00 Pm ET, 7 Pm CT
Thursday Night Football New Orleans at Green Bay 8:30 Pm ET, 7:30 Pm CT
Sunday September 11th
Football Night in America 7:0o Pm ET, 6:00 Pm CT
Sunday Night Football Dallas at NY Jets 8:00 Pm ET, 7 Pm CT
Tuesday September 13th
Parenthood 10:00 Pm ET, 9:00 Pm CT
Wednesday September 14th
America’s Got Talent Season finale 8:00 Pm ET, 7:00 Pm CT
Up All Night*Â 10 Pm ET, 9:00 Pm CT
Free Agents* 10:30 Pm ET, 9:30 Pm CT
Monday September 19th
The Sing Off 8:00 Pm ET, 7:00 Pm CT
The Playboy Club* 10:00 Pm ET, 9:00 Pm CT
Tuesday September 20th
The Biggest Loser 8:00 Pm ET, 7:00 Pm CT
Wednesday September 21st
Harry’s Law 9:00 Pm ET, 8:00 Pm CT
Law & Order: SVU 10:00 Pm ET, 9:00 Pm CT
Thursday September 22nd
Community 8:00 Pm ET, 7:00 Pm CT
Parks and Recreation 8:30 Pm ET, 7:30 Pm CT
The Office 9:00 Pm ET, 8:00 Pm CT
Whitney* 9:30 Pm ET, 8:30 Pm CT
Prime Suspect* 10:00 Pm ET, 9:00Â Pm CT
Friday October 21st
Chuck 8:00 Pm ET, 7:00Â Pm CT
Grimm* 9:00 Pm ET, 8:00 Pm CT
*Indicates new series
No date announced yet for the buzz heavy musical series Smash starring Deborah Messing and Katherine McPhee. Smash is rumored to be coming in January on NBC.  Not on the schedule but returning eventually is the multiple Emmy winning comedy 30 Rock.
