NBC has become the latest broadcast network to announce its plans for this coming summer, starting with the Monday, May 8th premiere of reality competition series World of Dance. Premiering at 10:00 following The Voice and moving to Tuesdays at 10:00 beginning May 30th, World of Dance is a dance competition with no limits (apart from age) – soloists compete with duos and groups in genres ranging from hip-hop to popping, locking to tap, and ballet to break dancing. The prize for the series, which will be judged by Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo, and Derek Hough, will be $1 million.
The next season of America’s Got Talent will premiere Tuesday, May 30th at 8:00, leading into World of Dance, with live shows coming Wednesday, August 16th at 8:00. This season of the show will be hosted by newly installed America’s Next Top Model host Tyra Banks, who took over for Nick Cannon after Cannon publicly quit following the perceived censorship by NBC executives of his recent stand-up comedy special. Once World of Dance wraps, the network will premiere supernatural soap Midnight, Texas Tuesday, July 25th at 10:00 out of America’s Got Talent. The series, based on the Charlaine Harris novels, follows charming psychic Manfred (Francois Arnaud) as he finds refuge in a tiny Texas town inhabited by supernatural beings.
Emmy-nominated American Ninja Warrior will be returning for its sixth season on Monday, June 12th at 8:00, with the winner going home with $1 million after conquering a final obstacle course modeled after the famed Mt. Midoriyama course in Japan. It will lead into the second season of fellow obstacle course competition Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge; the series pits groups of five against one another for a $250,000 grand prize. Taking over for Spartan once it concludes its season will be Hollywood Game Night beginning August 7th. This season of the parlor game-focused series will feature appearances from Chris Hardwick, Margaret Cho, Gabby Douglas, Matt Iseman, Taye Diggs, and RuPaul , as well as cast members from This Is Us and Superstore.
Little Big Shots spinoff Little Big Shots: Forever Young will make its series premiere on Wednesday, June 21st at 8:00. Whereas the original series was a talent show focused on children, Forever Young will showcase the abilities of seniors. The series will serve as a lead-in to acclaimed scripted comedy The Carmichael Show, returning for its third season Wednesday, May 31st at 9:00.
NBC Thursdays this summer will consist of more episodes of The Wall, which returns Thursday, June 22nd at 8:00, as well as season four of scripted medical drama The Night Shift (June 22nd at 9:00). Once The Night Shift wraps its season, Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update will air two half-hour episodes in the 9:00 hour beginning Thursday, August 10th. The series will feature anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che, as well as special appearances by SNL cast members.
Finally, NBC will be premiering scripted comedy Marlon Wednesday, August 16th at 9:00 following the Talent live shows. The series, which stars Marlon Wayans and Essence Atkins, will air two back-to-back episodes weekly, similar to how NBC launched Mr. Robinson and The Carmichael Show.
