Image Credit: Lewis Jacobs/NBC
NBC announced today that it will air a special hour-long episode of The Voice after Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. “There is no better showcase on television than to follow the Super Bowl, and we believe The Voice is deserving of such high-profile exposure,” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt in a statement. “The attention grabbing blind audition phase of The Voice has mass appeal and will fittingly team up with the biggest sporting event of the year.”
The network has yet to decide, however the episode will be the premiere of season 2 or an episode within the new season. The Voice, which is averaging a 5.4 rating/14 share in adults 18-49 and 12 million viewers, will return as part of the Peacock’s midseason lineup.
Of course they’re proud of that show. If they were smart, however, they would use the slot to launch a new show. But it’s NBC. And they’re never smart.
Actually, in the past, the networks would try to launch new shows after the Super Bowl. Of course they got huge numbers mfor the premiere but the vast majority of them failed soon after settling into their regular timeslot.
Good Call
Excellent point. The Voice is already a huge hit. They’d be better off (maybe not launching a new show) doing something similar like what they did with Friends. Perhaps trying to build a particular show’s audience that’s already established but hurting in the ratings department. I’m thinking Park & Rec or Community.
I remember Greys Anatomy went from being a big hit to an astronomical hit after their super bowl bomb in the body ep. Look at the numbers. It jumped up like 5mil for rest of season and beyond. Point is, there’s many ways to do it
Look what it did for Survivor and Glee.
Grey’s Anatomy is another example of what happened to Friends after it had the post=Super Bowl time slot.
“The network has yet to decide, however the episode will be the premiere of season 2 or an episode within the new season.”
Since the statement from Greenblatt specifically mentions the blind audition phase, I’m gonna guess that it’ll be the premiere. (Or one of the first episodes.)
I’ll be able to go to bed right after the game is over now that I know that crap will be on after it.
Will there even be a regular football season this year with the lockout going on?
Really, NBC? No faith in your scripted programming? But I guess it could be worse. While Community could have done something clever, it would seem out-of-character for people to show up with bazookas in their chests on Law and Order SVU.
All this is assuming there even is a NFL Super Bowl for this football season. NBC is either amazingly optimistic that mediation will end with play or they are just stupid for doing this prematurely.
ummm… doesn’t NBC realize there might not be a super bowl this year??
The NFL will never cancel a season. Ever.
Never say never. EVER.
Remember the baseball strike of 94-95? So don’t be so certain that the NFL won’t follow suit.
I agree. Remember 1987 NFL Players strike. The scabs carried the teams until negotiations were made a few weeks prior to the Superbowl. There will be a season and a Superbowl.
The baseball strike IS the reason why the NFL wont calcen a season, not even a game. MLB lost a TON of fans, some swearing (i can use it here i think) never to return. The NFL wont want the black eye on the sport and alienate their fans like baseball did
Very good decision by NBC. Keep up the good work though.
It’s clearly going to be the premiere episode.
While The Voice is clearly one of the networks best shows they could had obviously used one of their comedy or even Chuck. They could had also used one of its newer series as well. I suspect that while it might get high raitings it might also be one of the lowest rated post-super bowl shows.
Example Glee – it saw the lowest retaning in viewership
Also The Voice isn’t kind of a show football/super ball viewers
Chuck probably will end in the fall, considering it’s only getting 13 eps, but NBC is so stupid for not deciding to air Parks and Rec or Community, or a midseason show like Awake.
great decision!! the voice is an amazing show!! can’t wait for tonights episode!!
The Voice is NBC’s one legitimate hit…this was almost a no-brainer for them.
i think he should get life in prison for doing what he did in 2008
they should have done a hour long Community
Yes!
They would have been wise to give the slot to one of their critically beloved but low-rated sitcoms, like Community or Parks and Recreation. Both of those shows (especially Community) could certainly use the boost in viewers.