A meeting between NBC executives and advertisers today has given the public its first glimpse at the network's schedule for next year, and the biggest news is undoubtedly the confirmation that a long-rumored spin-off of The Office has been greenlit. In next year's plum post-Super Bowl slot, NBC plans to premiere the as-yet-untitled show following a special Office episode; the spin-off will then follow in the 9:30 p.m. ET slot every Thursday. No details on the plot have been released yet, but given Rainn Wilson's vehement denials in the past, we think we're still probably safe from having to endure a weekly half-hour of That's Our Dwight!. (Please please please.)
Other noteworthy news from the NBC presentation:
– Friday Night Lights is definitely coming back, but not until the winter, when NBC's focus will switch to "quality fare." (As opposed to the rest of the year when it's "crap for yokels who don't know any better"?)