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NBC: New Nurse Shows

Seth Meyers anchors “Weekend Update,” which is expected to kick off NBC’s Thursday nights. The network already has two comedies on Thursday starring former “Weekend Update” anchors — Poehler and Tina Fey of “30 Rock,” and it’s likely they’ll be making return visits.

That announcement doesn’t seem to bode well for “My Name Is Earl,” a comedy considered on the bubble, but Silverman said no decision has been made about the show.

NBC’s new series represent “bold, original concepts” that share an upbeat message, said Angela Bromstad, prime-time entertainment president for NBC and Universal Media Studios.

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They are “fundamentally a positive portrayal of who we are as human beings, who we are as a community, and that ultimately we strive to do the right thing,” she said in an interview.

The new shows announced Monday:

• “Parenthood,” starring Peter Krause (“Six Feet Under”), Maura Tierney (“ER”), Craig T. Nelson (“Coach”) and Bonnie Bedelia as family members dealing with the pressures of life. The show was shadowed by tragedy last week when NBC executive Nora O’Brien died after collapsing on the set in Northern California.

• “Trauma,” about the heroics of San Francisco paramedics and deemed by Silverman the “adrenaline-rush” successor to NBC’s recently departed “ER.” The cast includes Derek Luke (“Notorious”), Aimee Garcia (“George Lopez”) and Jamey Sheridan (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”). Peter Berg is the executive producer.

• “Mercy,” a hospital drama that puts nurses at center stage. The ensemble cast includes Taylor Schilling (“Dark Matter”), Jamie Lee Kirchner (“Rescue Me”), James Tupper (“Men in Trees”) and Guillermo Diaz (“Weeds”).

• “Day One,” a saga about neighbors who must rebuild their lives and society after a mysterious catastrophe decimates the world’s infrastructure. Adam Campbell (“Date Movie”), Catherine Dent (“The Shield”) and Julie Gonzalo (“Eli Stone”) star. The drama is planned as a “big event” to follow the Winter Olympics, Silverman said.

• “100 Questions,” a comedy about a young woman (Sophie Winkleman, “Peep Show”), looking for love with the help of an online dating site and counselor (Amir Talai, “The Ex List”). It’s a traditional multicamera sitcom, a format that has dimmed in popularity in recent years, but which NBC believes in, Bromstad said.

• “Community,” a sitcom about community college misfits that brings Chevy Chase of “Saturday Night Live” fame back to TV. The cast includes Joel McHale (“The Soup”), Gillian Jacobs (“The Book of Daniel”) and Yvette Nicole Brown (“Rules of Engagement”).

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NBC is owned by General Electric Co.

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