NBC’s Fall slate is one that deserves to be celebrated with several new — and returning — shows featuring people of color leads.
Quantum Leap, starring Raymond Lee, and Magnum P.I., starring Jay Hernandez, make their return to NBC next week on Wednesday, October 4. The medical procedural series Transplant, which stars Hamza Haq as Syrian refugee Dr. Bashir Hamed and his new life in Canada, returns the next day on Thursday, October 5.
New series — The Irrational, which premiered last night on NBC, stars Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer, a behavioral scientist who uses his expertise to help law enforcement catch criminals. The Law and Order alum is now leading all the cases on his new police procedural series.
The missing-persons drama Found, from All American showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll, is set to premiere on Tuesday, October 3. It stars Shanola Hampton as Gabi Mosley, a PR specialist — who was once missing herself — who leads a team making sure that someone is always looking for forgotten missing people. Little do they know, she’s has kept her kidnapper (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) captive to help her solve these cases. Yes, we have a Silence of the Lambs situation with two people of Color leads. (This is your yearly reminder that Mark-Paul Gosselaar is of Asian descent).
The Nerds of Color has obtained an exclusive video of NBC celebrating the diversity and inclusivity of their fall line-up. In the touching promo, the stories from each of the series listed are highlighted — marking the first time we’re seeing POC leads almost nightly. Check it out below:
All series will appear on Peacock the next day.
NBC’s Fall Season:
Monday, Sept. 25
8-10 p.m. – The Voice (Original)
10-11 p.m. – The Irrational (Original)
Tuesday, Sept. 26
8-9 p.m. – The Voice (Original)
9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent (Performance finale)
Wednesday, Sept. 27
8-9 p.m. – America’s Got Talent (R)
9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent (Season finale)
Thursday, Sept. 28
8-10 p.m. – People’s Choice Country Awards
10-11 p.m. – The Irrational (R)
Friday, Sept. 29
9-11 p.m. – Dateline NBC (Original)
Tuesday, Oct. 3
8-10 p.m. – The Voice (Original)
10-11 p.m. – Found (Original)
Wednesday, Oct. 4
8-9 p.m. – Quantum Leap (Original)
9-10 p.m. – Magnum, P.I. (Original)
10-11 p.m. – Chicago (R)
Thursday, Oct. 5
8-9 p.m. – Law & Order dramas (R)
9-10 p.m. – Transplant (Original)
10-11 p.m. – Dateline NBC (R)
Friday, Nov. 3
8-9 p.m. – The Wall (Original)
The fact that NBC canceled Magnum PI – a show with such a diverse cast – Latino, Asian-American and African-American leads – and then promotes diversity is ironic. The optics are terrible on this one for them. They also put a large Asian population out of work in Hawaii by canceling the show. They need to do better, and renew Magnum PI.