'Chuck,' 'Friday Night Lights,' Conan O'Brien: Notes from NBC's press tour

"Chuck" is still set to return to NBC in March and run for 13 episodes -- although neither of those things appear to be set in stone.

"They're on a great track creatively," NBC's scripted entertainment chief, Angela Bromstad, says of the show, adding that she's already seen several scripts for the new season. Because the show has gotten an early start on production, "it's something we could move around, but right now it's not scheduled to come on until March."

Bromstad also says that there's still a chance "Chuck" could extend its run into next summer, but such a move is still in the discussion stage. She also said that while there was some talk of the show moving into the fall after "Parenthood" was bumped to midseason, "we were anxious to put on new shows. Because we're down to just 8 to 10 o'clock, we really wanted to get as many new shows on as we could." (New drama "Mercy" is taking "Parenthood's" place in the fall.)

Another of NBC's fiercely loved but lightly rated dramas, "Friday Night Lights," won't be back on network TV until next summer (it will run on DirecTV in the fall).

"We just think that 'Friday Night Lights' is a sensational show," Bromstad says. "Unfortunately it doesn't have the ratings that we need it to have to justify it on the fall schedule. What our plan is is to have that as sort of a premiere summer program."

Bromstad also says the network is looking for scripted summer shows that are more "on brand" for NBC, and "FNL" will help fulfill that mission.

Conan O'Brien is still the "new king of late night," ruling over the realm of adults under 50.

It's a smaller kingdom than the entire dominion of late-night -- but it's the one that NBC wants to be ruling, so consequently its executives say they aren't concerned with O'Brien's early ratings struggles as host of "The Tonight Show."

At least I think so. Bromstad and fellow NBC exec Paul Telegdy deflected the question about "The Tonight Show's" numbers during their time at the Television Critics Association press tour. They noted that the network's currency with advertisers is demographic ratings. Bromstad also says that "the true test" for O'Brien will come in the fall.

"The Tonight Show" has trailed CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" in total viewers for the past three weeks, but NBC has held sway among adults 18-49 since O'Brien took over the show on June 1.

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