'Community' and 'Whitney' back on NBC's schedule and still on Fridays [Update: No they're not]

UPDATE 7:20 p.m. ET: Apparently we jumped the gun. An NBC rep tells Zap2it that the Oct. 28-Nov. 3 schedule released earlier -- and on which we based the post below -- was incorrect. The premiere dates for "Community" and "Whitney" are still to be determined, as is what fills the 8 o'clock hour on Nov. 2.

The original post is below.

"Community" and "Whitney" are back on NBC's schedule and will premiere two weeks later than their originally planned debuts.

The two comedies had been scheduled to premiere on Friday, Oct. 19, with "Whitney" at 8 p.m. ET and "Community" at 8:30. Earlier this week, however, the network pulled them off the schedule, resulting in much hand-wringing from "Community's" active fan base. (Presumably "Whitney" watchers weren't happy either.)

Now, the network has quietly restored them to Friday nights. A press release detailing NBC's schedule from Oct. 28-Nov. 3 has "Whitney" and "Community" premiering Friday, Nov. 2.

The decision not to premiere the two comedies on Oct. 19 may be tied into another scheduling move NBC made this week: the airing of its pilot "Mockingbird Lane" as a Halloween special at 8 p.m. Oct. 26. If that decision was in the works, it makes sense that NBC would want to delay "Community" and "Whitney" by a couple weeks rather than air them once, pre-empt them for "Mockingbird Lane," then return them the following week.

We should note that both shows have their episodes listed as "TBA" on the NBC schedule, so don't set those DVRs just yet.