So NBC rolled out its 2008-09 schedule — it covers all 52 weeks, comes six weeks earlier than normal, and, without any pilots or trailers to showcase the new programs, leaves quite a lot to the imagination.

Take the ”The Office” spin-off. NBC Entertainment Co-Chairman Ben Silverman sidestepped every question about the show, saying only that it would launch after the Super Bowl with Greg Daniels heading up the project. Other than that? Zip.

Mostly, NBC executives focused on broader themes of the programs and the season. This is how they basically want the scheduling to play: 8-9 p.m. is family hour; 9-10 p.m. is big hit, big show hour; 10-11 p.m is high end, adult dramas.

In its hour-long presentation, NBC sketched out the schedule through the summer of 2009. A lot of that likely isn’t set in stone. But here is what next fall will look like on NBC if everything goes ahead as planned. 

(Note that new shows are in all caps) 

Monday

• 8-9 p.m. “Chuck”
• 9-10 p.m. “Heroes”
• 10-11 p.m. “MY OWN WORST ENEMY”

Tuesday

• 8-9:30 p.m. “The Biggest Loser: Families”
• 9:30-10 p.m. “KATH & KIM”
• 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

Wednesday

• 8-9 p.m. “KNIGHT RIDER”
• 9-10 p.m. “Deal or No Deal”
• 10-11 p.m. “Lipstick Jungle”

Thursday

• 8-8:30 “My Name is Earl”
• 8:30-9 p.m. “30 Rock”
• 9-9:30  p.m. “The Office”
• 9:30-10 p.m. “The Office” (second part of hour-long editions) or SNL THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (election specials)
• 10-11 p.m. “ER”

Friday

• 8-9 p.m. “Crusoe”
• 9-10 p.m. “Deal or No Deal”
• 10-11 p.m. “Life”

Saturday

• 8-9 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
• 9-10 p.m. “KNIGHT RIDER” (encores)
• 10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (encores)

Sunday

• 7-8:20 p.m. “Football Night in America”
• 8:20-11 p.m. “NBC Sunday Night Football”

(Photo: Reuters / Ben Silverman)