NBC, Fox announces season lineup

“My Name is Earl” is moving to Thursday night on NBC, but “American Idol” is staying put on Fox.

After Fox earlier this week announced a deal for five more editions of “Idol,” there was speculation that the network might shift the weekly results show to Thursdays, where ad rates are higher because of demand from movie studios.

But Fox instead decided to keep the hit talent competition on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when it returns for a fifth season on Jan. 17.

Starting Jan. 5, NBC’s new Thursday lineup will be “Will & Grace,” in its final season; the new buddy comedy “Four Kings”; the strong freshman comedy “My Name is Earl,” about loser trying to make amends for his past wrongs; and “The Office,” which has followed “Earl” on Tuesday nights. “ER” will remain in its customary spot at 10 p.m.

Banished from the night is “Joey,” the spinoff that lost all of the energy and most of the viewers from “Friends.”

It will be taken off the air until at least March, after NBC airs the Winter Olympics. It likely will eventually end up on Tuesday night, where NBC will run “Fear Factor” and back-to-back episodes of “Scrubs” from 8 to 10 p.m. starting in January.

While Fox decided to stand pat with “Idol,” it did reverse course on “Prison Break” – its only big new hit – which was due to take a five-month breather until May. Strong ratings and a fan outcry led the network to instead plot a return starting March 20, Mondays at 8 p.m., as a lead-in to “24.”

Meanwhile, “24” begins its fifth season with a two-hour opener Jan. 15, then moves to Mondays the next night. “Skating with Celebrities,” a takeoff on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” arrives Jan. 18 and will be Monday’s companion of “24” from Jan. 23 to early March.

“House,” which was due to shift to Mondays in January, will remain paired with “Idol” on Tuesdays, as it was last season. Forensics drama “Bones” will move to Wednesdays at 9 on Jan. 25, following “Idol” audition episodes at 8.

Comedies “That ‘70s Show” and “Stacked” will shift to Thursdays at 9 and 9:30, respectively, on March 2, and “Trading Spouses” moves to Fridays at 9 on Jan. 6.

“Killer Instinct” airs its final episode tonight, while “Reunion” will finish out its abbreviated 13-week run Feb. 2.