NBC announces fall lineup more than a month ahead of schedule

Tossing aside decades of TV tradition, NBC suddenly announced its schedule for next fall – more than a month earlier than usual.

Tucked into the announcement late Wednesday afternoon were several surprises, including:

•The return of “ER,” once considered doomed, for a final season

•Pick-ups for two other dramas that had seemed iffy. “Lipstick Jungle” airs in the fall, “Friday Night Lights” in January.

•A new “Knight Rider” series, propelled by a successful TV movie in December.

•A new comedy approach at 9:30 p.m. Thursdays. For the three weeks before the presidential election, there will be half-hour “Saturday Night Live” specials. In the winter, an “Office” spin-off (details not yet specified) will debut.

NBC also confirmed that “Scrubs” will end its seven-season run on the network next month – which doesn’t necessarily mean the show is going away for good.

It’s widely expected that “Scrubs” will end up on ABC next season, given that it’s produced by the network’s Disney brother ABC Studios, and network entertainment chief Stephen McPherson helped develop the show back when he ran the studio.

ABC will announce its schedule in mid-May, during the traditional “upfront” week when networks announce their fall schedules to advertisers.