NBC is shaking things up by ending the linear run of Peacock’s “The Paper” earlier than expected. Instead, starting on Jan. 5, NBC will be airing episodes of its new comedy “Stumble” in the Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET time slot, where “The Paper” has been airing since Nov. 10 in broadcast-friendly versions.
“Stumble” will continue to air new episodes on Fridays at 8:30 p.m., following “Happy’s Place.” To give “Stumble” some extra exposure, NBC will also be airing repeats of the show, starting with the pilot episode, on Mondays behind “St. Denis Medical.”
Although “The Paper” won’t have a full 10-episode run on Mondays, NBC plans to air the remaining three episodes on Saturday, Jan. 3. The show has been available on Peacock since Sept. 4, where viewers can catch the entire Season 1 run. Additionally, a second season of “The Paper” has already been picked up, ensuring that the show will return with more episodes in 2026 on the streaming platform.
NBC is looking to build momentum for “Stumble” by airing it in the additional Monday slot through Feb. 2, with the exception of an NBA game on Jan. 19. The Monday 8:30 p.m. slot will eventually be taken over by new comedy “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,” premiering with an hour-long episode on Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET.
“The Paper,” Peacock’s No. 2 comedy (behind “Ted”), gained nearly 6 million viewers during its NBC run, according to the network. The decision to air a second run of “The Paper” on NBC was based on an internal study showing minimal duplication in viewership between NBC and Peacock audiences, with Peacock viewers being significantly younger.
On the other hand, “Stumble” is a comedy created by Jeff Astrof and Liz Astrof, set in the world of junior college cheer squads. The series features a talented cast including Jenn Lyon, Taran Killam, and Kristin Chenoweth as a recurring guest star. The show has received positive reviews from critics, with Variety TV critic Aramide Tinubu praising it as a hilarious mockumentary about junior college cheerleading.
With the Astrofs as executive producers and Universal TV as the studio behind the show, “Stumble” has been picked up for 13 episodes in Season 1. Fans of cheerleading and comedy alike are sure to enjoy this fresh take on the competitive world of junior college cheerleading.
