NBC Sets Summer Schedule: HANNIBAL, AQUARIUS & More

NBC has announced premiere dates for its summer tentpole programming, including the #1 most-watched summer show of the past nine years, "America's Got Talent."

"AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR" - Monday, May 25, 8-10 p.m.

The action-packed series follows competitors as they tackle a series of challenging obstacle courses in both qualifying and finals rounds across the country. Those that successfully complete a course in their designated region move on to the national finals round in Las Vegas, where they face a stunning four-stage course modeled after the famed Mt. Midoriyama in Japan. Matt Iseman serves as host, along with former NFL player Akbar Gbaja Biamila (NFL Network).

"American Ninja Warrior" delivered a 2.0 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers overall last summer and was up versus the prior summer by +11% in 18-49 rating (2.0 vs. 1.8) and up +7% in total viewers (5.9 million vs. 5.6 million). The Sept. 9, 2014 season finale improved versus the year-earlier finale by +20% in adults 18-49 (1.8 vs. 1.5) and +31% in total viewers (5.3 million vs. 4.0 million).

"AMERICA'S GOT TALENT" - Tuesday, May 26, 8-10 p.m.

NBC's top-rated summer series "America's Got Talent" celebrates its landmark 10th season with the hottest performers from across the country competing for America's vote. Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Mel B and Howie Mandel return as judges and Nick Cannon returns as host.

With the talent search open to acts of all ages, "America's Got Talent" has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing unique performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying for their chance to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.

Last year, for the first time in the show's history, America chose a magician as their winner: Rhode Island native Mat Franco, who went on to headline the "America's Got Talent Live" stage show in Las Vegas.

"America's Got Talent" last summer averaged a 2.7 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 with its Tuesday and Wednesday editions and 11.6 million viewers overall, according to "live plus seven day" results from Nielsen Media Research. The Wednesday and Tuesday telecasts finished #1 and 2 among summer shows in total viewers, marking the ninth time in nine years "Talent" has ranked #1 among summer series in total viewers.

"AQUARIUS" - Thursday, May 28, 9-11 p.m.; beginning Thursday, June 4 at 9-10 p.m.

It's 1967 and the era of free love, drug experimentation and Vietnam is in full effect. When Emma (Emma Dumont, "Salvation"), the teenage daughter of a respected lawyer, goes missing, LAPD Sgt. Sam Hodiak (David Duchovny, "Californication," "The X-Files") starts asking around. He soon discovers that the hippie kids he's questioning don't take kindly to cops, especially a cop with hair as short as his.

Needing the help of someone to trust, he partners with young undercover cop Brian Shafe (Grey Damon, "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters," "Friday Night Lights"), a law-abiding officer who struggles with his own demons. He also begins to rely on Charmain Tully (Claire Holt, "Vampire Diaries," "Pretty Little Liars"), an ambitious rookie cop who's anxious to prove herself in a male-dominated profession.

It's not long before they stumble upon a small-time cult leader seeking out vulnerable women to join his cause. From there, they follow this man's trail down a rabbit hole of drugs, sex, murder and a cultural revolution. Little could they know, however, the guy they're hunting will eventually become the killer we now recognize as Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony, "Game of Thrones") - a lost soul who desperately wanted to get into the music scene of the '60s until something snapped.

"Aquarius" will explore the cat-and-mouse game between Manson and the police in those turbulent years leading up to the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders.

"HANNIBAL" - Thursday, June 4, 10-11 p.m.

The dark and haunting series "Hannibal" returns for a third season, revealing the fates of characters hanging in the balance, and their continuing psychological cat-and-mouse games.

After the shocking events of the season finale, HANNIBAL (Mads Mikkelsen, "Casino Royale") is on the run in Europe - accompanied by his psychiatrist Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson, "The X-Files") - sporting a new identity, but servicing the same insatiable appetite. As the lives of Will (Hugh Dancy), Jack (Laurence Fishburne, "The Matrix," "CSI") and Alana (Caroline Dhavernas, "Wonderfalls," "The Pacific") converge toward HANNIBAL again, their deadly dance turns in startling and unexpected ways, and nothing will ever be the same again.

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