NBC rearranges the deck chairs (again)

More scheduling changes from NBC: Beginning in January, it's moving "Friday Night Lights" from Tuesdays to 8 p.m. Wednesday, which means while it once was trampled by "Dancing with the Stars," it'll soon be receiving weekly kidney punches from "American Idol's" results show. "Dateline NBC" will replace it on Tuesday beginning Dec. 26.

Following "Friday Night Lights" on Wednesdays will be the former Thursday edition of "Deal or No Deal." (That sentence can kind of make you a little dizzy.) And, of course, "Medium," though that could change if the show continues to manage a paltry 8m viewers as it did last night. ("Medium" did much better when it was on Mondays, and its paranormal theme seems a better fit with "Heroes.")

And once "Sunday Night Football" is gone, NBC will have to reschedule that night, which it will on Jan. 7 with a new reality competition, "Grease: You're the One that I Want," which purports to seek the leads for an upcoming Broadway revival of the musical, followed by "The Apprentice." "Crossing Jordan" will join the mix on Jan. 21.

While "Grease" could go the way of "Dancing with the Stars," it could just as easily follow "Rock Star: INXS's" path to oblivion. Because the stakes are genuine rather than theoretical - those involved really do want to get the best people for the roles, as opposed to viewer favorites, so lovable losers won't be spared from week to week, nor will difficult divas - there might not be as much drama involved. Also, since this is essentially an extended audition process, might people start to get a wee bit sick of hearing the same songs over week after week?

And if the show tanks, how many people will want to see a Broadway musical with unknown leads from a failed reality show? On the other hand, given NBC's coverage here, investors in this production of "Grease" may be the first since "Springtime for Hitler" to expect to recoup their money even if it closes opening weekend.

There's also conjecture that NBC will take Paul Haggis' Irish-mob drama "The Black Donnellys" - which it had intended to keep "ER's" seat warm while that show took a breather to cut down on its mid-season repeats - to Monday, meaning "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" could soon be homeless. NBC also has another midseason show, "Raines," starring Jeff Goldblum as a homicide investigator who "speaks" to his victims (yeah, I know), that can plug a hole, any hole, somewhere.