NBC announces dates for ‘American Ninja Warrior,’ new Bear Grylls series

We’ve already heard that NBC is going to be launching the new season of “America’s Got Talent” on Tuesday, June 4, and to go along with that, the network has now announced a new slate of some of its other summer shows … including the return of a favorite from last year.

With that in mind, we turn to “American Ninja Warrior.” The adaptation of the Japanese competition will kick off Monday, July 1 at 8:00 p.m., and the premiere will run for two hours. In case you are wondering why the show is airing a little later than last year, the simple answer is that there’s a little bit less of a need this time around to push things out to make way for the Olympics a little bit later. This proved to be perfect counter-programming to “The Bachelorette” last year, so why not do it again?

Meanwhile, the Anne Heche-led comedy “Save Me” is also going to finally have a home Thursdays at 8:00 starting on May 23. The reason for this sudden addition is really so that the network can burn off a show that may as well be dead already: by the time this show actually airs, the network will have had it ordered for over a year.

Finally, the adventure competition “Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls,” which is his first major series since leaving Discovery, will premiere at 8 on Monday, July 8, where it will join “American Ninja Warrior” as a part of a very male-centered lineup.

Are you planning to watch any of these series? Be sure to share your thoughts below! Also, you can head over here to find out some more scoop on the future of another NBC series in “Saturday Night Live.”

Photo: NBC