LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- Bravo, Sci Fi and USA, the flagship NBC Universal Cable networks, have firmed up their January plans.
On the Sci Fi front, "Battlestar Galactica" will shift to Sundays at 10:00/9:00c for the back half of its third season starting January 21. The series, which wraps the first half of its current season on Friday, December 15 at 9:00/8:00c, was originally slated to rejoin the network's schedule on Friday, January 12.
As for the rationale behind the move, industry insiders suggest it was to give the series a time slot with a higher HUT (homes using television) level. In addition, the network has scheduled the premiere of its new drama "The Dresden Files" for that same night at 9:00/8:00c in the hopes of ramping up interest in "Galactica." (The network also noted both series will be pre-empted on February 4 due to CBS's Super Bowl coverage.)
In other Sci Fi news, the cable channel has booked its off-network premieres of "Star Trek: Enterprise" and "Jake 2.0." Both series will air as stacked repeats with "Enterprise" on Mondays at 7:00/6:00c, 8:00/7:00c, 9:00/8:00c and 10:00/9:00c starting January 8 and "Jake" on Fridays at 8:00/7:00c, 9:00/8:00c and 10:00/9:00c beginning January 5. ("Heroes" will continue to rebroadcast on Fridays at 7:00/6:00c.)
And finally as per usual, two original movies will bow on the network in January with "Grendel" (featuring Chris Bruno, Ben Cross and Marina Sirtis) on the 13th at 9:00/8:00c and "Gryphon" (featuring Amber Benson, Larry Drake and Jonathan LaPaglia) on the 27th at 9:00/8:00c.
Meanwhile over on USA, "Monk" and "Psych" are set to return for the remainder of the their respective seasons on Friday, January 19 at 9:00/8:00c and 10:00/9:00c. Both series wrapped the first half of their seasons in August with "Monk" airing a holiday special on November 17 and a black and white special on December 22.
The pair join the previously announced return of "Nashville Star," which launches its fifth season on Thursday, January 11 at 10:00/9:00c.
Lastly over on Bravo, "Top Chef" will close its second season on Wednesday, January 31 at 10:00/9:00c. That same night the network has tentatively scheduled the premiere of newcomer "Top Design" at 11:00/10:00c. The series would then assume the 10:00/9:00c slot the following week.
"Design" would likewise join the previously announced return of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" on Tuesday, January 16 at 10:00/9:00c.
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