'Jungle' will take over for strike-shortened 'ER'

NBC has put another piece of its midseason programming in place, scheduling the premiere of "Lipstick Jungle" for February.

The series, based on "Sex and the City" author Candace Bushnell's novel, will debut at 10 p.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 7. It will fill the spot normally occupied by the long-running "ER," which will run out of original episodes in January due to the writers' strike. "Lipstick Jungle" should have enough episodes finished to run into the spring, although not quite to the end of the season.

"This provocative new series is a fun, sexy look at strong women in New York City," NBC co-chairman Ben Silverman says. "We are very excited about Candace Bushnell's larger-than-life characters -- as embodied by its perfect cast -- that has made 'Lipstick' a highly anticipated event since the network acquired the best-selling book."

"Lipstick Jungle" stars Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price as three powerful women -- a movie executive, magazine editor and designer, respectively -- who lean on one another for advice and support. The show also features Paul Blackthorne ("The Dresden Files," "Big Shots"), Andrew McCarthy, David Norona, Julian Sands and David Alan Basche.

The show was originally slated to air on Sunday nights following the end of the NFL season, but the strike has upended a lot of midseason plans. Its move to Thursdays will also free up an hour on Sundays for "American Gladiators," which is scheduled to premiere Jan. 6.

Oliver Goldstick ("Ugly Betty") executive produces the show along with Bushnell and Timothy Busfield ("The West Wing," "Studio 60"). Goldstick stepped in as showrunner over the summer, following the departure of DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler.