\'Community\' to Return From the Wilderness in February, NBC Announces

“Community” fans will finally get a chance to see their favorite again - and on a night when better ratings could still save it.

The well-reviewed but lightly rated NBC comedy will return Feb. 7, and remain on Thursdays at 8. (It had originally been scheduled for the lost-items zone of Friday nights.)

NBC will also test the fans of the Broadway drama “Smash” by taking it away from the protection of the network's hit singing competition “The Voice” and moving it to Tuesdays at 10. It resumes with a two-hour episode on March 3 at 9.

Those were among a series of midseason announcements made by NBC on Tuesday.

Of most note was that the network will keep its new hit “Revolution” on Mondays at 10 - still after “The Voice” - when both return from a hiatus on March 25.

“The Biggest Loser” returns on Jan. 6 and “Celebrity Apprentice” on March 3.

“Community,” which will no longer be guided by its mercurial creator, Dan Harmon, will replace the departing “30 Rock” as part of a reconstructed Thursday. NBC is adding a new comedy, “1600 Penn,” at 9:30, starting Jan. 10. And “Parks and Recreation” will move to 8:30.

The scheduling of “The Voice,” “Revolution” and “Smash” means they will extend past the traditional end of the season in May - a move that could signal more interest in extending original programming into the summer.

Bill Carter writes about the television industry. Follow @wjcarter on Twitter.