On January 7th, SmackDown will make the move to the USA Network, placing the WWE’s two main shows on the same American channel for the very first time.
USA Network’s official press release confirmed that the show will remain on Thursday nights for the time being, debunking rumors of a live airing on Tuesdays.
Reports also speculated that the move would result in SmackDown being given a “bigger feel,” similar to Raw, but that remains to be seen.
Read the full press release below:
USA NETWORK SETS JANUARY PREMIERES FOR ‘SMACKDOWN®’ AND ‘SUITS’
Live Action WWE® Powerhouse “SmackDown” To Debut January 7
Critically Acclaimed Drama “Suits” Picks Up After Powerful Mid-Season Cliffhanger on January 27
Previously Announced New Drama “Colony” To Premiere on January 14New York, NY – November 4, 2015 – USA Network will have a white hot January with the grand arrival of the two-hour live action WWE powerhouse SMACKDOWN on Thursday, January 7 at 8/7c. The winter continues to heat up with the return of the critically acclaimed drama SUITS, which picks up from the intense cliff hanger on Wednesday, January 27 at 10/9c. The network will also premiere the previously announced epic drama COLONY, from executive producers Carlton Cuse (“Lost”) and Ryan Condal (“Hercules”), on Thursday, January 14 at 10/9c.
With the arrival of SMACKDOWN on Thursday, January 7 @ 8/7c, USA becomes the exclusive cable home to WWE’s two marquee properties. Viewers can now bookend their week with MONDAY NIGHT RAW live on Mondays from 8-11p and SMACKDOWNon Thursdays from 8-10p. Consistently one of the highest-rated weekly series on cable, over the past 15 years SMACKDOWN has been broadcast from 170 different venues, in 148 cities and towns and in seven different countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Japan, Italy and Mexico. On January 7, SMACKDOWN will air its 855th episode from Laredo, Texas.
The highly-anticipated drama COLONY, premiering on Thursday January 14 @ 10/9c, centers on one family’s struggle to survive and bring liberty back to the people of an occupied Los Angeles. SAG winner Josh Holloway (“Lost”) stars as former FBI agent Will Bowman and Satellite Award winner Sarah Wayne Callies (“The Walking Dead”) stars as his wife, Katie, in the series which takes place in a dangerous world of divided ideologies. While some choose to collaborate with the occupation and benefit from the new order, others rebel and suffer the consequences. COLONY is a co-production between Legendary Television and Universal Cable Productions (UCP). Along with Cuse and Condal, Nelson McCormick (“24”) also executive produces.
The fifth season of SUITS finishes its run with 6 new episodes on Wednesday, January 27 at 10/9c. In the wake of his arrest for conspiracy to commit fraud, Mike (Patrick J. Adams, “Orphan Black”) finds himself at the center of an investigation – led by a ruthless government prosecutor, Assistant US Attorney Anita Gibbs (new recurring guest star Leslie Hope, “24”) – that threatens to bring down the whole firm. Harvey (Gabriel Macht, “Love and Other Drugs”), having resigned from the firm in order to protect it, must tred lightly if he’s going to help Mike, or incur the wrath of Charles Forstman (returning guest star Eric Roberts, “The Dark Knight”). Together with Jessica (Gina Torres, “Firefly”) and Louis (Rick Hoffman, “Samantha Who”), Harvey must figure out how to build a defense for Mike, knowing full well that he’s guilty of the crime for which he stands accused. Meanwhile, Rachel (Meghan Markle, “Fringe”) must come to terms with the fact that her fiancé, and everyone she’s close to, could soon be in prison as Donna (Sarah Rafferty, “Brothers & Sisters”) finds herself at a crossroad.
New characters this season include prosecuting attorney Anita Gibbs (Leslie Hope, “24”) and James Paulsen (Derek McGrath, “Doc”). Returning characters this season include Trevor (Tom Lipinski, “Labor Day”), Scottie (Abigail Spencer, “Cowboys & Aliens”), Robert Zane (Wendell Pierce, “The Wire”), Jack Soloff (John Pyper-Ferguson, “Drive”), Professor Gerard (Stephen Macht, “The Monster Squad”), Gretchen (Aloma Wright, “Days of Our Lives”), Jeff Malone (DB Woodside, “24”), Sheila (Rachael Harris, “The Hangover”) and Jimmy (Pooch Hall, “The Game”). From Universal Cable Productions, SUITS was created by and is executive produced by Aaron Korsh (“The Deep End”). Doug Liman (The “Bourne” trilogy), David Bartis (“Covert Affairs”) and Gene Klein (“Covert Affairs”) of Hypnotic along with Anton Cropper (“Fairly Legal”), Daniel Arkin (“90210”) and Chris Downey (“King & Maxwell”) serve as executive producers. SUITS is shot on location in Toronto.
SmackDown, which has had a number of homes since its premiere in 1999, moved to SyFy in 2010, where it switched from Fridays to Thursdays last November.
