NBC announced its new fall schedule over the weekend. The good news is that we are in the post-Jay Leno experiment era. The bad news is that the people who run the network still have the critical thinking skills of a 4-year-old after an afternoon of Pixie Sticks and Mountain Dew.

Three-quarters of the Thursday block of comedies – probably the only redeeming creative spot left on the network’s schedule – will return. Parks and Recreation drew the short straw and will return as a mid-season replacement.

To use one of the favorite phrases of co-creator Mike Schur from his time blogging about baseball at Fire Joe Morgan, “FUCK THE HECK?”

I was just saying to a friend that the success of CBS’ Monday comedies and ABC’s Wednesday block and the Thursday shows on NBC was leading to a re-birth of shorts for half-hour sitcoms, a development I welcomed, but knew the networks would inevitably screw up.

I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Just because you are developing new comedies, like “Outsourced,” which will take the place of Parks and Rec on the schedule (actually 30 Rock will move to 8:30 with the new show jumping to 9:30, presumably so they have an excuse if it sucks and can blame the time slot), does not mean you have to destroy one of your success stories.

Parks and Rec mirrored its cousin The Office by starting slowly before really getting a grip on the characters and their relationships. I think the show now has one of the tightest ensembles on TV and has created some characters that will live in television lore … if NBC will only give them a chance. Move the show around to bolster the new schedule. Don’t just push it aside.

The fact that we have to wait to more from Ron Swanson is a tragedy.