NBC picks up full 'Chuck,' 'Chase' seasons
'Undercovers' has been given a script order, but not an episode pickup
Yvonne Strahovski and Zachary Levi of 'Chuck'
Credit: NBC
"Chuck" fans rejoice! NBC has given the action-comedy a full-season pickup. Sources close to the show confirm that instead of the customary back-nine, "Chuck" has received a back-11 order.
"Chase" fans? Nice to meet you. NBC has also given a back-nine order to the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Monday drama.
The "Chuck"/"Chase" pickups came one day after NBC ordered full seasons of "The Event," "Outsourced" and "Law & Order: Los Angeles," meaning that NBC is pretty much taking a wait-and-see approach to nearly all of its available in-limbo shows.
The network has even ordered four additional scripts for "Undercovers," though the lack of an episode order has to be considered something of a warning for the struggling Wednesday series.
"'Chase' has introduced an appealing new star to television audiences in Kelli Giddish and we think it has potential to grow," states NBC Entertainment President Angela Bromstad. "We also are glad that 'Chuck' will be with us for a full season delivering its loyal, passionate audience."
While "Chuck" hasn't proven to be a smash hit for NBC, the series has developed one of the network's most consistent and dedicated audiences, producing nearly identical weekly ratings regardless of its competition. There's a lot to be said for stability.
Using Nielsen's "most current" averages -- that includes a couple weeks of live+7 figures and a couple weeks of live+same-day figures averaged together -- "Chuck" is averaging a 2.2 rating among adults 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers on average.
Although its numbers fell steadily for episodes two through four, "Chase" leveled off in its fifth airing and even showed a slight bump in the 18-49 demographic, according to overnights. Using those same "most current" average, "Chase" is drawing 6.5 million viewers and a 2.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic, delivering improvements over last year's "The Jay Leno Show" performances.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about NBC's wave of pickups over the past 24 hours is the fact that the network has an ambitious pipeline of midseason dramas and comedies, all without premiere dates or time slots. It remains to be seen what NBC will do with "Harry's Law," "Love Bites," "The Cape," "Friends with Benefits," "The Paul Reiser Show" and "Perfect Couples," to say nothing of "Parks & Recreation."
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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October 19, 2010 at 2:56PM EST Reply to CommentI'm looking forward to next seasons' "Chess", "Chimp", and "Chore". And can "Chyna" be far behind?
Matt Cafaro
October 19, 2010 at 3:02PM EST Reply to CommentOkay, Chuck fans, it's time to mobilize!
You would think our goals are achieved, and they are, for THIS season.
But I did some interesting math. Because of the strange and convoluted road our favorite Nerd Herding Spy has travelled in four seasons (Writer's strike, no advertising, strange-but-welcome 6 episode pick-up b/c of Jay Leno failure), these 24 episodes of season 4 will leave Chuck with a grand total of...
... 78 episodes.
That's right. 78 episodes. Meaning...
... that a 5th Season of 22 episodes will bring Chuck to that magical and perfect number of 100!!!
We must get to our twitters and to our facebooks!
We must drive, walk, or run to our local Subways!
We must not sleep, must not rest, must eat many, many delicious $5 Footlong Subs to ensure that Chuck, Sarah, Casey, Morgan, Awesome, Ellie, Jeffster, Big Mike, AND the General reach the perfect and awesome plateau of 100 episodes!!!
100 episodes GUARANTEES a rerun syndication deal. I plan on buying a Chuck Complete Series set of course, as I did AD and Seinfeld and Angel and Buffy and others.
But much like Seinfeld, how awesome would it be to turn on TBS (very funny) every day and be able to watch Chuck from 5-6pm... EVERY DAY!?!?!?!?
It would be guaranteed with 100 episodes in the can.
So we must rally! We must demand! We must engorge ourselves on Subway sandwiches!
Twitter hashtag: #TheWorldNeeds100Chucks!
http://twitter.com/#search/%23TheWorldNeeds100Chucks
Let's make it happen, people!
dan I casually mention, as I have on the podcast, that the 100 Episode Syndicated milestone isn't really meaningful in today's TV landscape. "Friday Night Lights"? Syndicated. Nowhere near 100 episodes. "Arrested Development," syndicated on multiple cable homes at this point. Nowhere nearly 100 episodes. On the same note, 100 episodes doesn't offer any sort of "guarantee" of syndication. Somebody has to purchase syndication rights and give the show a syndicated home, which could happen at 100 episodes, after 100 episodes or before 100 episodes.
October 19, 2010 at 3:22PM ESTBut it's good to have "Chuck" around for a full season!
-Daniel
Matt Cafaro Way to kill my buzz, Dan. :-)
October 19, 2010 at 4:07PM ESTSeriously, thought, the team behind Chuck deserve 100 Episodes and their place in television history that goes with it.
Yes, AD didn't get 100 episodes, but it's known more for being one of the best of the "gone too soon" shows, and that's its place in television history.
Chuck at 78 episodes, is nice.
Chuck at 100 episodes is perfect all the way around. Series Finale at 100 episodes.
It's an achievement no matter how you slice it. :-)
Whatthe!
October 19, 2010 at 3:44PM EST Reply to CommentIgnoring ratings this show must make firefly esque numbers on DVD. Why don't they let the producers know an inevitable decision earlier
Dan
October 19, 2010 at 3:49PM EST Reply to CommentAs much as I have enjoyed Chuck over the past few year, I would much rather some sort of vote of confidence for Community and Parks and Rec
Stacy Yeah. I fear that both these shows will be gone next year :(
October 19, 2010 at 4:23PM ESTDezbot
October 19, 2010 at 9:32PM EST Reply to CommentYay, Chuck! Oh, and Kelli Giddish has been known to television audiences long before NBC grabbed her. Stupid NBC.
October 23, 2010 at 8:56AM EST Reply to CommentI wonder how Chuck would do in a less stacked time slot. It's up against Monday Night Football half the year, House, and How I Met Your Mother. I dunno about anyone else, but I watch all 3 of those, plus Chuck, weekly.
Glad to hear about the 11(!) episode pick up. An over-sized season to make up for 2 under-sized ones. Awesome.
October 27, 2010 at 2:49PM EST Reply to CommentI Enjoy Chase and feel That it is action packed with fairly good story lines