Good news: 'Chuck' is coming back
Looks like the spy dramedy is getting a 13-episode fourth season.
Chuck and Sarah should get to fight evil together for one more season.
It looks like "Chuck" might live - and we didn't even have to buy sandwiches this time.
The official renewal may not come until Sunday, when NBC announces its fall schedule, but Michael Ausiello is reporting that NBC has renewed the show for a 13-episode fourth season, and I'm hearing that he's right.
The ratings haven't been great this spring, but they've largely held steady. Creatively, the show has been on an upswing the last few weeks (while I didn't love the most recent episode, the one coming Monday is very strong and sets things up nicely for the two-hour finale on May 24). And NBC may view "Chuck" as a good companion for JJ Abrams' "Undercovers," which, like "Chuck," features a pair of romantically-entangled spies.
I've been saying for a while now that very weird things would have to happen for NBC to not pick up "Chuck," if only because there are only so many new shows any network can launch at once in the fall without torpedoing them all. But because NBC has been picking up a lot of new shows over the last week, and had renewed practically practically everything left in primetime but "Chuck," "Mercy," "Trauma" and the original "Law & Order" - and conflicting reports were flying all afternoon about whether NBC had finally canceled the mothership - I know there was some concern that there might not be any room for Chuck, Sarah, Casey and the Buy More gang come next season.
Instead, it appears we're going to get at least one more year of awesomeness.
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May 13, 2010 at 10:41PM EST Reply to CommentGreat news indeed!
karbs
May 13, 2010 at 10:48PM EST Reply to CommentOne word: Awesome!
But really this is great news. And hopefully they've learned from the uh, mistakes that plagued the first part of this current season. I'm too much of a fangirl to have hated it like some did, but its failings were just too hard to miss.
(good to hear about next weeks episode too!)
rspad
May 13, 2010 at 10:52PM EST Reply to CommentMan, that is fantastic news! I couldn't bear to say goodbye to "Chuck" just yet. So, so glad it's coming back!
George
May 13, 2010 at 10:54PM EST Reply to CommentWhere's the love, NBC.
You've seen how a 13 episode order messed with the show, Schwartz, Fedak and co aren't the best and planning/structuring so let them run free over the full 22 for one year. How bad can it be the Buy More's filled with Wiis and expensive 18-49-friendly electronic gadgets, there's a Subway there too, so you'll get your money.Just do the show a solid for one year, one lousy year!
I love the show but it's been a mess; story-wise I was okay with Shaw/Hannah, but the writers have proven inept at fitting all they wanted in a shortened order.
Great news though! Who da thunk it, but all you heroes who bought subways secured at least 32 more episodes of Chuck in the process, the world salutes you.
May 14, 2010 at 12:21AM ESTTylerA
May 13, 2010 at 11:01PM EST Reply to CommentThis is seriously the best news of the week! This is the one show that my wife and I watch together religiously every week. I've been dreading all week that NBC would figure out someway to pull the rug out from under Schwartz and Fedak, but it doesn't appear to have happened! Thanks for the awesome news Alan! Here's to one of the best shows on TV right now!
klg19
May 13, 2010 at 11:01PM EST Reply to CommentThis news absolutely made my evening--thank you, Alan (and NBC)!
mrt
May 13, 2010 at 11:05PM EST Reply to CommentGood news, I guess... Count me among those who are concerned with a 13 episode order. The creative team did a terrible job, to be blunt, with the first 13 this season, and if next season starts off anything like this one, I won't be as patient as I was this year.
Leah
May 13, 2010 at 11:12PM EST Reply to CommentYAYYYYYYYYYYYY
Thanks for the awesome news!!!
Mae
May 13, 2010 at 11:18PM EST Reply to CommentBest news of the week! Also, one less thing to worry about. Thank you NBC for doing the right thing.
cadfile
May 13, 2010 at 11:19PM EST Reply to CommentEcho the thoughts about concern for 13 episodes - hope team does better job. Also hope it debuts in the fall instead of being held for mid-season
flashman
May 13, 2010 at 11:36PM EST Reply to CommentAwesome news that it's coming back, though I hope they make it the final season and build to a strong ending.
Alan, you mention that networks can't debut too many shows at once without torpedoing all of them, is this just conventional wisdom or is there an actual precedent for a network trying to do way too much and having almost the whole slate fail?
pamelajaye
May 14, 2010 at 12:35AM EST Reply to Commentwow... I didn't see it on your twitter so I didn't bother to look here... stupid me. would have saved me HOURS of going "Squeee?"
Flap Jackson
May 14, 2010 at 1:25AM EST Reply to CommentYay for the terribleness of NBC & its ratings! That's the REAL Subway Sandwich this time! Bravo!
mac35
May 14, 2010 at 1:38AM EST Reply to CommentFor as much grief as NBC gets I do have to give them credit for giving renewals to 3 low rated but excellent shows (Chuck, P&R and Community). Now obviously they wouldn't have done so if it wasn't in their best interest but based on ratings I don't think there would have been too much of an argument had all 3 been axed so again, kudos to NBC for recognizing quality and giving it a shot.
SPP
May 14, 2010 at 1:40AM EST Reply to CommentFantabulous! This makes my week!
Neeek
May 14, 2010 at 4:31AM EST Reply to CommentHopefully, this time they won't delay the start of the season by 4 months, so they've already completed the first 13 episodes before the first airs, and therefore can't realistically alter the course of the season in response to the fans noticing them sucking.
Ovid
May 14, 2010 at 6:16AM EST Reply to CommentThey like this
Hwat
May 14, 2010 at 8:06AM EST Reply to CommentAs long as Brandon Routh wont be back ever!
And as long as Sarah is allowed to kick ass, and Awesome is allowed to be Awesome and not milk toast, and as long as Schwartz and co stop with the teenage angst and lying.
And as long as NBC doesn't say "we can only have one pair of spies in love, so we'll keep JJs junk and drop Chuck"
irerancincpkc
May 14, 2010 at 8:56AM EST Reply to CommentBest news I've had all month. Best show on TV right now (sorry Lost) gets renewed, I'll take it. I really hope Chuck and Sarah remain together through the whole next season, Zac and Yvonne's chemistry is so amazing, and when you throw in Adam Baldwin's John Casey, nothing can beat that. :)
jenfullmoon
May 14, 2010 at 11:43AM EST Reply to CommentI'm not overly concerned about the 13 episodes thing. The "Moonlighting curse" crap is done. I just hope they shape the season so that it'll have a satisfying ending uh, one way or another.
Which all series that aren't 100% sure of renewal should do, really. I hate it when a showrunner plays chicken or cliffhanger under those circumstances.
louisg625
May 14, 2010 at 12:29PM EST Reply to CommentAll right...this is the post I have been waiting for. Chuck is such a terrific show, and if NBC can't make it work, why not push it off to USA with their great line-ups.
Burn Notice, Royal Pains, In Plain Sight are so much better than the franchises on the mother-ship. Chuck would fit right in with the whole Characters Welcome motif. Heck the Buy-more alone has more characters than you can shake a stick at...one word Jeffster!!!!
chuck-me
Eric
May 14, 2010 at 12:57PM EST Reply to CommentHi Alan!
So glad to hear this! On your reccomendation last year I gave Chuck a real look from first episode on (I had been DVR'ing it as an opener to MY fave, Heroes) and I fell in love with it!
Now, as for Heroes........
P@
May 14, 2010 at 1:11PM EST Reply to CommentI'm much less excited about this now then I would've been a month or so ago. Chuck's lost a LOT of it's charm, and, in my opinion, it's best days are behind it. I'll definitely be watching the rest of this season, and if renewed, I'll tune in for that as well, but (and I'm sure I'm in the minority here) I would be really really excited if the next season were the last one.
unkraut
May 14, 2010 at 1:29PM EST Reply to CommentNo disrespect, but I believe it when I see it.
thatshanu
May 14, 2010 at 6:24PM EST Reply to CommentThey like this
Becky
May 14, 2010 at 10:42PM EST Reply to CommentHey Schwartz and Fedak--don't screw up this 2nd 2nd chance and give us a season 4 like the first half of season 3. We really truly don't want another Chuck/Sarah angst fest. Really. Truly. Your audience and NBC stuck with you through it, so don't violate that trust. Think of something else. Thanks.
Audrey
May 15, 2010 at 12:35AM EST Reply to CommentHeck yeah! One more season of Sarah kicking asses and Casey's grunts!
The Myth of Madness
May 15, 2010 at 1:38PM EST Reply to CommentYES!!!!
We IT people get to survive one more year with our favorite nerd and his most hot lady!!!
May 23, 2010 at 12:18PM EST Reply to CommentYou might also enjoy this May 20, 2010 Mr. Media interview with ‘Chuck’ co-star Vik Sahay, who plays Buy More employee ‘Lester Patel’ on the popular NBC romantic comedy and spy show. He talks about the season finale, the future of the band “Jeffster,†Yvonne Strahovski, and the new movie he’s filming, ‘Afghan Luke and the Burgundy of Hash,’ in which he plays a New York Times reporter covering the war in Afghanistan! http://www.mrmedia.com/2010/05/chuck-season-finale-preview-with-half.html