I wouldn’t rule out a Back-9 simply because Jeff Gaspin did a lot of the drama development at USA and he knows that you can have a hit show with a good following in the summer. If NBC really wants to move towards year-round programming, then extending Chuck into summer would allow them to test the waters. However, I’m not sure if that’s still a business model NBC is looking at or if that was a hold over from Ben Silverman.

Right now, the show is set to wrap production in December…which would mean NBC would have to order those additional episodes before S3 aired otherwise, the cast & crew would have to rally to get back into production. With any other network, I would say that you’re right and a B9 is a no go…but with NBC, it’s just really hard to tell

But bringing it back in January. The show would have 3-4 epsiodes then a 2 week hiatus then show the reamining nine. I think that no matter what decision they make the back 9 seems to be a no go.

By March the cast and crew would have stopped filming so I am curious how that would work out.

Personally, I’m hoping that if they’re going to wait until 2010 that they wait for March, but the reality is that NBC’s schedule is going to need more programming and aside from Chuck, I’m not sure they have a bunch of viable options. Neither of their 1-hr medical dramas is really deserving of a full season pick-up…even though Mercy does OK in the Wed 8pm slot, it will get killed when Idol returns and the female demo tunes into the AI results show instead. Day One has been downgraded to a mini-series and Parenthood is WAY behind on filming (though I’m excited they nabbed Lauren Graham to replace Maura). Persons Unknown is in the can but there’s been little talk about it and Southland is cancelled. Aside from the Jillien Biggest Loser spin-off program and some game shows, I don’t know what else NBC could consider to pad their Jan/Feb timeframe.

Considering all of the above elements makes my head spin, so given that I only probably know half the story of NBC’s programming challenges…I can see why they might be weighing their options concerning Chuck so carefully. Frustrating? Yes, but not necessarily a bad thing…I’d rather Gaspin and Co. take their time and come up with a solid plan than scramble and react to try and salvage a fall line-up that’s pretty much over.

Who’s providing “the latest buzz”? Could be Ausiello’s pet cat for all we know.

Nick C says it’s likely to come back in November.

And Ausiello then says the “latest buzz points to a January or February return”?

So… that leaves December as the one month nobody claims it’s coming back.

What the hell, that makes no sense. Why not wait for March. Bring it back for a few weeks then an olympic hiatus. Why not wait until March.

Does this rumour have any legs and does this make any sense.

Those other shows may not be ratings power houses but they have loyal fanbases which tend to be the same as Chucks.

Idol on the other hand does not have the same viewer demographic as Chuck and I think it could work as counter programing on Wednesday.