Fri 23 Oct 2009
NBC picks up COMMUNITY, MERCY & PARKS & RECREATION for full season
Posted by Brad L under Uncategorized
[34] Comments
Big news if you are fans of the above three shows…since they just got full season pickups!
Looks like Trauma is toast!
Yay!! I love Community and Parks and Recreation! Thanks NBC!
Nick C,
Was the P&R pick-up a surprise? I remember you mentioned that P&R was likely to be canceled in the Chuck post earlier earlier this week. What changed their minds? TheWrap mentioned that Gaspin is a fan of P&R, so that could’ve played a role.
Mercy and Community were not surprises. So this looks like Chuck won’t be back early, right?
BTW, happy that Community got a full season pick-up. But shouldn’t NBC be worried that it fell below a 2.0 in the demos? (I haven’t seen the finals yet so someone correct me if I’m wrong)
Looks like their Thursday schedule will remain unchanged (unless something moves for that dreadful 100 Questions sitcom)
What does a full season mean in this context, 9 episodes to make a 22 episode season or, particularly about Mercy, does it mean 3 to 6 episodes to make a season of 16 to 19 shows to get to the Olympics. A 22 episode order especially if they start airing repeats would kill the split schedule.
It would really suck to be someone on Parenthood, lost the fall start to Maura Tierny’s illness then lose your March start because of a change in network plans.
Also, is that NBC’s threshold for a full season, a 2.0 demo? I can understand them wanting to get some stability in their schedule and remove some of these shows from the death watch, but really, 2.0?
Trauma can join Hank in playing “one of these things is not like the others”. Does it run it’s thirteen episode order on Mondays, does it get pulled ’til later in the season or does it get cancelled outright.
Brian L, from what I remembered during the upfronts, NBC slotted 100 Questions behind The Biggest Loser on Tuesdays, relegating TBL to 90 minutes.
*Sorry, BRAD L, I don’t know where I got Brian from =P
So it looks like Chuck is back in March and in the slot of death.
Why is Mercy doing so well with little to no promotion? Does anyone think it has improved since the pilot?
Full pickup means the back 9 (as far as I can tell regarding these shows). There is no guarantee any of the shows will last that long (can get canceled at any point) and no say if they stay on their current day/times.
Parenthood,
Mercy has improved (quality-wise) and Wednesday seems to be a slow night (ABC has Hank and The Middle, CW with ANTM and not sure with the other networks). It still is the best day and time for CHUCK IMO.
The name(s) at the top may have changed, but it appears that the stupidity has remained. FULL 22 episode seasons of these lame shows?? NBC should change their name to “The Comedy Channel 2.” Not because the shows are funny, but because their programming is a joke.
Well, SOME DAY, perhaps, “Chuck” will return (for a shortened 13 episode season while the these lame shows appear to be slotted for 20 or more) and I’ll at least have ONE reason to watch something on NBC – because after watching the Fall offerings I don’t even turn on channel 5 (my NBC affiliate) anymore.
So. Does Trauma finish it’s 13? Or does it get canned now?
If Trauma finishes it’s 13, that’s Janurary sometime. What then? Chuck? For 4 weeks and then the Olympics?
Rick, I recall you being one of those who was a big proponent of not pissing on other people’s shows getting renewals around May of last year, when people were complaining that Chuck shouldn’t. Suddenly you think it’s fine to go on about how NBC is making horrible decisions, simply because it means you don’t get to see Chuck quite as soon? Or am I confusing you with someone else?
It seems to me that with shows like Mercy and Chuck, Jeff Gaspin is trying to bring the same philosophy that was successful at USA over to NBC and I see nothing wrong with that if it succeeds. Mercy and Chuck would fit the USA brand quite nicely. If it works at USA, programs like Chuck and Mercy could be popular at NBC. I say that because Chuck and Mercy are USA- style programs.
Yay! Very happy about Community and Parks & Recreation. I think Community is an amazing show and I could never stop laughing while watching it. P & R’s quality has improved from last season, it is a work in progress.
Yes but Mercy gets the royal treatment. While Chuck gets shafted. Mondays against House in March good luck. 13 and done.
Here’s what NBC’s schedule should be with Leno
Mondays
8 pm Biggest Loser
9 pm Parenthood
10 pm Dateline NBC
Tuesdays
8 pm Biggest Loser
9 pm Dateline NBC
10 pm Law & Order
Wednesdays
8 pm Mercy
9 pm Parks and Recreation
9:30 100 Questions
10 pm Dateline NBC
Thursdays
8 pm Chuck
9 pm The Office
9:30 30 Rock
10 pm Law & Order SVU
Friday
8- 11 pm The Weekend Show with Jay Leno
Saturday
8- 11 pm The Weekend Show with Jay Leno
Chuck3G, who said Chuck was done after the 13 episodes?
It’s all about the ratings, remember that. It doesn’t matter if Chuck gets 13 or 22 episodes. If Chuck does reasonably well during it’s 13 episode run, then NBC will renew it.
Just because a show is getting more episodes does not mean it’s a lock for renewal next season. So stop harping that Chuck is done because it isn’t, not until we see how it does in the ratings.
The Chuck crew is not going to come back in April to film new epsiodes. Chuck in March sucks.
Here’s what NBC should do with Leno. Admit that it was a failure and make the show a Monday Night and Friday night thing. The shows become much stronger because they aren’t spread so thin and Jay can actually do some really interesting things and not feel like he has to save material for future episodes.
This five-day strip in primetime is just not working because as much as I love Jay Leno and I grew up watching him, how can anyone expect people to watch him every single night in primetime. I mean I didn’t want him every single time in late night. There’s no appointment viewing for a show like that.
NBC needs to get business people who have some kind of clue about creation. Seriously, hire a creative as a consultant if you must, but this network is being run by Ivy League morons who don’t even watch television (and I know a few of them).
Chuck writer talking about S3 and he is saying there is no way back 9 gets picked. Maybe a handful but they are not changing the story line. Extra episodes would be like a mini season.
Okay Chuck fans, as much of a fan of the show myself, how can we be certain the the show can garner a relatively same ratings as it was doing last season? Not even the most popular shows (on any network) can do that. Nothing is impossible, but I wouldn’t be too confident.
If the production needs to come back. They can lose some of the cast and crew. It cost alot of money to start back up. So Chuck in March means no extra episodes. Not unless NBC orders episodes soon. This is from Phil Klemmer writer on Chuck. http://www.chuckpodcast.com/episodes//ChuckPodcast030.m4a
Chuck3G, again, it doesn’t matter if it’s 13 or 22, if ratings are good, NBC will bring it back. So why all the doom and gloom?
All that matters is that we get more Chuck, whether it’s this season or the next.
More Chuck is better than More Mercy. Duh!! One of the best shows quality and critic wise and it gets a short order and a late start while other less deserving shows get more. I am just bitter and I am not afraid to admit it. I would love for season 3.5. I don’t trust NBC to now cancel Chuck. After all JJ spy show will be on next season.
Nothing on NBC interests me anymore. I only watch Heroes these days simply to see what wacky thing Sylar will do next.
You people were whining when it was thought Chuck would be coming back so soon. Too soon.
But now that its not coming back so soon you still whine.
Really annoying.
And who are you to say P&R, Community, and Mercy are “less deserving shows?” It’s all subjective. Why do you have to crap on fans of those other shows? I’m a huge Chuck fan but also a big fan of Community. Yes it doesn’t get stellar ratings, but like Chuck a lot of critics love the show. You make it seem like that NBC revolves around Chuck. It doesn’t.
And if you follow stuff other than Chuck, then you would know that NBC (or any network) could easily cancel a show after they’ve announced the “back 9″. If ratings tank for whatever reason, the networks could easily cancel a show.
And regarding the JJ Abrams show, who said it will hurt Chuck? Wouldn’t the obvious observation be that it could easily be a great pairing WITH Chuck?
@Julia. I believe the shows that I was commenting on last year – although I can’t remember exactly – had higher ratings than Chuck and would logically deserve to be renewed.
What I’m commenting on now is the logic, or rather the lack of logic in NBC’s decision-making process. Believe me, for those who love Community, Parks & Rec., etc, I am happy for them. I don’t find the shows particularly appealing or worth the time to watch, but if others do, then kudos for them.
What I’m trying to say is that Chuck had to struggle last season to even get renewed – and it had just as good or better numbers in a WAY tougher time slot than the shows that just got picked up for full seasons by NBC (whereas Chuck got “rewarded” with little more than a “half-season” and a TEN MONTH hiatus.)
I’m just trying to apply some kind of logic to the decisions that NBC is making – and I’m having a tough time coming up with any. They renewed Southland early on last year, only to cancel it because it was “too gritty” for the 9 p.m. time slot. Where did they THINK they were going to put it – at 8?? Certainly not at 10 – that’s Leno territory.
What does it take to “succeed” as a show on NBC? Is it ratings? Is it that TPTB “like” the show. Is it that it “makes money” even if not very many people are watching it? That might be an interesting question for someone way more knowledgable than me to comment on – perhaps NickC. I hear all this stuff about NBC looking at “margins” or “quality” – so do actual ratings have little or nothing to do with their programming decisions??
If you’re a fan of an NBC show, it seems like you’ll always be on pins and needles – unless you’re a mega-hit, because the criteria for renewal isn’t exactly obvious to the average Joe/Jane.
If Community and Parks & Rec., are your thing, then ROCK ON and enjoy the shows for the rest of their seasons. I never “campaigned” for either of them to get cancelled, just commented – AFTER they got full season pickups – that they weren’t exactly my cup of tea and that when they got renewed for full seasons, I didn’t think they deserved it.
That’s much different than if I would have come out a month ago and said CANCEL Parks and Rec. and CANCEL Community so that Chuck can come back on early. THAT would have been “pissing” on those shows – and that I WASN’T doing. Now I am opining, not pissing. That’s the difference.
Although I am a fan of the show, I usually try to avoid the tendancy to make all topics a part of the how does this affect Chuck line of thought. However this actually does affect Chuck, with the full season renewals of the Thursday comedies that night seems to be out, Mercy’s renewal depending on if it is for 6 or 9 episodes seems to take Wednesday off the table for Chuck and maybe for Parenthood too.
So Monday seems to be the night, it seems that Gaspin is trying to build some continuity and predictability in his schedule so that people will know that if they want to see a particular show, they will know that it is where it has been and is easy to find, that seems to rule out a lot of schedule changes.
The key is what happens with Trauma, it seems to have bottomed out at about 1.7-1.8 in the demos and five point something in total viewers. Will NBC let it finish it’s 13 episode order, if so what replaces it after Christmas, Chuck or some other short run series. If it is Chuck, does that switch Heroes to 9PM, it’s old time slot or does it stay where it was and Chuck gets 9, at least until the Olympics.
Or does Trauma get moved or pulled or canceled in November, in which case the same questions get asked only earlier.
Also there is the question of lead in to Leno, sorry Castle fans but it is weak competition and Leno should be doing better on Mondays than it is. NBC has to ask if the network would be better off as it is with Heroes getting a demo of 2.5, Trauma at 1.8 and Leno at 1.6 or would it be better to eat the cost of dropping Trauma and getting maybe 2.2 with Chuck, 2.4 with Heroes and 1.8 or 1.9 with Leno (as a result of the better lead in).
Personally I think that they will let Trauma run out the course, start Chuck at 8 in January, push Heroes to 9 and to accomodate this give Chuck an order for 6 more episodes to make a 19 show season ( unless they allow one or more two hour shows to reach 22). this could be just blind optimism but Gaspin seems to be reluctant to start something that will fail (Southland) or to change poor performers for the sake of change (Mercy, Parks and Community).
Well what can be said really? NBC has just found another way to keep people out on a
limb with regard to Chuck. I commented last week they had to make up their minds one way or another and it seems they have,
sort of, maybe, perhaps, not sure….
Need I go on? Looks like the programming
hesitation and incompetence just keeps on
rolling no matter who is in charge and I really had high hopes for Gaspin. The
consistent groupthink at NBC must be
contagious. Unfortuneatly, there seems to
be no vaccine available for a cure, and the
viewers are once again left in limbo.
“Will it or won’t it” vs “Will they or
won’t they?”
I just can’t wait for the next soap like
episode in this never ending story. Maybe
it wouldn’t be a bad idea to turn their
decision making process into a weekly series of its own. Maybe they could get
Subway to sponsor that too.
It’s just a shame to hang Chuck out like
this. It doesn’t bode well for the show,
and like most bad things that happen, it
could have been prevented. Thursday nights
was probably its best chance and I don’t
think Leno will be cut back. It would cost
NBC too much lost credibility. My guess
would be they will keep it on to the bitter
end.
Well nothing else left to do except wait as
usual. Stay tuned as we all hold our collective breath waiting for NBC’s next
move, right? Yeah right…..
Rick,
No need to respond to Julia. She was a POS know-it-all Chuck hater last season and she is the exact same hater this year. Her only goal at this forum and others is apparently to go around and correct every little detail that average posters don’t cover to her satisfaction and then do mean spirited hit jobs on Chuck fans because she just cannot stomach the fact that people watch and enjoy the show and are enthusiatic about it.
Her whole goal is to piss on Chuck fans and she is frankly not worthy of a response until she grows the hell up and finds a new axe to grind.
@tony. thanks for the input. Peace!
I wonder if Chuck is the only show this season that will not get a wrap party. I mean they stop filming just before Christmas, yet there is still a very remote possibility that NBC will order more episodes. So this might be the last episode ever filmed of Chuck and they won’t even get a proper send off.
I really didn’t see Mercy being a full order, in fact I thought it was a goner. P&R seems to made some headway in becoming better, but I still don’t think it will last. Community has a chance but it needs a lead in like the Office to get people to watch a cast full on no names or has beens (sorry Chevy, I still love Vacation though).
Chuck is Chuck, if Its good people will watch, if it isn’t then it will not be renewed for a 4 season.
Parenthood might not get to air, it could end up like the American versions of the IT Crowd (McCale was to star in) or Top Gear (which Leno is now stealing from).
I dont blame the new brass at NBC, because the new man is known for slow and steady. There is a rule to business, its cheaper to keep a customer than it is to procure new ones. Keeping low rated, but economically positive shows means more time to find something new for the fall.
Instead of trying to rush some dumb reality show to air. And if NBC decides to start their idea of year round programming it meas lower cost/produced shows (similar to Cable’s) will air in the summer.
So if Chuck does well, it will get a seasons 3.5/4 (reminds me of Eureka), and be back in the Fall most likely next to JJ Abrams new idea. Other shows might just get the boot and the Fall will be entirely fresh.