'The Jeff Probst Show' Has Been Canceled
'Grey's' Isn't Going Anywhere
Renewal for Chuck? Not just yet...
by Allison Waldman, posted May 3rd 2009 2:23PM
To me, this should be a no-brainer. NBC should renew Chuck for a third season, even if it only commits to 12 episodes, it should bring the show back. However, I'm not one of the geniuses in Jeff Zucker's world; you know, those mental giants that have committed five hours of prime time to Jay Leno starting next fall and recently signed up for more Donald Trump celebrity/reality BS. No, I'm just a loyal Chuck viewer who has seen a show improve from week to week culminating with a superb final two episodes in 2009. Well, there were rumors that on Monday at NBC's "infront" -- a preview for the "upfront" -- that Chuck would get a pick up. TV Guide says that's not the case. On Friday, Chuck star Zachary Levi told a reporter that Josh Schwartz, the Chuck exec producer, had emailed him that NBC's decision about Chuck was on hold. The pick up, if it comes, won't be for a couple of weeks.
We all know that ratings rule and NBC's decision, presumably, is based on Chuck's Nielsen numbers. The show has been in a tough time slot. On CBS, Chuck faces Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother, two very popular sitcoms that appeal to many of the same viewers. (I'm one that has to DVR one channel while watching the other.) Then ABC twirls out Dancing With the Stars, another ratings monster, while Fox has a little powerhouse called House (followed by 24). How is Chuck supposed to fight all that and Fulcrum?
NBC needs to rejigger the schedule and give Chuck a chance. I don't care how they do it, I just know that Chuck is too good a show, too well-executed with sharp characters and entertaining action to be kicked to the curb. The irony, of course, is that if Chuck were on USA or Sci Fi, it's numbers would be fine and the show wouldn't be in doubt.
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