NBC has announced what has been clear for months - their greatest new hit series "Heroes" has been renewed for a second season. The Peacock network has also renewed hit comedies "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" as well as procedural smash "Law & Order: SVU".
Speaking at the TCA Winter Press Tour on Wednesday, the network president Kevin Reilly said he was very happy with the direction of the network as it is "one big hit away" from returning to its past ratings glory.
Although the network has not made a decision regarding its low-rated but critically acclaimed series "Friday Night Lights", "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and "30 Rock", it will continue to support these shows.
"Law and Order: SVU" stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni whose contracts are up at the end of the season are currently in negotiations with NBC to renew those contracts. Word is out, negotiations are difficult for the network.
Reilly admitted daytime television has become very hard for NBC to manage financially and the network decided to discontinue its daytime soap opera "Passions", which will end its run in June, and add the fourth hour of the morning "Today" show. One too many, critics might say.
Reilly declined to comment on the ongoing Rosie O'Donnell/Donald Trump feud instead opting to say Trump has been a great partner for NBC and a decision whether to renew "The Apprentice" for a 7th cycle or not was dependent on its ratings performance.
The network is also negotiating with Jay Leno to extend his current contract beyond 2009 and include both late-night as well as prime-time programming in the new deal.
NBC has also decided to bring back its new game show "Identity" and extend "Grease" for two additional live episodes.
The network was at one point considering moving "Heroes" away from direct battle with FOX's 24, but ultimately decided to go ahead with new episodes in the same timeslot. NBC believes both series will suffer a minor ratings hit, but survive.
Heroes renewal is great for all of us Heroes fans, and it's an early announcement by the network which is great!
ReplyDeleteNow I just hope ABC follows suit and does early renewals for some of their freshmen shows like Brothers & Sisters. I think they will but will wait until February. We'll see. :)
That would be very nice. "Ugly Betty" and "Brothers & Sisters" (as well as monster hits like "Lost", "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy") are really a no-brainer. They should have done it on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThey should have but I think they are gonna officially wait until February sweeps to make the announcements.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Ugly Betty is dead certain for a second season? And how about Men in Tree's?
ReplyDeleteUgly Betty? No doubt about that. It's ABC's biggest new hit (although 'Brothers & Sisters' is definitely giving it a run for its money).
ReplyDeleteAs for "Men In Trees", that will depend on its ratings in the coming weeks. It's possible, but at the moment it doesn't look too good. Still the show is doing somewhat better than its predecessor "Six Degrees".
Having said that, I could imagine "Footballers' Wives" being a good lead-out for "Grey's" next season (if they execute the project well, that is).
Footballers Wives was extremely prematurely cancelled here in the UK. It was on here on Thursday nights which are possibly like the US's Friday Night Death Zone. I think a lot of people will be interested to see how it goes. I just love everything about US tv and i'm glad Ugly Betty will probably get another season.
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