Friday Night Lights Renewed for 3rd Season?

Passionate fan support of a small, but loyal audience may have worked again. Deadline Hollywood Daily reports NBC is about to make a deal with DirecTV to bring "Friday Night Lights" back for a 3rd season.

The show averaged 6.18 million viewers this year, down from 6.20 million the previous year. Although the ratings were almost identical and the show did well in key demos, it was considered "on the bubble" especially after the recent insensitive comments made by NBC honcho Ben Silverman.

But after the fans voiced their outrage over the possible cancellation of the series and began sending footballs and light bulbs, the network execs searched for ways to renew the Texas-based drama that would make financial sense.

According to the reports, the 3rd season of "Friday Night Lights" would premiere on a DirecTV channel, followed by a possible rebroadcast on NBC.

Please note that it is not yet clear how many episodes would be filmed under this yet-to-be-signed deal and how soon after the DirecTV premiere (and in what time slot) NBC would rebroadcast the show.

Last year NBC made a similar deal for its underperforming "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" series with USA Network, but may not have even re-aired the show had there not been schedule holes to fill due to the writers' strike.

Nevertheless, "Friday Night Lights" would air across multipurpose platforms, one of which could be online streaming, giving the fans plenty of opportunities to catch up with the show.

Although the network has yet to make an official statement, the DHD report was confirmed by TV Guide.

The deal is awaiting signature.

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The CW's "Gossip Girl," "Supernatural," "One Tree Hill" & More Renewed For Next Season

The CW has just announced they are renewing "Smallville," "Supernatural," "One Tree Hill," as well as freshman drama "Gossip Girl," Chris Rock-narrated comedy "Everybody Hates Chris," and hit reality show "America's Next Top Model" for another season. What a great start of the week.

"Smallville" is the network's top scripted drama and its renewal for an 8th season was almost a no-brainer.

The only obstacle has been the renewal of the actors' seven-year contracts, as rumor had it, a number of them wanted to call it quits and pursue movie careers after the current, strike-abbreviated season.

For this reason, the return of Michael Rosenbaum who plays Clark Kent's nemesis Lex Luthor remains up in the air.

Meanwhile, the show's lead-out "Supernatural" which has generated a significant cult following was renewed for a forth season.

Three of the shows renewed - "One Tree Hill" (which has successfully taken its teenage characters into twentysomething adulthood), "Gossip Girl" (which is the network's most buzzworthy show) and reality blockbuster "America's Next Top Model" remain TV's most popular series among women 18-34.

Despite somewhat softer ratings this year, the critically-acclaimed comedy "Everybody Hates Chris" will also be back for a 4th season.

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CBS Renews "Big Bang Theory" Plus 10 Shows For 2008/2009 Season

Comedies "How I Met Your Mother," "Rules of Engagement," "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and freshman drama "Moonlight" not on the list of renewals (yet). Will one of them get canceled?

CBS announced on Thursday it is picking up 9 procedurals and 2 comedies for the 2008/2009 season.

The obvious drama pick-ups include: "CSI," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: NY," "Without a Trace," "Criminal Minds," "NCIS," "Cold Case," "Ghost Whisperer," and "Numb3rs."

The two comedies renewed were TV's top sitcom "Two and a Half Men," as well as hit freshman comedy "The Big Bang Theory."

The network has previously picked up its two hottest reality series "Survivor" (for 2 cycles) and "The Amazing Race."

The 3 comedies which have not been renewed so far may have to fight for one remaining spot in the Monday night line-up (providing CBS launches a new comedy in one of the 4 time slots next fall).

One of them could also come back midseason, but it appears at least one comedy might get canceled. I personally hope it is not "How I Met Your Mother," but CBS management is not rumored to like that sitcom very much.

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ABC Renews 9 Shows for 2008/2009 Season

ABC has announced today it will renew 9 shows for the 2008-2009 season. Find out what they are, after the jump.

The Disney-owned TV network has confirmed today that "Desperate Housewives," "Brothers & Sisters," "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy," "Pushing Daisies," "Private Practice," "Dirty Sexy Money," "Ugly Betty" and "Samantha Who" will be coming back in the fall.

4 of these shows were launched last fall, making ABC the most successful among broadcast networks in the new show development.

These shows made ABC the #1 in adults 18-49 for a third, consecutive year. The network had eight of the Top 20 highest-rated TV shows among adults 18-49, including five of the Top 10 freshman series. Check out an earlier Televisionista post with average season ratings for the top-30 new series.

ABC's Tuesday night comedy combo of "Cavemen" and "Carpoolers" is not expected to return in the fall and neither is Thursday night drama "Big Shots."

The jury is still out on new series like "Women's Murder Club" and "Eli Stone" as well as some older shows like "Boston Legal."

The network may announce additional pick-ups later this spring. The new fall schedule will be announced in May.

Fans of "Cashmere Mafia" also have a reason to be concerned, as the show has recently flatlined in the ratings.

Today's announcement will be encouragement for the show runners who return to work today. The writers will be going back to work on Wednesday ending the 100-day strike that crippled the TV industry.

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NBC's "Life" & "Chuck" Renewed for Full Season

NBC has given two of its freshman shows, Josh Schwartz's ('The O.C.') nerd-turns-spy series "Chuck" and Wednesday night cop drama "Life" back-9 orders. The fate of the Peacock's other two rookie series "The Bionic Woman" and "Journeyman" is yet to be determined.

Season-to-date "Chuck" has averaged 8.42 million viewers, while "Life" has scored 8.04 million viewers.

"Chuck" does reasonably well kicking off NBC's Monday night schedule, while "Life" has lately been building on its flat-lining lead-in "The Bionic Woman."

"Life" however regularly finishes last in the timeslot, well behind ABC's freshman series "Dirty Sexy Money."



For this reason, the network is giving "Life" a special boost next week, by airing the first part of a special double episode on Monday night, after the "Heroes" fall finale, pre-empting "Journeyman."

NBC is hoping the additional exposure will then help the second part of the episode which airs in the show's regular timeslot on Wednesday narrow the gap with "Dirty Sexy Money."

Incidentally, ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" and NBC's "Chuck" and "Life" are the only freshman series to receive full season pick-ups since the writers' strike began in early November.

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"Dirty Sexy Money" Gets Full Season Pick-Up!!!

Yes!!! Yes!!! Yes!!! I feel like shouting this one off the rooftops! Earlier this afternoon online showbiz boards were abuzz and now E! Online and Hollywood Reporter confirm that my favorite TV show, ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money," has been picked up for a full season of 22 episodes.

That means the network has ordered the back-9 episodes on the top of the original 13-episode order.

Although there had been reports ABC was going to film only 11 out of the 13 scripts that had been written prior to the writers' strike, the network went ahead with production of all 13 episodes (always a good sign).

Currently the cast and crew are filming episode #111 and are expected to begin lensing episode #112 next Wednesday.

Now, writers and studios - get back to that damn bargaining table and end the deadlock. I want my back 9 of "Dirty Sexy Money" and I want them this season! And I'm not watching any reality crap you put into its place.

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Full Season for FOX's "Back to You"

Not only has FOX decided to pick up its Wednesday night freshman comedy "Back to You" starring comedy veterans Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") and Patricia Heaton ("Everybody Loves Raymond") for a full season, but instead of the standard back-9 order they have given it a back-11 order, bringing the total number of episodes to 24.

Although the laugher has had a very slow start averaging only 7.2 million viewers (it currently ranks #62 on the top-100 chart), the show is FOX's highest rated new series among a bunch of duds.

Given the caliber of actors, "Back to You" is also one of this fall's highest-profile shows, so its full season renewal comes as no surprise.

The production however appears to be plagued by the rumored feud between Grammer and Heaton as, according to L.A. Weekly, they loathe one another with a passion driving showrunner Steve Levitan insane.

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"Pushing Daisies" Renewed for Full Season

Hooray! The show so good broadcast television doesn't even deserve it, has been renewed for a full season of 22 episodes, ABC announced today.

There has been speculation in Hollywood whether "Pushing Daisies" is a sustainable show on a long-term basis due to its inflated production budget.

Special effects-heavy series has however been winning its Wednesday at 8 p.m. timeslot in the coveted 18-49 demo.

The show's lead-out "Private Practice" had already been picked up for a full season of 22 episodes last week on Thursday.

Adult drama "Dirty Sexy Money" now remains the only series in ABC's all-new Wednesday night line-up not to receive a full season order thus far.

Such travesty.

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"Private Practice" Gets Full Season

ABC has given "Private Practice" the back-9 order, picking the freshman drama up for a full season of 22 episodes. Also, CBS renewed "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Unit."

Although the most recent airing of "Private Practice" hit series-low of just under 12 million viewers, over the past month the drama was branded the highest rated new series on any network this fall.

It is also consistently winning the timeslot in the adults 18-49 demo, the most coveted ratings category among advertisers.

"The Big Bang Theory" is pulling in a little over 8 million viewers, which is not much by CBS standards, but the sitcom is building on the numbers of its lead-in "How I Met Your Mother" which fell below 8 million this fall.

Meanwhile, "The Unit" has been a decent counter-programming for CBS against ABC's powerhouse competition "Dancing with the Stars" averaging over 11 million viewers.

Now, let's only hope the writers' strike doesn't prevent us from actually seeing the full seasons of these shows (although I have to admit I couldn't care less about those 2 CBS shows - hey ABC, what about PD and DSM ?).

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"Gossip Girl" Renewed For Full Season

The CW has announced today its freshman drama "Gossip Girl" based on the Cecily von Ziegesar bestsellers and executive produced by The O.C. creator Josh Schwartz has been renewed for a full season of 22 episodes.

The announcement was made following the release of DVR ratings for the week of September 17. "Gossip Girl" premiered on Wednesday, September 19 to 3.65 million viewers and got a 9% boost from DVR.


The following week the show lost a considerable portion of that audience scoring only 2.55 million viewers as viewers sampled the competing "Private Practice" on ABC and "The Bionic Woman" on NBC, but a week later in its third airing "Gossip Girl" went up again pulling in 2.8 million viewers.


The Upper East Side-set drama is doing well on the I-Tunes download chart and the network is also happy with its overall performance among young women and teenagers.

"Gossip Girl" is the first freshman drama series to get a full season pick-up. ABC's "Private Practice" and "Pushing Daises," CBS'"The Big Bang Theory" and NBC's "The Bionic Woman" are also strong contenders although the networks are expected to wait at least for third episode live ratings and premiere week DVR ratings to make renewal decisions.

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