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Chuck lives! NBC orders 13 new episodes for fall
NBC has renewed Chuck for a 13-episode third season, striking a deal with Warner Brothers Television to bring back the cult show with a smaller production budget, Variety reported.
The renewal haggling between NBC and Warner over the past few weeks has centered entirely on cost-cutting issues, insiders told the trade paper.
Chuck, which stars Zachary Levi as a regular-Joe computer geek who winds up with CIA secrets implanted in his head, averaged a 2.8 rating/7 share in the adults 18-49 demographic and 7.3 million viewers during its sophomore season in the Monday 8 p.m. timeslot.
Fans mounted elaborate "Save Chuck" campaigns during the past two months, including a tie-in with the Subway sandwich chain.
Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak co-created Chuck and executive-produce it along with McG and Scott Rosenbaum.
By misteredj at 2:39 AM ON 05/18/09
YES!!!!1
By Rick at 2:49 AM ON 05/18/09
13 is a great start, but we would love to see a full season!!!!!
By tati at 7:55 AM ON 05/18/09
Thank you, Universal/NBC!!
13 episodes is a start--I think this past season got better as it went on, so I hope they take their cue from that lesson.
By Brent Bartowski (Chuck's alternate universe brother) at 8:07 AM ON 05/18/09
The Peacock has officially redeemed itself, after Journeyman was canned I never thought I'd watch him again. Then along came Chuck! Now we have to get the word out even more, get people watching try to get the episode count up to a full season.
By beakernx01 at 8:55 AM ON 05/18/09
Woo-hoo! So, the question is what changes will they make to reduce costs? Cast reduction? No more Buy-More? Move to Vancouver? Pay cuts?
By Killian at 9:27 AM ON 05/18/09
Move to Vancouver eh? Since Reaper isn't continuing, they can use the WorkBench with their secret base underneath it.
Yeah for more Chuck!
By Kalcean at 9:33 AM ON 05/18/09
where to start. LOVE this show. cast reductions were already set up in the season finale with work decisions made by Chuck and Morgan and Morgan's girlfriend. Another big way to reduce costs is less well known actors showing up, sop no more awesome's parents, prob no show from Chuck's dad, etc. prob fewer high cost stunts and explosions. These can be nicely offset, however, considering Chuck's new skillsets. I am looking forward to this show's return.
By Chuckster Lives at 9:57 AM ON 05/18/09
Half a 3rd season is better than no 3rd season.
Reduction should be EASY as this is mostly a CHARACTER driven show and they tried using EFFECTS to boost viewership and that is not what makes it good.
They could easily fulfill the hint of sending Chuck to "spy school" with Sarah and have that be the focus with guest appearances of some of the other characters - - - there would be plently of good stories there and a good "end" if it should come to that.
By TheLagBeast at 10:12 AM ON 05/18/09
Thank goodness. I'll take 13 over nothing any day!
By ZhaneEndrick at 10:45 AM ON 05/18/09
NBC has the option to order 9 more episodes for the third season. Jeffster fans, if you want a full season, now is the time to get everyone you know to watch the series.
By suprememango at 11:40 AM ON 05/18/09
I'm happy. wonderful show. love it too bad. Will take any new episodes I can get
By tati at 1:14 PM ON 05/18/09
Jeffster...omg, did they ROCK in the finale? We were roaring at the TV watching that one....
By Eggster at 1:51 PM ON 05/18/09
Recipe for success ... 1.) Move Chuck to a favorable time slot that does not put it head to head with House, American Idol, etc. 2.) Rerun all previous episodes prior to the new season so that new viewers can catch up. 3.) Tease, tease, tease to get viewers interested.
Recipe for failure ... change nothing and concentrate upon cost cutting.
By General Zod at 1:52 PM ON 05/18/09
YYYYYYEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!!
By lola at 11:55 PM ON 05/19/09
I'm happy, but DUDE. Seriously. we are giving up 13 episodes for what... LENO???
What a disappointment. Clearly they have no appreciation for the concept we're all sort of tiring of this reality talk crap.
By darmeen at 11:47 PM ON 05/20/09
Chuck is sharing the same time slot as Heroes...one runs in the fall...break for Winter Olympics...the other runs with a start in late Feb or early March.
That is a main reason for only 13 shows...
By J at 1:25 AM ON 07/07/09
im glad its comming back but why we gotta wait till march 2010!!!!!???? its seems that will just make the people that are barely hooked stop watching and end up with a low following for the show they need to bring it back sooner
By Tomeboy at 8:27 PM ON 09/02/09
Chuck is great. I would rather see 13 episodes than none at all, but I think the network needs to doo more.
By baglady at 2:04 PM ON 09/28/09
Chuck is maybe the only descent comedy that isn't vulgar. I can't stomach anymore reality shows. This one makes you use your brain. Bravo "Chuck". I now like being a computer user. I always thought geeks were sexy.......
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baglady:
Chuck is maybe the only descent comedy that isn't vulgar. I can't stomach anymore reality shows. This one makes you...More »