Tag Archives: pickup

ABC picks up Lost writers’ ‘Once Upon a Time’ tale

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Rumor had it that former Lost writers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis were shopping around their next TV project to former Lost home ABC.  That proved to be true.  According to Variety, ABC has picked up their “top secret fairy-tale-themed drama series” and now it has a title: Once Upon a Time.  How fitting.  Technically speaking, ABC is only picked up a pilot episode; but with Team Horowitz/Kitsis and Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof signed on as show consultant, I have little doubt the pilot pickup will manifest itself into a 13-episode (or potentially full season) order.  Now it’s time to see who they choose as the female lead…

[Via Variety]

HBO’s ‘Bored to Death’ & ‘Eastbound & Down’ coming back for third season

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HBO’s current Sunday night lineup is safe.  Boardwalk Empire was picked up for a second season a month ago, and today HBO ordered additional seasons of comedies Bored to Death (starring Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis, and Ted Danson) and Danny McBride’s Eastbound & Down.  The former averaged 1 million viewers this past Sunday and the latter 1.44 million.  This is great new for fans of funny things.

[Via Deadline]

The CW wants more ‘Hellcats’ & ‘Nikita’

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The CW is following in its sister network’s footsteps (that’s CBS) by ordering full seasons of all their freshman series.  All two of them: Hellcats and Nikita.  The cheerleading drama averages 2.5 million viewers per week, and the Maggie Q-starrer sees 3.6 million viewers.  Also veteran One Tree Hill, which started its eighth season this year, has also been given the back nine.  No word on a Life Unexpected pickup, though two additional scripts have been ordered.

Michalka fans–this is a time of celebration, is it not?

[Via Deadline]

All 5 CBS freshman series get the full season order treatment

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Today CBS followed direct competitor NBC in announcing which of their new fall shows will tack on an additional nine episodes.  Spilling the news was easy and why?  CBS has granted all five CBS freshman series a full season order.  Hawaii Five-O, The Defenders, Blue Bloods, Mike and Molly, and $#*! My Dad Says are safe and won’t have to worry about cancellation for the remainder of the ’10-’11 TV season.  Deadline reports some fascinating figures.  These five shows are the five most watched new shows on TV right now and Hawaii, Mike & Molly and $#*! claim to be the top three new series in the adults 18-49 demographic.  And here’s some hard data for ya.  Hawaii averages 14.2 million viewers per episode and happens to be DVR king raking in an additional 3.4 million viewers in recordings.  Defenders averages 11.3 million viewers;  Blue Bloods 12.7 million; Mike & Molly 12.3 million; and $#*! 11.3 million.  CBS is America’s most watched network and now you know why.  Crime prodedurals draw huge audiences and people are really digging all this new programming.  Hawaii Five-O is my favorite new fall series, just sayin’.

Says CBS Entertainment prez Nina Tassler: “Everything has clicked so far this year–from development in January, to scheduling in May, to production over the summer, to marketing and publicity in the fall.  It’s all testimony to the executives in our halls who remain restless for more success, and the amazing creative talent on our sets who continue to deliver the goods.”

[Via Deadline]

NBC grants ‘The Event’, ‘Law & Order: Los Angeles’ & ‘Outsourced’ full season orders [Update: ‘Chase’ & ‘Chuck’ picked up, ‘Undercovers’ gets 4 additional scripts]

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Happy times at the Peacock today.  NBC just picked up full season orders for freshman dramas The Event and Law & Order: Los Angeles and the controversial comedy Outsourced.  According to Deadline, the three NBC shows have averaged 9.1 million, 8.7 million viewers, and 6.3 million viewers overall, respectively.  It’s mentioned that although The Event continues to dip in viewership each week since its strong premiere, it has remained a “solid DVR performer” for the network.  So Jason Ritter (above), you can relax a bit; your stay at NBC just got longer.  Legal drama Outlaw is the sole NBC cancellation.

NBC President Angela Bromstad: “We are pleased with the quality of The Event, Law & Order: Los Angeles and Outsourced, and feel they are an important part of helping to re-build our schedule and our studio pipeline.  We believe in these new series and the creative auspices behind them.”

No word on the back nine episode order for other NBC dramas Chase and Undercovers.  Deadline reports that Chase is expected to get it, and Undercovers recently received an order for 6 additional scripts.  That’s a very good sign, Abrams fans.  In addition, Ausiello reports that NBC is about to order more episodes of the fan-favorite Chuck…

Update: NBC has picked up Chase and Chuck for full season orders.  Chuck will receive an additional 11 episodes instead of the standard back nine (so it will air 24 episodes in total).  The network still hasn’t decided the fate of the J.J. Abrams spy series Undercovers, but things are looking up since they’ve ordered 4 more scripts to be penned.

[Via Deadline, here & here; thanks AndrewSeely for image help]