"Southland" picked up by NBC -- and maybe (emphasize maybe) "Chuck" too
Saturday update: Insiders confirm the E! report that decision on "Chuck" is likely to be delayed beyond Monday's announcement. And word has surfaced that although it looked to be dead, NBC and 20th Century Fox TV are negotiating for a fifth-season pickup of "My Name is Earl."
Looks like the cops on "Southland" will be back on the beat in the fall.
Word is that NBC has picked up the Warner Bros. TV/John Wells Prods. drama for 13 episodes, probably for a fall slot. NBC execs are hunkered down in New York this weekend making fall pickup decisions in advance of Monday's "Infront" programming presentation to advertisers in Gotham.
There's also chatter at this late hour that Warners is in the midst of a big ol' deal with NBC that includes "Southland" plus a third-season renewal for "Chuck" and greenlight for David E. Kelley pilot "Legally Mad" -- after all three projects took a slight haircut in budget. But that's just email chatter at this point, no confirmation yet. (Sorry all you "Chuck" devotees.)
Ensembler "Southland," created by Ann Biderman and exec produced by Biderman, John Wells and Christopher Chulack, has delivered solid numbers to NBC in the Thursday 10 p.m. time slot since its debut April 9, and the show has been warmly received by critics. Hard-boiled cop drama will presumably slide to a 9 p.m. berth in the fall, as NBC plans to strip "The Jay Leno Show" Monday-Friday at 10 p.m. hour.
Reps for NBC and Warner Bros. TV could not immediately be reached for comment late Friday.
Variety's Team TV -- Cynthia Littleton, Stu Levine, Jon Weisman, Andrew Wallenstein and A.J. Marechal -- provides a roundup of stories big and small, as well as opinions and analysis from across the TV dial.
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Please bring LIFE back. It was wonderful. Loved the lead character - he was even better in LIFE than he was in Band of Brothers (and that's hard to do).
Posted by: Nancy D | May 29, 2009 at 01:40 PM
I am crossing my fingers that "Chuck" will not be renewed. It is easily one of the worst shows to come out in a long time.
Posted by: Mae | May 28, 2009 at 07:43 PM
hurrah for chuck. as long as they keep parks and rec off the air. that program blows big time!!!!!
Posted by: greg | May 02, 2009 at 09:12 PM
I am hoping that Chuck will be renewed of all the shows it is the best and the happiest show on tv. I am crossing my finges.
Posted by: Emir Tanju | May 02, 2009 at 11:52 AM
I am keeping everything crossed for a Chuck renewal!
Posted by: Vanessa | May 02, 2009 at 09:46 AM
Thank you for the update. Southland is great and deserves to be renewed. We (the crazed fans on Twitter) look forward to a more definite answer on Chuck :)
Posted by: Matthew | May 02, 2009 at 09:30 AM