NBS studio chief Jordan McDeere will keep her job for a while--NBC announced it is giving Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip a full season order.
Last week, rumors circulated that the show would be canceled due to poor ratings--after premiering with a solid 13.4 million viewers, the show slipped to 7.8 million viewers as of last Monday. The expensive drama, from West Wing creators Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme, stars Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitoford, and D.L. Hughley in the behind-the-scenes story of a Saturday Night Live-type sketch comedy show.
Peet stars as McDeere, the new head of the fictional network NBS, whose career is riding on the fortunes of the show-within-the-show.
"I am pleased to show our support for this outstanding and ambitious effort from executive producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme," said NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly in a statement. "From the start, they have delivered the superb show that we wanted. The critical support has been rock-solid and there is a passionate core audience. We can't wait for what's going to come in the remainder of the season."
Although the show doesn't get as many viewers as the network would like, the quality of those viewers appeals to NBC. Studio 60 snares upscale, college-educated viewers in households with $75,000-plus and $100,000-plus incomes.
"It's a bull's-eye at the core of our brand," Reilly told Daily Variety. "I love the talent onscreen and off, and I want to give it the full season to work it out and fully discover its audience."
With the Studio 60 pickup out of the way, Reilly will turn his attention to two other high-profile new shows that haven't met expectations: Tina Fey's 30 Rock--which also follows a fictional sketch comedy show--and football drama Friday Night Lights.
"They're shows I'm trying to figure out how to support and give a real chance at growing," Reilly said. "We're trying to put together a sensible [January] schedule that can hold together in the middle of American Idol season."
Next week, 30 Rock will move from its Wednesday spot to Thursdays as NBC fashions an all-comedy block on the night. Rock's fellow Wednesday night freshman, Twenty Good Years, has already been canceled.
Lights was given a special spot last week after NBC's hit Heroes and showed marked improvement. The show scored 8.3 million viewers, better than its previous episode's 6.3 million.
I hope NBC are watching the blogs and the net for these positive comments and what real people are saying. Studio60 is intelligent, well written and brilliant. Give it the time to develop and it will blossom into something special, its one of my favorite shows and I love how well its done. As West Wing showed, the best shows don't always have overnight success in season one. I think shows like Lost and Heroes etc have spoiled us into wanting these spectacular gripping programmes each and everytime. There has to be room for some smart and developing satire and well written brilliance.
I can't wait for the show to come back on the air already! I love this show and by far it's my favorite for the season. I looked forward to it every Monday and have missed it since it went away, hopefully just on a short break. Bring it back already!!
Good to see NBC is keeping at least one show on the air that caters to those of us who have a college education. Aaron Sorkin is pure genius. Everyone who hates it just isn't smart enough to get the jokes. This show is "Dennis Miller funny."
Studio 60 is a fantastic show, people criticise its inner show sketches, don't they see the point is for them not to be that good? the real comedy is in real life. Keep it going NBC all the way through second season : )
About time! Now, will someone please find the finest muffins and bagels around and deliver them to Brad Whitford's dressing room? Thank you.
It's good that they're keeping Studio 60 on. But please do something about the sketches; they are not funny. Either make them funnier or put less focus on the show-within-the-show and concentrate more on the show itself.
I have watched each episode thinking, "WHY ARE PEOPLE EVEN QUESTIONING THIS SHOW? IT'S FANTASTIC!!" Week after week I have checked here on this website waiting to hear if they were really going to cancel such a great program. Then it gets three more episodes, and I'm thankful for at least that small blessing. And now, like many others, I'm joyful to hear that we have at least one full season of S60. Folks, this is a show that needs word of mouth advertising. Tell those you know how really excellent it is. Seinfeld was a show I watched from the start, and told everyone how genuinely funny it was. I hope S60 will be the Seinfeld of dramatic programs.
Like others here, BIG THANKS from me to NBC!!! It's a great decision!!moreless
I think NBC is the only network to give their shows a chance, if Studio 60 were in Fox it would be gone. Thanks NBC!!
The best show there is and only a few movies each year and no TV shows has this quality of writing, acting, lighting and directing.The others are like buying your art at Walmart. Popular for the masses but of no quality.This is over the heads of many who prefer poorly written and terribly acted adventure programs but very happy that NBC will at least give us some butter for our bread.
How many programs would you watch the same episode a second, third or forth time? So far all but one of Studio 60 and the first 4 years of The West Wing maybe 10 times. There is no show that is more professional in its lighting and sets and acting. Obviously the main writing is the star but the directors that are used are also super. This is a real quality program so is over the heads of the crowd. (I imagine that Walmart sells a lot of paintings to hang over the couch but that does not make them good) in TV the most popular shows are the worst quality in writing and acting) Many of the TV shows now use the amateur jerky camera style that makes the shows unwatchable. There is no current program as good as Studio 60 and this is not just an opinion it is the truth. There are few movies that have such good acting and absolutely no TV shows.moreless
Amanda Peet is stunning, and Matthew Perry delivers the humorous punchlines. The show rocks.
This is such good news. I love the show.
That's the best news I've had all week, and I'm writing this on Sunday night.Studio 60 is my favorite show in years!
Great news! While far from perfect, Studio 60 has a lot of potential, and the extra episodes will give it a chance to improve. I love Amanda Peet!
But if they're going to keep showing the show's sketches, they're gonna have to start getting funnier. So far, they look like SNL at it's most mediocre.
bud news so boring
Thank God!This show is awesome!
Please, if anything, there needs to be a full season pickup for friday night lights. This show is soooo much better than studio 60, and it fit so much better after Heroes than studio 60 did.
Excellent News, Studio 60 Rocks
Yes! Great news, glad to see NBC doing something good!
Wrapped that this is staying on the air. It's so rare to find a comedy that isn't dumbed down. Good work NBC :)
Not only is it funny, but it is smart. YAY Studio 60. Bravo!!!
if only CBS had given the same chance to 'Smith' and YAY!!! We get Studio 60 for a full season, congratulazioni per tutti, wonderful show, wonderful cast, wonderful overall programming. Congratulations and thanks NBC!!! PS - Go HEROES, TOO!!!
This is a great move for NBC, now the next step is a full season pickup for Friday Night Lights.
Awesome! High fives to everyone. Now, I must go watch last weeks episode.
great show with a nice sense of humor. i'm glad that it will last for an entire season. i really enjoy watching it.
Let's just hope more people tune in to what we already know is an awesome show. Can't wait to see part 2 with John Goodman, the show kicked butt last week.
Great to see NBC has finally gotten behind Studio 60.This show deserved a full season pickup just on the quality of its acting alone. I just might change my mind about NBC if they keep making intelligent decisions like this one. Kudos to Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme and the entire cast. We love your work :)
Good choice... this show will get better
This is just terrific!
I love watching S60!
have you noticed how suddenly the endless amount of posts disapproving of the show have disappeared?
Brilliant News! Well done NBC!
I cant explain how happy i am, Thanks!!!1
Thanks NBC!!!
man this show is awesome...and I hope that it stays on air for a long time to come...it really has a lot of potential...
just what the doctor ordered!
A big thank you to whomever it is at NBC that made the decision to extend the season for this quality program.
Thank you, NBC, for realizing that an entire segment of the viewing audience is being largely ignored.
Let's all email the advertisers of this program and let them know we appreciate it.
I'm impressed to see NBC go for quality over how many people they can hype up to watch a gimmick show. Let's see if they can keep on creating quality and sticking by it. A risk that will pay off if they can truly stand by their product.
Thanks NBC
You now need to exploit the full potential of viewers.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.
I guess NBC is run by someone like Jordan at NBS. Great news
Finally NBC has done something to prove that it is still in the TV series business.
Yes! Thank you, NBC. You made an excellent choice.
NBC is usuaully the network that is most patient with shows. Now, we just have to hope that the show improves enough to get orderd for a second season.
This is Why I love NBC they see that Studio 60 could be a hit. Thank You! but tdo yourself a favor move it to a new time.
OMG NBC I LOVE YOU!!!!!
YOU GUYS ROCK!!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
THX FOR LOOKING FOR QUALITY IN THE SHOW RATHER THAN VIEWERS!!
U GUYS FREAKIN RULE!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so excited! I waited anxiously all summer for this show and have religiously watched it each week. I have yet to meet an Aaron Sorkin that I didn't fall in love with. It is so awesome that NBC is giving this show a chance.
There's the good old NBC we miss, giving the good shows a chance.I still have yet to see this show :/
Wow. A network actually giving a show a chance. Just like old times.
Totally, I think that's why all these cancellation stories were being written. People wanted to force NBC's hand and make them come out one way or the other on Studio 60.
Apparantly having an article about bad ratings is a sure sign to get a full season pick up. First Brothers and Sisters, now Studio 60.