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NBC gives full seasons to 'The Event,' 'Outsourced' and 'LOLA'

The jury is still out on 'Undercovers' and 'Chase'

Published on Monday, Oct 18, 2010 5:57 PM by Daniel Fienberg

NBC gives full seasons to 'The Event,' 'Outsourced' and 'LOLA'

'Outsourced'

Credit: NBC

Sinking ratings be darned, NBC has given full-season pick-ups to "The Event," "Law & Order: Los Angeles" and "Outsourced."
 
"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," states NBC Entertainment President Angela Bromstad. "We believe in these new series and the creative auspices behind them."
 
Using Nielsen Media Research's "most current" averages -- a calculation that includes available weeks of live+7 data inexplicably averaged in with more recent weeks of standard live+same-day data -- "The Event" is averaging 9.1 million viewers overall and a 3.0 demo rating. Those numbers are less impressive if you remember that "The Event" averaged roughly 11 million viewers and a 3.7 demo rating in overnights for its premiere and has subsequently suffered extreme viewer attrition in each passing week. NBC notes that time-shifting numbers strongly benefitted "The Event," which  gained 35 percent of its premiere week audience in live+7.
 
It also helps the cause that "The Event" was licensed in 200 international territories before its US premiere.
 
"Law & Order: Los Angeles" has averaged a 2.5 rating and 8.7 million viewers, using only live+same-day figures, which remains less impressive if you remember that more than 10.5 million viewers watched the show's premiere. NBC prefers to emphasize the 45 percent viewership increase over "The Jay Leno Show" last fall.
 
With "Outsourced," we go back to "most current" averages to see that the Thursday comedy has averaged 6.3 million viewers and a 3.0 demo rating.
 
These three pickups leave "Undercovers" and "Chase," struggling on Wednesday and Monday nights, awaiting word on their futures. NBC has already stopped production on "Outlaw" and moved remaining episodes to Saturday night, effectively canceling the legal drama.
 
Meanwhile, "LOLA," "The Event" and "Outsourced" join FOX's "Raising Hope" as the first new shows to get full-season orders.

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  • Default-avatar

    kelly Outsourced got a full season? Wow. I think Undercovers is toast. I don't see how any show with a 1.5 can (or should be) picked up for a full season.

    October 18, 2010 at 6:11PM EST Reply to Comment
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    fbihop So... does this mean that Community only gets a half-season and Parks and Recreation comes back instead? If so, that sucks.

    October 18, 2010 at 6:15PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan fbihop - It doesn't *really* mean anything for either "Community" or "Parks & Rec." At least not directly. NBC also has at least one new midseason comedy as well. It's obviously not *good* news. But NBC could just decide to put "Outsourced" on hiatus instead of airing repeats and run "P&R;" there. Or the same with "Community."

      One never knows!

      -Daniel

      October 18, 2010 at 6:20PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    fbihop So does that mean that Community won't get a back end?

    October 18, 2010 at 6:15PM EST Reply to Comment
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      Hannah Lee I think Community already had a full season order (22 episodes) as did Parenthood, so there was no need for a separate back end order for them.

      October 19, 2010 at 9:10PM EST
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    Josh Hooray for mediocrity!

    October 18, 2010 at 6:38PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Stacy Any chance NBC will make Wednesdays at 8 an hour of comedy. That's the only way I see Parks & Recs and Community having a chance.

    October 18, 2010 at 6:52PM EST Reply to Comment
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      yragcom1 I think that would be suicide. I can't see NBC beating ABC on Wednesday night with comedy.

      October 18, 2010 at 7:39PM EST
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    Jeannie 51 The Undercover leads cannot act, they weaken the show, I tried watching it but really couldnt

    October 18, 2010 at 7:38PM EST Reply to Comment
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    ita As much as i love Law & Order, CHASE on Monday is way better. This LA version is quite lame.

    October 18, 2010 at 8:22PM EST Reply to Comment
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    SlowFame Is NBC hiring? I think I could have made some better decisions this year on programming.

    October 18, 2010 at 8:31PM EST Reply to Comment
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    Tom Outsourced gets ripped on endlessly; but watching it after watching 30 Rock it did not seem so bad. What is so funny about 30 Rock? That live show was terrible. Tracy Morgan is just awful. Oh look hes breaking... Oh look he acts like a kid... oh looks its Elaine... Chris Parnell's fake commercial was the best part; and yet he is so so much funnier on Archer that is quite sad watching that. If Outsourced should get cancelled, then 30 Rock should get executed.

    The real crime is that Community did not get its back order.

    In Good News, it seems Chuck is on the verge of a full pickup. Hooray!

    October 18, 2010 at 8:35PM EST Reply to Comment
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      reno I agree that Outsourced is the type of show that will have critics no matter how good or bad the episodes turn out. It is one of those shows prejudged that may never fully escape the prejudging in much the same way many wouldn't give Parks & Rec a shot on the great second season after the weak first season or some won't give the U.S. Office a shot because it doesn't star Gervias.

      I agree the live episode of 30 Rock was a pandering mess with only a few decent laughs, but it isn't indicative of the quality of the show overall. In many ways that episode was what the show lampoons most of the time.

      October 18, 2010 at 8:59PM EST
    • Default-avatar

      Tom Hater gonna hate.

      October 19, 2010 at 2:47AM EST
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    Jeff Outsourced is racist and insults our intelligence. The Event is acted by my high school drama class.

    October 18, 2010 at 9:04PM EST Reply to Comment
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    vera in LA I don't and won't watch Outsourced. I don't think there's anything funny about making a comedy of the fact that Americans lose their jobs to India -- like I did. I don't care if it's the best show on TV; I won't support it.

    October 18, 2010 at 9:06PM EST Reply to Comment
  • Dan Fienberg is confusing "inexplicable" and "inexplicably. "

    October 18, 2010 at 9:49PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan David - No confusion. Just a typo. That's what I get for being so excited about the renewals. All fixed. Thanks!

      -Dan

      October 18, 2010 at 9:52PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    Andrew Thompson Community Is amazing! Outsourced stinks... Community is better than last seasons Office. Please don't touch Community

    October 19, 2010 at 12:20AM EST Reply to Comment
  • Madmen_icon_talkback_profile

    LJA Good taste is dead.

    October 19, 2010 at 2:13AM EST Reply to Comment
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    pete I really enjoy outsourced.
    Its unique and fresh.
    I work with a lot of people from India, and they are all very friendly, educated, competent, hard working and helpful. They espouse all the true American Values.
    They deserve to be apreciated.
    The show is not racist. (Other then traditionaly making fun of the tough 'nazi' white guy, which everyone is used to, and even he turns out to be useful.)
    Leave the politics out, and enjoy the commedy, and characters.

    October 19, 2010 at 6:08PM EST Reply to Comment

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