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Every year about this time, rabid fans of shows perceived to be on the bubble launch campaigns to convince networks to renew their favorite series. So Chuck fans on Monday plan to show NBC execs their loyalty by spiking sandwich sales en masse at Subway stores and sending Nerds candies. It didn’t work for Moonlight at CBS but did for Jericho. This time, I can tell you the Chuck campaign is having an effect on the NBC suits. “It’s a good show, a solid show, and it’s in contention to come back,” an insider tells me. “I’m betting it’ll end up back. But that decision hasn’t been made yet.” Interestingly, it’s not just fanboys trying to keep the Josh Schwartz show on the air, it’s also mainstream TV critics and reporters. The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Entertainment Weekly have all weighed i positively. Television Without Pity listed 8 reasons to save the series. Me? I haven’t even watched 3 minutes of it.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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NBC,
Hello,
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE cancel ‘Chuck’. Please. The show isn’t that special. It’s geeky, it’s unappealing, it tries to be hip by giving its lead an Andy Samberg haircut, and America does not like it. It had a heavy campaign during the Super Bowl followed by a multimillion dollar promotion for the 3-D episode. You can’t get more of a chance than that. It has failed.
If you renew the show, it will continue to receive very low ratings. And this time next year, you are going to have to hear from all the annoying Chuck fans begging you for one more chance all over again. I can’t stand them anymore so I know you can’t stand them anymore. Save yourself sometime and a lot of money. Cancel it.
-From the rest of the TV community
“On the bubble”?
Also, Nikki, Television Without Pity is owned by NBC Universal. They have every reason to promote their show.
The problem with “Chuck” is that it isn’t the kind of show that is going to draw in more viewers. There’s nowhere to go but down. Then again, NBC’s new shows are mostly DOA so it might be a good idea to start the season with a new show on a smaller order of 8 or 10 episodes and then bring back Chuck at midseason. Either that or just move it to the USA Network.
Thanks much for the info, Nikki!
It’s an absolutely charming show with a fabulous cast and I’d love to see it get a third season. I think it rates right up there with “30Rock” and “The Office” as one of the most entertaining properties NBC has on the air.
As for the Subway promotion that someone asked about – Call it the power of product placement but Subway is a show sponsor that gets plenty of shout-outs in the scripts, so some enterprising fans put together a campaign to win some sponsor love by everyone going to Subway to buy a foot-long sub before tomorrow night’s season finale (and slip a “We love “Chuck”!” note in the suggestion box.) Even fans in the UK are getting into the act – http://www.endofshow.com/2009/04/26/chuck-stars-lead-400-fans-to-subway-to-save-show/.
Second all the commenters and critics that love the show- It’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Nice thing to TIVO and watch when you just need to be entertained.
LOL – I was expecting some clever, witty review from you because I haven’t watched or know anything about that show (except 4 reading the pilot) and all I get was “I haven’t watched 3 min. of it.” LOL -DITTO!!!!
What about heroes and medium then?
Except you are wrong Indy, it is a good show.
Its not dark and depressing like some shows feel they must be these days – it is fun – but that’s a good thing.
Have you watched the show Indy?
@ College Student: Subway was featured in a couple of the episodes. As for Nerds, the titular character is considered a nerd, thus Josh Schwartz was the one who suggests fans to send Nerds candy if they needed to.
Indy –
Its behind the other networks because it goes up against Dancing with the Starrs (ABC), House (Fox), CBS Comedies (CBS) and Gossip Girl (CW). Monday is a very competitive night.
@Indy: How I Met Your Mother. I don’t know if it was ever in 4th place but it was definitely in 3rd and it was on the cancellation bubble for its first two seasons. This season it’s a top 20 show.
I love Chuck, and for once my friends and I are ina greement (we rarely are). It deserves more love, for sure.
Come on people, “Jeffster” is one of the best parody garage bands to hit TV in years. The three leads may be great, but it’s these quirky secondary characters that make the show a hoot every week.
Chuck is a good show. I, my Hubby and daughter all enjoy it. There aren’t a lot of shows we can watch as a family.
Indy – To answer your question, look at SEINFELD. It took a few seasons for it to really catch on before audiences embraced it and then in re-runs the audience got to see the uniqueness of that show. CHUCK is a fun show with great characters who are really endearing
Indy -
Here are two shows
Mash, and Cheers, both shows were almost cancelled after year one, and by season 3 were top ten
Chuck is definitely one of the best shows on television right now! It deserves another season more than any other show “on the bubble” right now, in my opinion. It’s a show unlike any other!
I really hope NBC gets it out of the timeslot it’s in and puts it somewhere that it can get the viewers it really deserves!
I’ll be buying my Subway sandwich tomorrow, SUPPORT CHUCK!
Seinfeld didn’t become a hit until its fourth season. There is a small chance Chuck could become popular, and Seinfeld wasn’t even a decent show. You should probably do research instead of making baseless accusations.
Seinfeld?
Chuck and Breaking Bad are the two best shows on TV right now. Maybe The 1 Ladies Detectives Agency, even though I consider that more of a miniseries.
>why Subway sandwiches and Nerds
Subway does product placement on the show – so that’s commercials you can’t zap thru
Nerds? Never heard of them till the show’s creator mentioned them. Because the lead character works for the Nerd Herd at the Buy More
I don’t see it gaining any more audience if it’s brought back so what’s the point.
Chuck is smartly written, hugely entertaining, and completely unlike the reality shows and other drivel out there. Here’s to hoping NBC renews this jem. Do they honestly think Leno is the answer?
Thanks for this article. I was not aware of the plan to spike sandwich sales en masse at Subway stores. You can bet that I will by buying Subway sandwiches morning, noon and night on Monday.
I know that Chuck is certainly not a HBO or Showtime type of show, but the honest truth is that if it got moved to HBO or Showtime, I would subscribe. If, more likely, it is moved as an original series to basic cable, I would follow it there.
It’s not a bad show, the cast is great, though it can be a bit repetitive. Think of it as a scooby-doo: Doesn’t matter who the baddie is, the outcome is always the same. I kinda wish they would just suck it up, and make the show more centered on chuck’s working life at the BuyMore, which is far more interesting than the spy stuff.
(so yeah… I watch it every week, so what??)