Nellie Andreeva

No surprise here: freshman Rizzoli & Isles and veteran The Closer have been on fire since getting paired on Monday earlier this month. Leverage also has been a solid performer for the network, showing growth in its new Sunday slot. No word yet on freshman Memphis Beat and Hawthorne. Here is TNT’s release.

TNT has ordered new seasons of three of the network’s hit series.  The Closer, which continues to rank as ad-supported cable’s #1 series of all time, will return for its seventh season.  Rizzoli & Isles, which currently ranks as cable’s #1 new series for the year-to-date, will return for a second season.  Leverage, which is performing exceptionally well in its new Sunday timeslot, will be back for a fourth season.  TNT has ordered 15 episodes each of The Closer and Leverage, along with 13 episodes of Rizzoli & Isles, with all three slated to start their new seasons in 2011.

“TNT has enjoyed tremendous success on Sunday and Monday nights with Leverage, The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM).  “All three shows feature terrific casts, sharp writing and top-notch production teams.  We look forward to continued success with new seasons in 2011.”

The Closer

The Closer is averaging 7.1 million viewers in its sixth season, up 7% compared to last season.  The July 12 season premiere was watched by 7.7 million viewers and ranks as ad-supported cable’s top scripted series telecast for the year-to-date. The Closer is produced for TNT by The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television.  The series was created by James Duff, who serves as executive producer with Greer Shephard, Michael M. Robin, Rick Wallace and Kyra Sedgwick.

Rizzoli & Isles
Rizzoli & Isles, which is based on the crime novels by best-selling author Tess Gerritsen, stars Angie Harmon (Law & Order) as Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander (NCIS) as medical examiner Maura Isles.

With 7.1 million viewers, Rizzoli & Isles currently ranks as cable’s #1 new series for the year-to-date.  The July 12 premiere of Rizzoli & Isles was watched by 7.6 million viewers and holds the record as cable’s #1 commercial-supported series launch of all time. Rizzoli & Isles is produced for TNT by Warner Horizon Television, Janet Tamaro’s Hurdler Productions and Bill Haber’s Ostar Productions.  Tamaro (Bones, Lost) and Haber (TNT’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, TCM’s upcoming Moguls and Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood) serve as executive producers, along with Joel Fields (Ugly Betty).  Michael M. Robin (TNT’s The Closer) is a consulting producer.

Leverage

Leverage is currently averaging 4.1 million viewers in its third season, showing growth among young adult demos when compared to the second season. For the first five episodes this summer, Leverage has grown its total audience by 60% when compared to live viewing (33% compared to Live + Same Day). Leverage is executive-produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day, TNT’s The Librarian trilogy) and creators John Rogers (Transformers) and Chris Downey(The King of Queens).  The series is produced for TNT by Devlin’s Electric Entertainment.

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