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Upfront 2012: More Returning Than New Series With Shorter Orders This Year

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 17, 2012 @ 5:13am PDTTags: 30 Rock, Body of Proof, Community, Gossip Girl, Next Caller, Red Widow, Whitney
Nellie Andreeva

UPDATED: Last year, most midseason series received shorter orders for fewer of the standard 13 episodes new shows get. That included ABC’s GCB (10), The River (8) and Scandal and Don’t The B—- (7), CBS’ Rob (8) and NBC’s Bent (6) and Best Friends Forever (6).

This year, the networks are not as stingy to new shows, with only two midseason series, ABC’s drama Red Widow starring Radha Mitchell and NBC’s late pickup, comedy Next Caller starring Dane Cook, getting fewer than 13 episodes — 8 and 7, respectively.

But there are a number of returning series whose orders are shorter than the standard full-season 22 episodes (13 for midseason shows getting a second-season pickup). NBC did a lot of that on the comedy side, which the network’s topper Bob Greenblatt said at the NBC upfront was how they could afford to pick up as many (7) new comedy series. Of NBC’s returning comedy series only flagship The Office and Parks & Recreation have received 22-episode renewals. The rest, 30 Rock, Community, Up All Night and Whitney have been picked up for 13 episodes each. For 30 Rock, that marks the final season. During a press call on Monday, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly criticized the shorter orders for returning comedy series, calling them potentially “confusing.”

Also getting a 13-episode order is ABC’s procedural Body Of Proof, which is being held for mideason, while the CW veteran Gossip Girl was renewed for an 11-episode final season. (UPDATE: While I hear 11 episodes is the target length, CW president said today that talks with Gossip Girls producer Warner Bros. TV continue, with the final order likely in the 10-12 episode range.) They could be joined by CBS veteran Rules Of Engagement, which is finalizing a midseason renewal deal.

Related: CBS Update: ‘Rules Of Engagement’ Talks Down To The Wire, ‘Mentalist’ On The Move

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NBC’s ’30 Rock’ To End Its Run Next Season

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday May 14, 2012 @ 8:59am PDTTags: 30 Rock, NBC
Nellie Andreeva

30 Rock Final SeasonGoing into the upfronts, it became clear that the upcoming 13-episode season of 30 Rock would be the series’ last. And, after denying yesterday that a decision to end the show has been made, … Read More »

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NBC Boss Bob Greenblatt: No End Date Set For ‘The Office’, Community’ Or ’30 Rock’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Sunday May 13, 2012 @ 12:49pm PDTTags: 30 Rock, Community, The Office
Nellie Andreeva

When writers deals were made for 30 Rock for next fall, they were were made with the presumption that the upcoming 13-episode seventh season will be the Emmy-winning comedy’s swan song. But during today’s NBC conference call … Read More »

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NBC Renews ‘Parenthood’ & ’30 Rock’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 1:52pm PDTTags: 30 Rock, NBC, Parenthood
Nellie Andreeva

Parenthood Renewed NBCNBC is bringing back two more series: dramedy Parenthood and comedy 30 Rock. As expected, the pickup of 30 Rock will be for a seventh and final season, and it is expected to be … Read More »

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‘30 Rock’ Executive Producer John Riggi Signs Overall Deal With Warner Bros. TV

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday May 8, 2012 @ 3:56pm PDTTags: 30 Rock, Big Deals TV, John Riggi, Warner Bros. TV
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: After six years on NBC’s 30 Rock, executive producer John Riggi is leaving the series for an overall deal at Warner Bros. TV. Under the rich two-year deal, Riggi will develop new projects for the studio and also work … Read More »

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NBCUniversal Begins $190M NYC Facilities Upgrade

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Tuesday May 8, 2012 @ 3:41pm PDTTags: 30 Rock, Comcast, NBCUniversal, Steve Burke

NBCUniversal today announced a $190 million upgrade to its 30 Rockefeller Plaza headquarters and other New York City facilities. The construction, which is scheduled for completion in mid-2014, will see more than 1.2 million square feet … Read More »

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‘30 Rock’ Near Final-Season Renewal; NBC Eyes Short Orders For Returning Comedies

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday May 7, 2012 @ 4:38pm PDTTags: 30 Rock, NBC
Nellie Andreeva

30 Rock Season 7UPDATED: It looks like NBC‘s 30 Rock will be back for a likely abbreviated seventh and final season. I hear the Emmy-winning comedy has closed deals with its key high-level writers to return for what … Read More »

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RATINGS RAT RACE: ’30 Rock’ And ‘Community’ Inch Up Amid Declines & Lows

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday April 27, 2012 @ 9:48am PDTTags: 30 Rock, American Idol, Community, Ratings
Nellie Andreeva

30 Rock Live 2012NBC’s 30 Rock (1.6/5) saw only a marginal ratings boost from staging a live episode, up a tenth from last week. That still constitutes a six-week high for the Emmy-winning comedy. 30 Rock was one of only two series in positive territory last night, the opening night of the May sweep, when the broadcast networks faced the NFL draft coverage on ESPN and the NFL Network. The other was 30 Rock‘s lead-in, Community (1.4/4), also up a tenth. At 9 PM, veteran The Office (2.1/6) was down a tenth to a new series low. Parks And Recreation (1.6/4) was down two tenths from last week’s fast national, one from the final, also to a series low. Awake (0.8/2) matched its series low fast national from last week, slipping a tenth from the final. Read More »

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RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ And ‘30 Rock’ Rise Amid Declines & Lows

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday April 20, 2012 @ 9:15am PDTTags: 30 Rock, American Idol, Grey's Anatomy, Ratings
Nellie Andreeva

Whether it is viewer fatigue in the homestretch of a long broadcast season or just the onset of warm weather, TV usage levels continue to drop and with them TV ratings too. Last night’s highest-rated program was Fox’s American Idol (3.9/13 in adults 18-49), which was down 7% from last Thursday’s fast national. It currently matches a series low but will likely be adjusted up in the final. Touch (2.1/6) was down 9% to a new series low. Fox (3.0/9, 11 million) still won the night in 18-49 and total viewers. Read More »

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Does Alec Baldwin Know Fate Of ’30 Rock’?

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday April 11, 2012 @ 1:40pm PDTTags: 30 Rock, Alec Baldwin, NBC, Twitter

Alec Baldwin Leaving 30 RockHow NBC’s Thursday night comedy block will change next season is still up in the air. But a piqued Alec Baldwin tweeted this morning: “I think I’m leaving NBC just in time.” The 30 Rock star, as … Read More »

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‘Boardwalk Empire’, ‘Game Of Thrones’, ’30 Rock’, ‘Big Bang’ Nominated At Monte Carlo

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday April 5, 2012 @ 1:24pm PDTTags: 30 Rock, Big Bang Theory, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Monte Carlo TV Festival

U.S. series nominees at the 52nd Monte Carlo Television Festival in the drama category are Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Game of Thrones (HBO) and The Good Wife (CBS Studios International). Comedy series nominees are 30 Rock (NBC Universal), The Big Bang Theory (CBS Studios International) and Modern Family (Twentieth Century Fox … Read More »

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’30 Rock’ To Do Another Live Episode

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday March 21, 2012 @ 4:38pm PDTTags: 30 Rock
Nellie Andreeva

After doing a live episode in October 2010, NBC’s 30 Rock will do it again next month. Co-star Alec Baldwin revealed the plan in an interview with Extra. “So watch Thursday night, April 26,” he told the entertainment … Read More »

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Thank You, ’30 Rock’ (…I Think)

By NIKKI FINKE | Thursday March 1, 2012 @ 8:46pm PSTTags: 30 Rock, Jack Donaghy, Nikki Finke

Sorry, Jack Donaghy, you’re just not my type. Because Don Draper ruined me for other men. Anyway, here’s the 30 Rock clip from tonight:

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UPDATE: Tracy Morgan Released From Hospital, Says He’s Returning To ’30 Rock’ On Tuesday

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday January 23, 2012 @ 3:39pm PSTTags: 2012 Sundance Film Festival, 30 Rock, Tracy Morgan

Tracy Morgan HospitalizedUPDATE, 3:39 PM: Tracy Morgan has been released from Park City Medical Center after last night’s incident. He took to his Twitter feed today to explain: “The high altitude in Utah shook up this kid … Read More »

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RATINGS RAT RACE: Strong Premiere For ‘Rob’, Slow Start For ‘Finder’ & ’30 Rock’, ‘The Firm’ Takes Plunge In Regular Slot Debut

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday January 13, 2012 @ 8:34am PSTTags: 30 Rock, Rob, The Finder, The Firm
Nellie Andreeva

Bad reviews be damned. Rob Schneider’s new CBS comedy series Rob overperformed in its series premiere last night, drawing a 4.1/11 among adults 18-49 and 13.5 million viewers. The multi-cultural sitcom delivered CBS’ best numbers in the Thursday 8:30 PM slot in almost two years, since the Thursday finale of Survivor: Heroes And Villains on May 13, 2010, and ranked as the third-highest-rated new series premiere this season among 18-49 behind CBS’ 2 Broke Girls and Fox’s New Girl. On the cautionary side, Rob did only slightly better than the debut of the now-defunct $#*! My Dad Says in the time period in fall 2010 (4.0 in 18-49). Rob was helped by a strong lead-in from The Big Bang Theory (5.2/15), which was up 13% from its last original five weeks ago. (Rob was also probably aided by its strong Hispanic themes – George Lopez’ appeal to Latinos helped the ABC sitcom get to syndication). Rob lifted CBS’ rookie drama Person Of Interest (3.2/8, 14.3 million) at 9 PM to series highs in adults 18-49 and total viewers. The Mentalist (2.7/7) was flat. CBS easily won the night in 18-49 and total viewers. Read More »

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Alec Baldwin Set To Return to NBC’s ’30 Rock’ If Series Is Renewed

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday January 6, 2012 @ 11:00am PSTTags: 30 Rock, Alec Baldwin
Nellie Andreeva

After NBC’s executive session at TCA this morning, NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt addressed the future of 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin, who had hinted in interviews that he may leave the NBC comedy when his original contract was up at … Read More »

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Will Syndication Run Give ‘30 Rock’ Much Needed Ratings Boost On NBC?

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday November 15, 2011 @ 5:47pm PSTTags: 30 Rock, NBC
Nellie Andreeva

NBC’s midseason schedule announcement yesterday contained some disheartening news for 30 Rock fans — for its upcoming sixth season, the Emmy-winning comedy has been assigned the tough Thursday 8 PM slot. A cult favorite and a major awards contender, the Tina Fey-Alec Baldwin starrer has never been a big ratings draw and can hardly be perceived as an 8 PM anchor material. Plus, this represents the umpteenth time slot change for the office comedy, which has previously aired at 8:30 PM, 9:30 PM and 10 PM on Thursday. But as daunting as seems, 30 Rock’s uphill ratings battle might be aided by a secret weapon — the series’ additional exposure through its cable (on Comedy Central) and broadcast syndication launch this fall. As a newly-minted 8 PM comedy, 30 Rock joins 2 other returning half-hour sitcoms that air in the 8 PM time slot: CBS’ How I Met Your Mother on Monday and The Big Bang Theory on Thursday. The three have more in common than an airtime. Besides being a direct competitor to 30 Rock on Thursday, Big Bang too rolled out in cable (TBS) and broadcast syndication this fall, getting a ton of promotion, including during the baseball playoffs on TBS. The extra exposure may have boosted Big Bang‘s original airings on CBS — season-to-date, the comedy has averaged a 6.0 (most recent) 18-49 rating and 14.9 million viewers, up 15% in the demo and 14% in viewers from last fall. Meanwhile, How I Met Your Mother launched in cable syndication on FX this fall after languishing on Lifetime, where it had been mishandled last season. The added eyeballs (HIMYM continues to air on Lifetime too) may have helped the veteran comedy, which is hitting series highs in its seventh season on CBS — HIMYM (5.1 rating in 18-49, 11.4 million) is up a whopping 24% in 18-49 from last year and 19% in total viewers. It is probably not a coincidence that Big Bang and HIMYM are among the biggest ratings growth stories this season just as they got launched/re-launched in syndication. Read More »

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EMMYS: Comedy Series Handicap

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Sunday September 18, 2011 @ 10:22am PDTTags: 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards, 30 Rock, Glee, Modern Family, Outstanding Comedy Series, Parks and Recreation, The Big Bang Theory, The Office

Ray Richmond is contributing to Deadline’s 2011 Emmy coverage. Here’s his scorecard assessing the Outstanding Comedy Series race.

Glee (Fox)
Ryan Murphy Prods w/ 20th Century Fox TV
Why It Was Nominated: Well, of course they had to nominate it. Love it or hate it, Glee remains the rare broadcast comedy that carries as much style as it does substance. It remained true even through a polarizing second season when the online community and critics consistently took the show to task for devolving into a parody of itself. Call it Sophomore Implosion Syndrome. But it’s still undeniably energetic and often imaginative.
Why It Has To Win: Unlike last year, it would be a monumental upset were Glee to take the prize this time. But the TV academy can surprise you. Voters are notorious for lagging a year or so behind the curve. While it’s something of an apples-and-oranges measure when compared with the rest of the category competition, Glee remains a technically flawless production, a fact that can’t be minimized at a time when series steeped in song and dance continue to pack ‘em in.
Why It Can’t Possibly Win: It wasn’t just fans and critics fueling the Season 2 backlash. It’s also been the industry itself, directed at both the show and at showrunner Ryan Murphy for his perceived arrogance amid its charmed early life. One comedy producer also noted, “Between the 3D concert movie and the (Glee Project) series (on Oxygen) and everyone talking about it endlessly, they got annoyingly ubiquitous real fast. I mean, if Glee wins, the sound of retching will prove deafening.” That probably doesn’t bode well. Read More »

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EMMYS: Comedy Series Writers Handicap

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Sunday September 18, 2011 @ 9:06am PDTTags: 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards, 30 Rock, David Crane, Episodes, Greg Daniels, Jeffrey Klarik, Jeffrey Richman, Louie, Louis C.K., Modern Family, Steven Levitan, The Office

Ray Richmond is contributing to Deadline’s 2011 Emmy coverage. Here’s his scorecard assessing the Outstanding Comedy Series Writer race.

Greg Daniels, The Office (NBC)
“Goodbye Michael”
Why He Was Nominated: Being nominated for Emmys is simply what Daniels does. He’s reeled in 19 Emmy nominations all told, including three in this category and three noms this year alone. He’s won here once before, in 2007 for the celebrated “Gay Witch Hunt” episode of The Office. And Daniels has five Emmy trophies to his credit all told, also including previous wins for King of the Hill, The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live.
Why He Has To Win: In earning a nomination for star Steve Carell’s final episode, Daniels becomes something of a prohibitive favorite to win for writing, particularly since he’s already taken one home here previously. The super-sized episode, “Goodbye, Michael,” was heavily hyped by NBC and exceptionally well-received by viewers and the industry. “Greg did a terrific job of walking the line between comedy and sentiment,” one producer told me, “which was quite a feat.”
Why He Can’t Possibly Win: Sentiment doesn’t always go over so big with the TV academy crowd, whether talking about shows or individuals. Voters could well also figure that giving an overdue Emmy to Carell for acting is plenty and need not adorn the farewell with coattails. Plus, there are a couple of other exceedingly worthy contenders here, like a particularly buzzed episode of Modern Family. Read More »

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