The Sunday night return of “Chuck” brought good news for NBC.
The spy dramedy saw its highest ratings since last year’s much hyped 3-D episode aired, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The first episode of “Chuck” drew 7.7 million viewers and a healthy 3.0 preliminary rating among adults 18-49, with the second drawing 7.2 million and a 2.9 rating.
The action-drama, which was barely renewed and at one point NBC considered airing the show on Friday nights, posted some of NBC’s best scripted drama numbers this season.
The ratings are even more impressive when you consider the fact that “Chuck” was going up against the football delayed broadcast of Fox’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of “The Simpsons.” Fox estimates the delayed special drew 6.8 million viewers.
Now the big test will be seeing how Team Bartowski fared last night in the ratings…
The ratings were good news to producer McG. He told the TCA yesterday, “”I’m happy. I just believe in that show, and we actually got rewarded last night. Peter Roth seems really happy with the numbers. We’re happy with what it did, so hopefully it’ll keep on trucking.”
Roth is president of Warner Brothers Television, which makes the show for NBC.
“We were mid-3s, and that was above [expectations],” McG continued. “They wanted to have a 3 in front of it, so we were right around a 3.4 with the men 18-49, and I think they’re really happy with that, especially because I think the football game got a really good number on the other network and led into a big, strong Fox night.”
McG added: “I haven’t talked to NBC yet this morning, but we’re all on the same e-mail chain,” McG said. “[Executives] are very personally vested in the show. They really want it to work out. They’re all like children to all of us. That show was on the edge of extinction, and the fans spoke, and people were really passionate about it. It doesn’t hurt to have Jon Stewart as a fan and Howard Stern as a fan and people like that touting the ‘Chuck’ of it all.”
I’m glad the ratings for Chuck are up but frankly, I am reserving judgement about the show. I was really looking foward to Chuck’s return but I was a little disappointed with the first two episodes of the new season: “Chuck Versus The Pink Slip” and “Chuck Versus The Three Little Words” I fear that the show will be bogged down in “will they or won’t they” stories concerning Chuck and Sarah. This is simuliar to the death spiral that killed the X Files. Another point — the second episode mostly concerned Carina who for some silly contrived reason ends up with Morgan. Is this the way the series is heading — with everyone at the Buy More ending up with their own super spy vixien? Another note: Anna is apparently gone from the series and I will miss her.
“The action-drama, which was barely renewed and at one point NBC considered airing the show on Friday nights, posted some of NBC’s best scripted drama numbers this season.”
While that’s good news, it’s tempered by the fact that, given NBC’s boneheaded decisions this year, the competition in that category wasn’t that tough.
Anne, I’m bummed that Anna was apparently a victim of the budget cut, too. I wasn’t as disappointed in these episodes as you, but I can see where that could be a problem. Sarah has been fighting her feelings for Chuck since the beginning and Chuck’s decision to not run away with her brings their relationship straight back to square one.
On the positive side, we’ve seen some real growth in Chuck. He’s embraced his destiny. Instead of pining for his old life back, he’s finally realized he has it in him to be more than what he has been. The best of “Chuck vs. the Pink Slip” was when he pulled himself out of his funk (instead of relying on Ellie to kick him in the pants) and put himself back in the spy game.
I am thrilled the numbers are up for Chuck, but I was very disapointed by the first two eps. I miss Anna too. Monday night’s Angel of Death Ep was much better. More in line with the last two seasons. I am hopeful that the first two were just cluncky becasue they had to stuff in so much “Here is who we are and what we are about” for those new viewers.