Never underestimate the power of a $5 footlong.
NBC has finalized a deal to bring Chuck back for a third season, multiple sources confirm.
That’s the good news. Here’s the bad news: The 13-episode pickup came after Warner Bros. agreed to make significant budget concessions, including scaling back the number of episodes several members of the show’s stellar supporting cast will appear in and, per one insider, possibly eliminating one actor altogether (R.I.P. Anna Wu?). The show is also expected to cut two of its staff writers.
But back to the good news: Chuck lives on! Celebrate in the comments section!
For up-to-the-minute renewal-cancellation-pickup scuttlebutt throughout the weekend and into upfront week, stay close to both my blog (the one you’re reading now!) and Twitter feed. And to track the status of your favorite bubble show, there’s my Fall TV Cheat Sheet. Finally, for the official schedule announcements (beginning with Fox tomorrow) proceed to the Hollywood Insider blog.
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Thank GOODNESS! With the cliffhanger they left us with I wouldn’t be able to carry on not knowing what happens to Chuck v2.0!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, hopefully these budget cuts won’t effect the awesomeness of the show, and it sucks that they have to eliminate the awesome supporting cast, but at least its back!
I cringe at the thought of losing any of the amazing characters/actors! But I am on top of the world knowing that Chuck is back!!!!!!
I’m just stoked that CHUCK is back! But let’s keep pushing for more! Let NBC know that we love them and this is awesome, but more CHUCK would be even better.
whew, after your “bummer” teaser, I expected much worse! I’m sure it will still be awesome, I can’t wait to see more kung-fu chuck!
Hooray so glad Chuck is coming back, bummed that it’s only thirteen epis though, hoping that might increase with good ratings still better then no Chuck, yey made my day!
Thanks for being AWESOME, NBC! Also thanks for being awesome, Ausiello, & staying on top of this nail biting, cold sweating connundrum. This is proof that we Chuck fans have to support to everloving Chuck out of the show so that they DON’T have to can anybody & they can take the stellar supporting cast more up front again. We can make this work, people!
Congratulations, Chuck! NBC made a great move to renew this amazing show.
FINALLY! Good and bad news together, but I’ll take it. I’m sure that brilliant show can make it work somehow. My sadness over the budget cuts is kind of overshadowed right now by relief, anyway.
So much fantastic bubble/regular shows that got renewed. So much to look forward to next fall! (Better Off Ted, Dollhouse, Scrubs, Castle, BONES etc)
I’d be fine with Anna going, but if it’s Jeffster, Chuck won’t be the same.
Woohoo!
Yay for the renewal (figured if got one, it’d be for 13 eps). Can’t say I’m surprised by budget cuts .. and that it is ultimately showing up in the supporting cast. Still sad though, especially if one person IS cut out completely. Hopefully their excellent work on Chuck will help them land work elsewhere (and same for rest of the actors on Chuck too).
Also bummer about having to cut staff writers and I certainly hope that they get work elsewhere – and soon!
If the rumors of Medium moving to CBS and airing after Ghost Whisperer are true, you can bet no other show that night will get anything above a 2.0 in the demo. But at least half-seasons of Chuck and Dollhouse are better than nothing, right?
ZOMG Thank you! Although I’m bummed by the half season, I’m uber excited to see Chuck back in action! Is there a possibility of a back 9 pick up if it does well??????
I’m going to look at it this way – 13 episodes means (a) it’s still in production and (b) still on the air. If they can keep quality up, even with less $$ or using less cast per ep, AND if we can get friends to watch, they may decide it’s worth making even more eps and putting more $$ into those additional eps. As long as it’s in production, there’s hope, eh?
I’m just stunned – after seasons of losing at least one or two of my fave new shows every year, this year I had three shows I wanted renewed (Chuck, Dollhouse & Fringe) and I’m actually getting more of all three. Call me one happy girl, eh?!!
YAY! Iam so happy Chuck is coming back! So is my husband! sad though about someone having to leave the show.
your husband left? Where’d he go? Does his leaving have anything to do with Chuck? You know, “If Chuck doesn’t come back, neither will I.” Talk about devotion to a show.
yayayayayayayayayay
YESSSSSSSS!!! i am so excited!! will there be a possible of more than 13 episodes??
im so happy that its renewed that i honestly dont care if they drop an actor.
i mean, if chuck has quit the buy more, doesnt that give them a good reason to show less of all of those characters? unless he’s going back. which would suck…
any idea if its coming in the fall or winter season? i hope its coming back in september! i dont want to wait till january!
I’m worried about this whole cutting budget stuff, but reliefed that it is back, couldn’t lose Chuck like that, I Hope the ratings will increase after this huge campaign and our awesomeness as fans of the most amazing show ever. At least more Charah *_* Even if its only ( for now) 13 episodes…
if only abc had the sense to let scrubs end where it did then i would be basically 100% satisfied with next year’s schedule
Get rid of Emmett, we’re all still happy, Big Mike was good enough in S1.
Just please GOD, don’t get rid of Awesome. Because annoyingly, he’s the most likely candidate – he knows Chuck’s secret, he’s now in danger.
And hell, I can take losing one character if it brings the others back.
Unless it’s Awesome because that? That’s just not awesome.
As long as it is coming back I am pleased.
Sorry Emmett you drew the short straw. Gotta keep Anna, she is a sexy little thang.
YAY!
A pity we’ll be losing a cast member but, seeing as how Morgan and Chuck have both left the Buy More, the show could probably stand to lose some of them. Still, I would hate to see Jeffster, Mike, Skip Johnson, and even Emmett go. And Morgan is off to Hawaii (remind anyone of Harry Tang?) so he might be the one to get axed. Perhaps that’ll be a running joke in Chuck. Whenever someone is leaving the show we say that they’re “going to Hawaii.”
chuck blows, heroes is way better, 13 episode pity order is a joke, hahahaha
Hey Charles if chuck blows then how come your on the website that is only talking about chuck.
P.S chuck rules
I love every character on this show, but if they could really cut back with a few options: Tony Hale (hilarious, btw) makes no sense to keep around – I predict both Chuck and Casey have to go back to Buy More as covers and it’s Big Mike who triumphs. (or no more Buy more period and lose both Emmett and Big Mike).
I think Anna presents some awesome elements yet to be seen- unless Julia Ling prefers opting out for a broader career I wouldn’t cut her. Same with Morgan, Jeff and Lester.
Morgan and Anna away in Hawaii for a good portion of the season would cut a lot but make it fresh upon their return.
Jeff and Lester are the heart of the most fun “B” stories. They are already pretty limited and I don’t see their role being cut too drastically.
As for the writers, they had such a large staff to begin with. So many contribute to the quality of the show that it won’t affect it in the slightest.
Overall- great news. Lets hope it can somehow grow in season 3!
Thank God it’s coming back. Life would have been a little less sunny without “Chuck” in it.
So here’s the plan. Go to each and every one of your friends houses and look for a Nielson Remote control – it tells the box in back of their TV which family member is watching at that time (Since Nielson families are not allowed to say who they are we gotta be sneaky). Once you have routed them all out, make sure they start watching Chuck next fall. Every episode – NO TIME SHIFTING! If they watch, they will like. Then love.
Okay people, lets get to it!
Thank GOD!!!! I’m so glad it’s back on, that I’d be willing to sacrifice the entire Buy More crew, except for Morgan. Whew!!
Charles – I love both Chuck and Heroes, but honestly – not even the strongest episode of Heroes this season could stand up to the weakest of Chuck (Season 1 Heroes is primarily a different story). I’m patiently waiting for Heroes to step it up to where the show’s promise lies. Chuck is consistently head and shoulders above fan expectation and that says a lot. Perhaps you should actually check out a few episodes…