NBC Picks Up Chuck and Life for the Full Season

Writers strike, shmiters strike! According to good ol' Michael Ausiello over at TVGuide.com, NBC has picked up freshman series Chuck and Life for the full season.

I watched both of these pilots, and was underwhelmed by both, but I've subsequently heard good things about both shows, so if this strike goes on (and on...and on...), and I start getting desperate for new shows to watch, I may actually revisit these two series.

Now back to praying the strike ends soon...

Idol Thoughts on NBC's Schedule

After this week is over, and all of the networks have presented their fall schedules, I will be giving my thoughts on all the new shows announced by the networks. But, for now, here are some initial thoughts on NBC's schedule (which you can view by clicking here):

-Of course, I am thrilled that Friday Night Lights will be returning (it was far and away my favorite new show of the year). Even though Friday has become a little bit of a wasteland for network shows, I actually think it is a wise move for the show to air on the day of the week featured in it's title (NBC's marketing department must be happy!) and it may actually benefit from the low expectations that come from airing on Friday night. I would have preferred the 9PM slot instead of the 10PM slot, but, hey, the show's coming back, so no complaints here.

-How sad is it that from 12 comedy pilots, NBC could only pick up one, and for midseason no less? They certainly weren't lying when they said the sitcom is dying. Having said that, the Earl/30 Rock/Office/Scrubs is a high quality combo -- if only more people would watch!

-I'm glad to see Law and Order back on the schedule (albeit at midseason), and I'm glad Law and Order: CI (my least favorite of the Law and Order family) is the show moved off-network (to USA). Supposedly the cast of the original L&O will be returning, intact.

-I can't say I'm thrilled (on paper, at least) with the new shows NBC will have in the fall. Bionic Woman sounds like the surest thing, and I'm looking forward to Lipstick Jungle (which will premiere midseason), but the supernatural slant in Journeyman and Chuck seems a bit off-putting to me. Haven't the NBC suits noticed that the ratings for Heroes (unquestionably one of this season's few success stories) have severely declined over the course of the season? These kind of shows are inherently designed for a cult audience, and if NBC is trying to put themselves back on the map, I'm not sure either of these programs will help much.

Life, on the other hand, features a strong cast (Chicago Hope's Adam Arkin, Sleeper Cell's Melissa Sagemiller, The L Word's Sarah Shahi) and an interesting spin on police procedurals.

More on these new shows later in the week...

What do you think of NBC's schedule?