Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Fox Surprisingly Orders Full Season of The Mindy Project, More Ben and Kate Episodes; NBC Delays Whitney, Community Premieres

Despite struggling in the ratings for their first two airings, Fox has picked up six additional episodes of Ben and Kate and nine additional episodes of The Mindy Project, bringing both new Tuesday night comedies to full-season orders or close to it, after just two airings. Ben and Kate will get 19 total episodes, while The Mindy Project gets the full 22 episodes. Ben and Kate posted only 3.22 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating for its second episode last Tuesday, down more than 30% from its 2.1 18-49 rating premiere, which wasn't that great. Meanwhile, The Mindy Project posted just 3.68 million and a 1.9 18-49 for its second episode last Tuesday and that was down more than 25% from its 2.4 18-49 rating premiere, which was disappointing.

While this is surprising indeed, it is good to see networks give comedies a chance. NBC gave Go On and The New Normal full season pick-ups last week, and they haven't been that great in the ratings either, especially The New Normal. As for other new sitcoms, things look very bleak for NBC's Animal Practice, while Guys with Kids could go either way depending on how it does in the next few weeks (and if it continues to build solidly out of its lead-in). ABC's The Neighbors has aired twice so far and ABC is mulling ordering three more scripts, so that could be a good sign for more episodes...depending on how it does the next few weeks. New sitcom Malibu Country starring Reba McEntire will premiere on ABC in a few weeks. CBS has struggled with Partners on Monday nights, but in reality it is doing better than what Fox just picked-up, though CBS has a higher standard, especially on a better performing comedy block. I still don't think Partners will get more episodes ordered.

The Mindy Project is a new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling (The Office) that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life. A new episode airs tonight at 9:30/8:30c on Fox. Ben and Kate is a new single-camera young ensemble comedy that follows odd-couple siblings as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life. A new episode airs tonight at 8:30/7:30c on Fox.


Sticking with network comedy news, NBC has (thankfully) delayed the launch of new seasons of Whitney and Community (a match made in hell). Both comedies were set to move to Fridays starting October 19, airing back-to-back in the 8pm hour. Like we mentioned on our story above, new NBC comedy Animal Practice has struggled on Wednesdays at 8, so NBC might be waiting to see how it does in the next week or two. And if it continues to do poorly, you might see Whitney paired with new fellow multi-camera sitcom Guys with Kids on Wednesday nights. As for Community, it could move back to Thursdays replacing second year comedy Up All Night at 8:30pm, which has done awful so far this season. All of this is premature, but we do know that Whitney and Community will not be launching their new seasons on Friday, Oct. 19. Here is NBC's statement to the press:

Given the success we've had for the past four weeks – including winning the first week of the season in A18-49 – we've decided to continue to concentrate our promotional strength on our new NBC shows that are scheduled Monday through Wednesday and have therefore decided to hold Community and Whitney from their previously announced premieres of October 19. Without having to launch these comedies on Friday at this time, we can keep our promotion focused on earlier in the week -- plus we will have both comedies in our back pocket if we need to make any schedule changes on those nights. When we have a better idea of viewing patterns in the next few weeks, we will announce new season premieres of Whitney and Community.

As of now, NBC will stick with repeats on Fridays at 8pm. The Voice aired last week (Oct. 5) and Grimm is scheduled this Friday (Oct. 12). If NBC does pull Animal Practice and Up All Night from their current spot, perhaps those two comedies will be Friday bound instead of just being pulled? Still too early to speculate, but that could be an option. Or they will just be pulled without being re-scheduled. All we can is, stay with us...


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 22

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Diet Crap" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tensions rise when Georgie intrudes on Mandy’s new sales gig. Meanwhile, Audrey’s conflicted when Jim makes it a point not to coddle Connor.

Ghosts - "Sad Farnsby" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam accidentally creates a rift between Sam and Jay’s neighbors, the Farnsbys, Henry Farnsby moves into Woodstone B&B. Also, Isaac and Nigel battle over a belated wedding present.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 19)

Thursday, May 22

  • Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) - Catch Miley on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Chloe Fineman (Big Mouth/Search Party) - Chloe appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm. Featured host Vlad Duthiers sits down with Ronny on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock/Scrubs) and Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Elizabeth and Amanda are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10:15pm on Bravo.
  • Cynthia Nixon (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Cynthia talks about ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Hugh Jackman (Human Resources) - Hugh chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill brings the laughs to the third annual cookout on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Finola Hughes (Blossom) - Finola dishes on General Hospital on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Jason Schwartzman (Blunt Talk/Mozart in the Jungle/Bored to Death) - Jason talks about Mountainhead on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling is telling Drew all about playing a secret service agent in the thrilling new show Paradise on a repaet of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Midori Francis (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Midori is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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