Chuck

CHICAGO – We won’t know for sure until Sunday at the earliest (when NBC holds a press conference call about their official Monday fall schedule announcement), but several outlets are reporting that, drum roll please, “Chuck” is coming back. The annual bubble show that this critic predicted would get the death-sentence reprieve has been saved yet again.

We got these two right. In our feature earlier this week predicting what would happen at the NBC Upfronts on Monday, we predicted that “Harry’s Law” would get a second season and that “Law & Order: Los Angeles” would not and this is exactly what TV By the Numbers is hearing has been made official (as has the expected pick-up of “Wonder Woman”).

CHICAGO – A week from today - May 16, 2011 - the TV networks will begin the annual unveiling of their fall schedules, and a very-hazy picture will be much clearer by the end of next week. There will be a few miracles, but some hearts will surely be broken. With more programs on the bubble than ever before, what will be renewed and what will be shown the door?

CHICAGO – Brian Tallerico guests on Bill Moller’s show on WGN-Radio in Chicago on May 7, 2011 to take listener calls about bubble shows for the Fall 2011 schedule including “Blue Bloods,” “Chuck,” “Off the Map,” “The Good Guys,” “The Chicago Code,” “Harry’s Law,” “Traffic Light,” and more.

CHICAGO – Last week we covered several of the more notable rookie programs of the just-passed TV year and their inaugural TV-on-DVD season sets. This week, we’re back with a few of the veterans of the field, three shows that have never become critical smashes but have all developed their own devoted followings for good reason.

CHICAGO – NBC announced their fall schedule and fans of “Heroes,” “Law & Order,” “Trauma,” and “Mercy” will shed a tear while on-the-bubble shows like “Chuck,” “Parenthood,” and “Community” will return with “Parks and Recreation” coming back later in the season.

CHICAGO – After a second season that saw already-low ratings decline, NBC took a chance by bringing “Chuck” back for a third, shortened season. As the network has struggled this year due to a number of horrible decisions (most of them related to Jay Leno), most of its lineup has been hit. Let’s hope “Chuck” bucks the trend because this cult hit has arguably never been better.

CHICAGO – Ballots for the 61st Annual Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Emmy nominations are due on Friday, June 26th, 2009, and we’re here to offer some advice for all of you Emmy voters still holding a ballot in your hands and trying to make those tough TV decisions.

CHICAGO – We told you a few weeks ago that “Heroes,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “Southland” had been renewed by NBC but the peacock network made it official today and made the call on the bubble shows, renewing “Chuck” and “Law & Order” and pulling the trigger on “Medium” and “My Name is Earl” although there are rumors of both shows being eyed by other networks.

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – NBC’s “Chuck” returns this week with a clever 3D episode with guest appearances by Dominic Monaghan (“Lost”) and former NFL star Jerome Bettis and featuring most of what works about this reliably fun show.