CBS has given full season orders to all of the new freshman comedies it hasn’t cancelled.
On Friday (October 18) morning, CBS announced no-brainer back-nine pickups for “The Crazy Ones” and “The Millers,” as well as the slightly less obvious back-nine for the Monday offering “Mom.”
“We”re proud of CBS”s leadership position in comedy and excited to build on it with the back nine pick-ups of these three new comedies,” blurbs Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment. “These series are creatively distinct, continue to improve each week and are led by strong showrunners, writing and production staffs, and feature amazingly talented casts.”
CBS previously pulled “We Are Men” from its schedule. It was not given a back-nine.
The announcement came on the heels of a Thursday night that saw small bumps for both “The Crazy Ones” and “The Millers,” which rank as the season’s most watched new comedies to date.
Thanks in large part to an initial airing after “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Crazy Ones” is averaging 13.71 million viewers and a 3.6 rating in the key 18-49 demographic for the season (subsequent airings without that lead-in have been much lower in both measures, with this week’s episode coming in with 9.53 million viewers and a 2.5 key demo rating in Fast Nationals).
“The Millers,” which has been gifted with the regular post-“Big Bang Theory” slot is, predictably, encroaching on “Crazy Ones” and is now up to a season average of 12.41 million viewers and a 3.2 rating in the key demo.
Produced by CBS’ maestro of comedy Chuck Lorre, “Mom” is averaging 7.98 million viewers and a 2.6 key demo rating, though that’s a figure skewed by a combination of DVR tallies, plus Live+Same Day ratings. The most recent airing drew 7.44 million viewers and a 2.0 key demo rating in Live+SD figures on Monday. While “Mom” hasn’t been performing nearly as well as the Thursday comedies, CBS’ vote of confidence has much to do with Lorre, stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney and the hope that it will continue to be steady on a night that has already been subject to some upheaval.
In all three cases, the new comedies go under that endearing heading of “Not The Network’s Biggest Problem,” so the pickups make total sense. CBS has already displayed its greater concern about protecting and resurrecting “2 Broke Girls” on Monday, while “Two and a Half Men” and “Elementary” have to be viewed as bigger CBS worries on Thursday nights.
“Mom,” “Crazy Ones” and “The Millers” are the season’s first three comedies to get formal back-nine orders. NBC’s “The Michael J. Fox Show” was given a 22-episode order when it was initially picked up. “We Are Men” is, thus far, the only network comedy to get pulled, though we’re still keeping a close eye on “Welcome to the Family.”
The back-nine order also put an end to a news-lite week in which no shows were cancelled and no back-nine orders were given out.
Any guesses on the next cancellation or pick-up?