SHOW: “Chuck” (NBC)

IN ITS FAVOR: It’s obvious that NBC likes “Chuck” and enjoys being in business with Josh Schwartz, Chris Fedak, Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Baldwin and company. Fans love it. A select group of critics love it. Both groups have proven to be easily mobilizable in the past, should another Save Our Show campaign be necessary. And the “Chuck” team has displayed a willingness to make all appropriate accommodations to lowering its budget and making nice with sponsors, which is the kind of flexibility penny pinching studios love. In addition, even though it isn’t necessarily saying much, “Chuck” has reliably delivered NBC’s best demo ratings on Monday nights, all through the spring.

AGAINST IT: There’s nothing working against “Chuck” other than those pesky ratings, which were a worthy adversary last spring as well. “Chuck” got off to a really strong start this spring and it looked like we wouldn’t have to worry about this whole “bubble” nonsense. Then the numbers dropped. The numbers have leveled, but in a ridiculously tough time slot, poor “Chuck” is frequently getting creamed.

OUR TOTALLY UNINFORMED GUESS: Last spring NBC was cutting primetime hours to make room for Jay Leno. This spring, the network has many more hours to fill and it seems to us that even with a tremendous development haul, NBC should have room for another season of “Chuck.” Now perhaps an *insanely* tremendous development haul might squeeze the action-comedy out, but we’re going with our wishful thinking that says that despite living dangerously once again, “Chuck” will be back next year.

SOURCE