Will & Grace Renewed -- Again

At PaleyFest at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood:
l-r, moderator Dan Bucatinsky, NBC president Bob Greenblatt
Will & Grace director Jimmy Burrows, stars Sean Hayes,
Debra Messing, Eric McCormack and Megan Mullally,
co-creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.

As of tonight, it's official: Will & Grace is back for the long haul.

As the cast of the popular rebooted sitcom took the stage at Hollywood's Dolby Theater for a panel on night two of the annual PaleyFest, it was Megan Mullally who urged co-creator Max Mutchnick to announce the official news:  not only will W&G's rebooted season 2/overall season 10 be increased from a planned 13 to now 18 episodes, but NBC has already renewed the show for a third (or eleventh) season.

After a day on a photo shoot at the W Hotel in Hollywood, the cast assembled -- along with Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes, plus Mutchnick, co-creator David Kohan and director/executive producer Jimmy Burrows -- at the Dolby for an interview conducted by Scandal actor, writer/producer and W&G super-fan Dan Bucatinsky, who recently reprised his character Neil, from the original series.

Below, NBC's official announcement of its pickup of the series for season 3:

‘WILL & GRACE’ EXTENDS ITS TRIUMPHANT RETURN WITH SEASON THREE PICK-UP

Additional Season Two Episodes Ordered as Critical Acclaim Builds for Original Cast and Production Team

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – March 17, 2018 – “Will & Grace” is giving you more, honey!

The return of “Will & Grace,” which began as an Internet reunion that turned into a one-season order and then a two-season order before it even went back on the air last fall, has just been ordered for a third season to premiere in fall 2019. With its razor-sharp wit intact and all four Emmy Award-winning actors back at the top of their game, one of the best NBC Must See comedies will return for an 18-episode third season.

In addition, the network has increased the season two order, which will begin again next fall, from 13 to 18 episodes. The announcement was made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

“As far as I’m concerned, we can’t get enough of ‘Will & Grace’ and 23 more episodes is music to my ears,” Greenblatt said. “We’re eternally grateful that Debra, Eric, Sean and Megan feel the same way and wanted to keep this good thing going. I’m overwhelmed by the euphoric response the new show has received from the press and the audience, and my hat is off to the unrivaled writing team of Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, as well as the brilliant directing of Jimmy Burrows, for consistently delivering one of the best shows on television.”   

So far this season “Will & Grace” is averaging a 3.1 rating in adults 18-49 and 9.8 million viewers overall in “live plus seven day” figures from Nielsen Media Research. “Will & Grace” is NBC’s most-watched primetime comedy at this point in the season in eight years and has improved its Thursday timeslot by +48% versus NBC’s year-ago results for regular non-sports programming in 18-49.

“Will & Grace” has received critical acclaim since the show’s return in September.  “Watching it is like running into an old flame who looks fantastic and is as bright and fun as ever,” said The New York Times. Entertainment Weekly wrote that 

“‘Will & Grace’ has been just as incredible as the original series: hilarious, poignant, contemporary” while USA Today added, “Watching the foursome is like taking in a tango by professional dancers.” 

Season one has been highlighted by an array of top guest stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Alec Baldwin, Minnie Driver, Ben Platt, Molly Shannon, Jane Lynch, Andrew Rannells and more.

“Will & Grace” stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally. Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, who co-created the series, write and executive produce. James Burrows directs and executive produces. “Will & Grace” is produced by Universal Television.

NBC Gives Early Renewal for The Office, Parks & Rec and Community for 2011-12

Interesting announcement today from NBC: they've renewed The Office, Parks & Recreation and Community for next season. Just yesterday, industry pundits like Nikki Finke were reporting that a Parks & Rec renewal looked likely, because NBC had been making preliminary moves towards syndicating the show, meaning they'd likely want to keep producing more episodes. And Community, although ratings-challenged, has a rabid -- and as noted, demographically desirable -- core of fans (including me.)

Another Thursday night neighbor, 30 Rock, was already renewed last November (by former NBC Prez Angela Bromstad; today's moves come from the new guy, Bob Greenblatt, formerly of Showtime.) But this announcement raises a couple of questions/issues for me:

1) NBC sure is showing some blind faith in The Office, that the show will maintain its quality -- and its ratings -- next season in the absence of Steve Carell's Michael Scott.

And 2) What does this mean for the other NBC Thursday comedies, namely Outsourced and Perfect Couples? My guess is that these two are doomed -- but will NBC keep us waiting until May to find out officially?

Here's the announcement:

NBC PICKS UP THREE RETURNING COMEDIES FOR 2011-12 IN 'THE OFFICE,’ ‘PARKS AND RECREATION’ AND ‘COMMUNITY’

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – March17, 2011 – NBC has issued pickups for three returning comedy series in 2011-12 that include “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation” and “Community,” it was announced today by Bob Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

"I am so pleased to renew these three outstanding comedies which are all at the top of their game creatively,” said Greenblatt. “Along with '30 Rock,' they represent the best of what the NBC comedy brand stands for in terms of originality, wit, and sophistication. 'The Office' continues to fire on all cylinders on the most competitive night of television; 'Parks & Recreation' has come into its own this season as the rightful companion to 'The Office'; and 'Community' is one of the freshest comedies on any network and a solid foundation for Thursday night."

"The Office" (Thursdays, 9-9:30 p.m. ET) is delivering a 4.0 rating, 10 share in adults 18-49 and 7.7 million viewers overall through the season's first 25 weeks, ranking in primetime's top 15 in adults 18-49 and top five in adults 18-34 (excluding NFL pre- and post-game shows), making it NBC's #1 scripted show in both categories. "The Office" is the #2 most upscale primetime show on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox or CW in terms of its concentration of adults 18-49 living in homes with $100,000-plus incomes, behind only NBC's "30 Rock."

Season to date, "Parks and Recreation" (Thursdays, 9:30-10 p.m. ET) is delivering a 2.8/7 in 18-49 and 5.5 million viewers overall. With its move this season to Thursday's 9:30 p.m. ET half-hour, "Parks and Recreation" is up versus last season by 17 percent in adult 18-49 rating (2.8 vs. 2.4) and up 9 percent in total viewers (5.5 million vs. 5.1 million). In the valuable adult 18-34 demographic, "Parks and Recreation" is NBC's #2 scripted series and ranks in the top 20 overall with a 3.2 rating.

"Community" (Thursdays, 8-8:30 p.m. ET) is averaging a 2.1/6 in 18-49 and 4.7 million viewers overall, continuing to deliver solid numbers in a time period that includes competition from Fox' "American Idol," CBS's "Big Bang Theory" and ABC's "Wipeout." "Community" is also one of the most upscale primetime series on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox or CW, with a top-15 ranking in its concentration of adults 18-49 living in home with $100,000-plus incomes.

One of television's most critically acclaimed comedies, “The Office” has been nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series every season and won the award in 2006. Its ensemble has also been nominated every season since 2006 for the SAG Award (winning in 2007 and 2008) and was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for four consecutive seasons (2007-2010). The series received the George Foster Peabody Award in 2006.

In a recent cover story, Entertainment Weekly proclaimed that “Parks and Recreation” is “TV’s smartest comedy.” GQ magazine also enthused: “Look: This is the best comedy going right now.”

TV critics continued to rave about “Community” this season. Time magazine’s James Poniewozik wrote: “Episode by episode, ‘Community’ makes some of the best half-hours on TV.” “‘Community’ is a fantastical, dreamlike jewel-box of a show….it’s a pretty amazing ride…” Also, TV Guide’s Matt Roush called the series, “TV’s most adventurous and unpredictable sitcom.”

In addition, both “Parks and Recreation” and “Community” were honored last week by the prestigious William S. Paley Festival.

From Deedle-Dee Productions, Reveille and Universal Media Studios comes “The Office,” the hilarious documentary-style look into the humorous and sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5 based on the award-winning BBC hit. A fly-on-the-wall "docu-reality" parody about modern American office life, "The Office" delves into the lives of the workers at Dunder Mifflin paper supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Regional manager Michael Scott (Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Steve Carell, "Despicable Me,” “Date Night") is the boastful tour guide.

Also starring are Jenna Fischer ("Walk Hard"), John Krasinski ("Away We Go"), Rainn Wilson ("The Rocker"), B.J. Novak ("Inglorious Basterds”), Ed Helms ("The Hangover"), Leslie David Baker ("Malcolm in the Middle"), Brian Baumgartner ("Arrested Development"), Kate Flannery ("The Heir Apparent"), Mindy Kaling (" No Strings Attached "), Angela Kinsey ("Tripping Forward"), Paul Lieberstein (writer, "King of the Hill"), Oscar Nuñez (" The Proposal "), Phyllis Smith ("Arrested Development"), Creed Bratton (former member of The Grass Roots), Craig Robinson ("Hot Tub Time Machine”), Ellie Kemper ("Important Things with Demetri Martin") and Zach Woods ("The Other Guys"). "The Office" is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American audiences, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein and Paul Lieberstein.

Named the #1 TV Show of 2010 by New York magazine, "Community," is a smart, exuberant comedy series about a band of misfits who attend Greendale Community College. At the center of the group is Jeff Winger (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), a fast-talking lawyer whose degree has been revoked. Winger forms a study group who eventually learn more about themselves than their course work. Also among the series stars who comprise the group are comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Fletch"), Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"), Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"), Danny Pudi ("Greek"), Alison Brie ("Mad Men"), Donald Glover ("30 Rock") and Ken Jeong ("The Hangover").

“Community" was created by Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program") who serves as executive producer with Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development"), Garrett Donovan ("Scrubs"), Neil Goldman ("Scrubs") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist"). The series is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap, Russo Brothers, Universal Media Studios production in association with Sony Pictures Television.

“Parks and Recreation” -- from Emmy Award-winning executive producers Greg Daniels (NBC’s "The Office," "King of the Hill") and Michael Schur (NBC’s "The Office," "Saturday Night Live") -- is a hilarious ensemble comedy that landed on dozens of critics' "Top 10" lists in 2010. It follows Leslie Knope (Emmy Nominee Amy Poehler, NBC’s "Saturday Night Live," "Baby Mama") a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, and her tireless efforts to make her quintessentially American town just a little bit more fun.

Leslie's office mate is Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari, "Human Giant," "Scrubs"), a fashion-obsessed wannabe player while Leslie's boss, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman “Children’s Hospital”), hates the very government he works for. Rounding out the characters are Leslie's best friend Ann (Rashida Jones, "I Love You, Man," "The Office"), her ex-boyfriend Andy (Chris Pratt, “Everwood”), and Ron's assistant April (Aubrey Plaza, “Funny People”). Also working in the parks department are Donna (Retta, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") and Jerry (Jim O'Heir, "Castle"). In addition, the show features state auditors Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott, “Party Down”) and Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe, “Brothers and Sisters,” “The West Wing”), who were introduced at the end of the second season.

"Parks and Recreation" is a production of Deedle-Dee Productions, Fremulon, 3 Arts Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Along with Daniels and Schur, Howard Klein (“The Office”) and David Miner (“30 Rock”) also serve as executive producers for the series.