The move marks a nice reversal for NBC, which was axing "The Playboy Club" at about this time last year, in the first cancellation of the 2011-12 season. (It also picked up "Whitney" and "Up All Night" on the day of "Playboy" died.)
Even sweeter for NBC, "Revolution" occupies the same Monday 10 p.m. slot that "The Playboy Club" did. "Revolution" and "The Voice" helped NBC emerge as the top-rated network during premiere week, though CBS was the most-watched.
"Revolution" (pictured) debuted two weeks ago to the best premiere ratings of any new drama in three years. It is averaging a strong 3.6 rating in the key 18-49 demographic and 9.8 million total viewers in live-plus-same-day results. The series imagines a world where all power sources suddenly disappear.
“We’re impressed with the imagination and creative direction of the entire team on ‘Revolution,’ not to mention the immediately strong response we got from the audience,” said NBC entertainment president Jennifer Salke. "Ordering the full season of this show is a pleasure. Thanks to J.J. Abrams, Erik Kripke, Jon Favreau, and everyone at Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television for their dedication to making a truly unique series. And I personally love to escape into a world where there is no power, the phone doesn’t ring, and the pace of life slows down -- if only for one hour a week!”
The Matthew Perry group therapy “Go On” is averaging a 3.2 rating and 8.6 million viewers, while “The New Normal," about a gay couple having a child with the help of a surrogate mother, is averaging a 2.2 rating and 6.0 million total viewers.
"We’re also very proud of our new comedy block of ‘Go On’ and ‘The New Normal,’" Salke said. "In partnering with Matthew Perry for ‘Go On,’ creator Scott Silveri has created a comedy with a highly original voice that deftly combines humor and emotion. And Ryan Murphy and Ali Adler have created a truly unique family in ‘The New Normal’ that is reflective of the changing dynamics of the world we live in. These shows are both welcome additions to our new lineup!”
"We're very pleased with early results of the last three weeks of our fall season roll-out,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “The strategy for this season was to draft off the promotional platform of the Olympics and then begin our season early and strong. I think we’ve accomplished both of those goals, yet we know it’s a long season and there’s much work ahead of us. We are so appreciative of all the great talent that is working so hard on these shows.”
