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“Chuck” Returns to NBC With Solid Premiere Rating, Some Concerns

While “The Jay Leno Show” repeatedly struggled at 10PM for NBC, it is not as if the primetime talkshow was the network’s only area of weakness. The hour-long drama has also struggled; new series “Mercy” and “Trauma” failed to take off, while the once-red hot”Heroes” has descended into endangered territory.

Expectations for Sunday’s return of dramedy “Chuck,” consequently, were not high. Having barely escaped last year’s cancellation axe as it is, how would the show perform on an even weaker NBC schedule?

If Sunday’s two-hour season three kickoff is any indication of how the show will perform on Monday, then the show is in decent shape.

Sunday’s premiere averaged a 2.95 adults 18-49 rating over its two hours; the first hour posted a 3.0 rating with 7.7 million viewers while hour two was good for a 2.9 rating and 7.2 million. That marks the highest rating since last year’s 3D episode.

The decline from hour one to hour two, no matter how slight, is somewhat alarming, but the reality is that “Chuck” will function as a winner for the struggling NBC it can stay over a 2.5 rating on Mondays.

Update: Though little can erase the overall positive news surrounding “Chuck”‘s premiere rating, the half-hour breakdown reveals an even worse trend regarding the show’s viewership retention level. The first half-hour of the night actually started with 7.9 million viewers and a 3.0 rating; for the next three segments, it fell to 7.5 million/3.0, 7.3 million/2.9 and 7.1 million/2.9.

Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but for now, “Chuck” fans can rejoice over the success of the season premiere.

Written by Brian Cantor

Brian Cantor is the editor-in-chief for Headline Planet. He has been a leading reporter in the music, movie, television and sporting spaces since 2002.

Brian's reporting has been cited by major websites like BuzzFeed, Billboard, the New Yorker and The Fader -- and shared by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj.

Contact Brian at brian.cantor[at]headlineplanet.com.

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  1. This is a great show that is funny, has American heroes defeating our national enemies, love interests, and a great plot lines.

    I’m a fan. Now NBC needs to promote the show and at the same time can the morons responsible for the Tonight Show debacle.

  2. Chuck is a great show when the writers are on to developing the characters without the cheap sexual moronic elementary school humor. Come on, it’s time to stick with the fresh script and surprise twists. I was looking forward to the beginning of the season but I have to say there were a few yawns during the viewing.

  3. Haven’t seen this years premiere as I was turned off last year with the infantile twist of events. Recorded it so I could easily manuever the crap. I must say-Chuck premiered with fresh new intelligent humor that NEVER needed to be reduced to T&A …..maybe a few head bangs to the writers and they will get back on track with the story!!! PLEEEEASE !!!!!

  4. chuck is the best thing to happin to nbc in for ever and if thay cancal it there gay im already wanting to stop watching ther shows cuz of not being able to see life anymore but chuck is a graet one and will go down in history as one of the best shows since thr honey mooners

  5. I really like Chuck. I’ve been trying to see around the cheap “sexy girl” tricks to the actual story… I wish they would have confidence in the story and not think they have to add all that other stuff. I think it totally cheapens the characters and makes them less lovable. The character of Sarah is such a neat one and I would hate to see her reduced to a sex symbol. Otherwise, I am excited to see the show return and I look forward to watching more of the season.

  6. It’s great news having Chuck back. Love the show. This show has such a great cast. It’s rare coming across a show where I like all of the characters. I think Chuck works best when the group is utilized in a synergistic manner instead of focusing on one or two Chuck-specific elements.

    It takes a great deal of extra work, writing-wise, to deal with such a talented ensemble cast. My hope for this season is that the show stay true to it’s origin (Chuck need not grow up so quickly) and the influences of the other cast members should be a daily part of his life.

    In particular.. Chuck & Gomez make a great team and play off each other extremely well in a kind of ‘Geeks & Freaks’ way with the emphasis on geeks, of course. This relationship is central to the show, I think. Otherwise we’re looking at the same old ‘boy meets girl’ story that’s sure to kill this show quickly…

    The same is true for Lester & Jeff and Captain Awesome. They’re fun to watch. They are the comedy element of the show that makes Chuck enjoyable to watch.

    The drama element of this comedy (Sarah Walker, Ellie, John Casey) provide much of the show’s staying power from episode to episode.

    Big Mike and Anna make great transitional characters (comedy->drama).

    Chuck needs to continue to work hard in the writing department and not get lazy with simple T&A arcs (like another commenter posted) and which, I think, also killed ‘Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip’.

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