NBC Boss Bob Greenblatt: No End Date Set For ‘The Office’, Community’ Or ’30 Rock’
When writers deals were made for 30 Rock for next fall, they were were made with the presumption that the upcoming 13-episode seventh season will be the Emmy-winning comedy’s swan song. But during today’s NBC conference call the network’s chairman Bob Greenblatt said that there no decision has been made to end 30 Rock, The Office or Community after the upcoming season. “We haven’t definitively said that on anything yet,” he said. Like 30 Rock, Community was picked up for 13 episodes and is being moved to the Friday 8 PM slot where NBC sent Chuck for its final 13-episode season last fall. The Office was renewed for 22 episodes. Asked whether Community creator Dan Harmon will return as showrunner next season, Greenblatt said, “I expect his voice to be part of it,” adding that it is still unclear if that will be in his current role or as a consultant. Greenblatt dismissed the notion that the discussion about Harmon possibly stepping down from day-to-day oversight of the show stems from his ongoing feud with co-star Chevy Chase, saying that there are larger factors beyond that.
Related: ‘The Office’ Renewal Update: Cast Deals Finally Closing As NBC Upfront Looms
Not a final season? Isn’t Alec leaving at the end of the season?
he says that pretty much every year, dating back to the beginning (heck, he wasn’t even going to be a series regular when the show first started, he only wanted to be an occasional guest star)
I believe $$$ may have a way of persuading Alec to stay on.
LOL this definitely comes as a surprise to the cast and crew of 30 Rock
yvette nicole brown from community tweeted that the show could still get a back 9 order if it rates ok (not sure what okay is for a nbc comedy on friday) so HERES HOPIN’!
These reports that it was 30 rock’s final season, where did they come from? Did Greenblatt changed his mind?
Translation: we’re hedging our bets if all our pilots bomb like the last two seasons.
Yeah, that’s what i thought too. 30 Rock is going to end, I think he meant that there might be a chance it’ll received more episode order, but even Tina Fey said season 7 is a natural point to end the show.
Currently, only both 9PM shows received full 22 episodes order, so they obviously plan on having new shows at 8pm comes midseason. It’s not like 30 Rock and Up All Night are gonna grab any sizable new viewers, so i wonder why they didn’t do the reverse, by premiering new shows in Fall in that Thursday 8PM slot.
Industry insiders can correct me if I am wrong, but these moves suggest his pool of money was small.
I’ve just watched the teasers for the new comedies and for what it’s worth, they all look bad. I’ll take more seasons of Community, Pparks and even 30 Rock.
I thought the clip for “Go On” looked great.
Ongoing feud with Chevy Chase? Really? Over what?!
over the fact that Chevy is an asshole, and Dan is an even bigger asshole for bringing problems to a show that without problems is already suffering. Dan is a genious but is recklessness will bring the end to Community
Okay, so what’s the scoop with regards to Harmon? Judging from Greenblatt’s comments, Harmon probably won’t be coming back as show runner. Is it just because NBC finds him too difficult to work with? So they’ll downshift him to consultant? I recall that Sarah Silverman fired Harmon off her original show, for being too difficult to work with. It’s a shame, because – although I am not at all a fan of ‘Community’ – Harmon is obviously smart and passionate. If anything, he is perhaps too smart and too passionate for this job.
Bob, you need a miracle this upcoming season and hoping some of your fare does well, or you could be the next to go and Comcast can only be patient with NBC brass for so long. Questionable moves already are renewing Whitney and Rock Center for starters, but anything can change between now an the fall season.
The thing is, NBC really just needs one scripted show to work, and then he’s probably fine…to the extent he’s in trouble, anyway. Really, just one show, and then the network has a night that is working.
I wouldn’t be surprised if that show is “Go On.”
I suspect Animal Practice was picked up to pair with Community (think: young-skewing Russo bros single-cam with wacky humour) and Whitney was picked up to pair with Dads With Kids (think: multi-cam).
NBC then thought “E! CORPORATE SYNERGY” and decided to put McHale and Cummings on the same evenings, despite the fact their audiences have virtually zero overlap.