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[01/30/04 - 12:00 AM] Early Renewals Come for NBC's 'Dreams,' 'Vegas'; Showtime's 'Word' By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC) |
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CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC is rallying behind its freshman drama "Las Vegas" and its returning sophomore "American Dreams," as the network announced early 2004-05 season renewals for both series today.
"These are two shows that have performed well for us this season and two shows we believe in, so there was no reason to wait," NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker said in a statement. The renewals were also given early so both show's producers will have extra time to prepare for next season as NBC is expected to launch its fall 2004 schedule early, with the majority its schedule rolling out in early August to take advantage of the promo push from its Summer Olympics coverage.
"Vegas," which airs Mondays at 9:00/8:00c, has averaged 12.3 million viewers and a 4.6 rating/11 share among adults 18-49 so far this season. More importantly, "Vegas'" viewership has actually grown over the course of its run as its January 12 broadcast (13.9 million viewers) was its most-watched episode to date. As for "Dreams," the sophomore drama has averaged 8.6 million viewers and a 3.2/8 in adults 18-49 this season. While down considerably from last season (24% in year-to-year comparisons), NBC executives say the series remains competitive among several key demographics. NBC had previously trimmed the show's second season from 22 installments to 18 (read the story) so the show's third season renewal comes as a slight surprise.
"Vegas" and "Dreams" join the previously renewed "ER," "Fear Factor," "Law & Order," "The West Wing" and "Will & Grace" for the 2004-05 season. Both shows have been given full 22-episode pick-ups.
Meanwhile in other early pick-up news, Showtime has renewed its freshman drama "The L Word" despite premiering only 11 days ago. Production will begin on a new batch of 13 episodes in June for an early 2005 launch. "With its provocative storytelling, rich character development, amazing cast and universal appeal, the decision to renew 'Word' was a no-brainer," the network's topper Robert Greenblatt said in a statement.
936,000 viewers tuned into the show's two-hour premiere on January 18, quadrupling the channel's primetime average rating. Such an early pick-up isn't without precedent however as Greenblatt's own series "Six Feet Under" was renewed for a second season by HBO before it even premiered.
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[10/24/25 - 02:30 PM] Video: First Look at Upcoming New Drama "Memory of a Killer" Starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli - Premiering This January on FOX Dempsey stars as a hitman, Angelo Doyle, leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret - he has developed early onset Alzheimer's.
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[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM] "20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.
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[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM] ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week "Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.
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[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM] "Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.
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[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM] Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.
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[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM] FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.
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[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM] Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.
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[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM] Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5 Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.
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[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM] The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.
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[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM] Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.
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[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM] Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.
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[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM] The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.
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[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM] Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15 The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.
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[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM] Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge" In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.
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[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM] FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.
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