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FULL SEASON ALERT: The Event, Law & Order: Los Angeles, Outsourced

Three struggling NBC freshmen have been given a vote of confidence with a full season pickup. Dramas The Event and Law & Order: Los Angeles as well as comedy Outsourced were awarded the pickup. While everything on NBC is a mess, these three shows are pulling better ratings than the other freshmen - Chase and Undercovers, which have not been picked up. They also had School Pride which debuted to middling ratings last Friday and the cancelled Outlaw, which is burning off episodes on Saturdays.

Following a summer of publicity, The Event had the best debut of any new NBC show with 10.9 million viewers and a 3.6 in the demo but it has fallen every single week, often dramatically. It's most recent episode had 6.5 million viewers and a 2.2 in the demo. Through four episodes, it is averaging 8.5 million viewers and a 2.8 in the demo. Its fifth episode airs tonight at 9pm. The thriller serial drama has been excellent so far in quality but it will be hard to gain new viewers given how serialized the plot is. It is also in a very competitive timeslot against the ever popular Dancing with the Stars, TV's top comedy Two and a Half Men, and Monday Night Football on ESPN.

Law & Order: Los Angeles also had a solid debut with 10.6 million viewers and a 3.2 in the demo in the second week of the season, but it has fallen fast as well. By its third episode last week, it was down to 7.3 million viewers and a low 1.9 in the demo. The recognizable brand may have helped it to a solid debut but its evident that viewers are having Law & Order fatigue. Just look at the original show's ratings before its abrupt cancellation last spring.

Outsourced also had a good debut following The Office as it reached 7.5 million viewers and a 3.6 in the demo. It fell two weeks in a row before climbing a bit last week with a stronger than usual lead-in. Through four episodes, it is averaging 6 million viewers and a 2.9 in the demo. This is perhaps the most surprising pickup as NBC has lots of comedies waiting in the wings. Don't expect it to keep the post-Office slot if its numbers drop any further.
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