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The first cancelation of the 2011-2012 season is NBC’s The Playboy Club. In other NBC news, the network has granted full-season orders to Up All Night and Whitney.
NBC pulled the low-rated, period drama The Playboy Club off the air after three low-rated episodes. Last night’s final broadcast averaged just over 3 million viewers. Prime Suspect repeats will take over the Monday at 10 pm perch until Rock Center with Brian Williams debuts on Oct. 31. Rock Center, originally targeted for midseason, marks the first new NBC News primetime program launch in nearly 20 years. Joining Williams on the show are Harry Smith, Kate Snow and NBC News’ Meredith Vieira, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, Richard Engel, Matt Lauer and Ann Curry.
The freshman comedies Up All Night, starring Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, and Whitney, which is fronted by stand-up comedienne-turned-sitcom queen Whitney Cummings were given full-season orders on Monday. In their last airings, Up All Night had achieved 5.34 million viewers and a 2.1 demo rating in its Wednesday lead-off spot, while Whitney (with 5.37 mil/2.5) dropped 21 and 24 percent, respectively. Still, they have been solid in their first couple of weeks, especially compared to the performance of NBC’s new drama series.
