Following my posting of an article linking to Sepinwall's interview with the head of NBC, several reliable individuals contacted me about talks between NBC and WB for more episodes in season 5.
I had heard about this around SDCC (Michael Ausiello hinted at it in a cast interview) and checked with my source at NBC and was told not to take it seriously (since Ausiello seemed to be hinting at a sixth season). However, the response yesterday from others in-the-know made me press the NBC source for more information.
I was told today that while NBC hasn't 100% ruled out anything, that the likelihood of a back order, at least right now, is less than 10%. For NBC to order more episodes, the source said, WB would have to keep the licensing fee at the 13 episode order level. WB may be unwilling to do that since they don't need more than 88 episodes to sell the show into syndication.
WB COULD possibly lower the licensing fee again, perhaps if CHUCK Season 4 DVD/BD sales are very good. So, start ordering, people!
Order: CHUCK SEASON 4 DVD
Order: CHUCK SEASON 4 Blu-Ray
(Disclosure: I make like $1.something per your order if you clicky that link)
This individual went onto say that the CHUCK writers are writing the next 13 as the series finale but... and here is the kicker, since NBC hasn't fully committed to ending it at 13, the series finale will end up being open ended, instead of having full closure like many expect.
If NBC decides to pick the show up for more, they would have to do it before November, when production ends. The problem there is that CHUCK doesn't return until 21 October. That doesn't give NBC much time to judge its need for more episodes. The most likely scenario would have any back order occur BEFORE the show returns, or at the latest, within the first week or two of its return.
Do you want the 13 episodes written as a series finale and then have 9 episodes tacked on after they have shot 11 of them? How do you feel about an open ended series finale? Comment below.
