The sophomore comedy Undateable is getting the greenlight for Season 3. NBC renewed the series for another season becoming the network’s longest running comedy series currently on air. Fans of Undateable will be excited to hear that not only will the series be continuing, but it will air all of its episodes in the same live format as its recently successful special live episode which featured celebrity guests such as Zach Braff and Ed Sheeren.
The renewal comes as a bit of a surprise as many comedies are facing the chopping block on broadcast networks, particularly NBC. The announcement of Undateable’s renewal comes along with the news of NBC’s other cancellations including sitcom, About a Boy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Undateable was the only returning sitcom with ratings that gave it a chance for renewal. More details on the third season have yet to be determined. There is no official episode count yet, but it is certain that the episodes will be airing live. The series is riding its high after the first live show which aired on May 5. It produced separate telecasts for the East and West Coast and drew a steady 4.21 million viewers and was very buzz-worthy.
It’s unclear whether or not the series will produce both East and West Coast live broadcasts as it did with its previous installment, but the choice to keep it live is a bold move. The first installment was not a shocking success, but a steady one, and live programming on network television has become increasingly valuable. In the current landscape of social media and television, live programming promotes extra involvement, and therefore an opportunity for bigger viewership, especially at its initial airing. According to THR, live scripted comedy has been a priority for NBC. Back in September the network partnered with Universal Television-based Hazy Mills banner for Hospitality which plans to see the multi-camera comedy air live every week with live commercials during breaks.
Undateable’s success makes sense on paper though. On board as Executive Producer is Bill Lawrence, the man behind Scrubs, Cougar Town, Clone High and more. It also boasts an impressive cast of stand-up comedians including Chris D’Elia, Brent Morin, Ron Funches and more. Its multi-camera format along with its witty premise has been working well for the show about a carefree single guy and his group of problematic friends. The recurring cast is undoubtedly talented, but the live show brought out big names such as Zach Braff, Kate Walsh, Donald Faison, Ed Sheeran and more, so whether or not Undateable will need to attract star power to keep its live airings as successful is also a question.
More details on Season 3 of Undateable are sure to come, and in the mean time you can catch the Season 2 finale on May 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET on NBC.
