NBC Cancels Show: Could 'Community' Save NBC's Ratings? Network Struggles with Fall Lineup

Oct 19, 2013 10:09 AM EDT | Jordan Ecarma

NBC gave two shows the axe on Friday as the network scrambles to revamp its struggling fall lineup.

"Ironside," a cop drama airing on Wednesdays, will end next week, while Thursday night sitcom "Welcome to the Family" will be off the air very soon, Entertainment Weekly reports.

The gap left by "Ironside" will be filled with a mixture of "Dateline" episodes and holiday specials such as an "SNL" Thanksgiving special or a Kelly Clarkson Christmas special.

The Thursday night lineup is a huge problem for the network.  This week's three-hour block averaged only a 1.2 rating among adults 18-49, just barely edging out The CW overall, according to Entertainment Weekly. NBC's two-hour once-signature comedy block has fallen 17 percent since last year, and 57 percent since 2009.

"Welcome to the Family," a sitcom about two families who come together because of their teenage kids' unplanned pregnancy, has averaged only 2.7 million viewers and a 1.0 rating.

Despite the popularity of lead actress Amy Poehler, who has been tapped to co-host the Golden Globes for the next two years, "Parks and Recreation" is averaging only a 1.6 so far.

"The Michael J. Fox Show" has a 2.3 rating, a number inflated by its strong premiere week. The sitcom was also given a pre-pilot full-season commitment so the network could land the show.

Perhaps the season five premiere of "Community" can give Thursday nights a boost, but the quirky sitcom centering on student life at a community college won't return to the air until the new year.

The fifth season of "Community," a cult favorite whose 2011-12 hiatus caused fans to campaign for its return on social media, will reportedly comprise 13 new episodes.

The show has seen a steady slide in ratings since its 2009 debut, according to Variety. "Community" averaged 5 million viewers during its first run on NBC, but dipped to 4.4 million and 4 million viewers in seasons two and three, respectively, even in its enduring Thursday 8 p.m. timeslot.

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