NBC Cancels Coupling

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After airing only four episodes, NBC has halted production on much-hyped new sitcom Coupling, which has failed to perform in the ratings.

A total of 10 episodes have been produced by NBC Studios, Reveille and Universal Network Television. During sweeps, NBC will air two episodes of Friends at 8 and 8:30 p.m., Will & Grace at 9 and Scrubs at 9:30. ER remains at 10 p.m.

NBC also pulled Sunday night legal drama, The Lyon’s Den, for November sweeps but that show remains in production at Twentieth Century Fox Television, although no episodes have been ordered beyond the first 13. During sweeps, NBC is airing double-runs of Law & Order: Criminal Intent at 9 and 10 p.m.

Meanwhile, Fox has delayed the premiere of The Bernie Mac Show, now slated for Sundays at 8:30 p.m., until Nov. 30. During November sweeps, Fox will double-run The Simpsons at 8 and 8:30 p.m., and on the West Coast air double runs of King of the Hill at 7 and 7:30 p.m.

The East Coast usually is still watching football in early prime on Sundays.

Paige Albiniak
Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.