Doh! 'The Simpsons' back for 2 more seasons

Doh! Big-screen success hasn’t jaded Homer, Bart, Marge, Maggie and Lisa. They’re going to stay on TV for a long time, Fox announced today.

The network renewed “The Simpsons” for two more seasons. That means 44 additional episodes after this season, bringing the show through its 22nd season and 493rd episode. "The Simpsons," created by cartoonist Matt Groening, debuted as a regular series on Jan. 14, 1990 after a Christmas special on Dec. 17, 1989. It first appeared in 1987 as a series of 30-second shorts for “The Tracey Ullman Show.”

Fox currently is showing its 20th season at 7 p.m. Sundays. In Sunday's episode, “How the Test Was Won,” Bart and other “underperformers” at his school are sent to Capital City by officials to avoid them bringing down standardized test scores. Meanwhile, Homer has to avoid getting injured when his insurance lapses.

'Heroes,' 'Chuck' hit lows; 'Beauty' finishes solid

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Chuck vs. the series low

CBS was in repeats. The CW was in repeats. ABC aired the "Women Tell All" special episode of "The Bachelor." And yet despite mostly weak competition, NBC's "Chuck" and "Heroes" generated their lowest ratings ever.

"Chuck" (6.5 million viewers, 2.2 preliminary adults 18-49 rating and 6 share) dipped a tenth in the adult demo from last week. "Heroes" (6.9 million, 3.3/8) was down 8% from its previously established settling point. Both shows placed last in their hours among the major broadcast networks.

The "Heroes" fan complaints are familiar by now. Too complex, too many character personality flip-flips, too many logic-leaping "save the world" stories. The recent "Fugitives" reboot was supposed to "save the series, save NBC Monday nights." The show's focus is more singular now (an "X-Men"-ish "mutants fighting those who seek to control them" angle) but perhaps it's not enough.

The "Chuck" drain is more mysterious. The show continues to get praise from critics and recently climbed in the ratings following its well-received 3D episode. One wouldn't think Fox's "House" moving into the same time period would draw the same audience, but the medical drama does seem to be having an impact on the crime-fighting geek.

Do these latest drops mean anything for the shows' futures?

Tough to say. NBC has so little that's competitive right now ("Biggest Loser," late-night), and is making such radical moves in some ways (moving Jay Leno to 10 p.m.), yet seems almost paralyzed in others (what's airing on Wednesday nights again?). You can pretend to be an NBC executive and make an argument for the return, or the demise, of "Chuck" and "Heroes" next fall, and neither speech would seem all too far fetched.

At 10 p.m., "Medium" (8.5 million, 2.7/7) looked at its falling lead in, shrugged, and went back to its usual rating.

If anybody benefited from NBC's slight drop, it was Fox, enjoying a slight gain while once again winning the night in the demo and total viewers. "House" (14.6 million, 5.4/14) climbed a couple tenths, plus "24" (11.6 million, 3.7/9) was up a peg

ABC was second for the evening with a special episode of "The Bachelor" (11 million, 3.7/9), which was up 61% over last year's "Women Tell All" and was the third-most-watched "Tell All" in the history of the "Bachelor" franchise. The finale of "True Beauty" (7.5 million, 3.2/9) was up slightly from last week despite a much-reduced lead in and won its hour -- strengthening its chance of a second season. In third place, CBS showed off by tying NBC with its repeats.

Here's a clip from "Heroes" for those contemplating a jump back in:

ABC Cancels 'Pushing Daisies' 'Stone' And 'Dirty Sexy Money'

No pickups for 'Daisies,' 'Money' and 'Stone'

ABC has decided against picking up "Pushing Daisies," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Eli Stone" for full-season orders.

Producers of the shows are being told that ABC has elected not to order additional hours beyond the original 13-episode commitments.

Actively avoiding the c-word, the network left the door open for ordering more episodes at a future date, though that is considered improbable. The trio are still on the schedule for next week. Going into the holidays, their ratings are unlikely to dramatically improve enough to reverse the decision.

"Money" and "Stone" are still in production (on their 12th and 13th episodes, respectively) and will finish shooting their current order.

Bryan Fuller, creator of the critically acclaimed "Daisies," said he hasn't yet been directly informed of ABC's verdict, but has been been playing phone tag with the network's entertainment president.

"I assumed that's what [the call] was about," he wrote. "I can't help but feel immense pride when it comes to 'Pushing Daisies.' I'm grateful TO everyone and FOR everyone who brought the show to life and for the very loyal audience that embraced us. If we are indeed dead on ABC, we now have to convince DC Comics to let us tell the rest of the season's story lines out in comic book form and convince Warner Bros. features to let 'Pushing Daisies' live again as a movie."

All the shows were in their second season, with "Daisies" and "Money" having been disrupted by the writers strike last year and "Stone" having launched in midseason earlier this year. "Daisies" averaged 6.4 million viewers and a 2.3 adult demo rating. "Money" averaged 6.6 million and a 2.3. "Stone" averaged 7.9 million and a 2.1. On Wednesday night, "Daisies" and "Money" hit series-low ratings, and "Stone" sank to match its series low on Tuesday.

UPDATE: ABC books "Scrubs" for midseason, makes "Life on Mars"-after-"Lost" and "Practice"-after-"Grey's plan official.

UPDATE II: Fuller got Steve McPherson on the phone and the ABC executive said...

UPDATE III: ABC orders four more episodes of "Life on Mars"

>> Updated: Fall TV survival status report

Obama interview sets '60 Minutes' viewership record

Barack Obama's first televised post-election interview gave Sunday night's "60 Minutes" its biggest audience in at least nine years.

The CBS News program was seen by 24.5 million viewers and earned a 6.4 preliminary adults 18-49 rating. That marks the show's largest viewership since 1999.

Veteran correspondent Steve Kroft interviewed Obama about a range of domestic and foreign policy issues in the show's opening 15-minute segment, then he spoke to Obama alongside his wife, Michelle, for two more segments covering how the election has impacted their family.

Obama said the government should help the U.S. auto industry and reiterated his plan to pull troops out of Iraq, though the president-elect largely refused to answer questions about his cabinet choices, saying only that announcements would be made "soon." Though Kroft asked significant issue-oriented questions, he also delved into territory that some viewers might consider frivolous -- such as the oft-discussed First Family's dog acquisition plans and college football.

"60 Minutes" has been on a ratings roll this season. Last week's episode interviewing Obama's top advisers gave the program its highest audience in a year. With Sunday's episode, the 40-year-old news magazine will likely be the most-watched program for the second week in a row. Even with the record-setting preliminary numbers, CBS expects "Minutes" to get even higher ratings tomorrow when the nationals are released (some time zones aired the lower-rated "The Amazing Race" during part of the "Minutes" hour).

The "Minutes" boost wasn't enough to put CBS over the top for the evening, however. NBC still won with "Sunday Night Football" (17 million, 6.5), Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins, and pregame shows.

CBS was second with "Minutes," followed by "Race" (12.2 million, 3.5), "Cold Case" (12 million, 2.9) and "The Unit" (9.8 million, 2.5).

ABC was third with some NASCAR lead-in going into “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (10.2 million, 3.4), “Desperate Housewives” (16.6 million, 6.1) and “Brothers & Sisters” (10.1 million, 3.7). ABC’s shows were on par, with “Housewives” up slightly from last week.

Fourth-place Fox’s was also largely unchanged from last week, airing “The Simpsons” (8.5 million, 3.9), “King of the Hill” (7 million, 3.2), “Family Guy” (8.5 million, 4.2) and “American Dad” (6.8 million, 3.2). The CW was on par (averaging 600,000, 0.2).

SUNDAY, Nov. 16, 2008 Rate/share 8-8:30 8:30-9 9-9:30 9:30-10 10-10:30 10:30-11 3.9/9 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 10.2 mil, 3.4/8 Desperate Housewives 16.6 mil, 6.1/13 Brothers & Sisters 10.1 mil, 3.7/9 4.4/11 Amazing Race 13 12.2 mil, 3.5/12 Cold Case 12.0 mil, 2.9/6 The Unit 9.8 mil, 2.8/7 5.3/13 Football Night in America 11.8 mil, 4.5/11 Sunday Night Football 17.0 mil, 6.5/14 3.1/7 The Simpsons 8.5 mil, 3.9/9 King of the Hill 7.0 mil,3.2/7 Family Guy 8.5 mil, 4.2/9 American Dad 6.8 mil, 3.2/7 No programming 0.2/0 Valentine 0.6 mil 0.2/0 Easy Money 0.4 mil 0.1/0 No programming