USA gives "Monk" two-season renewal

from broadcasting and cable

USA Renews Monk, Adds Two Shows
By Anne Becker

USA picked up a fifth and sixth season of its original hit series
Monk, as well as rights to strip the show beginning in 2008, the
network said today at its Television Critics Association press tour
presentation.

The NBC Universal cable network has ordered 16 episodes for seasons
five and six and will strip all six seasons, a total of 93 episodes,
beginning in 2008. The show, about an obsessive-compulsive detective,
is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio in association with
Mandeville Films and Touchstone Television.

USA also unveiled a pilot for Underfunded, a one-hour drama about the
Canadian Secret Service. Mike Powers, best known on TV for his role on
Comedy Central’s Reno 911!, has signed on for the starring role.

patty1...

Would "Canadian Secret Service" be the RCMP or CSIS? The functions
performed in the U.S. by the Secret Service are mostly handled by
the RCMP in Canada, aren't they?

Speaking of programs about Canadian security agencies, I got a chance
to see Chris Haddock's movie/pilot "Intelligence" recently, and I hope
CBC gives the go-ahead on that. Wow, is he good.

The network is also at work on The Great American Christmas, an
unscripted holiday movie from Gary and Julie Auerbach, whose Go Go
Luckey! production company produced MTV’s hit drama/reality show
Laguna Beach and A&E’s own current hybrid Rollergirls. Christmas,
about six dysfunctional families during the holidays, will run in
December 2006.

USA averaged 2.67 million viewers in prime during fourth quarter.