According to Jim: It's Good to Be Back
Jim Belushi by Bob D'Amico/ABC
Getting revived feels good. Very good. ABC's
According to Jim has been officially renewed.
"I'm really grateful," star
Jim Belushi tells TV Guide. "I love the show, I love the cast, and ABC and Touchstone have been really great."
ABC was clearly on the fence regarding the family comedy, which went from 10 million viewers in its first season in 2001 to 6.6 million last season. But the official word is in: It has been picked up for 18 episodes to air mid-season.
Belushi wouldn't go into details, but he says, "We've been negotiating for a while," conceding that, "most of it has to do with licensing fees, the amount of episodes."
Although ABC didn't include
According to Jim on its fall schedule when
it made its May presentation to advertisers, Belushi says, "I always
had hope. I always believed it would work out. We have a really strong
following, and with syndication, it's increased the awareness of the show,
it's solid. Our show has always been a solid performer, especially in today's television market, with all the competition. We actually do OK against
American Idol, the one juggernaut of the decade."
Belushi says that while they don't know their time slot yet, they're already discussing "story lines, arcs and directors."
And he's very pleased: "I got a nice life right now."
- Reporting by N.F.Mendoza
