NBC orders five more episodes of ‘Sean Saves the World’

Sean Hayes was not particularly diplomatic when he blamed NBC for the low ratings of his sitcom “Sean Saves the World.” But apparently NBC didn’t hold it against him, because the network announced Friday that it was giving a five-episode back-order to the series, bringing it to a total of 18 episodes.

The announcement came after “Sean Saves the World” posted a 28% ratings gain Thursday night. Prior to that the series had proved a ratings disappointment, averaging just 3.4-million viewers.

In an October interview with the TV Page, Hayes suggested that the low ratings weren’t his fault.

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“To me, [the show] is working,” Hayes said. “It’s just the struggle of the elephant in the room, which is, ’How do you get viewers to NBC?’ NBC programs great shows, it just doesn’t have the eyeballs CBS does.”

The jab didn’t hold water, though. It’s true that for the past few years NBC has taken a beating, but beginning with the new fall season it is currently the top-rated network among young adults. That turnaround is in large part thanks to the popularity of football, “The Blacklist” and “The Voice.”

For now, “Sean Saves the World” has an extended lease on life, although not the extended back-nine lease that most shows wish for in order to complete a full-season order.

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