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NBC renews 'Parks and Rec' for third season

NBC has renewed "Parks and Recreation" for a third season.

The early pickup was done strictly for production reasons to lock in actors' schedules, a rep for NBC said, stressing that the sole pickup for the sophomore comedy in no means reflects on the renewal chances of NBC's other Thursday comedies.

Indeed, "The Office," "30 Rock" and freshman "Community," which pull higher ratings than "Parks," all look good to return for another season.

After a soft start as a midseason entry last spring, "Parks," which stars Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari, has been gaining steam this season creatively and ratings-wise.

ABC cancels 'Ugly Betty'

ABC is making this the final season of "Ugly Betty." Here is a statement from ABC and producers:

"We’ve mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty’s final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion. We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell."

The decision was increasingly anticipated given the show's meager ratings. ABC shifted "Betty" from Thursdays, where it struggled to provide an adequate lead-in for "Grey's Anatomy," to Fridays last fall, where it performed poorly, then tried recently moving the show to Wednesdays after the network's comedy block.

NBC orders more 'Trauma,' 'Parks,' 'L&O,' more

NBC is ordering more of, well ... just about everything.

The network is picking up additional episodes of 10 p.m. dramas "Law & Order" (three more) and "Law & Order: SVU" (two more), which can help fill gaps created by the departing "Jay Leno Show."

The network is also picking more of ratings-challenged 9 p.m.-drama "Trauma" (four) and more from Thursday comedies "Community" (three) and "Parks & Recreation" (two).

NBC originally ordered 22 episodes of "Community," "Parks" and "SVU." "L&O" flagship had 20. "Trauma" was up to 16. The overall idea is to help keep NBC in originals as much as possible.

Fox developing U.S. version of 'Torchwood'

Huge news for sci-fi fans: Fox is developing a stateside version of the U.K. hit series "Torchwood."

The project is from BBC Worldwide Prods., with original series creator Russell Davies writing the script.

A more straight-faced spinoff of "Doctor Who," "Torchwood" is about a covert group that investigates and fights alien activity. Two series aired domestically on BBC America as well as last year's well reviewed stand-alone miniseries, "Children of Earth," which broke all ratings records for the network.

Unlike U.S. adaptations that have gone awry, "Torchwood" fans can take comfort that the original producing team is on board. In addition to Davies, exec producers include Davies' producing partner Julie Gardner (former head of drama at BBC Wales for the show's first season) and Jane Tranter (another BBC vet, now exec vp programming and production at BBC Worldwide Prods. in the U.S.).

Also, some of the current cast -- most likely John Barrowman, who plays the immortal Capt. Jack Harkness -- might star if Fox orders "Torchwood" to pilot.

As for the new show's plot, the U.S. version will contain a global story line compared to the more localized sensibility of the first two BBC seasons.

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