On November 23, the New York Times reported that NBC would begin airing new episodes of Dateline NBC at 10 on Wednesdays starting Dec. 12.  Author Brian Stelter predicted that this spelled trouble for the "low-rated freshman drama".

As a friend would say, "Pfffft."

Perhaps we should have known something was up when Stelter claimed that "Life" placed "fourth among the networks last Wednesday".  Come on, Brian, FOX and CW don't air original programming at 10.  So it's impossible for "Life" to come in lower than third.

Because less than a week later, NBC issued a press release that it had picked up the "back nine" for "Life", meaning it had placed an order for the final nine episodes of the season.  Initially reported by Watch With Kristin on Nov. 26, NBC issued a press release a few hours later.  It included the following:

"Life" is averaging a 3.0 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 8.0 million viewers overall for the season to date. With its November 14 telecast, "Life" retained its full adult 18-49 lead-in from "Bionic Woman" for the first time and attracted its biggest overall audience in four weeks. Season to date, "Life" is winning its competitive time period among men 18-34 opposite CBS's "CSI: Miami" and ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money."

I believe I may have cited some of those numbers in my last article when I said there was still hope, Brian.

There's no way to tell if any of those nine episodes will be produced.  (In fact, the producers still owe NBC two episodes from the original thirteen.)  There's talk that NBC wouldn't have renewed the series if it didn't think the strike could be over soon, and that production could start up again.  On the other hand, if the strike continues and the current TV season ends for most current programs, this could very well be a signal from NBC that the show will be on the Fall 2008 schedule.  Whatever it means, it's obvious that NBC has re-committed itself to the series, and fans should celebrate.