NBC orders full season for GRIMM

Networks execs at NBC must have been breathing sighs of relief yesterday as they announced they were giving a full-season order to freshman supernatural drama GRIMM.  NBC consistently has the lowest ratings of the big four networks, and this season in particular it has been struggling to get new shows off the ground.  Of its six new shows this year (GRIMM, UP ALL NIGHT, WHITNEY, FREE AGENTS, THE PLAYBOY CLUB, and PRIME SUSPECT), the latter three -- a full half -- have already been canceled (if you count the all-but-guaranteed goner PRIME SUSPECT).  GRIMM was NBC's last chance to cement a new hour-long drama into its schedule this season, so it comes as no surprise that they're willing to give it a shot for at least a full year.

Despite the fact that I think NBC would've renewed GRIMM no matter what its ratings were just to keep a new drama, GRIMM has been performing decently.  Its latest episode drew in 5.4 million viewers for a 1.6 rating.  This may not sound like much, but remember it airs on Friday, where the bar is set significantly lower.  It came in second in its time slot after only CSI: NY, beating both of the other supernatural dramas at that hour, FOX's FRINGE and The CW's SUPERNATURAL.  GRIMM will also get a chance to draw in new viewers in a new timeslot when NBC allows it a one-episode trial-run on Thursday, Dec 8th at 10pm (PRIME SUSPECT's old slot).  If it performs well then, the move could perhaps become permanent (although I would argue that Friday is a more appropriate time for a show like GRIMM, which naturally attracts a smaller cult audience -- it would probably flounder and die a slow death on the more competitive Thursdays).

As happy as I am that NBC has at least one new drama that it hasn't canceled, I can't help but feel frustrated by GRIMM week after week.  The writing is so lazy: every week this cop gets called in on a strange case that IN A SHOCKING TWIST JUST SO HAPPENS TO INVOLVE FAIRY TALE CREATURES IN DISGUISE.  How many weeks are they going to be able to pull that off before it gets tired?  (For me: one -- it was old after the premiere.)  The show would have been infinitely more interesting if they had made the protagonist anything other than a cop: a writer, say, who week-by-week has to actively hunt down the fairy tale creatures wreaking havoc, as opposed to a cop who just passively and coincidentally gets handed the cases.  But whatever.  Beggars can't be choosers.  And this season, NBC are definitely the beggars.

How do you feel about GRIMM getting a full season?