WB Gives 'Grounded' More Life

[TJ]

http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?31204

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The move to a new network turned out to be a good one for the cast and crew of "Grounded for Life."

The WB has ordered a full 22-episode season of the family comedy starring Donal Logue and Megyn Price, which moved to the Frog from FOX earlier this season. The network will have 30 original episodes of "Grounded" at its disposal next year, including eight produced but never aired while the show was at FOX.

"It's a dream come true," co-creator Bill Martin tells The Hollywood Reporter. "We were drowning, and The WB pulled us out, and now we've got a new lease on life."

"Grounded for Life," which is produced by Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, premiered in January 2001 on FOX. It aired only twice in the fall before being pulled for the major league baseball playoffs and November sweeps.

Since switching to The WB, the show has proved a good fit with its lead-in, "Reba." It retains nearly all of "Reba's" audience among people ages 12-34, the network's target demographic, and averages about 3.5 million viewers.

"Grounded for Life" becomes the seventh WB series to be picked up for next season, along with "Reba" and five dramas: "7th Heaven," "Everwood," "Gilmore Girls," "Smallville" and "Charmed."