CBS Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television reached a multi-year broadcast renewal agreement for the two comedy series executive produced by Chuck Lorre, stalwart comedy Two and a Half Men and sophomore The Big Bang Theory, the companies announced Wednesday.
At the same time, the companies have settled their differences over money that Warner Bros. said CBS owed it for production costs on Two and a Half Men. Warner Bros. sued CBS in December for more than $49 million, claiming that if the show got picked up for a fifth and sixth season and met certain ratings targets, CBS agreed in 2003 to pay the studio a portion of deficits incurred over the first four years, as well as premiums on the license fees for years five and six.
A CBS spokesman confirmed the litigation was resolved, but would not comment on whether the deals to renew the comedies and to settle the lawsuit were made together.
Per the new deal Men, currently in its sixth season, has been renewed through the 2011-2012 season, the show’s ninth. Big Bang, currently in its second season, has been renewed through the 2010-2011 season, the show’s fourth.
Men is not only a driver in CBS’s successful Monday night comedy block, but has also launched a successful syndication run. The series is the top comedy in viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 and has shown growth year-to-year in those measures, according to CBS. The Big Bang renewal positions that show, which also has grown this season year-to-year across all key viewership measures, for a potential syndication sale as well since it will have four seasons of episodes guaranteed. That is considered enough to fuel a syndication run.
"Our collaboration with Warner Bros. and Chuck Lorre for these two series has lead to great entertainment for television audiences and has been very good business for CBS," Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment, said in a statement announcing the renewals. "With these shows firmly in place, CBS is well-positioned for more comedy success in the years ahead."
"We are extremely grateful to and appreciative of CBS for the support and long-term commitment they have made to both of these remarkable series with their well-deserved, multi-year pickups," Peter Roth, President, Warner Bros. Television, said in the statement. "We look forward to many more years of continued mutual success."
Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, Angus T. Jones, Marin Hinkle, Conchata Ferrell and Holland Taylor star in Two and a Half Men, which is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Lorre, Lee Aronsohn, Eric Tannenbaum & Kim Tannenbaum, Mark Burg, Oren Koules, Don Foster, Eddie Gorodetsky, Susan Beavers and Mark Roberts are executive producers.
Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar star in The Big Bang Theory, which is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television. Lorre, Bill Prady and Aronsohn are executive producers.
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