Chuck: Zachary Levi Series renewed for Season Three

As expected, the peacock network has announced that Chuck will be returning for a third season. But, as has become a trend in the industry, there will be a few concessions.

NBC has worked out a deal with Warner Bros. for 13 installments of the Zachary Levi series. As part of that agreement, there have been significant budget cutbacks.

The show’s writing staff is expected to be reduced and two scribes are expected to be let go. In addition, several castmembers won’t be appearing in all of the episodes — Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Adam Baldwin, Bonita Friedericy, and/or Sarah Lancaster? EW’s Michael Ausiello has heard that one actor may be eliminated from the cast altogether, possibly Julia Ling.

NBC is expected to release its full schedule tomorrow. As of now, it looks like Chuck will be landing on Friday nights at 8pm in the Fall. Another of NBC’s “discounted” series, Friday Night Lights, would probably take over the timeslot for midseason.

5/19 UPDATE: Chuck will remain on Monday nights but won’t return until March, after the 2010 Olympics. Sounds like a similar strategy that CW tried with Reaper. Have NBC doomed it?