PARKS AND RECREATION -- "Freddy Spaghetti" Episodic 224 -- Pictured: (l-r) Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt, Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson, Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger.
Byron Cohen/NBCNBC has renewed three of its Thursday night comedies for next season.
The Office, Parks and Recreation and Community will be returning for the 2011-12 television season.
“I am so pleased to renew these three outstanding comedies which are all at the top of their game creatively,” said Bob Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment.
WATCH: Video interviews with the cast and creator of Community
Veteran comedy The Office is delivering a 4.0 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic and averaging 7.7 million viewers for its current seventh season. Steve Carell‘s farewell episode is scheduled to air at the end of April, with Will Ferrell coming on for a multi-episode guest arc.
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In the ratings, Amy Poehler‘s Parks and Rec, currently in its third season, is averaging a 2.8 in the key demo and 5.5 million viewers. With its move to the 9:30 p.m. time slot, the series is up 17 percent in the 18-49 demo (2.8 vs. 2.4) and up 9 percent in total viewers (5.5 million vs. 5.1 million).
WATCH: Video interviews with the cast of Parks and Recreation
Critical favorite Community, which has anchored the competitive 8 p.m. time slot on Thursdays for NBC and is led by The Soup host Joel McHale, has averaged a 2.1 in the 18-49 demo and 4.7 million viewers so far in its sophomore season. Lost star Josh Holloway is set to star in the two-part season finale, a followup of sorts to last season’s “Modern Warfare” episode.
With NBC’s core comedy lineup back for another round — it was previously announced 30 Rock will also return next season, making it the show’s sixth — that leaves struggling freshmen comedies Outsourced and Perfect Couples still awaiting pickups.
Both Parks and Rec and Community were recently honored at the annual PaleyFest.
