The first new-show pickup goes to ‘This Is Us’

Networks have been slow to cancel a struggling new show in recent years, giving even the biggest dogs plenty of time to catch on, just in case.

But when a new program appears to resonate with viewers? The networks snap more episodes right up.

NBC has picked up first-year drama “This Is Us” for a full season, even though the program has aired just one episode.

“Us” was the highest-rated new show during premiere week, averaging a 2.8 adults 18-49 rating in its 10 p.m. Tuesday slot, according to Nielsen.

The program will usually air at 9 p.m., behind NBC’s long-running reality stalwart “The Voice,” which gave “Us” a nice lead-in for its debut.

Highly anticipated debut

“Us” tells the story of several interconnected people who share the same birthday. The program drew strong buzz over the summer when its trailer went viral (thanks in no small part to a brief view of star Milo Ventimiglia’s bare derriere).

It became the most-watched trailer ever on Facebook, racking up more than 50 million views in a matter of hours and raising expectations for fall’s debut.

“Us” is the first new show to earn a full-season pickup, joining a slew of recent NBC dramas (such as “Blindspot” and “The Blacklist”) that the network made fast decisions on.

Tags: full-season orders, nbc, new dramas, new shows, this is us, this is us full-season order