Less than a month ago, Chuck, the light, charming, fun little show about a geek who saves the world every week, was destined for cancellation. But today, NBC announced that the exploits of Chuck, Sarah and Casey will continue after all as the network ordered a third season of 13 episodes.

The show, which I think is better than anything else NBC has on the air, including Heroes, won’t be returning until after the Winter Olympics, though, so you’ll have to wait until March 2010 to get your next fix of Chuck and crew.

What isn’t clear is how important a new sponsorship deal with Subway Restaurants was to the show’s renewal. In a press release, Ben Silverman, co-chair of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios said that, “By involving Subway early in the process, we were able to bring a quality show like Chuck back to NBC for next season. Everybody wins - NBC, Subway, and the loyal fans who so enthusiastically lobbied for Chuck's renewal.”

The New York Times is reporting that the sponsorship will have a main character working for Subway in the next season, probably Sarah if the show’s forumula is to be continued. The sponsorship is also likely to mean that budget cuts that had earlier been asked for are no longer a necessity, and Silverman has hinted that the network could order more than 13 episodes, which would take the show into summer 2010.

What this means for Heroes is that the show about superheroes will run straight through this fall, and will end its season at the end of the year. Chuck slips into that time slot in March, after the Winter Olympics are finished.

The same pattern will be followed in the 9 p.m. slot on Mondays, with Trauma giving way to Day One in the second half of the season.

Details on NBC’s new shows were released earlier in May when the network held its “Infront” presentation.

NBC decided to give Law & Order a 20th season, and while Friday Night Lights has also been renewed, it won’t be on the schedule until summer 2010 after a run on DirecTV.

Medium and My Name is Earl have been officially cancelled by NBC, although both of those shows may yet have life in them, as CBS may pick up Medium (CBS sibling CBS Paramount produces the show) as a Friday night partner for Ghost Whisperer and there have been rumours that either Fox or ABC might step in to pick up Earl.

For the record, other series cancelled by NBC include Crusoe, ER, Kath & Kim, Kings, Knight Rider, Life, Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy.

NBC’s fall schedule is as follows. Jay Leno’s new talk show runs in the 10 p.m. slot Mondays through Fridays:

Monday
8 - 9 p.m.: Heroes
9 - 10 p.m.: Trauma

Tuesday
8 - 10 p.m.: Biggest Loser

Wednesday
8 - 9 p.m.: Parenthood
9 - 10 p.m.: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Thursday
8 - 8:30 p.m.: SNL Weekend Update Thursday
8:30 - 9 p.m.: Parks and Recreation
9 - 9:30 p.m.: The Office
9:30 - 10 p.m.: Community (moves to 8 p.m. after SNL ends)
9:30 - 10 p.m.: 30 Rock (after SNL ends)

Friday
8 - 9 p.m.: Law & Order
9 - 10 p.m.: Southland

Saturday
8 - 9 p.m.: Dateline NBC
9 - 10 p.m.: Trauma (in repeat)
10 - 11 p.m.: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (in repeat)

Sunday
7 p.m. - 11 p.m.: NFL Football