'Joey', which sees actor Matt LeBlanc reprise his 'Friends' role as the dim-witted but big-hearted struggling actor, is the first new US sitcom to receive a full-season order after averaging 16.4m viewers in its initial three episodes since its September 9 debut.
The show ranks as the highest-rated new comedy on US television so far this season among NBC's target audience of adults aged 18 to 49, and is the third-most watched comedy of the autumn season.
NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said the network was "excited about the creative direction of the show".
The show is due to air on Five in autumn after the channel won the bidding war, paying a reported £500,000 an episode. Channel 4 was given first refusal, but it said it was not prepared to pay what it considered a ludicrously high asking price. ITV1 and Sky One also expressed interest in the show.
The series sees LeBlanc continue as a struggling actor and follows his move from New York to Los Angeles to try to make it as a Hollywood star. It co-stars Drea de Matteo, who won an Emmy Award for her role on 'The Sopranos,' as Joey's hairstylist sister.
In the first episode, Joey is seen getting on the wrong flight to Dallas. It is understood that some of the 'Friends' cast, including Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer, who played Rachel and Ross respectively, will make guest appearances on the show.
'Joey' will add to Five's growing reputation for quality US shows such as 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', 'Law & Order' and 'The Shield'.
In the notoriously tough US TV market, where shows are routinely cancelled mid-season, 'Joey' is being outperformed by two CBS hits 'Everybody Loves Raymond', which is averaging 18m, and 'Two and a Half Men', which stars Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer of 'Pretty in Pink' fame, with 16.44m.
Among new shows in the US, only ABC's castaway drama 'Lost' beat the sitcoms. The show, created by JJ Abrams, the creator of 'Alias', attracted 17m viewers on Wednesday.
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