"What About Joan" though the important ratings period May sweeps. The network, which had originally ordered 13 episodes of the series, has decided to keep the show on the air instead of breaking until June, thanks to its strong ratings performance.

After five weeks on the air, "What About Joan" has averaged an 8.6 rating/13 share in households in the Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. timeslot, according to Nielsen Media Research. In addition, the comedy has improved ABC's performance in the time period by 2 million viewers (12.3 million vs. 10.3 million) and by 15 percent in Adults 18-49 (5.5/14 vs. 4.8/12).

"What About Joan" stars Joan Cusack as Joan Gallagher, a thirtysomething teacher who's embarking on a new romance with the man of her dreams (Kyle Chandler). Supporting cast members include Jessica Hecht, Donna Murphy, Kellie Shanygne Williams and Wallace Langham. The series is produced by James L. Brooks, David Richardson and Richard Sakai.