Fox Renews GLEE for a Third Season While in the Middle of Its First

That’s no typo in the headline.  Fox just announced its official Fall 2010 schedule, which included a second season for hit high school musical Glee.  But the network is getting a jumpstart on 2011 by renewing Glee for a third season before show has a chance to finish its debut season in June.  The freshman series has been an unqualified success on Fox this season: it is the number one new show of the year in adults 18-49, and in recent weeks has trailed only its American Idol lead-in for the weekly crown.

Notably, the sixth and final season of Lost that just ended on my coast was promised back in season three, while last year CBS gave The Big Bang Theory a joint third/fourth season order.  But I don’t recall another show that has aired less than a season to get the magical two-season pickup — at least not in the live action arena.  Largely due to the lengthy production schedule of primetime animation, Fox ordered a second season of The Cleveland Show before it ever aired an episode.  Such is the power of Macfarlanimation.  Check out quotes from Fox exec Kevin Reilly and show creator Ryan Murphy after the jump.

In a statement [via EW], Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly remarked on the uniqueness of the show:

“Everything about Glee – from the concept to the characters to the marketing – has been innovative and risky, but with [series creator] Ryan Murphy tapping into the zeitgeist, the risk has paid off with this truly remarkable series. Glee has one of the most active, devoted fan bases I’ve ever seen, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to give Gleeks a third season of their favorite show.”

Likewise, creator Ryan Murphy promised great things were in store for fans of the show:

“It’s been a whirlwind year – from shooting the pilot to performing at the White House to the concert tour that began last week – and yet we all feel like we’ve just begun this amazing musical journey. We think our Gleeks worldwide are going to love what we’ll have in store for them in seasons two and three.”