While it was initially rumored that NBC might kill the ratings-challenged Trauma, word is NBC decided to pick up the medical/explosions show.

Deadline Hollywood reports:

On its first airing, the Peter Berg-produced Trauma drew just 6.9 million viewers and a 2.3 rating in the key 18-49 category. On the bright side, Trauma did build on its lackluster Heroes lead-in. Also, the reviews were disappointing, a backlash came from the Emergency Medical Services community, and a hefty pricetag made it one of NBC's most expensive new fall series. It's been so much on the bubble since its debut that it was declared DOA by blogs ... But I've learned that NBC has told the show this week the network not only will produce all 13 episodes from its current order but also order more. What helped to earn a pickup? A recent ratings rise.

Needs more Siebel, too, by the way. Bring her back.

So, um, great news, right? Does this mean you all want us to live-blog each episode? Whatever we can do to make it more palatable for you. Let us know in the comments.

[Hat tip: SFist commenter Joel.]

Here it is people: the Trauma episode we've been waiting for. On Monday night, the Halloween episode of the SF-based helicopter drama will be airing, and all the drag queens in town who responded to the drag queen casting call a couple months back will be watching the show at a viewing party hosted by Heklina at The Lookout (Noe & Market). We gather that Lady Bear had her own trailer and some actual lines, and maybe Heckles did too? The video above leaves a little to the imagination insofar as the drag queen/nightclub scene that was shot at Great American Music Hall, but hopefully that $3 million-per-episode budget is at least going to yield some good gay television.

Today, a Huey Helicopter parked right on Norfolk at Folsom next to Wish. The fine folks at Trauma have been filming in the area all week. Here's a shot of the Hollywood magic in action.
Another view after the jump.

Thanks goes out to SFist readers Sean (for taking the shots) and chrisr (for letting us know)!

Folsom between 11th and 12th Streets will be closed today in order to produce another explosive episode of Trauma. If you need to dart down Folsom this afternoon, expect delays.

In related Trauma news, Newsom has "lauded" his wife's performance on Monday night's premiere. (If you didn't watch it, be sure to catch SFist's live-blogging of the NBC drama here.) “I thought it was very good, I thought even from the first scene, when the two helicopters crashed, I was not prepared for that,” Newsom told the Examiner.

He was also concerned that some of her scenes were cut. “She had six scenes and they only did two,” he said. “But nonetheless, it was great to see her in there.”

Update: Turns out Folsom has been closed since Monday. Um, yeah, oops. Anyway, better late than never.

For those who want to join together to watch tonight's premiere of the likely ironically epic Trauma, which was filmed in San Francisco, you're in luck. North Beach's Upper Grant Avenue bars will be having a block party simultaneously screening the show at 9 p.m., hosted by JE Talent, LLC. Participating bars include Mojito, Royale, Maggie McGarrys, and Grant & Green Saloon. There will be live music by Jugtown Pirates, "industry networking," and themed cocktails, featuring Grey Goose Vodka & Bacardi Rum. The party runs from 7 to 11 p.m.

If you know of any other venues screening the show, please let us know in the comments.

And be sure to tune into SFist for our very special live-blogging of the show, during which we will be very far away from North Beach.

Everyone's soon-to-be favorite, Bay-Area-based NBC drama featuring a helicopter-trauma-unit is looking for extras! [Ed. Note: Your SFist Editors will be LIVE-BLOGGING the Trauma premiere this coming Monday evening, because yes, we are that dorky.] Yes, that's right, you too could get bloodied up in some crazy, action-packed, group scene like the one they shot at Duboce Park, or the one they shot at the Embarcadero market. Particularly swell for the unemployed who always wondered who had time to go be a random extra on a TV show, we recommend this job to anyone who doesn't mind waking up early and standing around a lot. Check out Beau Bonneau Casting for more info.

PREVIOUSLY: Trauma, the San Francisco ER, Already Being Panned By Critics

San Francisco -- being like that pretty girl who sits by herself in the lunchroom and doesn't get a ton of attention outside her AP classes -- gets excited when she's given a chance to shine in the prime time limelight. But NBC's Trauma which premieres in two weeks and which we've all watched in the making here in SF all summer long, may not be long for this world. SF Citizen points us to this blurb by a NY Daily News critic who's had a sneak peak at the show and writes it off saying "we've all seen this before." There's also this poll on HubDub in which people have placed Trauma second only to Accidentally on Purpose as being one of the first new shows likely to get canceled this season. (SF Citizen also points to the irony of our city being one of the only ones without a hospital helipad or medical helicopter trauma unit largely due to the efforts of these rich NIMBYs.)

We at SFist feel no one should underestimate the American public's appetite for vapid procedural dramas involving explosions and blood, but maybe that's cynical of us. We at least want the show to survive long enough to air the nightclub trampling episode involving multiple local drag queens which was shot last week at Great American Music Hall.

NBC's somewhat anticipated fall drama series "Trauma" filmed a presumably nail-biting scene in Duboce Park yesterday, one that involved a helicopter landing (!) and Halloween decorations (!!).

NBC Bay Area has more on yesterday's shoot.

Starved as San Franciscans are for an occasional touch of Hollywood magic, crowds gathered--actual people, actually gathered--to see some pyrotechnics on I-280 yesterday which capped off a few weeks of shooting for the pilot for NBC's "Trauma." The Chron wrote an entire article about it and posted some soon-to-be viral video of the excitement! See the complete (and completely boring explosion) after the jump.

San Francisco First Lady Jennifer Siebel on the set right now at Laguna Honda hospital portraying "mildly-injured but unsullied car crash vixen" for the NBC pilot Trauma. The show will be directed by executive produced Jeffrey Reiner (NBC's Friday Night Lights).

Also, next week on March 28, a tanker truck filled with gasoline will slam into two other cars on I-280 near the King Street onramp. According to Sam Spade SF, "the truck will erupt in a fireball and send thick clouds of smoke billowing into the air. Multiple helicopters will be buzzing about overhead." It's all about of Trauma's pilot episode.