LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - NBC said on Thursday it has given the go-ahead to produce at least nine more episodes of "Joey," the "Friends" spin-off starring Matt LeBlanc, making it the first new sitcom in prime time to receive a full-season order.

"Joey" has averaged 16.4 million viewers overall in its first three episodes and ranks as the top-rated new comedy on U.S. television so far this season among NBC's target audience of adults aged 18 to 49.

Starring LeBlanc reprising his "Friends" role as the dim-witted but big-hearted actor Joey Tribbiani, the show debuted in the plum Thursday night time slot of its smash sitcom predecessor just four months after "Friends" ended its celebrated decade-long run.

The show co-stars Drea de Matteo, who won an Emmy Award for her role on "The Sopranos," as Joey's hairstylist sister.

Wow, imagine the guy could actually get a real acting career in movies.

They've done this too soon after the finale of Friends. They should've waited a couple of years so that it would be harder for people to associate Joey with the other absent cast members that made Friends work. Look how well Frasier did after starting a couple years after his Cheers career ended.