NBC plans to keep playing Cupid for sub-hot men everywhere with a second installment of "Average Joe."

In fact, the arrows have already been slung. A second edition of the series has been shot and will debut soon after the current one ends, NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker told reporters Monday (Nov. 24).

"We thought we had something special there, and we put a second cycle in the can before 'Average Joe' ever went on the air," Zucker says.

"Average Joe" has been a minor hit for NBC in its early episodes, drawing a little over 10 million viewers a week and performing strongly among the network's favorite subset of viewers, adults 18-49. On the show, former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader Melana Scantlin chooses from a group of guys who don't conform to the typical dating-show aesthetic standards.

Last week's episode revealed a twist in the game, as host Kathy Griffin introduced three six-packed himbos who will compete with the remaining three Joes to compete for Melana's affections.

Zucker says the back-to-back shooting and airing of the two "Average Joes" follows the same pattern the network used this summer with "For Love or Money," a "Bachelor"-like show that featured a twist: The women (and, in the second edition, men) were playing for cash as well, unbeknownst to the person choosing them.

"With 'For Love or Money 2,' people didn't see how we could do it again," Zucker says. "We did, and it's because we did it right away and had it in the can before 'For Love or Money 1' ever went on the air."

NBC wanted to keep the surprise factor of "Average Joe" in play for the second edition of the show. That would have been tough to do had the network waited until the first show aired before shooting the second.

"When you see how the game is played, it does change the game, and it does change the drama," Zucker says. "I think that was the big advantage we had with 'For Love or Money 2,' and you'll see that we have it with 'Average Joe 2.'"