Here's an interesting theory on why the ratings for many returning dramas are down a bit: the writers strike gave viewers an excuse to finally stop watching a show.
Of course, the shows that are down (including Grey's Anatomy, House, Lost, CSI, and Desperate Housewives) are still getting great ratings (all of the above shows are usually in the top 15 for the week), they're just noticeably down. Some industry analysts think that viewers might be getting a little frustrated at the continuing storylines you see on many dramas, while others think that some viewers are confused over the return dates for different shows and maybe even time slot changes for a couple of shows.
I can't say this was true for me. If anything, the strike made me want to watch Lost even more, especially since I knew there were only a handful of episodes left in the season. The same for comedies like 30 Rock and The Office. It would have been true about Heroes as well, but they didn't return after the strike (new episodes start this fall).
Did the writers strike give you an excuse to stop watching a show or did you just get bored/fed up with a show before that?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
5-01-2008 @ 3:29PM
Drew Arnold said...
Not really, but it did force me to Netflix shows -- and this lead to me falling in love with Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel. I watched the entire Buffy series during the strike for the first time, and I'm into Season 3 of Angel. Without the strike, I probably would never would have watched these awesome shows. I'm currently still watching the same shows I always did, but they stay on my TIVO longer (between Netflix DVDs).
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5-01-2008 @ 3:32PM
Apollo said...
Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy... And Lost. But that was more coincidentally related to the writer's strike. I just go fed up.
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5-01-2008 @ 3:41PM
Dave said...
Yes, it did. Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and CSI. I realized that while they were gone, I didn't miss them at all. So I stopped.
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5-01-2008 @ 3:50PM
Ryan said...
The only casualty for me was Reaper.
But like you the strike just got me MORE pumped for shows I love like Lost, Brothers & Sisters, HIMYM, and Ugly Betty.
Plus Lost has been having a phoenomenal season while HIMYM is having a post-strike roll, creatively and ratings-wise. So not everything is all ho-hum and down.
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5-01-2008 @ 3:54PM
Karris said...
Shows that suck after the strike are House, Desperate Housewives, and even Betty was just too sad. I'm really worried about its new showrunners.
Shows that are still even better than ever are Grey's, Earl, One Tree Hill (is actually good now) and Lost. I do feel like Lost is moving too fast...but Grey's and Earl have their spark back. The moaning and the jail are both gone!
And of course, Battlestar Galactica is still the best show on television, strike or no strike. Reaper has actually caught my interest...The Office is still great. Samantha Who is very good but I'm afraid it was too new before the strike. And wow, I guess I am a TV addict...
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5-01-2008 @ 4:06PM
Oreo said...
There was one episode of House after the strike, one. So one bad episode means the strike wrecked the show?
5-01-2008 @ 4:31PM
0megapart!cle said...
Watching House this season and most of last was like watching a beautiful, stately jetliner slowly, but inexorably, plummeting to its demise. I used to think this show was not just a procedural, not just a medical drama, and I was right. It is a new genre, the sitdram, where nobody grows or changes, the overally plotlines remain the same, from season to season, until the viewers eventually get fed up with it, and it is cancelled. It's such a shame, because it had such potential, and even now, it is written so well, but it will never be more than it is now.
And as far as House's ratings, I am sure it has something to do with the fact that they moved the first new episode in almost 3 months to a different night, so most viewers who saw it in their TV guides and didn't look too closely probably just thought it was a rerun, as FOX has been known to stick a rerun of House on any night just to fill out the schedule. I don't think they could have made a worse programming decision.
5-01-2008 @ 6:54PM
Karris said...
It wasn't just bad, it was horrible. This season hasn't been that great anyway, but it actually took me 3 hours to watch House. I kept losing interest so I wouldn't pay attention, and I'd have to rewind it. Even now I couldn't tell you more than the basic premise of the episode.
5-01-2008 @ 3:56PM
Miranda said...
It made me stop watching "ER," which was a long time coming anyway. When it came back after the strike hiatus, my husband and I looked at each other and said, "Do we care?" We did not. That's the only show I dropped after the hiatus, though I had earlier dumped "Desperate Housewives" (well before the strike).
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5-01-2008 @ 4:04PM
bowlby4 said...
I have stopped watching Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and Greek.
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5-01-2008 @ 5:20PM
Ryan said...
Last week's episode of Greek was FANTASTIC. Basically it showed flashback to when Cappie, Evan, Ashley, and Casey were freshman and were just rushing. It was quite well done and definitely answered A LOT of questions (mostly the history of Cappie/Casey/Evan).
So I recommend checking it out.
5-01-2008 @ 4:16PM
Donna said...
Actually, the writer's strike helped me a bit. I had planned to give up television for Lent, and it helped me not miss TV as much. I really had gotten to liking the Big Bang Theory and I ended up missing only the first episode after the strike ended.
Other than that, no. If there isn't anyone on TV, I watch DVDs or I actually just read a book. Then, later, if there is something I think I would like, I watch. I go with the flow.
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5-01-2008 @ 4:24PM
Akbar Fazil said...
the wife and I haven't been able to get back into My Name is Earl at all after the strike. I am not sure why since everything else we have.
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5-01-2008 @ 4:26PM
scott said...
Karris, I disagree with you judging post-strike House on one (one!) episode - but i'm right there with ya on Lost and BSG.
I didn't stop watching any shows (unless you count Moonlight and New Amsterdam, but that had nada to do with the strike) - but caught up on Mad Men, FNL and Doctor Who.
Plus with the shortened season, I have room in my DVR to save all the Lost epis in HD until the DVD set comes out! However - I am bummed about missing some hours of Lost that would have existed otherwise.
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5-01-2008 @ 4:30PM
scott said...
I just read Akbar's comment, and yeah - both Earl and Scrubs have moved down quite a bit on the must watch list for the wife and I. Still watch 'em, but not until the weekend or so.
That could have something to do with watching two hours of Lost every Thursday now - those pop-up video episodes ABC showed before the strike really got us into the habit, and I love it. It's like a Lost movie every week.
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5-01-2008 @ 4:31PM
Laura said...
grey's is it for me. it started off slow this season, then got a bit better, but now that it came back i realized i still had the bad test in my mouth from the previous season and so I just watched the new eppy from last week yesterday...which i would have devoured immediately if there hadn't been the momentum killer that the strike was.
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5-01-2008 @ 4:41PM
debi said...
I havent gone back to Desperate Housewives and Reaper. And not sure next year if I'll watch Dirty Sexy Money and Chuck anymore.
Though I still watch as much tv, I just added some cable shows like Ax Men, Deadliest Catch, and Ghost Hunters.
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5-03-2008 @ 2:11PM
Kelvin said...
Despeerate Housewives is getting better the first 2 post-strike episodes really SUCKED but last weeks episode felt good again its really getting better
5-01-2008 @ 5:01PM
JW said...
I think the big 3 have gotten me to rethink channels such as HBO and Showtime, well actually CBS is showing season one of Dexter, so I have to catch season two "on demand" and then I think I will start watching Showtime more. Flight of the Conchords is on HBO, but that is during the summer. The only primetime shows I watch now is House, Smallville, and Grey's Anatomy; some times the three CSI's if I don't forget about them.
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5-01-2008 @ 5:05PM
Memphish said...
I stopped watching Reaper and I'm not sure I'll pick back up in the fall with Dirty, Sexy Money or even Heroes or Pushing Daisies. Moreover, I stopped watching every show but LOST when it actually airs. Everything is going on to the DVR and being watched at my schedule, not the networks'.
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