NBC Universal has issued a press release touting the successes of the Sci Fi Channel over the summer. According to the numbers, the lineup of original programming led to the most watched summer the network has ever enjoyed. Among the highlights are Eureka, with 3.4 million viewers, which is the best performance for the show since it premiered in 2006. Ghost Hunters International checked in with 2.4 million. Scare Tactics and the Saturday original movies both impressed with averages of 2 million viewers.
That's good news, but the more interesting bit might be two shows that are missing from the list. In a PR age where any show can have its numbers spun in a positive way, even if it means being the number one show on Wednesday nights among diabetic albinos with anger management issues, there is always a way to spin it. Yet, there is oddly no mention of either Stargate Atlantis or The ECW in this release. Curious. I suspect Atlantis was left out so as not to fan the flames of the cancellation controversy. Why hand your most ardent critics ammunition? The ECW? I take that as a nod that everyone, even those at the network, realizes just how ridiculous it is to program that show on that channel.
[via Morjana]
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-04-2008 @ 9:47AM
Morjana Coffman said...
First, thank you for the link! Woo-hoo!
Secondly...I was also curious as to why no mention of Stargate Atlantis. SGA's ratings are UP this year compared to last season.
I would hope by this time the SciFi Channel is sufficiently embarrassed they have ECW on their channel.
Reply
9-04-2008 @ 11:08AM
Eric J. said...
Maybe they can use some of that success and confidence to find something that would pair really well with Eureka. Something like... The Middleman?
Reply
9-05-2008 @ 4:12PM
nattyff said...
That's such a good idea!!! i love the show and i really don't whant to see it cancelled.
9-04-2008 @ 11:27AM
Morjana Coffman said...
Just for info, the ratings for Stargate Atlantis' season five on the SciFi Channel, through 'The Shrine.':
Search and Rescue - 1.7 (2.4 Million viewers)
The Seed - 1.5 (2.1 Million viewers)
Broken Ties - 1.6 (2.1 Million viewers)
The Daedalus Variations - 1.6 (2.2 Million viewers)
Ghost in the Machine - 1.5 (1.9 Million viewers)
*All above are Live + 7*
The Shrine - 1.2 HH rating for Live + Same day.
Reply
9-04-2008 @ 11:50AM
0megapart!cle said...
The Middleman is shit. Sorry for the language, but there is no other word to describe the ridiculously low level of quality. It is embarrassingly bad for ABC Family, and it would be even worse on Scifi.
Eureka news is good, I guess. The show's last two seasons are so much worse than the first stellar season.
Reply
9-04-2008 @ 2:39PM
bd said...
You're wrong.
9-05-2008 @ 9:35AM
Ras Thavas said...
The Middleman is a great show. You do realize that it is supposed to be tongue in cheek humor, right?
9-05-2008 @ 4:14PM
nattyff said...
tha't the point of the show, and is a great one.
9-08-2008 @ 8:07AM
0megapart!cle said...
Maybe the show would be better if it had a decent budget, or if the scripts were written beyond a sixth grade mentality. Or if they cut about half of the cliches out of the dialogue. But they don't, and they won't. Shows like this should be canceled, so there is money available for shows like Journeyman, Arrested Development, Firefly, even Studio 60 (which gradually improved as the season developed, and had more wit and grace at its worst moment than Middleman will have at its best)
9-04-2008 @ 1:04PM
Jeff N. said...
I watch Sci-Fi Channel more because I now receive it in HD on DirecTV.
Reply
9-04-2008 @ 1:19PM
Tammy said...
I love Eureka so this is fantastic news. I'm your typical SciFi watcher but I like shows like Northern Exposure and Gilmore Girls... meaning I love quirky town shows with lots of odd characters that's got alot of humor to them. So thankfully when TVS kept telling me how good Eureka was, I watched it. :)
Reply
9-05-2008 @ 1:05AM
Usama said...
SGA and Battlestar are the only thing I watch on SciFi. As soon as that ends I'll probably stop watching that network. I may or may not give Stargate Universe a try, I'm pretty upset at SciFi so I'm willing to ignore another spinoff for it.
Reply
9-05-2008 @ 7:49AM
Xboxbydegrees said...
What about Ghost Hunters? It is a lot better than GHI.
Reply
9-05-2008 @ 4:57PM
RetUSMCGunny said...
Most of the shows on SciFi are generic and cliche ridden in my view. The only real "viewing" they get from me (with the exception of a few episodes of Eureka) would be Twilight Zone or Star Trek TNG reruns. What galls me is ECW and that crap SCARE TACTICS - SPARE ME!
Reply