You know the one I'm talking about. After the writers strike ended last year in February, most of the networks made the interesting decision to just go ahead and shelve most of their freshmen series for the season, even if they'd picked up their "back nine" orders. Instead, they thought they'd launch the shows to big fanfare this fall, almost as if they were new again. Unfortunately, it looks like this plan backfired on them tremendously.Across the board, those sophomore series that went on hiatus for more than six months are way down in the ratings. Apparently, absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder when it comes to the television landscape. It makes the instant gratification generation forget you existed. And stop caring.
Dirty Sexy Money, Chuck, Life and Lipstick Jungle are all off over a million viewers from their last season averages while Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles bled more than two million viewers. In the three million club, or near it, are Pushing Daisies and Private Practice. Even established shows like Heroes, which took a long break, are down as well. Of course, in the case of Heroes, it doesn't help that last year's mini-season was widely panned, and rightly so.
The contrast is that the shows that did come back post-strike, like The Big Bang Theory and Gossip Girl, are rebounding nicely in their second years. Now, I'd like to say that it's simply a matter of the cream rising to the top, but that's just not fair to some of those other shows. As much as I hate prime-time dramas of the rich and fabulous, I found myself bizarrely sucked into the decadent world of the Darlings last year on Dirty Sexy Money, even though it only had a ten episode run. I'm more than capable of remembering what happened December 5, 2007 when last it aired. And I thought the show came back just as strong as ever. So what happened to a million people who loved it last year?
Sarah Connor and Heroes are vastly improved from their runs last year, and yet where are those viewers? Are people just watching less TV, which has been the long-running question the past several seasons, or just less network TV?
I'm not from the "internet, iPhone, texting" generation. I'm from a time that when you were a kid and you moved away, and saying goodbye to your friends meant really saying goodbye. Not, "I'll text you later" or "I'll IM you," because we didn't have cell phones or computers or any of that stuff. The world was much more isolated, so we "got together" in the collective world of our television shows.
Or maybe they're all watching TV online these days. I certainly stream nearly as much TV as I do catching it on my tube. And I watch just about 100% of my programming via my DVR. So is it just another sign of the changing landscape of television viewing habits, or another nail in the coffin of the networks? With ratings declines year after year one has to wonder if there will come a time when traditional free TV will call it a night and pack it in.
Did you watch any of these shows last year and then drop them? Why? Is it because you found other shows to love and just moved on? Lost interest? Forgot about them? Got a boyfriend/girlfriend? Started working in television and stopped watching it?















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-05-2008 @ 9:53AM
Adam said...
I'll admit I'm part of that online-watching problem. Hulu has made this much easier, and I'm not able to watch TV most nights either from class or work or whatever. So while I watch Chuck and Sarah Connor, I'm not contributing to the ratings.
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10-05-2008 @ 10:14AM
Cyantre said...
I think the reason Terminator: Teh Sarah Conner Chronicles ratings are down is because there is just SO MUCH ON MONDAY NIGHT. Seriously, if they moved the night to Tuesday and paired it with Fringe, I guarantee the ratings would improve.
I still watch, but only because I have a DVR.
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10-05-2008 @ 10:16AM
Christopher said...
I watch all the shows i was watching last year, (about two or three per night) but i use my DVR now and catch up later in the week. i thought that the ratings were tracking DVR viewing now as well, is that not the case?
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10-05-2008 @ 10:18AM
Kristina said...
I still watch Sarah Connor live but since I'm not a Neilsen family it doesn't get counted, But since I enjoy the show show much I also catch it later in the week again on the Fox website or Hulu. I tend to catch all other shows online at Hulu.com or the network sites. Shows like Supernatural, Chuck and Heroes I've only watched these show via my computer, never live.
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10-05-2008 @ 10:21AM
Jim said...
There is loads on on Monday night.
Personally I refuse to watch Fox after they cancelled Arrested Development, so I download all their shows - and it's such a better way to watch TV I know do it for everything!
But the TV landscape looks poor this year. Only House has my attention (until 24 returns), and from a comedy POV Sunny in Philly and South Park (next week! Yay!). The Office and 30 Rock... just ain't a patch on AD.
Apart from that, as a non-watcher of reality TV, there's little on the box for me nowadays.
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10-05-2008 @ 10:37AM
genpubdc said...
Couple of things:
I think networks are shooting themselves in the foot when they start the season so late. Yes, I know they traditionally like to wait until after the Emmys, but starting the season at the end of September is a problem when I've been looking forward to new tv shows for weeks.
I think some of these shows should be on the summer (like DSM). I think it would be a marvelous summer show and would break up the boredom of all reality all the time. Mad Men is a fabulous summer show (that moves into fall), I can't see why DSM couldn't do the same.
One of the consequences of fall season starting so late is that we have fictional shows competing with the real life drama of this political race. I actually am watching the debates and daily show and colbert every single time they are aired (and I may start watching letterman again). That's a lot of tv that isn't new offerings from the networks.
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10-05-2008 @ 11:12AM
Patricia said...
I think not repeating these series before the start of the new season hurt. I didn't catch the last few episodes of Dirty, Sexy Money, I just didn't ave time over the summer to download and watch the episodes so I have no real carry over. Same with Provate Practice. Even though I did DVR those shows last week they are at the bottom of the list for watching. Of the shows that aborted their season because of the writer's strike the only one I am really into is Pushing Daisies. Even with my limited time and a DVR with a bunch of shows to watch I'd rather watch that show again (and a third time just to catch all the delicious lines that come out of it).
If all of these shows are having ratings problems then it's because of them not rerunning them to try to get the momentum going again.
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10-05-2008 @ 11:31AM
Diane said...
I am watching most of the returning shows that I watched last year: Big Bang Theroy, D$M, Lipstick Jungle and Life (which has been awesome). There is always a ton of new shows that get recorded on my DVR, esp at the start of the new season to watch when I'm ready to tune in. But slowly but surely I get bored and just weed them out.
Its hard to really invest in a show these days because you never know when the network brass will randomly cancel your show that is so must see. I hope my shows make it!
I think the Neilsons are bogus and everything should be revamped.
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10-05-2008 @ 11:28AM
GL said...
A long hiatus always makes it hard for me to get back into a show. The logjam on Monday doesn't help.
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10-05-2008 @ 12:02PM
C C said...
It isn't just the long hiatuses caused by the writers' strike-there are other reasons for the ratings dip some shows are experiencing. First, last season's crop of new shows was not that strong. I do like Chuck and Life, but they don't appeal to a broad audience. Same with Pushing Daisies-it's quirkiness prevents it from really connecting with the masses (on top of that I think it's ridiculously overrated). Dirty Sexy Money and Lipstick Jungle shouldn't have even been renewed (though DSM does have some kind of audience, go figure). And ABC was pushing their luck with a Grey's Anatomy spinoff.
Second, the networks' scheduling has left something to be desired. For instance, Fox absolutely shouldn't have put House at 8:00 Tuesdays, up against NCIS. I know they wanted to give Fringe a solid lead-in, but House is not an 8:00 show. A lot of people are unhappy Fox split up the Bones/House combo they had last season on Mondays.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, is the effect that these difficult economic times are having on tv viewing habits. People don't want anything innovative or complex; they want comfort food. This is why the CBS line-up overall, with it's CSI's and other procedurals, has seen a ratings boost while the other networks are struggling.
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10-05-2008 @ 12:09PM
angel said...
Im the opposite of some, I didnt get into CHUCK until the show was repeated on Sat. night recently. I am more a PRISON BREAK fan and CHUCK interfered with that. Ill DVR P.B. now and watch HEROS, which leaves Chuck my go to guy on Monday nights. Like Big Bang also tho..ugh this is hard..lol
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10-05-2008 @ 12:58PM
Scott H said...
Having "Chuck", "Big Bang Theory", and "Sarah Connor" on in the same timeslot is ridiculous. It's the only time I need both TiVos and my VCR to get everything. And I don't like watching shows on my computer if they're available off the air on my TV. I also don't trust NBC to continue offering "Chuck" reruns on Saturdays.
"Chuck" has come back stronger than ever. "Sarah Connor" is also picking up where it left off. As for "Big Bang", I can't say yet--watching shows off videotape just isn't part of my routine anymore. I hope to get to it soon.
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10-05-2008 @ 12:47PM
Derek said...
DVR viewership doesn't count (for the most part), and more people have DVRs. A good chunk of them are also waiting for the DVD at the end of the season. Throw in Hulu, BitTorrent, and other sources, and that's why the ratings are down.
Seriously, who watches TV shows live anymore?
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10-05-2008 @ 2:34PM
Wii60 said...
I just can't bring myself to watch live anymore. The quality of Bittorrent is so much better.
I'm not going to apologize for it either, I have the means to not watch commercials and get the show in a better quality, so I will.
10-05-2008 @ 12:52PM
kmuschal said...
I eagerly look forward each week to watching the Sarah Connor Chronicles. I usually watch it on TV, but sometimes just record it for viewing when I have a bit more time. I agree with a previous commenter who said that repeating the series from last season hurt the overall ratings this season, and too much time passed between the last show of the interrupted season and the start of the new one. If the networks had run some marathon-style opportunities for people to catch up on the series--or to catch new viewers who don't want to invest in the second season because they hadn't seen the first yet--I suspect the ratings would be much higher.
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10-05-2008 @ 12:53PM
Jimmy said...
Chuck has aired once, and it was up against Big Bang Theory, which is a better show, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are always a big draw on Monday Night Football. That said, I DVR'd the first episode but haven't gotten around to watching it yet. I think I got tired of the premise after one season.
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10-06-2008 @ 11:50AM
Oneiroi said...
Oh I vehemently disagree. Someone tried to get me to switch to Bing Bang theory from Chuck, and the laugh track killed it for me instantly, and it seems a rather normal sitcom despite the nerdy jokes.
10-05-2008 @ 1:05PM
Rebecca said...
I liked Chuck, but I liked Gossip Girl better so I watch that. (I liked Reaper better of the supposedly nerdy guy who gets drafted into hero stuff shows.) I didn't know that Chuck repeated on Saturdays. I might watch it there now. I love Daisys. I hope it finds the audience it deserves. It's a terrific show. I'm watching Heroes, but I don't love it the way I did the first year. I'm sick of whiny Claire and stupid himbos Peter and Mohinder. And I cringe when likable, but increasingly dumb, Hiro is on the screen this year too. I'm starting to root for Sylar!
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10-05-2008 @ 1:56PM
Joel said...
I love Life!! It is a fantastic show with two fantadstic leads. The problem is there are so many new episodes(on Mondays and Fridays) that it's hard to keep up. Since it's a serial you need to watch them in order. Thank God for giving me a dvr. NBC has them on their website so if you miss it on tv you can get it there. The ratings should reflect this. I feel the problem is that the "rating" only accounts for people who watch the show at that particular time. Does anyone know how shows like South Park and The Shield do over the course of a week, since the new episode is aired multiple times per week?
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10-05-2008 @ 1:59PM
danawhitaker said...
I quit watching Heroes because I got bored with it. The hiatus only exacerbated that. On top of the boredom, I was angry that they hadn't decided to come back post-strike like all the other established shows. I wasn't too upset with Private Practice (which I still watch) because it was in its first season. The newest shows are always going to be strongly affected by things like that.
I felt that they (Heroes) were shooting themselves in the foot by rushing the storyline, acting like the strike might last for years, and pushing us way too fast down a path that wasn't terribly interesting in the first place. I had an argument/discussion the other night about this, and someone said to me that Heroes may have been way too big to shut production down on and then crank back up, unlike the medical dramas and serial crime dramas where there aren't a ton of special effects involved. Perhaps. But I don't buy that explanation entirely. Every other established show i watched came back.
So that, combined with indifference toward the show - I forgot what happened in the S2 finale within a few days of watching it, and didn't think about it again until....July - means I'm not going to watch anymore. That's an extra hour each week in my life I have to play Pogo, or watch something that really interests me. I had similar feelings after the S1 finale, but the lack of time and distance meant it came back to Gibbs-whack me on the head that much faster. This time, I was already engrossed in Bones, and House, and Eureka (which I had picked up over the summer), as well as Stargate Atlantis. And I was waiting for the rest of my stuff to premiere too.
I've been told that the story is getting interesting again, and that they're fixing a lot of the stuff from last year...but much like one of those relationships where you break up, come back, break up, come back...I've hit a point where I just don't care anymore. I've been burned twice now (I also quit watching between S1 and S2 but had friends convince me to start up again). The relationship is not worth the investment.
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