It's not the most encouraging news about the long-term potential of the show, but at least Whedonites can rest assured that FOX will honor the entire 13-episode commitment they made to Dollhouse. Scheduling guru Preston Beckman said, "During [November] sweeps we might have to jack up the numbers a little [with other programming], but we plan on completing the order for this show."Which means if they haven't already decided to yank the show for sweeps period, then they're about to. It doesn't bode well for the series at all, though it's still too early to say if the respectable DVR figures will help things at all. DVR usage is at an all time high, and Dollhouse leads DVR usage, increasing its demo ratings by a whopping 50% (still only to a 1.5).
It's a big deal but I still don't think networks know what to do with DVR numbers. Many of those viewers are skipping commercials, so it may not matter in that sense. But it's telling that the Friday shows are the most DVR'd. It's a sign that their fans want to watch these shows, just not on Friday night.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-13-2009 @ 11:37AM
Eric H said...
Too bad they didn't just keep Terminator on.
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10-13-2009 @ 12:07PM
khamel said...
this show is so getting canceled. i've watched every episode (even the reboot episode) and these comments are the nail in the coffin. fox is trying to avoid another nerd riot by airing all contracted episodes but unless it gets way better or the ratings improve dramatically dollhouse will be done at the end of this run.
its just not that good. other whedon shows may have been great and unfairly canceled but dollhouse has been half baked from the start and no amount of dushku skin can change that (although i'll watch if they try).
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10-13-2009 @ 12:08PM
MCW said...
I DVR it now. Usually by Friday night, my DVR is full, thanks to Thursday blowout shenanigans (Thursday is TV's version of Tuesdays for DVD/Video game releases). So, I try to work through Thursday's crap first... which often includes Fringe & maybe FlashForward if it somehow doesn't conflict with Parks & Rec on top of that.
Wouldn't make any sense to run half a season... glad they're going to show it all. And I expect a theater-released film to cap it off.
"Many of those viewers are skipping commercials..."
The DVR's best purpose is fast forwarding through every commercial... if you didn't, what would be the point of having it?!
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10-13-2009 @ 12:35PM
Ryan said...
I'm just glad they are committing to airing all 13 episode and that Joss Whedon has enough time to put some sort of closure in the 13th episode.
Seriously, based on the ratings, this was probably the best-case scenario.
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10-13-2009 @ 2:54PM
Ian said...
What next? Perhaps they will yank Firefly and play what eps they do out of sequence so people get really confused.
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10-13-2009 @ 3:01PM
Gina said...
My questions is why did Whedon even bring this to FOX. They suck for new programming. He should have went to cable maybe SCI-Fi (or syfy or whatever). They would have at least given it a chance.
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10-13-2009 @ 6:59PM
Michael said...
It wasn't really that Joss went to FOX; rather, Eliza Dushku came to Joss. She had a development contract with FOX to produce and star in a new series, but didn't have a pitch. As the story goes, she met Joss for lunch one day to discuss her career and what her new show should be. Over the course of the lunch, Joss came up with the Dollhouse concept and she convinced him to come onboard to run the show.
10-13-2009 @ 7:24PM
RobynM said...
Well, considering that according to my Dish listings Dollhouse isn't going to be on this week, it sounds like the preemptions have already begun.
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10-13-2009 @ 8:30PM
Dave said...
Uh, that wouldn't by chance be because of the MLB playoffs, right?
If so, that's NOT "pre-empting", it's normal scheduling. Jeez.
10-14-2009 @ 3:58AM
RobynM said...
Sorry, if it's not on due to a special event, it's pre-empted.
And just for the record, I'm completely sport-oblivious, so your assumption that I'd know the playoffs were going on is severely in error.
(To head off "you should've seen it on the schedule", I don't watch Network television in the afternoons and the game's expected to be over before prime time starts in my market, so no, I didn't.)
Bringing this back to topic, Dollhouse isn't going to be on this week, and Fox has already said it's most likely getting pre-empted during sweeps next month as well. Add "we promise we'll show all of them" to that, and the writing's pretty much on the wall.