UPDATE: Friday Night Lights has been picked up by DirecTV and NBC through the 2010-11 Season.
A cult fan and critic darling last season, but not a viewer favorite [#133 in HHs, and #127 in 18-49 viewers], NBC’s Friday Night Lights [Friday 9PM Eastern] returned this season hoping to build its viewership.
Once again we ask, Renew or Cancel?
Friday Night Light’s Rank among NBC Shows, All Shows
| Date | Viewer Rank among NBC Shows | Viewer Rank among all Shows |
|---|---|---|
| 10/5 | #19 of 23 | #68 of 234 |
| 10/12 | #19 of 23 | #77 of 226 |
| 10/19 | #20 of 24 | #79 of 226 |
| 10/26 | #18 of 22 | #79 of 225 |
This season, Friday Night Lights has typically finished at the bottom of all non-rerun NBC shows. Among all broadcast shows, it has typically finished behind every ABC, CBS, and Fox first run shows with the exception of Next Great American Band. It has regularly been beating CW shows.
How is it doing against its competition on Wednesday?
Friday Night Light’s Viewership and Rankings for its 9PM Friday Timeslot.
| Date | Viewers (Rank) | Adults 18-49 (Rank) | Adults 18-34 (Rank) | Adults 25-54 (Rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/5 | 6.37m (2) | 2.78m (2) | 1.04m (3) | 3.03m (2) |
| 10/12 | 5.46m (4) | 2.27m (5) | 0.93m (4) | 2.75m (4) |
| 10/19 | 5.37m (3) | 2.47m (4) | 0.92m (2) | 2.83m (3) |
| 10/26* | 5.27m (4) | 2.15m (4) | 0.87m (3) | 2.29m (4) |
| 11/2** | 5.45m |
Friday Night Lights audience started low and has continued to drift downward in all demo categories.
It consistently finishes behind ABC’s Women’s Murder Club and CBS’s Moonlighting in all categories, and behind Univision’s Destilando Amor in the youth demos.
Friday Night Light’s Lead-In Audience Lost from Deal or No Deal
| Date | Lead-In Audience Lost |
|---|---|
| 10/5 | -24% |
| 10/12 | -46% |
| 10/19 | -41% |
| 10/26* | -49% |
| 11/2** | -41% |
Friday Night Lights follows one of NBC’s biggest shows, Deal or No Deal, but, except for the debut week, almost half the audience tunes out before watching.
Conclusions
Negatives
- NBC’s lowest rated first run timeslot.
- Nearly the lowest rated show among all ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox shows.
- Audience still trending down in all demographic categories.
- Consistently finishes 3rd or 4th in all demo categories vs. its timeslot competition.
Positives
- Whatever caused NBC to renew it after the end of last season.
Verdict: Turn out the lights. Solid Cancel.
The writers strike begins on 11/5. I would not expect FNL to return after all its available episodes are telecast.
Wondering about other shows? Check our all our Renew or Cancel? posts.
________________________________________________________
*Live, all other data is Live+SD
** From Fast Overnight Data
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2007 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
its a great show. i wish CW could buy it out and continue it. Would be good ratings for them. is that even poss?
people need to tune in
It is definitely possible that the show could move to a cable net. More likely that happens with a “friendly” network, ala Law & Order:CI’s move to USA.
It’s a good show and should stay on the air somewhere. It is on a terrible night in a terrible time slot.
I am praying that if it is canceled by NBC, USA or the CW picks it up. It would do great on the CW.
Renew. Simple as that. But it needs a better time slot..It looks like Journeyman won’t be around much longer with the ratings its getting which is a shame, but perhaps FNL can take mondays at 10pm..
FNL is geard to a certain demographic – I have tried to get into it, but I find it a little boring because it is totally focused on football and little else. The people always seem to be under so much angst. It would do better on the CW network or Family network. It is definitely a teenage drama.
It’s a football show – why run it on Friday’s nites when high school football is being played.
I’m with Frank — other than having Friday in it’s name because its a show about High School football on Fridays, I do not think it’s a good idea to actually compete with High School football!
Moving the night it airs is probably a good idea, but I think the show needs to be on either at 8p or 9p. Since it skews young, airing it at 10p might be too late.
Friday and Saturday prime time is like the kiss of death to any show. Maybe put it on before football on Sunday and cut out Keith Olbermann from the pre game.
Ouch. I thought FNL’s English-language win among adults 18-34 on 10/19 might be a sign that it’s doing OK (it was only beaten by Univision on that night, according to a recent Mediaweek article). But if it was #3 the following week, that’s definitely NOT good.
Another timeslot probably wouldn’t help. It’s already been tried on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. One episode last year aired on Mondays at 10 after “Heroes” and didn’t do any better than usual. Why put it back there again?
The problem with moving FNL to another channel: Other channels pick up new shows in the hopes they’ll be HUGE hits. FNL has pretty much proven it has a ceiling of 5 or 6 million. Shows that move networks almost always fall in the ratings (”JAG” might be the one exception). Moving to cable means a BIG drop in ratings. USA would rather spend its money on a new show hoping it’ll get the blockbuster (by cable standards) ratings of “Burn Notice” or the first year of “The 4400.” The only reason “L&O: CI” moved is because producer Dick Wolf has tons of power, plus he slashed the budget.
I don’t spend much of my time watching TV. However, I do make time for this show. I agree with what several other people have said about it’s current time slot. I have to believe that the people that would watch this show are in attendance of their local high school’s football game and therefore are missing this excellent show. I have a DVR so I record it and watch it the next night. Pick a new night or maybe start tracking the DVR viewership–maybe more people are recording it and watching at another time versus watching at it’s normal time.
I don’t mean to be defeatist, but I’ve been interested in this show, but decided not to watch it because its ratings were so low. I’ve got my heart broken too many times with getting really into ‘fan favorite’ shows that eventually get axed by the networks (sniff sniff Veronica Mars). I might check it out on dvd, but unless it seems it’s going to get picked up again, I’m not going to waste my time.
I know what you mean, Mandi. I didn’t get into this show until they reran some episodes in the summer. I bought the DVD and fell in love with it, knowing that it was ratings challenged. Though, I’ve been through it many times before (Felicity, Reunion, American Dreams), it is always very painful when favorite shows get canceled. That said, I am still glad I watched it and urge you to try it out because it is a great show if you like realistic drama.
To address someone else’s point about a move to cable. If 3-4 million followed the show to cable, it would be considered a huge hit. Tell Me You Love Me gets under 1 million viewers, but was still renewed for a second season by HBO. It’s rare that a cable show draws 10 million +. I think CW might be the best move though.
Why is Wednesday a bad night? A lot of highly rated shows are on Wednesday. It’s not the night or time slot–is it that people can’t figure out why a show called “Friday Night” is broadcast on a Wednesday? I think it should move to Fridays at 8–on Fox. It couldn’t possibly do worse in that slot on that network than Next Great American Band is doing.
FNL is a great show. I know a lot of people that watch it and are as addicted to it as we are. Perhaps with the use of DVRs (which is what we use), ratings just aren’t accurate. I really hope they don’t cancel it.
I agree a lot with several of the other comments above. FNL is a great drama. It’s hard to understand why I watch it, since I haven’t been in High School since 1995, but it’s well written and lures you in each week with a myriad of plot twists. Also, I have to agree with Mike and Jen about the DVR usage and other commenters about the bad time slot on Fridays. I record it each week and almost always watch it another night, so maybe the ratings are understated. Although the show’s name makes you think Friday would be the right night to air, I think it’s a poor choice if they hope to boost ratings. Really hope it doesn’t get cancelled, because it’s a great show (one of my favorites) and I only watch a few network programs a week.
WHY don’t people watch this show??? It’s GREAT! I can’t believe that people continue to watch Moonlight (which has horrible acting) over FNL. SAVE THIS SHOW!!!
This is such a great show and it is a damn shame that people aren’t watching it! I will be SO disappointed if they take it off the air!!
Look NBC has to show something in this time slot so why not Friday Night Lights. It is easily one of the least expensive shows produced for television with it’s local, non-union crew and location shoots.
Whatever they replace it with will cost them more money so it makes no sense.
And for those of you that comment about the show being solely about football you could not be more wrong and obviously you seldom watch it.
I really think that this shows ratings cannot be accurate. I have not yet met someone that does not love this show from my friends (late 40’s) to my son friends (19-40) and his co workers. Also, when I had surgery all the hospital personnel I taked to loved it as well. I take it and my son and I watch it later when time allows. This show, the Office, Chuck and Heroes are the only must see shows in our house.
Best show we have ever watched, if it gets cancelled we will be devastated. Put it on Thursday between Earl/Office and ER.
have never seen Friday Nigh Lights but have enjoyed Kyle Chandler in Early Edition and a show that he did on ABC early on in his career!
Understand it’s a good show and a favorite or the critics!
They should put this show on Wednesday’s. Nothing that great on. If they take it off it will not be the first time that I have been disappointed. Save The show.
It’s a horrible show. Actually I find it unwatchable because of its intentionally crappy camera work.
I find watching a home video more interesting cinematically than FNL.
I think the ratings show I’m not the only one who thinks that.
NBC made a horrible mistake renewing it – probably because they were hoping the hype would grow the ratings, it didn’t!.
It was always low-rated and audiences don’t like badly-made shows. It’s really that simple.
If NBC found it in its brain to forbid any more shakycam on its shows, its ratings would take a turn for the better.
Quality pays off and FNL is the opposite of cinematic quality.
It would be great if a cable network would pick this show up. I think it is too good of a show not to pick up by someone else. love the way it is shot it gives it a more realistic feel. I don’t see how anyone who has seen the show would think it was bad?
Do people really stay home to watch TV anymore? It seems outdated to measure the success of a program by the viewers of a certain time in this era of Tivo and the Internet. I never watched this program until I found it on the Internet during the holidays, where I was able to watch all the episodes back to the beginning of season 1. I really enjoy it and hope it is renewed.
Aeleranne, the folks who write and frequent this site are not typical. Only 20% of homes have DVRs in them, and this season about 9% of broadcast primetime viewing has been by DVR.
I *never* watch live TV except sporting events, but the vast majority of Americans still watch TV live today.
Well Susan, Ill be argumentative and I hope you won’t mind, but I don’t think shaking the camera makes a show look real in any way shape or form. Rather, I think it makes you aware that there is an operator shaking the camera for no particular reason.
Personally, I find that the lowest quality you can get to when it comes to direction, and overall makes it pretty much unwatchable.
Essentially, to watch it, you have to train your brain to ignore the camera direction, which is the antithesis of good directing.
I think that if the writers strike wraps up, NBC should finish the 22 episodes so that if they decide to cancel it, then the fans would at least have some closure on the storyline. After all, if it is an inexpensive show to make, what is there to lose? Nothing worse than leaving the fans hanging. It’s happened too many times. The cast and crew of FNL should be proud – it’s the best drama I’ve come across for a while, and I am not a teenager either. Get back to production and see out the 22 episodes that were orginally planned NBC!!!
Lee Robinson….excellent idea, NBC should at least have the decency to give us the rest of the season….then another network can pick it up next year.
And I think I’ve figured out who Rena Moretti is. It’s actually Ben Silverman. Who else would continuously return to a site of a show they hated to tell all the people who love it not to? Give it up Ben, it’s not working
this is one if not the only show on TV that is original, touching and a true dam good series!
The chacters and story lines are true and If this show goes then I hope another Network takes it on, with some off the shows on the CW bringin in 1.9 mil an ep why are they gettin a 2nd season?
I want more FNL a few more seasons!!!!
Clear eyes Full Hearts Cant Lose?
Does NBC have full A Heart?
this is a wonderful show. I love it!
if its not doing well move it to a different day… i mean not alot of people are home on a friday nite!!
luv luv luv this show. it rules.
move it to a week day OTHER than friday, no ones home friday nite!
Glad to see all the supporters. That Rena lady is the only one that is negitive. She must work for Nielson or something. She probably hated Sienfeld too. ….. anyhow, I hope NBC renews, they don’t have good rating no matter what anyways so why not keep a quality show. Im not a Teenager either and my wife and I both love it. We hope for a season 3. Someone should set up a http://www.safefridaynightlights.com site.. lets get it back like they did with Jericho.
THERE ACTUALLY IS A http://www.safefridaynightlights.com check it out everyone sign away.
Remember when they sent Nuts to save Jerhico… well now you can send Footballs to save Friday night lights. Check out this site..
http://www.safefridaynightlights.tv
NBC is said to be working to renew Friday Night Lights for a third season, but nothing is certain. They are trying to squeeze more profit out of the show, possibly by repositioning it with reruns on its cable affilitates (USA Network). This is the same structure they used to renew Law and Order Criminal Intent last year. While the ratings are probably the lowest of any of NBC’s regular series, the demographics (young,wealthy, educated viewers) of the show appear to make it at least marginally profitable for NBC to pursue renewal. I am crossing my fingers. Importantly, NBC did not bill last week’s show as any kind of “finale.”
I am still perplexed why the numbers for the show last week were so bad, after the previous week’s numbers were decent.
I am very upset of the possibilty of the cancellation of FNL. NBC would be remiss to let this show go, great actors, excellent story line, realistic of sports and family life. Don’t cancel the show !!!
I don’t know a blessed thing about football. But FNL is a show I wait for week after week. My computer wallpaper has the “Clear eyes…” slogan. But I’ll be darned if I can figure out how to sign the petition to keep it on the air. There doesn’t seem to be anything to click on in the websites mentioned. Oh well. Let’s hope NBC gets the message anyway.
MUST READ!! FOR THE FANS!!!!
CLICK LINK FOR ARTICLE
http://tv.yahoo.com/show/38958/news/urn:newsml:eonlinekristen.com:20080221:TV-1c08b4f4f7a74fafebccbfc573c2645b
Please save this show by me having teenagers, 1 a cheerleader and 1 a very promising starting Q B I can relate 1005 to this exciting show it needs to be saved.
nothing really anybody can do at this point. say what you want about nbc giving it the friday death slot, but it got a respectable lead-in from deal or no deal and blew it. now, deal or no deal is a mindless show that a trained ape could follow, and it doesnt exactly with flow with something as intelligent and unique as friday night lights, but losing audience is losing audience no matter how you spin it.
since the show is fairly cheap to produce and it does have a bunch of critical acclaim, there is got to be solid hope that it will catch on on cable next season. youd have to figure that it will average 3 million viewers or so on usa or something, which if production costs and everything work out, could make a profit for universal and keep the show on the air.
but its got to be done on nbc. as much as i like the show, tv is a business. friday nights are pretty much over in terms of original scripted programming. it will turn into game show and news magazine night next year. and look, amensia did better than friday night lights. yes, its a head scratcher considering the differences in quality, but business is business and money is money. such is life.
Thanks for posting that link. Great news if FNL gets saved and potentially longetivity for the series. I hope its true. Great show. It has very little to do with actually playing football and much more to do with the difficulties of living in a football crazed community, as well as the difficulties of raising a family and the problems facing teenagers.
FNL is a great show that should not be cancelled. There is so much drivel on TV that really needs to be axed, but FNL is not one of them. One reason people do not watch the show (I think) is that the characters are difficult to sort out on the first viewing. Perhaps a show that would re-introduce the main characters without throwing them at the viewer all at once.
I guess if you want to kill a show then you put it in a time slot when all of it’s potential viewers will be somehwere else. It doesn’t take to much of a brain child to figure that out.
They Need to bring it back there are alot of people that watched it and yes they did have a point maybe not play it on a night that they have football games or on a weekend play it in the middle of the week Just please renew it every show i start watching you all have to take them away…..
I actually became a fan of the show when it aired on BRAVO as a marathon for the first season after XMAS break. I was hooked from the start. It’s a great show but I think time slot of 9:00 on a Friday night is awful—I liked it better on Wednesdays @ 8:00. The only route on the show I don’t really care for this season is what Lyla is like now & that Matt & Julie aren’t together.
I cannot believe FNL is being canceled!!!It is a great show in a screwed up time slot. I am in my mid 50’s and love the show. I generally go out on Friday’s but I stay home so I do not miss this show. Yes, I could tape it but I don’t. I have not stayed home to view a t.v. program since Dallas. That should tell the nitwits that make the decisions on what stays and what goes think twice.Good lord get rid of Trump and keep Friday Night Lights.
I just started watching this show during season two. I caught season one from NBC.com because its a great way to watch the show when you have time plus there are only like a few commericals compared to the twenty minutes they show if you actually watched it on TV. I think any show on Friday and Saturday night is going to do poorly because people go out on those nights and do not sit at home to watch TV. Plus Sporting events will always win on friday and saturday no matter your age because high schools are played on friday nights or people watch and go to Pro Games. Hello TV executives. Oh yeah and im getting kind of sick of Reality TV. what happened to actually shows??????
The only good show on Tv all week.Nevr watch TV now,and that was the only time I really would stay home to watch.Please save and move to another time slot
Save the show!!! It rocks! Change the night it airs. Fridays people are busy.
FNL great show bad night! move it to another night? nbc pull your heads out of your butt you tell me that Trumps show is better!LOL i just love looking at that comb over hair dooooo and gene simmions hair. But this show on any other night and watch what happens? try it you might like it
Hey Kristy, don’t drag Moonlight into this. Just because your show is getting the ax doesn’t mean that Moonlight deserves to be hacked at. It comes down to what the majority of people want to watch. I’m not going to diss FNL just because it has potential Moonlight fans even though Moonlight is on the bubble.
Please don’t cancel FNL, it’s a great cast, the small town but big dreams story line shows winning attitudes and normal everyday challenges we all go through. I’m looking forward to the new season. Good stuff.
IF YOU TAKE FRIDAY NIGHTS OFF THE AIR, YOU WILL BE MAKING A VERY BIG MISTAKE. I’LL
BOYCOTT NBC AND ASK THE SAME OF ALL MY FRIENDS!!
I think it is disgusting. Finally, we have a decent show…but no the viewers would rather watch trash…reality shows
Addendum
The show is one of the best I have ever seen. I looked forward to the next week when it came on…Again, society ought to take a look at itself..when the trash outrules this
I am 49 years old and it might sound funny but it is one of my favorite shows……..it reminds a little of when I was in school while on the fooball team….so I think it should be picked up by someone……..even my wife likes the show
Let me just add that once again everytime a tv station airs a good show, they go and cancel it?? Why?? This show is awesome!!! and let me just say I speak for alot of people. It upsets us just to hear your gonna take it off regular tv. Please get your head back on stright nbc and put it back on for good!!! P/S I dont care what night its on, just show it!! DVR people. Record it!!
I can not believe this show has been cancled. Everyone I talk to has watched this show from the very first show. This show was real to life and connected with people of all ages. My son would record it and have the guys from his football team come over and watch it on the weekends. It really doesn’t matter what night it comes on just bring it back! This is a show we could not wait to sit down and watch every week. We loved it!
WTH? It’s not canceled. It’ll be back for a 13-episode third season on Oct. 1 on DirecTV, Channel 101. NBC is going to air the third season in February of 2009.
Jack, I modified the post so that hopefully that information would stand out more (it was there, but I guess people are missing it!).
Jack….you say it will be shown on 101 will it be free or do we have to pay for it ?
Let’s see, NBC moves Friday Night Lights to the night when the people who would most appreciate the show are where… at the high school football game!!! D@mn, NBC, what kind of logic is that?
this and Lost are the greatest shows on television!! please keep on 32 year old male BOSTON
Fabulous cast, fabulous story lines, has to be in a better time slot ! Please save this show!
After waiting patiently for FNL to come back after the writer’s strike, I have finally consulted the internet. I cannot believe that canceling the show is even considered. It was a resounding hit the first season, when it was televised on Wednesday. Moving the broadcast to Friday night when so many of the viewers are at football games was a terrible mistake. I am 54 years old and watch only three shows regularly without fail. “Medium”, “Friday Night Lights”, and “Cold Case”. I had begun to think of FNL as a modern day “Father Knows Best”. Kyle Chandler, besides being “eye candy” is an extremely talented actor. There were a few objectionable scenes, primarily because the networks don’t think they can make a series without sexual contact of the characters. Even so the content and the manner in which the modern day issues were resolved were believable and taught morals. The game shows and the reality shows are a complete waste of time. Please bring FNL back for those of us who enjoy acting. I am not sure what “101″ is or if I have it.
No matter how big I make the:
UPDATE: Friday Night Lights is returning first on DirecTV in October, 2008 and later on NBC
at the top of the page — people don’t see it. i guess it needs to be…bigger.
Please do not cancel. Me and my husband love this show. I have a few co workers that love it as well.
I love this show. My husband even likes the show, and he doesn't get into shows like this!!!
My whole family watches this show. We also DVR it and watch it either Sat morning or Sunday evening together. It is extremely well written and you don’t even have to be really into football to enjoy the show. It is a part of the show, but there’s so much more. Please don’t cancel it, we love it!
I love the show’s characters and the story lines. It is the only show on Friday night that I will watch. I would hope that they would find the right place for it and bring it back next year. Please consider!!!!!