More New Series Performance and Prognosis from MAGNA in a report published 10/26/08.
Here are some highlights, which in a few cases are different that the current indications in our Renew / Cancel Index:
CBS’s The Mentalist and FOX’s Fringe, started out as the two stand-out new shows, and that is still the case. The CBS drama because it has had only minimal audience fall-off from its strong opening performance. The FOX drama, not just because of its solid rating performance, but also because of its reduced commercial load, which is helping it retain more of its commercial minute audience than the typical FOX series.
Now, we might have to add CBS’s Thursday 10pm drama, Eleventh Hour, to the list. It debuted a competitive third against NBC’s E.R. and ABC’s new Life on Mars. But it maintained its premiere audience in week 2 (while the ABC drama declined), and actually edged out NBC for the lead among adults 25-54. It also gained among older viewers from its premiere.
ABC’s Life on Mars declined sharply from its solid debut ratings. The next telecast should tell us whether it will rebound, stabilize, or free-fall. The new reality show, Opportunity Knocks is a disappointment for ABC, and has already been pre-empted – not a good sign for the show’s longevity.
CBS’s new Monday comedy, Worst Week, has been competitive in a relatively weak time slot, while the new Wednesday comedy, Gary Unmarried, has held onto its Old Christine lead-in audience, and is ahead of ABC and NBC. Both must be considered modest time-period successes. The new drama, The Ex-List, can go either way.
NBC has had no success with its new series (which may be an indication that the pilot process, while expensive, is nonetheless important—CBS and FOX, with the most successful new shows, did produce pilots). NBC’s new comedy, Kath & Kim, and its new dramas, My Own Worst Enemy, Knight Rider, and Crusoe, have all been disappointments for the network.
Second-season series being re-launched this fall, ABC’s Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, and Dirty Sexy Money, along with NBC’s Lipstick Jungle and Life, and FOX’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, are not performing up to their respective network’s expectations. Private Practice and Terminator have the best chance of lasting through the season.
Download the entire report for lots of data on the individual shows including date by date ratings for a wide variety of age demos.
I have to disagree with their assessment of Worst Week. This is a time slot that has done much better in past seasons, so I can’t imagine how it can really be considered to be doing well.
Julia, their assessment of all 3 CBS shows in the excerpt seem overly optimistic to me. Gary Unmarried held on to Christine’s woefully low audience? Faint praise indeed. Ex-List can go either way? Come on. They should be considered modest successes?
Well, Gary Unmarried I can understand, because it does seem to be growing. The Ex-List… maybe they just didn’t see this week’s numbers yet? Until now I could understand the go either way stance, based on winning the demo, but this week was pathetic.
But, yes, this does seem to have a CBS bias. Is MAGNA owned by some subsidiary of CBS?
I believe Magna to be a sub-division of Interpublic Group-a public company. Interpublic Group of a holding company. CBS may own part of Interpublic, though looking at ratings, CBS is doing the best among new shows so far.
“Private Practice and Terminator have the best chance of lasting through the season.”
Gee, I wonder where that prediction’s coming from? Could it be that Private Practice and Terminator are the only two shows in that list they mentioned to get a back nine order? That’s a real bold prediction there… *rolls eyes*
This article is absolute generic rubbish! Of course Mentallist and Fringe are doing the best any caveman could make generic comments like that (plus they have received full seasons). Ex-List could go either way?? Umm who are they kidding (and this is coming from someone who LOVES the show) – it will be pulled by mid-season at the LATEST. And Worst Week is not performing well (and it is not a weak timeslot – Heroes, Dancing/Samantha Who and even PB and OTH in the demos are all quite strong competitors). As for NBC – I think they have a severe bias against the network given that they did not produce pilots. Kath & Kim had an excellent debut (3.2! in the demo building from Earl) although it has certainly fallen over the last few weeks. I guess you could say they are disappointments – but I would certainly lump Ex-List, Worst Week, Hole in the Wall, Life on Mars (and possibly even 11th Hour – ooh woopy doo it gained viewers in the NOT COVETED 25-54 demo – seriously do these people even work in the industry or were they smoking crack when they wrote that sentence. Neither a 3.2 out of a 5.5 (11th Hour) or a 2.5 out of a 5.5 (Life on Mars, granted worse than 11th Hour, but both are still bad). And where is the analysis of CW???
Bill, is it a good sign or a bad sign that they’ve left Chuck off the list of shows being re-launched for their second season? The numbers are down, but I’m assuming with the ratings rebound last week NBC is still solid on keeping the full season order.
Frank, I think Magna just drew the “kind of new” line at less than 13 episodes. All the shows in red in the list had less than 13 episodes (less than 12 even). Chuck had 13 episodes in season one.
It’s really too bad for NBC, I noted this earlier. Knight Rider is the only one that’s been picked up for a full season.
I just noticed that a repeat of Gary Unmarried is airing tonight instead of Worst Week. (CBS is all repeats.) Looks like CBS may be testing the waters to see if GU will perform better there.
I love Life I think its one of the better shows on NBC thats not a Law and Order!!! NBC never gives anything a chance!!! They have moved Life now it will be three times in two months how is it going to keep a audience like that? As for Private Practice didn’t like it last season still don’t like this!!! Knight Rider was a bad idea from the start. I loved Life on Mars, thought it was better then the Mentalist at least which I thought was just a cheap and bad rip off of Psych with out the Comedy which is the likeable part about the show.
Doris, NBC moving Life off of Fridays is a very good thing for the show and shows they want it to find an audience. And accusing NBC of not giving shows a chance is a laugh. Look at Friday Night Lights, 30 Rock, Chuck, even Life!
I hope that Private Practice makes it through the season. I stopped watching Greys Anatomy to start watching this!
Christine, Private Practice already got its back nine order, so you don’t have to worry. And with all the other problems ABC is having, it may even make it to a third season.