Comments on: Wednesday Ratings – CBS Romps But Millionaire’s No Secret

By: James

James — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 04:49:31 +0000

They are moving Private Practice to Thursday after Grey’s, maybe that will get ratings up, plus the multiple crossover story arc between the two shows should devintely get ratings up.

By: PUSHING DAISIES IS AMAZING!

PUSHING DAISIES IS AMAZING! — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:07:25 +0000

I’m not exactly sure where my earlier comment disappeared to, sorry if i drew too much attention by the = & – signs but it’s not right to bash another person’s show!! LONG LIVE PUSHING DAISIES!!!!!!!!!!!

By: KellyH

KellyH — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:21:57 +0000

This thread is old and probably won’t get a response (I posted on last week’s after everyone had moved on), but I will say again that the only thing that really offends me as a PD fan in the wake of its cancellation is when people go on about how it “wouldn’t have gotten a second season without the strike” and then act like fans should be grateful that it did. Assuming there was no strike, the end result would have been the same as strike+second season–22 total episodes. So those kind of comments really are a slap in the face.

I also don’t see the lower ratings for last year’s December episode (the last one) as a sign of things that were coming. The penultimate episode with Molly Shannon drew over 10 mil. and it was on an hour later. And that December episode did draw more than any of them have this season.

The strike is the most convenient thing to blame for Daisies’ demise, and I choose to blame it simply because it makes me feel better. But I got no sympathy for Fuller either because he wholeheartedly supported the strike. At least it was a cautionary tale for the SAG members who are now against a strike.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:57:56 +0000

April, assuming you’re not just trolling, and I am bored enough today to respond anyway, and leaving aside the futility of post-Jericho “Save our Show” efforts, your basic premise of “Pushing Daisies has nearly twice the ratings of Smallville.” is simply wrong. (so, in fact no one but you *can* see it)

Through last Sunday:
Pushing Daisies 18-49 avg. 2.419 million
Smallville 18-49 avg. 2.128 million

And Pushing Daisies airs on a network (ABC) that averages almost 3 times the 18-49 adults as Smallville’s CW.

By: April's First Post

April's First Post — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:39:56 +0000

How can no one see this but me…

Pushing Daisies has nearly twice the ratings of Smallville.

Pushing Daisies numbers would be a “hit” on the CW.

Pushing Daisies type show is exactly what the programming head honchos want to gear their entire line up towards.

I will be the first to try to rally the troops…let’s send daisy seeds to the CW…
Anyone with me?

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:31:39 +0000

I think Life would be an hit show on CBS because it actually is an awesome show. In my opinion, Life is better than any procedural CBS has on the air, including The Mentalist. I think that with a proper lead-in it would have, at least, a chance. For example, last week Life had a good lead-in and it did more than 8 million.

I really like the show, it has quality and I think that with a good slot and a good lead-in it could do better ratings.

By: izabela

izabela — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:35:40 +0000

Too bad the networks don’t consider the public outside US, because we buy stuff from our favorite shows the same way americans do, but we don’t get a chance to see our shows getting renewed…even if they are successuful in our countries…oh well…i think we have to get used to American Idol and Dancing With the Stars forever…i miss television when reality shows didn’t exist… =((

By: Heradite

Heradite — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:01:52 +0000

For the record: I love Jericho. I am a Jericho fanatic. I want it to come back and have fought for it. It’s the only show. I though do realize that it didn’t get the viewers. Not because it was to good for Americans though, or to awesome. That’s total bs. I can blame marketing cause so few people even know it exists, but I actually blame the kind of genre it was. It was a serial drama, and if you missed some episodes it’s really annoying to have to catch up-no matter how good it is. People simply aren’t always willing to give up their valuable time to keep up with a show.

By: clutz12001

clutz12001 — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:27:58 +0000

@Joe Cool: “I suspect when the Friday Night Lights effort flops early next year it will only put the final nail in the coffin of Save A Show fan groups.”

If FNL flops, it flops because the ROI was not enough for DTV to continue investing in it. It won’t flop because of “poor ratings” or “failed Save Our Show efforts.”

I see DirecTV is premiering its next scripted show in January – “Wonderland.” It’s a controversial failed series from ABC, circa 2000. As it’s another Peter Berg creation, they must like his work in FNL enough to re-air his older stuff:
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6621420.html?industryid=47200

By: idizzle

idizzle — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:54:38 +0000

“We don’t know. On CBS, Life could be another Eleventh Hour, or it could be another The Mentalist, which is a hit in its own right, but only after being paired with NCIS initially.”

That was my point exactly, Andrea. I just pointed out that a while CBS has better lead ins to give, that also raises the bar and 8-10 million won’t save it anymore to Ricardo, who seemed so sure of it.

By: idizzle

idizzle — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:49:06 +0000

Brandon, wasn’t JAG a CBS Paramount produced show that was sold to NBC from the beginning though? I am not saying that explains its sudden success on CBS, but it might explain why CBS could afford to pick it up.

As much as I love Life and think it’s a better show than The Mentalist in quality, it’s not going to be picked up by an outside network any more than Pushing Daisies is. Unless maybe post-Monk USA is really really desperate and that would still be in house and assuming Life is cheap to make.

By: cool

cool — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:57:37 +0000

Yelida, ABC will not cancel PP because is growing of that awful leadin always. PP is a decent show but when your lead in is only 1.4 or 1.5 in the demo, to grow almost 100% is very impressive.

By: John

John — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:17:04 +0000

Does anyone know, How to save a “Life”.

By: Yelida

Yelida — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:16:52 +0000

Wow why cant ABC just cancel Private Practice as well? All 3 showss numbers SUCK.
Or LEAVE WEDNESDAYS alone and let all 3 of the show continue on til MAY — especially PD.

ABC is runned by chimpanzees. =)

By: Brandon

Brandon — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:10:50 +0000

I just love the notion that a hiatus “kills” series’. Come on. Guess what? “Pushing Daisies” wasn’t on for something like “ever” before it’s first episode aired. That eternal “hiatus” didn’t kill it’s first episode. Given the whole “viewers forget about series if they are off to long” theory, some explantion has to be given how any new series ever gets people to watch the first episode. Let’s see…. was there some kind of promotion/hype generated prior to it’s first episode that didn’t occur prior to it’s season two premiere?

People making the “Life”/”CBS” comments…. another good example of a failed NBC show that became a hit by moving to CBS is “JAG”. Cancelled after one season on “NBC”, did huge for “CBS” for 9 years and spun off “NCIS”. I wonder if Moonves sends NBC a “thank you” card every week.

By: RViewer

RViewer — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:04:43 +0000

All this talk about not having a good lead-in to explain Private Pratice and Life failure is pretty weak. Look at Criminal Minds its lead-in isn’t doing that great, if you look at the cancel index on this site both Gary Unmarried might be canceled. So when it come to lead-ins there is much better out there like say NCIS to the Mentalist. Still Criminal Minds is doing great without a good lead-ins.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:02:37 +0000

I’m wondering that although Law and Order is on the bubble, they will keep it going for at least another year to make it the longest (drama was it?) on air beating Gunsmoke. Would be a good selling point. Or it might make people realise how old the show is. Could go either way. But it’s still a good show. Sell it to USA if they have to make way for other shows, but keep it going.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:54:11 +0000

“Ricardo, Life would undoubtedly do so much better on CBS with a companion procedural to prop it up, but would it be a hit?”

We don’t know. On CBS, Life could be another Eleventh Hour, or it could be another The Mentalist, which is a hit in its own right, but only after being paired with NCIS initially.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:45:13 +0000

I agree that Wensday is a horrible death day. Both Fox comedies were canceled, and both CBS comedy’s are gonna be dumped soon. What a horrible predicament.

By: Bri

Bri — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:34:54 +0000

Cam,
I’d imagine PD is an expensive show to run and the numbers aren’t even borderline good. It’s a total bomb. Brilliant pilot, brilliant cast, and the couldnt keep it up. ABC is better off with LOST reruns.

By: idizzle

idizzle — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:24:13 +0000

Ricardo, Life would undoubtedly do so much better on CBS with a companion procedural to prop it up, but would it be a hit? CBS cancels shows like Shark and soon probably Eleventh Hour because they can. Whatever they plaster onto the tailend of CSI or NCIS will bring in 12 million easily.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:58:35 +0000

Thanks, Matt. there’s not any overnight reporting for cable shows and the only way the next day is usually if the network itself issues a press release (didn’t see one yet). Last week Estate did 1.297 million on Weds, and Cha$e 1.127 on Tuesday. it’s not information we typically would likely post, but if you post a comment on next week’s top cable shows post as a reminder I’ll try to post this week’s info:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/category/ratings/nielsen-top-cable-tv-show-ratings

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:53:48 +0000

I find it equally annoying how people bash everything good said about PD.
I did a poll around my school and the majority said that they have heard many good things about PD they just never know when to watch it.

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:47:02 +0000

They gotta be kidding me! With a lead-in like that how would Life have a chance?!? If they put it in a good time slot the show could have good ratings! If Life was on CBS it would be an hit!

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:46:20 +0000

Also Robert/Bill, any news on the ratings for Estate of Panic and Cha$e on SciFi? Both incredibly cheesy but I find myself watching every week and highly entertained. Both just premiered and both have their season finales next week. Did SciFi just produce 6 episodes of each to see how they’d do? I wouldn’t think a reality show would need to be a HUGE success on SciFi to get renewed, any ideas? Love the site by the way, got the link off drudgereport and now I check it daily.