Our Renew / Cancel Index predicts potential renewal or cancellation for scripted broadcast primetime shows for the 2010-11 season (results through November 1, 2009):
- Likely To Be Canceled By May, 2010
- Some Danger Of Being Canceled By May, 2010
- Likely to Be Renewed For The 2010-11 Season
| Program | Renew/ Cancel Index |
| Til Death (S), (F) | 0.20 |
| Brothers (F) | 0.24 |
| Dollhouse (F), (P) | 0.25 |
| Fringe | 0.60 |
| Bones (P) | 0.76 |
| Lie To Me (P) | 0.76 |
| Glee (P) | 0.89 |
| American Dad (P) | 0.93 |
| The Simpsons (P) | 1.11 |
| The Cleveland Show (P) | 1.15 |
| Family Guy (P) | 1.29 |
| House | 1.49 |
-
While a certain favorite commenter of ours may find it hard to believe, I had never heard of Joss Whedon before we started this site two years ago. He’s shown he’s got a sense of humor about himself, his shows and the entertainment business in general. That seems a healthy thing to have when your show (Dollhouse) is going to be canceled, particularly when he’s got the talent to keep at it.
Dollhouse, ‘Til Death and Brothers , all certain to be canceled, are off Fox’s schedule for the November sweeps period. Dollhouse will gets its 13 episodes aired, as it seems Brothers will too. The situation with all the episodes of ‘Til Death produced or ordered and not aired is so confusing, and not worth thinking about, I will let “Riff Rafferty” fill you in via comments if you care.
While I think the prospects are still positive for Fringe because it has done much better for Fox on Thursday’s at 9 then they’ve done for awhile, there is at least some question about its future, so I will keep it in orange.
Note that the Index values for all Fox shows will continue to be very depressed for next few weeks because the World Series ratings have unusually boosted Fox’s overall average. That will slowly subside as Fox’s average evens out post-baseball.
This is a breakdown of Fox scripted shows and their renewal and cancellation prospects. Here are links to the other networks:
-
Notes:
The Renew/Cancel Index is a show’s Season To Date adults 18-49 rating divided by its network’s Season to Date average 18-49 rating. If a show’s season to date 18-49 ratings average equalled its network’s 18-49 average, the show would have an Index of 1.00. Without special factors, scripted shows that were more than 10% below their network’s average are typically canceled by the end of the broadcast primetime season.
Factors that could cause a show to be renewed with well below average index:
- (F) -Fridays: Shows airing on Fridays have been renewed with significantly lower than average Indexes.
- (S) – Syndication: Shows nearing syndication (66-88 episodes), often have economic factors that trump ratings leading to renewal.
- (T) – Third Party: Shows that have a portion of their cost underwritten by a 3rd party can be renewed with substantially lower ratings.
- (P) – Produced by the network’s production company – For shows on the bubble, being produced by the network’s corporate production company can be a survival advantage. For real losers, it’s unlikely to help.
While I initially tried to designate shows with “plum” timeslots, I think it’s hard to make that call at this point in the season. It’s likely still a factor, but will have to be an “after the fact” call.
What’s the History of the Index and How Did It Do In the Past? Check out the results from the 2007-8 season and the 2008-9 season.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved. All ratings used are Live+Same Day viewing.
I think I understand everything for Til Death now. Theres about 81 episodes total produced and FOX is at least planning to air all season 4 episodes by doubling up on the show in January. Brothers will finish out its season on December 27 and Dollhouse will end on January 22. Everything else is safe and should last until may. While Fringe is in orange, I still have a strong feeling FOX will keep it around for Season 3 and Lie to Me has yet to get a full season though it should soon. FOX has a lot of new and retruning midseason shows in place 24, American Idol, Kitchen Nightmares Human Target, Past Life, Glee (March), so they should easily have a packed schedule.
It seems Fox always has the most interesting least watched shows! Me wonders if V will take over that crown in a few weeks. Heres a show, that is broadcasting without a doubt SCIENCE FICTION ! Unlike Fast Forward who it seems is trying to stay away from being labeled a sci fi show.
While I’m not a fan of Dollhouse and I’m definitely not a Whedonite, I still feel the need to point out two things:
First, stating as if it’s an incontrovertible fact that Dollhouse will be cancelled (”That seems a healthy thing to have when your show (Dollhouse) is going to be canceled”) really seems ill-advised and a bit smug when you consider you said the same exact thing last time around and were wrong. It just seems the wrong tone to take. Pointing out that the numbers are cancellation worthy is one thing, but you then extrapolate from those numbers the conclusion that cancellation is the *only possible* outcome, and I don’t understand why you consistently frame your opinions in such terms. It is not “going to be” cancelled. It almost definitely will be cancelled, sure. But saying it’s “going to be” implies there is no flexibility whatsoever in the network decision-making process, and that theory has already been proven wrong. Or that you guys have industry contacts that are telling you cancellation is a done deal, which you don’t.
2. The constant Dollhouse/Whedon headlines are really starting to look like you guys are just trolling for hits. I understand this article is the renew/cancel index and it’s focused on Fox–but did Dollhouse have to be the show in the picture? Why not Brothers, or Fringe?
Mark, I see where you’re coming from in that they were wrong about season 2 of dollhouse, but with an index number as low as it is, theres no flexibility. The already cut costs for season 2, and I find it very hard to believe any network executive would put their job on the line to renew a show with these types of ratings. Therefore “going to be” is a fair remark to make.
Dollhouse is a show that has to pick up steam, unfortunately, it took 6 episodes for it to get moving. I have heard that is Fox’s fault but that delay for real development killed the show. No doubt it is imaginative and potentially moving in the direction of a Terminator post-apocalyptic world. Very interesting stuff but you can’t keep peoples attention for 6 episodes without some meat.
mark- When a network first says you will be on in November, then pulls you from said sweeps month, your days are numbered.
You know, I’ve always been positive Fringe is safe (even ask Dan!), I’m feeling less and less confident about Lie to Me. I still think it’s safe, but the lack of a back-order has me a bit antsy. If it gets the back 9, I’m sure it will be back next year.
Dan- Looks like FOX is ending up like you and I predicted this season!
mark, the fans of Brothers or Til Death that would go out of their way to read an internet post on them could fit in my living room, and I did headline Fringe two weeks ago, even though I don’t think it will be canceled. And I still don’t! After Brothers, Til Death and DH gone, it will have to be the headline again until new shows appear.
And everything we do is “trolling for hits” if you consider writing what people want to read “trolling for hits”.
And, in case you hadn’t noticed, these are predictions!
I still have faith!
Do you know what happened twenty years ago today?! Let me tell you: the sixth episode of Baywatch aired! Imagine, if you will, that TvbytheNumbers existed then! Imagine, if you will, that the Renew/Cancel Index existed! Imagine, if you will, that you were actually on the Internet back then!
I do not think it is a stretch to imagine that, were this all to have happened, Baywatch would’ve been one of the NBC shows that Billbert was certain would be cancelled! Billbert would’ve declared the show dead multiple times already! Billbert would’ve continued to have declared the show dead for another sixteen episodes! In fact, Billbert might’ve used the eventual cancellation of Baywatch by NBC as a punchline for the next year or so!
Do you know what happened then, dear gentle readers?! The show returned! The show was saved! Saved by a powerful force known as syndication! And then the show ran for another 220 episodes! Plus a spinoff that ran for 2 years! Plus a reunion movie! And for much of the nineties, it was the most popular show on TV in the world!!!!!
So, people who’ve sent peanuts and Tabasco sauce and (in my case) Barbie dolls in to the networks, remember: you DO matter! You can get the show moved to a smaller network like the CW, like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Clueless, The Hughleys, Grounded for Life, The PJs, or another half-dozen shows that were moved to the UPN or the WB in their heyday! You can get your show a direct-to-DVD movie like Dead Like Me or Futurama! You can get your show a last minute pickup like Jericho! You can get your show moved to cable! Don’t give up the faith, people, even when Billbert says you should!
Dollhouse forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was on the Internet in 1989! I would access it via a service called PORTAL through a networking company called TELENET and read the USENet news groups.
I did not predict doom for Baywatch, but…I hardly watched any TV back then.
Is there a country on this planet that we are not aware of that actually enjoys Til Death? Is it one of those shows that is more appreciated in lands other than the one it comes from? Perhaps their entire non-English speaking populace rolls in laughter at the hysterical antics of Brad Garrett and wonder where his brother Raymond is?
It’s settled in my mind that Dollhouse is going to end after these 13 episodes, but I will be so disappointed if Fringe doesn’t get to season 3. It’s picked up amazingly this season and while its not my favourite show ever I really enjoy it and be sad if it ends stupidly after a second season. It has potential that some shows don’t to last longer than that.
To put this post in perspective, as I think its needed always with Dollhouse comments now – I’m a Whedonite through and through.
Do we know which network plans to buy Til Death reruns for syndication or cable? Even a single station at a no cash barter? Why does Sony think people will want it for any reason?
Three words: According to Jim.
Consult your local program guide.
Lie to me is green? What the crap?
It has a 0.76, which is similar to what Mercy has on NBC’s chart, and you have it as certain to be cancelled.
I understand that baseball has thrown things off a bit, but I think you should have it in orange, especially considering that it follows House.
Ya know, some shows DO better overseas. I don’t have think far to remember David Hasslehof and the all-but-America enjoyment of him.
Soccer is a similar thing; it’s hard to tell what people will like. And that’s NOWHERE more true than on TV.
I wonder what country Joss is writing for? :>
There’s a microscopically slim chance Dollhouse will be renewed: essentially if somehow it turns the numbers around so the 13th episode goes out on a 2.0, then I don’t think any Fox exec is going to care that it was doing badly in October.
The real problem is not that Dollhouse is doing badly now, it’s that because it’s doing badly now, it’s highly improbable that it will do well in the future. The fact Fox has made it clear they will show the entire thing means it can turn things around.
The reality is that it probably will not. But that doesn’t mean the logic “Any network executive that renews the show when the fourth episode got a 0.8″ holds.
Who the hell is Billbert?
I’m still praying for Fox to let Joss resurrect Firefly as a consolation prize for cancelling Dollhouse. Delusionland: the next most popular vacation resort after Denial! XD
The problem (not necessarily *your* problem, but it is a problem) is that while this post might be predictive, the use of flat declarative statements in it will no doubt now get echoed on Twitter and other places by people not understanding that when TVbytheNumbers says Dollhouse will be canceled, it’s not the same thing as if FOX has announced it’s being canceled.
johnthemon, baseball has thrown things off more than “a bit” Fox’s 18-49 average is now a 3.7. Before baseball started it was a 2.9.
With a 2.9 Fox average, Lie To Me’s Index is a 0.97.
As my mother would say, Hush up now.
People keep saying this site was proven wrong about Dollhouse getting renewed.
No, THE FOX NETWORK was proven wrong, and they admitted that when they pulled it from their sweeps schedule.
I mean, remember how the Jericho fans crowed out in victory, when it was brought back from the grave?
Speaking of humor, finish this sentence for me, Dollhousers–’He who laughs last–’
“–gets his beer stolen while he does so.”
Hey, don’t drag me into FOX’s Friday mess! I didn’t endorse that lineup! I think I did correctly predict last May that it would average a 2 share, though. I’m guessing FOX predicted a… wee bit higher.
Although FOX won’t tell you, “Brothers” is purported to be unofficially over, anyway. Looking at the numbers, I have no reason to doubt otherwise. They are shooting their 13th and final show next… Friday I think it is? But FOX does look pretty committed to burning off the remaining 6 eps this month and next. And maybe those of us here on the East Coast will get to see more of them than the whopping 5 minutes we got to see of “Lenny.”
I miss Lenny. Why in the world did that get killed?!
Bill, was there ever a show with a lower index than a 0.25 for an hour drama (since you started measuring)?
I was going to just say “program”, and I still could – Til Death is not a program, it’s a “program service”, whatever that is, so it doesn’t count…
…and Brothers might catch Dollhouse yet
Theoacme, there may very well have been weeks where a show had less than a 0.25 index, I’m not going back to check
Easy Money finished with a 0.25 index for the CW last season though.
If they cancel Fringe because the ratings are down after moving it to Thursday, I am going to be very angry. Move it back to Tuesdays.
2. The constant Dollhouse/Whedon headlines are really starting to look like you guys are just trolling for hits. I understand this article is the renew/cancel index and it’s focused on Fox–but did Dollhouse have to be the show in the picture? Why not Brothers, or Fringe?
Fringe is in the orange, and it’s considered safe by most people. Nobody gives a crap about Brothers or ‘Til Death, so they pick on Dollhouse. And of course their trolling for hits. They get more money if more people are visiting the site to click on the ads. Every blog/forum/opinion site trolls for hits to survive.
Oh and to the person who brought up Baywatch:
Syndication used to save shows all the time. Then it crashed and burned and died. And cable became huge.
Dollhouse should move to FX.
…if a CW show had a 0.25 index, would anyone care?
…and no, Bill, I didn’t expect you to check anything but your quickie memory – my memory isn’t too bad, but I’ve only followed things here for one calendar year (happy anniversary for me (thanks, Bill and Robert!) – but 80 percent of the TVBTN audience cares much more about a CW 0.25 index than that, I’m afraid
)…
…I wonder if Google cached all of TVBTN’s output – or did Nielsen tell them to bwast that, too
Does anyone distinguish between a show being cancelled and not being renewed for a further season? It’s pretty standard for a show to be aired for, say, 13 or 22 episodes as planned without being renewed for the next season. It’s another thing entirely for a show to be pulled off the air before all ordered episodes have aired – THAT’S a cancellation.
Riff – Yeah I remember Lenny, I saw 5 minutes and that was it. But Brothers is over, and while FOX will also never announce it publicly, so is Dollhouse.
Simon – If a series has an announced end date than its considered ending but if a series is pulled or even finishes out its season but not brought back, its considered cancelled. For example, Lost has been announced in May 2007 has being planned to end in May 2010 so the series wouldnt be cancelled because we’ve known about the ending for so long same as last year’s Boston Legal.
Dollhouse is definitely doomed. Rather more so than it was at the end of season one, obviously. Whedon simply cannot turn this around now and shows little signs of intending it.
Last week’s episode was clearly a fairly lame attempt to address the “rape” complaint a lot of people have about the show. And it didn’t come close. Nor, in my view, was it worth even trying since it will sway no one.
They should have busted out of the gate with major conspiracy stuff about Rossum, the more malevolent uses of the technology, made use of Alexis Denisoff, etc. Instead, they blew four episodes.
Doomed. No way to save this show now. Bad as TSCC was bad at the end.
Joss, call me. Got a much better series concept in mind. You can even cast Summer and Eliza in it.
Dollhouse is easily doomed but at least FOX is committing to air all episodes. FOX is treating Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse better than they did with his Firefly despite Dollhouse performing so much worse throughout its two seasons.
I’m looking how TIL DEATH will end up this season, will all episodes aired, will it be yanked again or will it air on Saturday midnight like sit down, shut up etc. That show’s survival is really intriguing for me haha
Hey, you never know. I know we’ve already established that a “good” lead-in for “Dollhouse” doesn’t make much of a difference, could there be any better lead-in for “Dollhouse” than another episode of “Dollhouse?” LOL At least it’s the same genre, which is better than what’s been leading this season so far. I kind of like the idea of airing back-to-backs in December. I’m not holding out hope for a renewal, but I’ve got to say that I was also entirely convinced it would be dumped last season. Does Fox have anything better to air on Fridays at this point? Then again, Fox is the dump capital of TV.
Wait…that sounded wrong.
I would put Lie To Me in orange, poor retention out of HOUSE, about 55-60% range. BUt i could see fox sticking with the 13 episode order for the future, since they may have found a formula that works for fall/winter schedules.
With CSI dropping on Thursday, i think FOX is somewhat ok with FRINGE.
I see no chance they’ll cancel it, another network, ABC in particular would pick it up. But it looks like they’ll either weather the storm and build up Fringe on Thursday or move it to another night next year.
Why are people taking FOX’s statements that they will air all 13 DH eps as gospel? It seems to me that DOLLHOUSE’s primary value to FOX at the moment is as a library title. Wouldn’t airing out the second season diminish its potential value in an already depressed DVD market?
Dan – I hear what you’re saying. It’s just there’s a difference between an abrupt cancellation mid-season (e.g. BEAUTIFUL LIFE) and a non-renewal for next … a difference that is never acknowledged around here.
A show that finishes out its season and simply not brought back for next may be CONSIDERED cancelled, but actually it’s done okay overall. It’s done well early on – at least well enough for the full complement of episodes to be aired – but not well enough at the end to earn a renewal for next season.
It seems to me a new show making it to Season Two is an exception rather than the rule, so if I like a show and it makes it to Season Two I consider it a bonus. But I guess it’s how you choose look at it.
OK Simon, you ask people involved with The Unit or Pushing Daisies whether they think the show ended or was canceled. Are you really saying you don’t see the difference between ER ending last season and Life getting canceled?
“Why are people taking FOX’s statements that they will air all 13 DH eps as gospel? It seems to me that DOLLHOUSE’s primary value to FOX at the moment is as a library title. Wouldn’t airing out the second season diminish its potential value in an already depressed DVD market?”
I’ve been thinking the same thing–Fox originally said the show would air during November sweeps–they even sent out the schedules–but then they abruptly changed their mind. No reason they can’t change their minds now too. And the less Dollhouse episodes that air, the more House reruns (or whatever) they can air instead to higher ratings. And of course the less Dollhouse episodes that air, the higher potential sales of the season two DVD could be.
Simon, we don’t control what commenters define cancellation as, but for me cancel = non-renewal for next season short of the obvious show sunsetting like ER, pulled off the schedule early is just a special case of canceled.
Mark – Though low rated series are pulled for sweeps (in favor of House and Bones repeats) Theres no reason that FOX cant continue doubling up and burning off Dollhouse in a month like December or January until they have found a more permanent replacement. And it seems that FOX cares more about airing the episodes they paid for rather than the DVD sales. Remember, Dollhouse wasnt a well rated series that suddenly dropped during its second season. Its first season was low rated and its second was only slightly worse.
Vsaint – While not amazing, Lie to Me’s retention out of House is better than most series, but its a show FOX could use in the winter/spring so I dont see why FOX hasnt given the series a full order.
[quote]Dollhouse should move to FX.[/quote]
Where it would have a demo rating of about 0.1
Yes Dan, FOX is treating Dollhouse a lot better than Firefly.
And how’s that paying off for them?
Kind of makes you figure they had it right the first time, don’t it?
(pisher chuckles reading 1truebix’s snarky response to him, while sipping 1truebix’s beer)
I find it hilarious that there are worse performing shows on the index than Dollhouse.
Of course, some of those shows are already canceled, for all intents and purposes. Which Dollhouse very nearly is itself. For all intents and purposes.
When is the November sweeps period?
Jake, November sweeps period is October 29 – November 25, 2009.
Pisher – Its like when FOX has aired series on fridays to 4-6 million viewers and they considered that bad. All of FOX’s previous friday series did better than Dollhouse and when they renew Dollhouse look what happens, and they keep it on. FOX had it right with the Fifth Grader/Lyrics combo. After Dollhouse is gone, hopefully FOX puts Kitchen Nightamres on fridays paired with another drama. Maybe that will do better.
I’m trying to compare LTM with a similar new show, and FRINGE got a higher retention rate out of HOUSE last year.
It averaged about 3.9 last year, could be off slighty. It also had IDOL as lead in, but i remember there wasn’t much difference.
HOUSE’s ratings were pretty similar, but FRINGE averaged about 70-80% retention.
Now that caused them to believe FRINGE could stand on it’s own and be a hit.
Right now i’m looking at the schedule, if FOX wants to continue with Dancing in Fall/IDOL WINTER, that doesn’t leave much room for anything.
HUMAN TARGET will do at worst similar numbers to LTM.
24 is the key i guess if it will come back.
FOX could move Human Target to fridays for its remaining episodes to make room for Glee to return after Idol. How Target performs fridays may determine whether or not the show continues. Fringe will continue to to average against CSI, Grey’s, Office/30 Rock but FOX is satisfied. Both Bones and Fringe will stay on Thursdays for the rest of the season. I dont see Past Life airing after Idol beginning in January. FOX has it that way currently but if Lie to Me gets a full year, FOX could air some Lie to Me after Idol from Feb-March then move it to fridays and then air Past Life after Idol for 7 eps.
And FOX never expected Fringe to be a hit, tey just expected it to hold up against serious competition. FOX is in need of dramas and now they have 24, House, Bones as well as sophomores Fringe and Lie to Me which are doing OK and newcomer Glee which is doing pretty good. I still cant wait for FOX’s midseason schedule.
“Pisher – Its like when FOX has aired series on fridays to 4-6 million viewers and they considered that bad.”
Well, at the time, it was. Standards have gotten lower, but not THAT low. And by the time they did, Dollhouse would be doing even worse.
“All of FOX’s previous friday series did better than Dollhouse and when they renew Dollhouse look what happens, and they keep it on.”
But for reasons that had nothing to do with ratings. And it’s looking like Dollhouse will basically run the equivalent of one season. So that was fair, right? It got a chance. It failed. C’est la guerre.
“FOX had it right with the Fifth Grader/Lyrics combo.”
Dude. FOX was doing better with COPS repeats than it did with Dollhouse LAST season.
“After Dollhouse is gone, hopefully FOX puts Kitchen Nightamres on fridays paired with another drama. Maybe that will do better.”
Maybe we don’t need to worry about was FOX does. FOX needs to worry about its proclivity for greenlighting horrible genre shows that develop tiny obsessive fanbases that would hate FOX forever if they canceled said show after TEN seasons.
Pisher – Thats true, FOX needs to find a new way to solve their friday night problem. They are doing well enough the rest of the week and it seems everything is set in midseason. FOX needs to figure out what will air fridays at 8 and 9 as well as what will air Tuesdays post idol. FOX also needs to find slots for Kitchen Nightmares, Past Life, Lie to Me and Hell’s Kitchen, which im sure they will. Here’s an easy way to solve the friday night problem. Move COPS and AMW from saturday to friday. The duo could do well on fridays or atleast the same and since no one competes on saturdays FOX coulod air repeats of something else then.
RSH does have Summer Glau on Dollhouse to keep him occupied until year’s end.
FOX should announce their midseason sched soon.
“the less Dollhouse episodes that air, the more House reruns (or whatever) they can air instead to higher ratings.”
I’m actually going to credit FOX to the extent that House has been jammed a little in the schedules on Mondays — dual-tuner DVR non-cable households who want to catch HIMYM and Heroes (i.e. mine) have taken a pass on House so far this season. So the premiere rerun on Friday was a good way to remind a strand of viewers what they’ve been missing.
Tuesday has felt like a dead day until this week. I know that FOX has SYTYCD blocked out for two hours now, but the offerings since the start of the fall season have been really pretty shoddy — for me, it’s been a “DVR catchup” day. I’m not sure what FOX can do with its Fridays, but Tuesdays were there for the taking.
i don’t think the cancellation is so sure. everything can happen
DOLLHOUSE do not give up! you are the best show on that crappy network, you have to survive!
RSH, if you have a show idea to pitch, please keep in mind that Eliza cannot carry a show as the main character. This one of things I believe is killing DH now. She would have been great as a supporting character, just like on Buffy/Angel. If Fox thought they were getting an “Alias” clone with Jen Garner in DH, as I have heard said, then they should have gotten someone with the ability to act as well as Jen Garner for the main role.
My 2 cents.
actually jennifer garner wasn t this ‘great’ on alias.. and the show was really borink, reminded me dark angel
im not a dollhouse or fringe fan, but how is possible that fox is thinking about one more season of fringe that perform really bad out of bones on thursday and already decided to cancel dollhouse which has bad performance but never had promotion or a strong lead in?
Fred: beacause fox network really sucks.
Max452, you said it. Nobody will ever give Eliza a show again after the ratings for Tru Calling and Dollhouse. Once Fox burns off the remaining Dollhouse episodes, Eliza will be free to resume her movie career as the poor man’s Rose McGowan.
“beacause fox network really sucks.”
Because Dollhouse got pitifully low ratings, and even when it was renewed despite them, it couldn’t hold onto even that meager audience. Because the DVD sales were, to put it charitably, lackluster. Because Eliza Dushku simply isn’t compelling people to tune in. Because in many ways the concept of the show is riddled with holes and it’s hard to suspend disbelief. Because the stories are often boring, risible, or offensive. Because the showrunner knew there were major structural problems and when he got renewed for season two, he never bothered addressing any of them and instead gave us more “mission of the week” poor man’s Quantum Leap snoozers. Because Tahmoh is a bore, Topher is annoying, and Adelle has largely been a one-trick pony, and the show is structured to make chemistry between the various characters almost impossible to build. Because the most successful episodes have been the ones that only barely featured the ostensible star of the show. Because the plot hits the same notes week after week and they’re boring notes. Because Whedon and his writers are spectacularly bad at writing action and at writing procedurals and yet they keep giving us action and procedurals and the stories are riddled with lazy simplistic solutions and giant plotholes. Because it’s not that great a show.
Here’s the thing I don’t get: people keep saying it’s offensive. I’m not sure I’m getting that.
I would think that it would at least stabilize the “morbid curiosity” crowd (to the point of “Didya see Dollhouse, man? How are they ever going to top -that-?”), and it hasn’t even done that much.
Now, I’ve watched five episodes total (three from the first season -including the pilot – and the first two of the second), and I couldn’t recall a single moment when I was offended. Maybe I’m jaded, maybe I’ve experienced far better sci-fi (and dramas) that touches on the same topics, but if anything, Dollhouse never went -far enough- into the prostitution aspect.
In fact, it made prostitution glittery and glamorous. The dolls live in a day-spa after all. The horror!
My feeling is that it wanted to be organized crime, but a quirky and different kind of organized crime, which, Flying Spaghetti Monster forbid, should look ugly, scary and intimidating. Hell, it’s even cuddly enough that two of the dolls get to be a couple?!?!
(Methinks that anyone who thinks that a dystopia like Dollhouses ought to let that sort of thing go on would have balked at the words “Do it to Julia!” as they appeared in ‘1984′.)
Would have given the show a bit more respect – and I think a lot more people would have as well – had the Dollhouse been cruel enough to more violently attempt to squash the ‘real’ Caroline out, because that’s what the Dollhouse ultimately has to do to hold onto its prized doll, no?
Addendum: I should say I wasn’t offended at the subject matter. Rather, I was offended at what I was asked to accept when thrown plot holes the size of diesel trucks.
I think Lie to Me is in worse shape than Fringe depending on what FOX decides to do. Fringe is likely to stay Thursdays at 9 until May (probably the smart thing) and should get renewed based on OK ratings. Even without House, FOX can do two things with Lie to Me once 24 premieres. They can move Lie to Me to air post Idol Tuesdays (until Past Life premieres around March) or FOX could move Lie to Me to air fridays. If it airs fridays its basically dead but if FOX wants Lie to Me to grow, then they could air it post Idol. FOX hasnt even ordered a full season of Lie yet but im confident they will. Since FOX’s midseason is packed enough they may just order additional eps.
Dollhouse and Brothers need to be axed now. Til Death needs to be taken out of its misery.
Tony – Both Dollhouse and Brothers are slowly being burned off. Both are as good as cancelled. Til Death will hopefully be taken out of its misery when all Season 4 episodes have been aired.
I miss Dollhouse. If only for the new postings. Trolling, fanbois-isms, rape/not-rape, scheduling that would be better if it wasn’t for accountants…
I can’t be the only one.
I can’t be the only one.
Nope. Perhaps more than any other show EVER, I will miss Dollhouse when it’s gone. But I feel confident it will go out in a protracted blaze of trolling, fanbois-isms, rape/not rape, scheduling glory.
i miss dollhouse too!!! december is so ‘far far away’…… ok maybe the show’s got low rating, but im a spectator and i dont care if fox network falls like cw and nbc did, most of its shedule is just awful. i want to watch my favourite show! i want watch it now!!!!! is december coming???? hhhaaaarrrggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
I like Dollhouse. I like the concept, even if it is not always executed to the greatest effect. They don’t spend enough time detailing the potential abuse of such situations as the Dolls are put in. You just see them living in what seems to be a little dream world, and then off to the next missions. We have various characters wanting to take down the Dollhouse, but not enough time is devoted to making us understand or caring as to why. I’m almost certain Adelle will turn out to be a doll herself, probably the first one. What better to trust with the mission of running the place? I wish it would stick around, but I’m resigned to the inevitable.
Would it be possible to publish the current 18-49 average each week I see some shows dropping when they are not even broadcasting. Just a thought. Love your site and I have been directing more people as they get interested in ratings for their favs.
I think the fanbase between Bones and Fringe is just not compatible. I never miss Bones and try to watch Fringe but it just does not interest me, although I do enjoy a good scifi show, just not this one.
Well it seems Dollhouse will get a proper finale, and at least get to run out all episodes. Which is a lot more then other axed series get, especially shows that get that low amount of viewers. 26 episodes and 2 seasons is pretty good for a series that averaged 3 million viewers. As for the Bones and Fringe combo, I think the two are compatible enough theme wise but its just the timeslot for Fringe could not be worse. Bones already has an established fan base and a less competitive timeslot but its harder for Fringe. If the Bones/Fringe combo was on tuesdays it may be easier for the two. I still believe due to the fact that FOX needs dramas that they will keep Fringe for another year. Lie to Me still hasnt been given a full season but hopefully it will. I wish FOX would announce their midseason sched already.