sadly for “V”, we already have a good idea of what happens the next two weeks, though some will no doubt hold out hope that “V” will pick up a couple of adults 18-49 ratings points in those weeks via DVR viewing. The big question now isn’t what “V’s” Live+7 numbers are, but whether the Live+SD numbers will stabilize. We’ll get one more week of data before the show goes on hiatus (for months!). Via press release:
ABC Series Remain the Most Popular Through DVR Playback
ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” is Once Again TV’ Biggest Gainer in the DVR
Numbers, While “V” and “FlashForward” Are the Biggest Freshman Gainers
“V’s” Debut Jumps by 2.4 Million Viewers and by 1.0 Adult 18-49 Rating Point
The Network Delivers 5 of the Top 8 Biggest Overall DVR Playback
Draws in Viewers and 7 of the Top 15 Series Among Young Adults
Week No. 7: Live + 7 Day Ratings:
Based on Nielsen’s Live + 7 Day information for the week of November 2, 2009, which included the first round of data for freshman “V,” ABC’s series were once again the most popularly recorded and played back. The week included competition from Fox’s 2009 World Series games on Monday and Wednesday nights.
ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” was once again TV’s most-played-back show, while newcomer “V” and “FlashForward” were the Top 2 freshman series gainers in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In fact the numbers for the “V” debut jumped by +2.4 million viewers and by +1.0 Adult 18-49 rating point, finishing with an average audience of 16.7 million viewers and a 6.2 Adult 18-49 rating in the finalized DVR playback averages.
- ABC claimed 5 of the Top 8 biggest overall gainers in Total Viewers: “Grey’s Anatomy” – No. 1 (+3.1 million), “V” – No. 3 (+2.4 million – biggest freshman gainer), “Private Practice” – No. 5 (+2.0 million), “FlashForward” – No. 6 (+2.0 million – 2nd-biggest freshman gainer) and “Castle” – No. 8 (+1.9 million).
- Among Adults 18-49, ABC aired 7 of the Top 15 TV series with the biggest rating increases: “Grey’s Anatomy” – No. 1 (+1.6 rating points/+31%), “Private Practice” – No. 4 (+1.0 rating/+29%), “V” – No. 5 (+1.0 rating/+19%), “FlashForward” – tied for No. 6 (+0.9 rating/+35%), “Desperate Housewives” – tied for No. 6 (+0.9 rating/+21%), “Modern Family” – No. 11 (+0.8 rating/+23%) and “Castle” – No. 14 (+0.7 rating/+29%).
A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 33% currently, from 28% at the same point in 2008. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.
Source: Nielsen Media Research (National Live+7 Day Program Ratings vs. Live + Same Day Program Ratings), week of 11/2/09.
I wanted to like V. I really did.
However, after this past week’s episode, I feel obliged to take it off my DVR. Unfortunately, the show is just not that interesting to me. There’s a few points on where they failed, in my estimation.
I realized that I hate the term ‘The V’s’. Yeesh. You think an advanced alien species would have a name for themselves, right? Has anyone asked? “Why yes. Our species is called the Kerashnisk. Thanks for asking.”
Anyways – They rushed too fast to make the V’s the bad guys. It was a little bit too ‘in your face’ with the way it was obvious that they were bad. The show has people who despise the V’s for other reasons but who don’t necessarily know that they’re bad. The lack of mysteriousness in their agenda really hurt the magic of the show.
What I would have done:
- Added more people to the show with different viewpoints on things. The priest is an interesting viewpoint. The FBI agent protecting the Vs is an interesting viewpoint. The humans who want to hurt the Vs (like the woman from this past week’s episode who’s husband was killed when they entered the earth’s atmosphere) would have made an interesting viewpoint. People organizing a protest is interesting. They could have really done something amazing by simply changing the scope of the show. The alien invasion story has been done too many times. The alien…visitation story, where they want to be accepted by humanity as friends, and looking at the dark side of humanity in the case of a visitation and what would happen… I don’t know any series that’s done that angle. It does seem like a pre-cursor to District 9.
- Add less ‘evil’ to the overtones of the V’s purpose. Hey, maybe you could have one get killed during a violent protest, and people see the lizard form under the skin and freak out. Because the V’s aren’t what they seem to be. But they’re not evil. They just made themselves appear human to be more relatable.
Right now the characters on the show just feel flat out unwatchable. I don’t have a whole lot of interest in them and I don’t think that’s going to change. With just a few minor changes in the story (IE: Make it less black and white) the show could have been a hit to me. Right now, the show just bores me.
I don’t see the “quiet success” mantra being used.
I thought the latest episode was quite good.
Don’t worry. It will get good when Charles shows up. And don’t forget, the Starchild is coming!
I think this is great news and Im sure the numbers in the past few weeks will increase “a little” and thats better than before! yay! They havent any numbers for iTunes downloads or xBox downloads. Im sure they will not do much with the ratings but would be nice to see some figures
@MooTrain
“I realized that I hate the term ‘The V’s’. Yeesh. You think an advanced alien species would have a name for themselves, right?”
And they probably do – but name has clearly been picked for the benifit of the dimwits on Earth.
Why do they give the Total Viewers in millions and the 18-49 in a rating number in this press release? Just what I want to have to do when I read a press release—math!
Thank the gods I read this one, too, because I was just saying to myself, “What would MooTrain have done differently?” I was really dying to know.
I’m not really surprised. Sci fi shows are always heavily DVRed (is there a past-tense for DVR? And if there is… isn’t that a little redundant?)
When exactly does V return next year?
I really do like V, but I still feel the first episode had too much going on and could have easily been spread out as the first 4 episodes (with a bit more history thrown in about the human characters). The big fight at the end of the premiere could have easily been used as a finale to the fall episodes to hook people for when it does come back.
I really want to like this show, but the second episode might have been the most boring hour long show I have ever watched. There is so much potential with this show, but the writing just isn’t up to the scope of it all. Perhaps they shouldve waited a year before putting this out, and then hired all the out of work Lost writers.