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What a depressing overnight ratings report we got this morning. ABC and NBC posted their lowest Thursday nights with original programming this season with all of their series hitting or tying season lows in 18-49. CBS’ The Big Bang Theory also hit a season low. Fox’s American Idol and Bones, CBS’ CSI and The Mentalist and CW’s The Vampire Diaries and Nikita logged minimal ratings increases that in no way offset the across-the-board drops for the rest of the Thursday series. So what happened last night? There is no definitive explanation. HUT levels were down week-to-week but within the standard diviation range (4%). Ratings experts suspect that, with weather across the country improving, we’ve started to see the so-called “spring ratings slump.” Or some viewers may have started their Presidents weekend a little earlier. Here is a network-by-network rundown:
Fox’s American Idol (7.5/22 in 18-49, 21.9 million) was up 3% from last Thursday in 18-49 and flat in total viewers. Versus the same telecast last year, which was part of new judge Ellen DeGeneres’ first week on the show, the singing competition was down 21%. It easily ranked as the top telecast of the night and drove Fox to a nightly victory. At 9 PM, Bones (3.3/9, 9.9 million) was up 3% from last week in the demo.
All ABC series hit season lows in 18-49. Winter Wipeout (1.9/6) was down 14% from last week, Grey’s Anatomy (3.7/10) down 5%, and Private Practice (2.4/7) down 8%.
More disheartening numbers for NBC’s all-comedy Thursday lineup. Community (1.8/5) was flat, while rookie Perfect Couples (1.4/4) was down 7%. Both comedies tied their season lows. The rest of NBC’s Thursday series hit new season lows. The Office (3.3/9) was down 6% from last week, Parks & Recreation (2.3/6) was down 8%, 30 Rock (2.0/6) was down 13% and Outsourced (1.5/4) was down 12%. NBC finished the night a distant fourth with a 2.0/6 in 18-49 and 4.2 million viewers.
CBS’ Big Bang Theory (3.7/11, 12.5 million) was down 5% for a season low in 18-49. $#*! My Dad Says (2.6/8, 9.8 million) was down 4%. With Justin Bieber guest starring, CSI (2.9/8, 13.3 million) was up 4%. At 10 PM, The Mentalist (3.0/9, 14.9 million) stayed higher, up 3%.
CW’s Vampire Diaries (3 million, 1.4/4 in 18-49, 1.5/5 in 18-34) was up 7% in total viewers and 18-49 and flat in 18-34. Nikita (2.1 million, 0.8/2 in 18-49 and in 18-34) was up 13% in viewers and 18-49 and even in 18-34.
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I’m happy the Mentalist did well. American Idol was kind of fun. My wife gave up watching Big Bang Theory to watch Idol. I don’t think she was the only one.
I’ve been fast forwarding through the Jim Parsons stuff. His character is cringeworthy. The other cast members characters are more interesting. I’ll probably bail on it soon if they don’t balance it out.
I believe the creative “ass-covering” of executives is having a more dynamic effect as competition continues to increase across the media board. That is, shows like “parks and recreation,” which should have been cancelled after it’s first six episodes, remains on the air, and 30 Rock is on creative life support.
I believe the collective powers-that-be, which unfortunately include actor’s agents, make ruthless acts more difficult to initiate. I think, for example, that the collective bargaining power of Amy Poehler’s little army of enablers, hampers the meritocracy that would have had that show cancelled long ago.
If a lead actor in a comedy-who doesn’t have the drawing power or talent to be in that position-fails, as the game goes now, that actor is “finding her voice,” and the show is allowed to continue at almost any cost, so that the stigma of failure is buffered significantly.
I believe Poehler is just one example of this new paradigm that is one big hole in the creative boat of network television. Poeler is funny. Just not funny or dynamic enough to carry a show. She should be in supporting roles, behind the lead. That is never going to change. Only the ratings will.
I think they should can “Parks” as soon as possible, and strongly consider eliminating “30 Rock,” despite the wailings of assorted flack from the leads in the shows. Bad shows are like a virus, and infect the shows around it. It’s sad to see a show like “Community” have to take ratings hits because of it’s being surrounded by inferior shows, and relatively inferior talents.
The networks should be a meritocracy, and unfortunately, meritocracies can make too many of their choices look bad, which in turn, make the decision makers look bad. They cover their asses, which in turn make their ratings look bad.
This needs to stop, kids. You’ll lose your job anyway. Might as well lose it with the pride of knowing you had the guts to acknowledge when you were wrong.
Every single show on Thursday night outside of The Office would be canceled on CBS. NBC needs to start over. Outsourced and Perfect Couples are so bad, they make my eyes bleed.
NBC find a vehicle for Adam Scott that doesn’t involve him being a supporting character to Amy Poehler. Come on, that dude is talented.
I, for one, am thankful that their are still some executives who have the courage of their convictions to believe in quality shows, and do what they can to help an audience find that quality. What you’re suggesting is canning shows based on ratings, which will lead to all Chuck Lorre, all the time. Even the most successful shows in TV history needed time to find an audience.
And you’re fooling yourself if you think Community is suffering in the ratings because it’s “surrounded by inferior shows.” It leads off a three hour comedy block, the only outside force bringing down it’s ratings is the competitive nature of Thursday night.
And finally, it really seems like you just learned the word “meritocracy.”
You must really hate Parks and Recreation (and apparently Amy Poehler, not sure what she ever did to you). That’s swell, but there are plenty of people who find the show hilarious and enjoy it.
So i will venture to guess your opinion of quality and humor has no direct connection to the Nielsen ratings.
And to say that Community does poorly because it is on the same night and network as Parks and Recreation has no basis in reality.
People change channels constantly and do not feel locked in to a networks schedule.
It has been obvious for a long time that people do not put one channel on at 7:00 pm and leave it on all night anymore. This isn’t 1986.
Not to mention, Community is on at 8pm, 1.5 hours before Parks and Recreation. So by your argument, we could say Parks and Recreation is actually hurt by the quality of Community.
By the way, I love Community. It is one of the best shows on television, so i am not knocking it at all.
I just think your comments in response to the television ratings and viewership are very off base.
That said, I do think that NBC’s Thursday night schedule is the best block of shows currently on any night or channel. (I do skip Perfect Couples though, not for me. I turn the tv on at 8:30ish and start Community on the DVR and catch up from there).
It would be sad for it to go away. It is very different than anything else on tv and the shows are a diverse mix of humor and style.
I do hope NBC sticks with it and rebuilds a strong audience for scripted comedy as they did with shows like Seinfeld, Cheers, Fraiser, The Cosby Show, etc.
The thing with Parks is everyone thought Amy Poehler was going to be a star and moreso everyone wanted her to become a star. And maybe, in a different world, she is a star. But the show is just so terrible on every level – maybe it’s her, maybe it’s that the characters are just so fundamentally uninteresting. People forget that The Office was a hit for one reason, and it wasn’t Michael Scott being an idiot. It was a hit because people identified with the Jim/Pam relationship and wanted to live out their own personal drama through it. But those actors weren’t THE STAR!!1!1!! so they couldn’t possibly have been the reason people were watching! And once that relationship essentially ended the show has gone on its much publicized decline.
Likewise, 30 Rock was a “hit” for one reason, and it wasn’t Tina Fey (although again, people really wanted it to be, because there aren’t any major star comedy actresses right now and the industry needs one so things can be cast/packaged easily). It also wasn’t Tracy Morgan, and it definitely wasn’t the cast of lunatic idiots surrounding them. It was a hit because everyone loved Alec Baldwin playing a dick. (Likewise, Glee, despite all the glitz, became a hit because of Jane Lynch – that’s the facet everyone was telling their friends about.) Now that Baldwin’s character is toothless/boring/passe no one cares about 30 Rock anymore.
I think these are things everyone really knows but don’t want to know – a show is supposed to be a hit because it has a great lead, or because it has a fascinating new concept. And sometimes it is. But sometimes people are just stupid: “Everyone loves Glee! Not because of an awesome new side character, but because of a tremendous untapped desire for MUSICALS!!! Let’s make a thousand MUSICALS!!!” … no. Things are complicated, but we want them to be simple – and even when they are simple, we want them to be the right kind of simple, the easily replicated simple. But they’re not.
I have to disagree with you.
You are comparing shows which are successful for different reasons.
30 Rock is successful because the audience does relate to Tina Fey.
She is the every man in an extraordinary situation.
She is not “pretty”, does not have all the answers, does not date the perfect man, does not dress perfect, etc.
Yet, she runs a (semi-)successful tv show. She is in a situation the average person isn’t, but can now see themselves as being in.
This balances the “hip” humor.
The counter to that would be a show which started the same time as 30 Rock and was pretty much almost the same show, yet failed.
Studio 60. Same premise, however the leads were handsome, successful (though flawed), dated the hot girls, had all the answers. The cool kids.
The average viewer could relate. It was extraordinary people in extraordinary situations.
This only overstated the “hip” humor and turned people off.
On the other hand people relate to The Office in a different way.
They don’t relate to a specific character. They ARE a character.
The faux-documentary style is basically a way for the viewer to feel like they are another employee in the office.
With gestures and asides, talking to the camera, as well as the camera peaking around corners or riding along in the car, it helps the viewer to feel like a part of the action and “in” on the goings on of Dunder-Mifflin.
You don’t have to relate to any of the characters, because you are able to be yourself reacting to the situations around you. Parks and Recreation uses this same style. (Community actually commented on this in last night’s episode)
This advances the style of the classic multi-camera/laugh track sitcoms which are designed to make you feel like you are there. But with those, “there” is being at the theater watching a show.
Television is a visual form of radio which was born from the theater.
The laugh track and visual style are all made to help you feel like you are in the audience. That is the immersion factor which makes that style very relatable to many.
This is a strong argument for why older viewers respond more to the multi-camera comedies such as Two & A Half Men and Big Bang Theory more so than the single camera comedies, even though the content may be edgier and younger.
But that is a topic for another conversation.
That was one of the dumbest analyses I’ve ever read. You are awash in words that only sound they like they have meaning.
You’ve written perhaps two sentences buttressed by any logic.
hahahahahahaha agreed
I didn’t think TV could get any worse than Perfect Couples — until I watched The Office. My God that was so bad I actually felt embarrassed for them.
Those who missed out on GREY’S ANATOMY last night missed out on some terrific acting/directing/writing! Still a strong series!
NBC’s crapola numbers wouldn’t have anything to do with them cutting their product with creative insecticide like PERFECT COUPLES and OUTSOURCED, would it? nah, COMMUNITY and 30 ROCK were already in the toilet — THE OFFICE only creatively so. but the crap they’re wedging in-between is really unwatchable.
PARKS & REC is the new ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. great show, will never find an audience.
He was great in “party down” on starz, which was woefully cancelled after two hilarious seasons.
Hollywood is obsessed with “celebrity” and that leaves little time to concentrate on things like “talent.” Rarely do I find anything remotely interesting anywhere other than Showtime and HBO. When “Lost” ended its run, the only thing left to do is wait for the next season of “Dexter.”
I have to admit Idol is far better this year then last. I had my doubts about Tyler and Lopez, but wow, thay are hitting their stride – absolutley night and day compared to the dreadful Ellen.
Greys and PP are consistantly very strong dramas every week. Love the acting and interesting storylines.
I won’t even sniff at NBC on Thursday nights. Dull, unfunny just can’t watch it.
I often had trouble suffering through Parks and Rec for its first season… However, going back to it this season I find the show is vastly improved. Plenty of comedies especially need time to figure out how they best work, and I’m glad whenever they get the time to do so.
I agree about the first season being pretty mediocre and the second performing much better, but one of my favorite scenes from the show is from the first season where Ron gives his fact filled non-speech speech non-congratulating Leslie for winning an award. “Yes, it is true, you have won this award.”
Parks has gotten so much better since the first season. I love the office but it’s been terrible lately. Parks, community and 30 rock are smart and hilarious, too bad people rather tune in to see stuff like idol and big bang.
I really feel sorry for NBC. They have the best block of shows in the night outside of Perfect Couples and Outsourced (which are mediocre but definitely not worse than Shit My Dad Says or Big Bang Theory).
Yet their shows perform so poorly. Seriously people complain about all the crap on tv, yet they’re the ones to blame clearly. Since shows like Parks & Recreation, Community, Fringe all get low audiences while almost CBS’s line of crappy shows (outside of The Good Wife and How I Met Your Mother) get good ratings.
Parks and Recreation isn’t a bad show it’s just a on a terrible network. Perfect Couples needs to go and now. Don’t wait until May 16 when upfronts begin. Cut your loses and cancel the show.
30 Rock is only an empty critical darling, puffed by relentless NBC promotion; the reality is that it’s always been a poor performer in terms of ratings and rankings. It reminds me of Newsradio — a small fervent following, but a cynical show populated by loathsome characters toward whom you feel amused contempt. Same for Community. I think AI is picking up steam because viewers are deciding that Lopez and Tyler are good, losing DeGeneres, DiGuardi, and even Cowell made the show better, and the amateur talent is really good, so the show is rebounding. I think it is turning out that Lythgoe knew what needed to be done.
Come on, people. Parks and Rec has BARELY been given a chance. Three years? How are the characters suppose to develop in (when compared to the history of the universe) such a relatively short amount of time. Next year, when they add David Spade, Jonah Hill and Lily Tomlin, THEN this thing is going to take off and finally become the ratings juggernaut that is it’s birthright.
Community and 30 Rock are the two best comedies on network television — smart, inventive, chance-taking. If they go you’re going to have a TV landscape full of #@!@&% My Dad Says and Two and a Half Men and family sitcoms. High ratings don’t mean a show is good and low ratings don’t mean it’s bad.
I disagree completely. Parks & Recreation struggled in its first 6 episodes, but season 2 and now season 3 are hilarious. I love Amy Poehler and every single supporting cast member. Azziz, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt are just so great. When I hate a show, what I do is NOT WATCH IT. I don’t lobby for its cancellation. If you don’t like it change the channel.
NBC’s show,”Community”, is the BEST comedy ever it is seriously funny! Maybe if it was moved to a different day or time the viewings would go up. I admit that I missed a lot of the show’s episodes because of the day(Thursday) it viewed but went on OnDemand to view it.