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Hot Off The Press: The Latest TV News and Information - Page 8

post #211 of 87166
4/25/07 at 9:15am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by archiguy View Post

But didn't most of the shows coming back from hiatus suffer loss of ratings momentum? Just read a couple of articles mentioning that right here on SOHOTP (Son of Hot Off the Press). I'd be very disappointed if 'Jericho' doesn't come back; I love that show! And, it's the only thing, other than sports, I watch on creaky ol' CBS.

I think (but haven't gone back to check the numbers carefully) that "Jericho" was trending steadily downward even before its hiatus. And its decline has been steeper than some of the other shows in similar situations.
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post #212 of 87166
4/25/07 at 9:18am
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Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
'Idol' fundraiser hits a new season low
Averages 9.6 in 18-49s, off 6 percent from last week
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer April 25, 2007

American Idol's first-ever Idol Gives Back fundraiser is a noble idea and may well raise millions for charity. But it apparently did not hold as much interest as the usual singing competition for Idol fans.

The reality singing show fell to its lowest Tuesday rating of the season last night, a 9.6 Nielsen overnight among adults 18-49, as the contestants and a huge array of celebrity guests appealed to viewers to pledge money for numerous American and African charities.

Of course, a season low for Idol is still way ahead of every other show on television, and even though it was off 6 percent from last week's then-season-low 10.2, Idol still crushed the competition on a very slow night.

There may also have been some tune-out with the improbable run of popular teenage singer Sanjaya Malakar ending last week. Though he was a polarizing figure, with many complaining that his off-key presence demeaned the talent competition, he did have a large faction of fans who could stop watching now that he's been voted off.

Fox points out that "Idol" continues to pace ahead of last season year-to-date in total viewers, at 31 million to season five's 30.7 million.

As usual, Idol fueled Fox to a comfortable first-place finish among 18-49s on Tuesday night, as the network averaged a 9.1 overnight rating and a 24 share. CBS was second at 2.8/8, ABC third at 2.7/7, Univision fourth at 1.8/5, and NBC and CW tied for fifth at 1.7/4.

Fox led at 8 p.m. with its 9.6 for Idol, followed by CBS with a lower-than-usual 3.1 for NCIS. Univision was third that hour with a 1.9 for La Fea Mas Bella, the CW fourth with a 1.7 for Gilmore Girls, ABC fifth with a 1.6 for an hour of George Lopez and NBC sixth with a 1.3 for Dateline.

At 9 p.m. Fox led again with an 8.5 for House, with ABC second with a 4.2 for a Dancing with the Stars results show. CBS was third with a 2.9 for The Unit, Univision fourth with a 2.1 for Destilando Amor, CW fifth with a 1.6 for The Pussycat Dolls Present: Search for the Next Doll and NBC sixth with a 1.3 for a repeat of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

At 10 p.m. ABC led with a 2.5 for Boston Legal, with CBS second with a 2.4 for a repeat of Cold Case, NBC third with a 2.3 for a repeat of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Univision fourth with a 1.6 for Nuestra Belleza Latina.

Among households, Fox led the night with a 14.1 average rating and a 22 share. ABC and CBS tied for second at 6.9/11, with NBC fourth at 4.0/6, CW fifth at 2.6/4 and Univision sixth at 2.2/4.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...icle_11674.asp
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post #213 of 87166
4/25/07 at 9:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary*w* View Post

If CBS axes "The Unit" my wife is gonna absolutely freak!


The deicsion on "The Unit" is going to depend, I think, on how impressed CBS is with the drama pilots it will be screening over the next three weeks.

But the network definitely wants to tweak its lineup so its shows appeal at least a bit more to that 18-49 demo.

Although CBS will again handily win the season in total viewers, it is the 18-49 win that is the most valuable.
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post #214 of 87166
4/25/07 at 9:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

I think (but haven't gone back to check the numbers carefully) that "Jericho" was trending steadily downward even before its hiatus. And its decline has been steeper than some of the other shows in similar situations.

For some reason I thought it had started to rebound last week, but I haven't checked the numbers either.
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post #215 of 87166
4/25/07 at 9:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

The deicsion on "The Unit" is going to depend, I think, on how impressed CBS is with the drama pilots it will be screening over the next three weeks.

But the network definitely wants to tweak its lineup so its shows appeal at least a bit more to that 18-49 demo.

Although CBS will again handily win the season in total viewers, it is the 18-49 win that is the most valuable.

We are in that demo... albeit the high end but we are in it.
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post #216 of 87166
4/25/07 at 9:40am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maitak View Post

For some reason I thought it had started to rebound last week, but I haven't checked the numbers either.


I was speaking of the steady pre-hiatus trend, Maitak.
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post #217 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by foxeng View Post

...The later Pacific battles and the European Theatre get all the ink...

I'm looking forward to this too. B of B still gives me chills.

On ink. The same goes for the aviation side of the house....Europe and then the B-29 campaign and suddenly it's all over...everything in between gets lost. It's a problem of education. The island hopping, difficult place names, huge geographical areas covered, it's just too complex for a fast food education.

Heck, compare the Nuremberg trials to the Tokyo trials. It's like night and day as far as public awareness goes.
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post #218 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:03am
Thread Starter 
TV Notebook
Rosie O'Donnell Leaving The View
By Michele Greppi Television Week April 25, 2007

Rosie O'Donnell and "The View" are parting ways after working together only one season punctuated by many ratings-boosting feuds and heated exchanges between the out-spoken Ms. O'Donnell and a long list of people including members of the "View" family.

Ms. O'Donnell said on the ABC show Wednesday that she will remain with the show through June and return as an occasional guest and to do specials on favorite subjects such as autism.

Ms. O'Donnell said the development is "not sad," but Barbara Walters, who created the view more than a decade ago, said, "I am sad because I induced you to come here."

A story that broke on ABCNews.com Wednesday morning, said the ABC daytime division and Ms. O'Donnell were "unable to come to a contractual agreement" to extend Ms. O'Donnell's continued daily presence on the show.

Ms. Walters, who became a lightning rod when Star Jones left the show in 2006 and bared behind-the-scenes machinations that didn't match what was said on the air, moved to forestall a repeat Wednesday, saying she wanted to "make one thing perfectly clear."

"I did not participate in the negotiations with Rosie. It was ABC Daytime. I'm going to read, oh, I did this and I did that, and it brings back a lot of other things I was accused of doing and did not do. It was between your representatives and ABC Daytime," Ms. Walters said. "It was not my doing. It was not my choice."

Ms. O'Donnell was hired to succeed Meredith Vieira, who was hired last year to replace Katie Couric on NBC's "Today" show.

In the ABCNews.com story, Brian Frons, president of daytime programming for the Disney-ABC Television Group, said that when the deal was made last year to bring Ms. O'Donnell back to TV, "we knew we would have an amazing year with her, and that anything beyond that would be gravy. But we were willing to take the chance because we understood what a coup it was to entice Ro back to daytime television. So here we are a year later, and while we've tried to come to terms on a deal that would extend her co-hosting duties on 'The View,' we find ourselves unable to agree on some key elements."

Sources with the ABC-Disney family said the big deal breaker was money and that Ms. O'Donnell wanted lots of it.

There have been industry rumors for months that Ms. O'Donnell wanted to return to daytime as host of her own show and that executives at Warner Bros. and its Telepictures Productions division, which syndicated her first talk show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," for six years until she walked away from the show in 2002 and saw her short-lived magazine turn to dust and acrimony and a court battle.

Last January, TelevisionWeek reported that Ms. O'Donnell was expected to "take her first steps toward returning to a solo talk show in the next four to six months," but that first she was contractually bound to negotiate in good faith with Disney-ABC.

In his published statement Wednesday, Mr. Frons said that the network knew all along that Ms. O'Donnell's departure after a year "was a real possibility."

"So we part as friends, and hope that we can entice Rosie back next year to take part in a series of one-hour specials for us like our recent show on autism. And maybe, if we're lucky, we'll be able to convince her to guest co-host once in a while as well," he said.

Ms. Walters said on the air: "We have not thought about a replacement."

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the young, conservative co-host of "The View," and a frequent target of Ms. O'Donnell's take-no-prisoners style of rhetoric, said on the show: "I think I'm in denial. I just feel like we've had such good conversation. I can't say it enough. You are such a catalyst. You know just how to [making a stabbing gesture toward Ms. O'Donnell] get in there. We've just taken off the shackles and really just had some pure, honest conversation here."

"We have had, to say the least, an interesting year," Ms. Walters said using words like "exciting" and "fun-filled."

"We have all loved it," Ms. Walters said. "You will be missed very much."

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11940
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post #219 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

I was speaking of the steady pre-hiatus trend, Maitak.

Yeah I know. I wasn't disputing your statement, just adding a comment to what you'd already said. The show had been trending down, but for some reason I was thinking it had bounced back some last week (although I could be wrong since I haven't checked the numbers). As a fan of the show that at least gives me a little hope that it might pick up the pace a little and still has an outside shot at getting picked up next year. I'm not holding my breath though.
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post #220 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:08am
Thread Starter 
Cable Nielsen Notebook
Viewers Dig Discovery's 'Earth'
But USA Nabs Weekly Ratings Crown
By Anthony Crupi MediaWeek April 25, 2007

Discovery Channel continued to pile on the ratings with its Planet Earth juggernaut, drawing the single largest audience in cable last week with Sunday's 9 p.m. installment of the globe-trotting nature series. Some 5.57 million total viewers tuned in for the second hour of Planet, an improvement over the 8 p.m. segment, which drew 5.06 million viewers.

Although a third hour of Planet Earth did not sustain the lead-in, the installment still averaged a more-than-respectable 3.39 million viewers.

For the week ended April 22, Planet Earth also served up solid demo numbers, as the two earlier hours averaged 2.53 million adults 18-49 and 1.31 million adults 18-34. The special also delivered three of the week's largest adults 25-54 audiences, averaging 2.17 million members of the demo from 8 p.m.-11 p.m.

The ad-supported ratings crown once again was claimed by USA Network, which averaged 2.38 million viewers in prime time while winning the adults 18-49 demo (1.08 million) and adults 25-54 (1.04 million). Among all measured basic cable nets, non-ad-supported Disney Channel had the best week, averaging 2.53 million viewers.

TNT took second on the week, as the NBA playoffs tipped off, averaging 1.96 million viewers. The Turner net also took second among adults 25-54 (974,000), while placing third with its delivery of adults 18-34 (427,000) and adults 18-49 (925,000). In the latter category, TNT was just edged out by ESPN, which averaged 927,000, thanks in part to its Sunday Night Baseball coverage of the final game of the Yankees/Red Sox series. The game delivered the second largest audience of the week, as 5.48 million partisans tuned in; it also won the adults 18-49 and 25-54 demos.

All told, ESPN finished the week in fourth place, averaging 1.77 million prime-time viewers, as Fox News Channel snuck past the sports net to claim the bronze with 1.78 million. ESPN also won the adults 18-34 demo (507,000).

FNC was boosted by its coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings, racking up its largest audience of the week with Monday night's installment of The O'Reilly Factor, which drew 3.55 million viewers.

Fifth place went to Discovery (1.68 million), which took third among adults 25-54 and fourth with its delivery of the other two demos.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/rec..._id=1003576091
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post #221 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:13am
Thread Starter 
TV Notebook
Rosie O'Donnell on leaving "The View":
"That's show biz ... It's not bad"
By Hal Boedeker Orlando Sentinel Television Critic his TV Guy blog April 25, 2007

Rosie O'Donnell announced Wednesday morning that she is leaving "The View." She will be with the daytime chat show through June. O'Donnell said she and ABC couldn't reach agreement on a contract.

"That's show biz," she said. "But it's not bad, because I loved it here."

O'Donnell announced that she will return and guest host.

"View" creator Barbara Walters said she did not participate in the negotiations.

"This is not my doing or my choice," Walters said.

"They're not kicking me out," O'Donnell said. "Don't worry. It's OK."

Walters said the departure sadded her. The show had not considered a replacement because she hoped that O'Donnell would return.

"You will be missed very much," Walters told O'Donnell.

Joy Behar agreed and said Donald Trump was very sad. "He's on a ledge right now, saying, 'How am I going to resuscitate 'The Apprentice' now?"

O'Donnell boosted ratings, but she had a nasty feud with Trump that later engulfed "View" boss Walters. O'Donnell has delighted some "View" fans and irritated others who think she overwhelms the show.

Behar agreed that O'Donnell would be missed. "This has been an exciting year," Behar said, adding that Walters and O'Donnell took all the hits during controversy.

ABCNews.com announced O'Donnell's departure about an hour before the show started. The Web site shared statements from both women.

Walters' statement reads: "I induced Rosie to come back to television on 'The View' even for just one year. She has given the program new vigor, new excitement and wonderful hours of television. I can only be grateful to her for this year. I am very sad that ABC Daytime could not reach an agreement with her for a second year. We will all miss Rosie on 'The View,' and hope she will be back with us often next season. She remains for me a cherished friend and colleague."

For her part, O'Donnell said: "This has been an amazing experience, and one I wouldn't have traded for the world. Working with Barbara, Joy and Elisabeth has been one of the highlights of my career, but my needs for the future just didn't dovetail with what ABC was able to offer me. To all the viewers out there, I just want to say 'thank you' for opening up your hearts and your homes to me this past year. But you can always find me at rosie.com. Here's hoping there's more confetti for all of us going forward."

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/ent..._rumor_co.html
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post #222 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:17am
Thread Starter 
Nielsen Notebook
Nielsen: Fox's House Is Most Watched Prime Show in DVR Playback
By John Consoli MediaWeek April 25, 2007

Fox's House was the most watched broadcast prime-time show in DVR playback for the week ending April 8, according to Nielsen Media Research data, which showed that 2.7 million viewers watched the show in playback mode within seven days of its live airing.

ABC's Lost was the second most viewed prime-time show in DVR playback during that week, with 2.47 million viewers watching within seven days, and Fox's Tuesday edition of American Idol was third with 2.45 million viewers watching in playback mode.

Nielsen released its timeshifted TV viewing numbers for the first time today.

The fourth most watched show in playback mode was CBS' CSI, viewed by 2.1 million people. Next in order was Fox's 24 (1.94 million viewers); CBS' Survivor: Fiji (1.9 million); NBC's The Office (1.8 million); ABC's Desperate Housewives (1.6 million); American Idol Wednesday (1.4 million); and Fox's Prison Break (1.3 million).

On a percentage of total audience basis, The Office had the largest, with 31.5 percent of its audience coming in playback mode.

Nielsen will make this data available to the media for reporting every Monday.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/rec..._id=1003576094
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post #223 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:21am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by maitak View Post

Yeah I know. I wasn't disputing your statement, just adding a comment to what you'd already said. The show had been trending down, but for some reason I was thinking it had bounced back some last week (although I could be wrong since I haven't checked the numbers). As a fan of the show that at least gives me a little hope that it might pick up the pace a little and still has an outside shot at getting picked up next year. I'm not holding my breath though.


Not to depress you any more, but I suspect the networks would rather be rid of serials althogether. They cause tremendous scheduling problems and don't repeat well.

In fact, they can't be repeated with any success at all.

And the per-episode costs are usually no less than standard episodic programs which can be repeated with pretty decent ratings.
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post #224 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:33am
Thread Starter 
Nielsen Notebook
Nielsen: Fox's House Is Most Watched Prime Show in DVR Playback
"The Office" Has Highest Percentage Gain
(The Nielsen Company news release)

April 25, 2007 - NEW YORK - The Nielsen Company today released the first look at the most timeshifted broadcast network television programs in the U.S., with FOX's House and ABC's Lost showing the most lift in audience due to playback with a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) within seven days of its initial airing.

For the week of April 2 - April 8, the most recent week for which ratings for seven-day playback are available, House pulled in an additional 2.74 million DVR viewers after its April 3rd airing, while Lost pulled in an additional 2.47 million viewers after its April 4th episode. The April 3rd episode of American Idol on FOX was third with 2.45 million viewers.

On a percentage basis, The Office had the highest gain in viewing with DVR playback, increasing viewership by more than 31%.

Starting immediately, The Nielsen Company will make this ranking available to media reporters every Monday.

Top "Timeshifted" Broadcast Network TV Programs by Absolute Viewers
For the Week of 04/02/2007-04/08/2007 (Persons age 2+)
Code:
Rank Program Network Day Aired       Live Views(000's)       Playback Views (000's)  Gain (%)
1       HOUSE   FOX     4-3-07  19,024  2,740   14.4
2       LOST    ABC     4-4-07  10,831  2,474   22.8
3       AMERICAN IDOL-TUES      FOX     4-3-07  24,741  2,458   9.9
4       CSI     CBS     4-5-07  20,894  2,172   10.4
5       24      FOX     4-2-07  10,022  1,946   19.4
6       SURVIVOR: FIJI  CBS     4-5-07  12,338  1,906   15.5
7       OFFICE  NBC     4-5-07  5,774   1,821   31.5
8       DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES    ABC     4-5-07  15,056  1,626   10.8
9       AMERICAN IDOL-WED       FOX     4-4-07  24,931  1,436   5.8
10      PRISON BREAK    FOX     4-2-07  7,407   1,358   18.3
Source: Nielsen Media Research
Note: Data from April 2, 2007 - April 8, 2007, comparing Live and Live Plus 7 Days of DVR Playback
Top "Timeshifted" Broadcast Network TV Programs by Percentage Gain
For the Week of 04/02/2007-04/08/2007 (Persons age 2+)
Code:
Rank Program Net  Day Aired  Live Views(000's) Playback Views (000's) Gain (%)
1       OFFICE  NBC     4-5-07  5,774      7,595               31.5
2       LOST    ABC     4-4-07  10,831  13,305  22.8
3       24      FOX         4-2-07      10,022  11,968  19.4
4       PRISON BREAK FOX        4-2-07  7,407   8,765   18.3
5       30 ROCK NBC         4-5-07      5,049   5,935   17.6
6       SCRUBS  NBC          4-5-07     4,646   5,424   16.8
7       FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS     NBC        4-4-07       4,936   5,746   16.4
8       SURVIVOR: FIJI  CBS        4-5-07       12,338  14,244  15.5
9       7TH HEAVEN      CW         4-8-07       2,051   2355    14.8
10      HOUSE   FOX              4-3-07 19,024  21,764  14.4
Source: Nielsen Media Research
Note: Data from April 2, 2007 - April 8, 2007, comparing Live and Live Plus 7 Days of DVR Playback
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post #225 of 87166
4/25/07 at 10:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

Not to depress you any more, but I suspect the networks would rather be rid of serials althogether. They cause tremendous scheduling problems and don't repeat well.

In fact, they can't be repeated with any success at all.

And the per-episode costs are usually no less than standard episodic programs which can be repeated with pretty decent ratings.

And the reason why I think NBC always intended to bring back all three Law & Order shows back for 2007-08, but decided to play hardball with Dick Wolf to get him to cut production costs on "L&O" and "CI." The ratings on these shows are down (with production costs sky-high) but what else is NBC going to use to plug Saturday nights or a leaky hole in the schedule when one or two of their "sure things" (anyone remember the hype for Kidnapped and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) bite the dust? Can episodes of "Bionic Woman" and "ER" sustain up to three or four repeats within the same season?

Last night "Criminal Intent" came in 5th in the 18-49 demo, but did you know this was the fourth time NBC has repeated this episode (the one with the alleged cyber-kidnapping) in primetime since October? And that doesn't even include the 11PM USA Network first-run repeats of "CI." Name me other show that can be repeated four freaking times and still pull any decent numbers. And with Deal or No Deal finally showing signs of fading interest (no more Top 20 finishes for either repeats or new episodes) NBC needs all the "Law & Order" it can get.
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post #226 of 87166
4/25/07 at 11:00am
House is repeated like crazy both on Fox during primetime and on USA (though not current season episodes during primetime). But I take your point, the staying power of CI repeats is perhaps more impressive given that the first-run ratings of new episodes aren't all that great.

I wonder if CI repeats so well because people don't watch it regularly. I mean, if you take a viewer that only watches every other week (for either D'nofrio or Noth but not both), I'd imagine it'd be hectic trying to catch first-run episodes that you like, so "repeats" are almost as likely to be "new to you" as first-run episodes.
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post #227 of 87166
4/25/07 at 11:10am
Maybe that's the reason NBC would rather kill the mothership and keep "CI" on. With the revolving door of detectives chances are some viewers will "accidentally" watch an episode they've already seen but not remember. I'm a diehard "CI" fan and sometimes even I find myself wondering if I've already seen a "CI" repeat airing on Saturday night or Tuesday. Also "CI" original episodes get the full brunt of the "American Idol" juggernaut in the Winter months but during the Fall and January months new episodes do rather well (by NBC's perpetually-plummeting standards).
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post #228 of 87166
4/25/07 at 11:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

Not to depress you any more, but I suspect the networks would rather be rid of serials althogether. They cause tremendous scheduling problems and don't repeat well.

In fact, they can't be repeated with any success at all.

And the per-episode costs are usually no less than standard episodic programs which can be repeated with pretty decent ratings.

This is something I just don't understand. If one has seen an episode of a procedural (or other reputedly "good repeating" show) and decides to watch it again in repeat, how should that be any different than doing the same thing with a serial show? And if you miss an episode, it would seem natural that you'd be waiting for it to repeat so that you could catch it - and that desire would be stronger, not weaker, for serial shows. I just don't get the psychology of this, but the numbers do seem to verify it.

I understand that there are multiple platforms to catch shows that you've missed nowadays, but frankly, I'd rather miss an episode altogether and maybe catch it later on DVD than subject myself to having to watch it on a computer screen, deal with the downloads, etc.

At any rate, I do seem to prefer serial shows. In fact, I really don't watch anything but serials (outside of sports). They always seem to me to be the best stuff, the most interesting and compelling narratives, on TV.
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post #229 of 87166
4/25/07 at 11:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dad1153 View Post

Maybe that's the reason NBC would rather kill the mothership and keep "CI" on. With the revolving door of detectives chances are some viewers will "accidentally" watch an episode they've already seen but not remember. I'm a diehard "CI" fan and sometimes even I find myself wondering if I've already seen a "CI" repeat airing on Saturday night or Tuesday. Also "CI" original episodes get the full brunt of the "American Idol" juggernaut in the Winter months but during the Fall and January months new episodes do rather well (by NBC's perpetually-plummeting standards).

Hell, the last CI episode my dvr recorded was a new one, but I could swear that it was a repeat. It wasn't but the episode had the same theme that an L&O "mothership" episode a few weeks earlier had.
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post #230 of 87166
4/25/07 at 11:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by archiguy View Post

This is something I just don't understand. If one has seen an episode of a procedural (or other reputedly "good repeating" show) and decides to watch it again in repeat, how should that be any different than doing the same thing with a serial show? And if you miss an episode, it would seem natural that you'd be waiting for it to repeat so that you could catch it - and that desire would be stronger, not weaker, for serial shows. I just don't get the psychology of this, but the numbers do seem to verify it.

Standalones don't require you to have seen the previous eps...you can solve the mystery in one shot and watch Horatio walk into the ocean muttering to himself and putting on his sunglasses of justice. If you miss an ep, you'll still be back next week to see the new one.

If I miss an episode of LOST I'm not waiting a few months for the repeat, I'm gonna watch it on abc.com, iTunes, or even download it. Otherwise everyone will be talking about it and it will be spoiled.
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post #231 of 87166
4/25/07 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by archiguy View Post

This is something I just don't understand. If one has seen an episode of a procedural (or other reputedly "good repeating" show) and decides to watch it again in repeat, how should that be any different than doing the same thing with a serial show?...I just don't get the psychology of this, but the numbers do seem to verify it.

The numbers certainly do support the claim that serials don't rerun well. I'm sure we could come up with a number of (correct or incorrect) explanations for why that is (Iteki gives one possible reason). My question is this:

Given that serials don't do well in reruns, should the networks:
(1) Just look at the bottom line (bad viewership numbers) and avoid serials, or,
(2) Do substantial research to determine precisely why they do not repeat well, and then use the results of that research to determine how best to air original and repeat episodes of these shows?

Choosing option (1) simply avoids the problem of trying to understand the psychology of it, whereas option (2) takes the psychology behind it much more seriously.
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post #232 of 87166
4/25/07 at 11:55am
I wonder if DVD sales for serials are better than standalone series. I generally don't buy tv series on DVD, but the ones I have bought have all been serials. Not sure if I'm unique though.
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post #233 of 87166
4/25/07 at 2:11pm
Thread Starter 
Michael Ausiello at TV Guide is reporting that "Drive" has been cancelled by Fox.

Ausiello says "House" reruns will take ovet the Monday at 8 ET/PT time slot.

He also says he has heard a couple of remaining episodes of "Drive" may appear on Fridays late in May.
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post #234 of 87166
4/25/07 at 2:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

Michael Ausiello at TV Guide is reporting that "Drive" has been cancelled by Fox.

Ausiello says "House" reruns will take ovet the Monday at 8 ET/PT time slot.

He also says he has heard a couple of remaining episodes of "Drive" may appear on Fridays late in May.

Oh, fercryinoutloud. They did it again.
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post #235 of 87166
4/25/07 at 2:20pm
That seems quick even by FOX standards, the show only aired twice in it's regular time slot.
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post #236 of 87166
4/25/07 at 2:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

Michael Ausiello at TV Guide is reporting that "Drive" has been cancelled by Fox.

Ausiello says "House" reruns will take ovet the Monday at 8 ET/PT time slot.

He also says he has heard a couple of remaining episodes of "Drive" may appear on Fridays late in May.

At least Fox are consistent!

When will Tim Minear learn? Find another network to work with Tim!
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post #237 of 87166
4/25/07 at 2:51pm
Is this a late April Fool's joke? You have got to be kidding me! Um...right?
Say it ain't so
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post #238 of 87166
4/25/07 at 2:55pm
At least I didn't get burned with Drive this time around. I've learned my lesson with Donnelys, Daybreak, Reunion, Justice, etc.

As I did for Drive, from now on I'm recording the first two episodes of any new show and then checking the ratings. If it isn't pulling any half decent numbers I'm just recording and waiting a few weeks to see if it's worth getting into.
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post #239 of 87166
4/25/07 at 3:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredfa View Post

Michael Ausiello at TV Guide is reporting that "Drive" has been cancelled by Fox.

Ausiello says "House" reruns will take ovet the Monday at 8 ET/PT time slot.

He also says he has heard a couple of remaining episodes of "Drive" may appear on Fridays late in May.

I just got my driver's permit today, how ironic.

TV Gal Looks for Lost Faces
By Amy Amatangelo
April 23, 2007

Round up the troops, put out an all points bulletin, cue up your TiVo, because Team TV Gal is going on a search for characters who are missing in action.

Sure we know why Bree hasn't been around Wisteria Lane lately, but there are a few characters I am very worried about.

Practically Everyone on "24": I've already bemoaned the fact that we have no update on former President Logan or Martha. But never have so many characters been tossed aside and forgotten on this show. Jack's nefarious father, Sandra's boyfriend Walid, and Jack's former flame Marilyn all were introduced as important characters only to be ignored. To me it's further proof of this season's "let's throw it against the wall and see if it sticks" approach to story telling.

Rose and Bernard on "Lost": Um, where are they? Did the Others capture them and no one noticed? After moving them into center stage last season, we haven't seen them at all this year. Sawyer mentioned Bernard last week, but that so doesn't count.

Lane on "Gilmore Girls": Rebecca was the first TV Gal reader to sound the alarm on Lane, who truthfully we have barely seen this season. Hello, she's Rory's best friend. Are they in a fight we don't know about?

Who have you missed on your favorite shows this season? Write me and let me know. I'll put your picks in next week's column.

Quotes of the Week

"Hope I'm not interrupting. You two arguing over who's your favorite Other?" Saywer to Jack and Juliette on "Lost." Thanks to Brandon who was the first to nominate this week's most popular quote.

"We may be whores at my agency but we're not pimps." Ari to the writer who wanted to sleep with Lloyd on "Entourage."

"I'm about to compliment you and I'm going to ask you to lose the surprise." Simon to Melinda on "American Idol."

"Mr. President, you owe me." Jack to President Wayne Palmer on "24."

"I've met all the Joneses and I've kept up with them. So I think I'm gonna go." Senator McCallister to Kitty on "Brothers & Sisters." Thanks to Jeff for the quote.

"That explains your low sex drive and why you rented 'Memoirs of a Geisha' the other night. Man that was the worst Kung Fu movie ever." Earl to Little Chubby and his doctor after the doctor informed Little Chubby that his body wasn't making testosterone any more on "My Name Is Earl." Thanks to Kevin for the quote.

Where Have I Seen Them Before?

Maulik Pancholy was Johnny Sac's doctor on "The Sopranos." We saw Pancholy this season as Jonathan on "30 Rock." He's also Sanjay on "Weeds."

Will Sasso was the writer Ari desperately wanted to sign on "Entourage." Sasso, who spent seven years on "MADtv," was Carl on "Less Than Perfect."

Everyone recognized Jenna Elfman and Susan Sullivan, Dharma and Kitty on "Dharma & Greg," on "Brothers & Sisters." But I also wanted to point out that Eric Winter, who played Robert McAllister's brother Jason, was R.J. on "Wildfire" and Rex Brady on "Days of Our Lives." And we could see him next season in the CBS pilot "Viva Lauglin."

David was the first to recognize Cindy Williams, the beloved Shirley Feeney on "Laverne & Shirley," was the woman taking care of Wendy's son on "Drive." Judy recognized other familiar faces on "Drive." We saw Kristin Lehman, who plays Corinna, earlier this season as Jane Phillips, one of the women working for Lincoln and Michael's dad on "Prison Break." She was also Detective Danielle Carter on "Killer Instinct," Dr. Lily Reddicker on "Judging Amy," Avery on "Felicity" and Esther Nairin on "The X-Files." Richard Brooks, Paul Robinette on "Law & Order" and Jubal Early on "Firefly," is the detective looking for Alex's wife.

There were, as usual, a slew of familiar faces on "Grey's Anatomy." Suzanne Cryer, Ashley on "Two Guys and a Girl," was the adopted mom of Izzie's daughter. We saw Cryer earlier this season on "Desperate Housewives." Melissa Fitzgerald, who played Carol on "The West Wing," was the woman who the chief awkwardly flirted with. And Dee Wallace, forever in our memories as the mom on "E.T.," was the woman who thought she was Jane Doe's mom. We saw her last season on "Sons & Daughters."

Joe Manganiello was the officer Sam was flirting with on "ER." He's Brad on "How I Met Your Mother" and Chad on "Scrubs."

It's Raining Pilots in Hollywood

Remember how I loved "Desperate Housewives" before I ever met it? Or when we first heard that NBC was making an American version of "The Office." Or when "Grey's Anatomy" was nothing more than another hospital drama starring the girl from "Old School" and "Loverboy"?

You never quite know how a television pilot, the first episode of a television series, is going to pan out. And right now there are 98 pilots anxiously awaiting word on whether or not they'll get invited to the big dance in the fall.

Now I've seen none of these pilots but does that stop me from picking out my early favorites? Of course not.

"Grey's Anatomy" Spin-Off (ABC): First of all, this stars all our favorites: Paul Adelstein, Amy Brenneman, Tim Daly, Merrin Dungey and Chris Lowell. Come on, aren't you in love with it already? This potential drama gets Addison (Kate Walsh) away from the bed-hopping shenanigans on the show and we'll get a sneak peak in the May 3 episode of "Grey's Anatomy."

Michael Vartan's Pilot (ABC): This still untitled pilot about four executives who golf at the same club also stars Dylan McDermott, Josh Malina and Nia Long, but they had me at Vartan.

"Eli Stone" (ABC) and "Dirty Sexy Money" (ABC): Who's loving ABC's pilots? I am, I am. And both these pilots are from your friend and mine, Greg Berlanti, the man behind "Everwood" and this season's "Brothers & Sisters."

"Lipstick Jungle" (NBC): The last time Candace Bushnell's writing was turned into a TV series, viewers were treated to the iconic "Sex & the City." So I couldn't help but wonder: will this drama about the loves, careers and ,of course, sex lives of modern women in New York be as truthfully hilarious as the HBO comedy?

"Gossip Girl" (The CW): Josh Schwartz, the creator of "The O.C.," had such a brief time in the sun as Hollywood's It Boy. It would be great to see Schwartz get his mojo back with this drama. Based on a series of novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, Leighton Meester and Blake Lively star as socialite teenagers growing up on New York's Upper East Side.

"The Rules for Starting Over" (FOX): Because Jim so isn't into Karen on "The Office" and we so want to see the fabulous Rashida Jones on TV next season.

"Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office" (ABC): Because it is so true. And I can't wait for Jayma Mays (who had great runs as a character named Charlie on both "Heroes" and "Ugly Betty" this season) to tell us all about it.

Highlights of the Week Ahead
All times are listed are Eastern Time for April 23 to 29

So we're all kind of loving "Drive" (Monday, NBC, 8 p.m.). Now we just have to hope that FOX has faith in the show.

"Heroes" returns to Monday at 9 p.m. on NBC. I have to say I'm still feeling emotionally disconnected from the characters and that leads to me not feeling invested in the plot twist and turns. I'm kind of bummed out about how I feel about "Heroes," because it really should be my type of show. After you watch the return episode, let me know what you think.

Fret not, CBS is giving you one more chance to see Robin Sparkles in action on "How I Met Your Mother" Monday at 8 p.m. on CBS.

It's the season finale of "Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For The Next Doll" Tuesday at 9 p.m. on the CW. And we care because that means "Veronica Mars" is back next week.

Kelly Clarkson finally returns to the show that launched her career in the two-hour edition of "American Idol" Wednesday at 8 p.m. on FOX..

Keri Russell guest stars as Eliot's sorority sister Melody on "Scrubs" (Thursday, NBC, 9:30 p.m. ) J.D. has a crush on her but everyone knows she's hung up on some guy named Ben ... or Noel or ... or Ben.

So we all need whatever Neela on "ER" and Kitty on "Brothers & Sisters" have going on because every man who crosses their path instantly falls in love with them. In addition to Ray, Tony and Dr. Dubenko, last week even Neela's patient hit on her. As so many of you have pointed out, it's the Neela show over at County General. But all this romantic tomfoolery has made me care about who Neela ends up with. But my bigger concern is what they are doing with Sam's love life. Talk about dropped storylines. There have been rotating line up of possible romantic possibilities for Sam. This week (Thursday, NBC, 10 p.m.), Annabella Sciorra returns as the photographer with cancer. Also it occurred to me last week that despite my many complaints, "ER" has still got it. Because I was crying over the father with Alzheimer's who lost his son.

I need to know how you're feeling about "The Sopranos" (Sunday, HBO, 9 p.m.) because I'm okay with this season but not overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it.

So we're all having a little trouble handling Emily VanCamp's bad girl ways on "Brothers & Sisters" (Sunday, ABC, 10 p.m.). Perhaps we were lulled into a sense of security because after all she was our beloved Amy Abott. But, wow, did she shock me last week. In one instant, she went from sympathetic to suspicious. Do you think Joe kissed her or do you think she kissed Joe. Or do you think she tried to kiss Joe but he rejected her? Whatever happened we'll see it play out this week. I can't wait.

That's all for today. I'll be back next week to talk about the return of "Veronica Mars," "Grey's Anatomy," and some of my favorite performance this season (I'm loving a certain executive assistant). Have a question, seen a familiar face or want to nominate a quote of the week. Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com
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post #240 of 87166
4/25/07 at 3:07pm
Thread Starter 
TV Notebook
'Drive' runs out of gas
Fox parks drama after four episodes
By Michael Schnider Variety April 25, 2007

Fox has impounded "Drive," steering the show off the network highway after four episodes.

Despite decent reviews, "Drive" quickly stalled, averaging just a 2.3 rating and 6 share among adults 18-49, and 5.6 million viewers overall.

Monday night's "Drive" didn't help matters, coming in fifth place for the hour (1.5/5) and driving "24" to record lows, dropping Fox to fourth for the night.

Having shoved a Denver boot on "Drive," Fox has now gassed up "House" repeats in the Monday 8 p.m. slot.

Net is still mulling whether to burn off the last two remaining segs of "Drive" on air, or stream the final segs online.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?lay...&categoryid=14
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