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Ratings and Scheduling: Still More Numbers to Decipher

Kris117

By Kris117
in Person Of Interest [V]

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ShannaB
ShannaB

The audience actually has to pay attention every week!!

calguy
calguy

Renewed for a fifth season.   http://tvline.com/2015/05/11/cbs-renewals-2014-shows-renewed-person-of-interest-hawaii-five-0/

stealinghome
stealinghome

I agree that PoI being a non-CBS-owned show is the root cause of this, but it's still unusually shitty treatment even given those circumstances. Contrast it with what CBS did for The Mentalist last se

Kris117

Kris117

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Love PoI AND NCIS. PoI is more complex than NCIS, for sure. But, to me, the commonality is that both are character driven

 

I've watched two seasons of the original NCIS, and I can see your point. Most of the CBS procedurals are character driven, at least as I see them. Part of the interest is watching the characters I know responding to a given situation. Also, I really like procedurals, and am an avid mystery reader.

 

That said, I can see why NCIS gets better ratings than this show. It's much more accessible for the casual viewer. With most procedurals, I don't have to pay avid attention while watching. I can do a crossword, read a little, etc. With this show, I can't let my attention drop for a second. Even the scene changes have information on them—whether it's the year, or a name, or what have you. For many viewers watching at the end of a busy day, it's easier to watch NCIS. 

 

I do wonder how the network promos appear to a viewer who hasn't watched the show. They seem more geared to the steady audience. That's okay with me, but I wonder what would happen if the ran a montage of all the times Reese has gone into a bar, followed by a shot of a bunch of guys crashing through the bar window and landing on the sidewalk. 

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alias1

alias1

PoI had a slight uptick last night. I'm bummed for Forever though--I saw one of the episodes last week and it was pretty decent, I've been thinking about picking it up.

I watch POI and DVR Forever.  I like the new show (so far not as much as this one) and I hope it lasts.  In the age of DVR's it should be OK.

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Syme

Syme

@#^%$&%^

 

My VCR {don't laugh...} seems to have been corrupted by Samaritan, and did not record Brotherhood.

 

That leaves that uglyness known as the CBS viewer. [Oh how I wish they could spell "H U L U" but.....}

How long before an episode shows up there? Days? A week?

 

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pcta

pcta

I wonder if ratings drop has to do with the changed format. There was a feeling of being able to win the first 3 seasons - of doing good (even losing Carter - it didn't feel like all the team/world was in jeapordy). This season, it seems much less clear the white hats have a chance, rather bleaker. I wonder if that's the best getting ready for bed viewing fair. (Get enough of that on the late night news)

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stealinghome

stealinghome

@#^%$&%^

 

My VCR {don't laugh...} seems to have been corrupted by Samaritan, and did not record Brotherhood.

 

That leaves that uglyness known as the CBS viewer. [Oh how I wish they could spell "H U L U" but.....}

How long before an episode shows up there? Days? A week?

Syme, I actually think CBS puts the episodes up pretty immediately--it should be up now.

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Julia

Julia

FWIW, here are the ratings for seasons two, three and four.

 

Season two started around 13 million with 2.9 in the target demographic and pretty quickly went up to 14+ million and 2.9 in the target demographic.

 

Season 3 lost viewers from the previous season (probably because of the schedule change) to 12.4/2.3. The target number went down consistently throughout the season, but the viewership maintained at 12ish for most of the season, until the end of the Carter arc. After that, it only broke 11 for three of the last 9 episodes and all but one of the demographic numbers was well below 2.

 

Season 4 started at 10.58/1.7, upticked slightly after the teamy first episode, and then tanked after the mysterious computer shenanigans in Nautilus.

 

Also FWIW, NCIS: New Orleans is actually doing better than NCIS: Los Angeles did last year in raw numbers, and only slightly lower in the target.

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Hanahope

Hanahope

Usually, once a show reaches its 4th season, it almost always gets renewed for a 5th in order to make syndication (bringing in more money).  But many times, actors' contracts only go for 5 years, so its hard to get a 6th season without decent ratings.  So that's my prediction for POI, a 5th season and done.

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Miss Dee

Miss Dee

I beg your pardon - it is exactly the story this audience member wanted, and hardly dared to hope she'd get. Nolan is not chasing ratings; he's pursuing the story he wants to pursue. As long as the ratings stay high enough for him to be allowed to see it through and avoid premature cancellation, he's telling this story for people like me who want to hear it. There is nothing to blame anyone for in this situation.

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Julia

Julia

(edited)

Well, judging from the comparative lack of Root in episodes not specifically built around Root of late, I'd say he may be considering - or being pressured to consider - where telling that particular story lies in his priorities compared to having a show with a third again as many viewers which young people aren't fleeing from. 

Edited by Julia
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stealinghome

stealinghome

(edited)

Root has always largely bopped in along the edges of the show when she isn't specifically featured, though. I don't see any difference from what we've seen of Root's screentime thus far in S4 versus in S3 (knowing that next episode features her).

 

However, the show has clearly doubled down on the procedural element this season, and I wouldn't be surprised if CBS told the writers to do that. Whatever the reason, I feel like they're struggling to find a writing groove this season, which isn't helping the ratings cause--none of the first four episodes have been a breakout. Hopefully they right the ship soon. Though I'll stress over the low ratings more when they don't come on a night when everyone was down--all of network TV's ratings are sinking at the moment, it's hardly just PoI. This past week, they were pretty much in line with most shows, down 4-6% (and some are cratering way worse than that--I enjoy Forever and am just gritting my teeth over it, I can't imagine it gets a renewal if it doesn't level off now).

Edited by stealinghome
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Bort

Bort

Usually, once a show reaches its 4th season, it almost always gets renewed for a 5th in order to make syndication (bringing in more money).  But many times, actors' contracts only go for 5 years, so its hard to get a 6th season without decent ratings.  So that's my prediction for POI, a 5th season and done.

It's seven years for an actor's contract that's the standard. Case in point, the big contract negotiations that went on for The Big Bang Theory this summer was after the show's 7th year.

But since Caviezel and Emerson were fairly well known at the start of this show, who knows how long their contracts are. I bet Chapman was signed for seven. And then you have Shahi and Acker, who weren't regulars until the 3rd year so there's another wild card.

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Syme

Syme

Syme, I actually think CBS puts the episodes up pretty immediately--it should be up now.

 

The current viewer is much better than the previous one.

My DSL is slow, so the resolution is bleeh, but it least I can follow the plots.

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kwnyc

kwnyc

I wonder how much of this has to do with the World Series, as well. I've been sitting through the Scott Bakula show, but it's pretty hard going watching the fill-in-the-blanks writing & typical tropes. So I'm exactly NOT the viewer they want for that show. Between this show's placement and the traditional "never know when it's on" of The Good Wife with football on Sunday nights, I feel like CBS handicaps two of its best, most intelligent shows consistently. (Though it seems like my OTHER favorite, The Amazing Race, has landed in a good spot on Friday nights).

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GodsBeloved

GodsBeloved

(edited)

The previous week NCIS got a 2.5/17.26. NCIS:NO got 2.2/16.14.

 

When they went up against the WO on 10-21, NCIS got a 2.4/17.13. NCIS:NO got 2.4/16.13.

 

It looks like the World Series had very little if any affect on CBS's Tuesday night lineup.

Edited by GodsBeloved
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Julia

Julia

(edited)

I guess CBS just needs to decide whether they're willing to hand over one of the prime slots on television for a fairly expensive niche product. I guess a lot is going to depend on whether all the people who support the arc driving away the broadcast viewers decide to pay for the streaming service. Either they have a new audience, or they double down on the one they already have.

Edited by Julia
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atua

atua

@Julia I'm guessing you're one of the people not happy with the more serialised format the show is taking. But going by the current ratings trend, PoI is well on the way to winning its time slot this season. Chicago Fire's ratings gone from a 2.4 peak in the season premier and dropped every week since then (2.4, 2.1, 2.0, 1.9, 1.7 this week). Forever's ratings bombed right from the start (low 1's), and will probably get cancelled. PoI got a 1.8 at the premier and has held steady to tie with CF's 1.7 this week. I'm not saying that's a great rating, but unless CBS is sure they're going to do better with a new show, why cancel a series that's winning its time slot?

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Julia

Julia

@Julia I'm guessing you're one of the people not happy with the more serialised format the show is taking. But going by the current ratings trend, PoI is well on the way to winning its time slot this season. Chicago Fire's ratings gone from a 2.4 peak in the season premier and dropped every week since then (2.4, 2.1, 2.0, 1.9, 1.7 this week). Forever's ratings bombed right from the start (low 1's), and will probably get cancelled. PoI got a 1.8 at the premier and has held steady to tie with CF's 1.7 this week. I'm not saying that's a great rating, but unless CBS is sure they're going to do better with a new show, why cancel a series that's winning its time slot?

Because it's an expensive show to make and it's shedding over six million viewers from the show before it to barely beat a freshman show nobody seems to be very enthusiastic about?

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atua

atua

I have no idea how much the show costs to make, but what makes you think it's more expensive to make than other shows?

The demo numbers are far more important than overall viewer numbers. Also a freshman show is expected to have HIGHER ratings, because once you get past S1/2, ratings will usually only go down, so as long as PoI's demo holds steady it should be safe for another year.

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Julia

Julia

(edited)

I have no idea how much the show costs to make, but what makes you think it's more expensive to make than other shows?

The demo numbers are far more important than overall viewer numbers. Also a freshman show is expected to have HIGHER ratings, because once you get past S1/2, ratings will usually only go down, so as long as PoI's demo holds steady it should be safe for another year.

 

Primarily the way it's filmed.

 

And the demo numbers have a great deal to do with the advertising rates, but six million fewer eyes is still a chunk of change.

 

I'm not interested in having the show cancelled. There's enough episodes that don't revolve around the plot that's dragging it down for me that I can generally watch most weeks without being annoyed, and I'm fond of most of the characters and like the actors who play them. I've even come to have a soft spot for Shaw. I simply think that if this show was ordered as a show with its numbers trending north that has to be a deal the network is revisiting.

Edited by Julia
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alynch

alynch

(edited)

Two thoughts. First, CBS's freshman shows so far are doing better this year than they have in the past few seasons. If that holds up, then they'll end up renewing more freshman shows than usual, which also means they'll end up cancelling more veteran shows than they usually do. Second, POI is probably more vulnerable due to not being a CBS-owned show. That said, if it can maintain these numbers throughout the season, then they'll probably keep it around for at least one more season (probably on a different night), but it's far from a sure thing.

 

Regarding budget, I'd actually guess that it's cheaper than most network dramas, mostly due to only having a cast of five (two of which were later additions).

Edited by alynch
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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

I want to preface my statement by saying my intent is not to start a debate/argument, but just how I feel.

 

I've NO problems with the serialized direction of this show...or the procedural aspect of it. My problem, and I've been very vocal about it, was the unnecessary, unneeded addition of both Acker and Shahi, both of whom I cannot stand. Either their characters or the actresses themselves.

 

I also don't think this show is going to be cancelled. I'm here as long as Caviezel is.

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alynch

alynch

Aside from Big Bang Theory, which is picked up for the next three seasons, and The Mentalist and Two And Half Men, which have announced their current seasons as being their final ones, no official announcements have been made.

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Julia

Julia

Netflix is probably going to help, and so will the CBS app, if people who like the show start to pay for them. That's the kind alternative revenue stream I was talking about, if people who say they like the show put their money where their mouths are.

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Syme

Syme

Regarding budget, I'd actually guess that it's cheaper than most network dramas, mostly due to only having a cast of five (two of which were later additions).

 

 

It's filmed err recorded in NYC, not Vancouver..... That alone means $$$$$$

Fringe was banished to Vancouver to save money after season 1.

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Hanahope

Hanahope

While nothing is certain until an announcement, historically, once a show makes it to the fourth season, especially if a syndication deal is in the works, the show gets a 5th season, since it usually takes 5 seasons to reach the number of episodes most syndication deals prefer.  So i'd put money on POI getting a 5th season.

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FurryFury

FurryFury

(edited)

Actually, nowadays, 88 episodes are enough for a syndication deal, and the show will reach this already in s4. However, right now, its ratings are actually pretty good for a 10 pm show - all ratings for all network shows are consistency getting lower and lower every year, so you really have to look at the comparison, not the number itself.

 

I don't watch the show on a weekly basis (the procedural nature makes it very hard to not be bored, whereas I can easily skip the more tedious parts while binging), but I'm pretty sure it's going to get renewed, and I'm glad.

Edited by FurryFury
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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

And I read an article just last week, that this show, actually went up and not down? I'm totally an ignoranamus when it comes to understanding what the tenths of a point or demo or blah, blah mean, but I got the impression what I read was a good thing?

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