Ratings & Scheduling: That's what more and more of you missed on Glee

[Glory]

Go to it!

[bravelittletoaster]

lol at the title of this thread: perfection.

[caracas1914]

Glee hits its Demo  low:

FOX  Glee  0.9/3  2.61

[truthaboutluv]

I have to imagine that at this point, save for maybe a few delusional individuals, everyone has accepted that the show will never again be a hit. At best, all they can hope for is to hold onto the few die-hards still holding on whether out of genuine love or for masochistic reasons and just plug along to the end. 

[bravelittletoaster]

moving this response to the People in charge thread...

Edited April 2, 2014 by bravelittletoaster

[indeed]

Live+7 DVR Ratings:

Glee-03/18/2014 (S05.E12: 100)

1.1 (18-49 Live+SD rating)

1.8 (18-49 Live+7 rating)

0.7 (Post-air date 18-49 rating absolute increase from DVR a viewing)

64% (Post-air date 18-49 rating %increase from DVR viewing)

ETA:

Largest Viewership Increase From DVR Viewing for Broadcast TV Shows:

#16 Glee-03/25 (S05.13: New Directions)

1.1 18-49 Live+SD (rating)

1.8 18-49 Live+7 (rating)

0.7 Post Airdate 18-49 Rating Absolute Increase From DVR Viewing

64% Post Airdate 18-49 Rating % Increase from DVR Viewing

Source: TV By The Numbers

Edited April 14, 2014 by indeed

[heyerchick]

Glee Season 5 ratings to date:

L+SD=Live+SameDay
L+7=Live+7DayDVR

5.01 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
(18-49 L+SD) 2.0 (18-49 L+7) 3.2 (Rating Increase) +1.2 (% Increase) +60%

5.02 TINA IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.6 (18-49 L+7) 2.7 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +69%

5.03 THE QUARTERBACK
(18-49 L+SD) 2.9 (18-49 L+7) 4.3 (Rating Increase) +1.4 (% Increase) +48%

5.04 A KATY OR A GAGA
(18-49 L+SD) 1.5 (18-49 L+7) 2.6 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +73%

5.05 THE END OF TWERK
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

5.06 MOVIN' OUT
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

5.07 PUPPET MASTER
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (Excluded from the ratings as a 'special')

5.08 PREVIOUSLY UNAIRED CHRISTMAS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 2.0 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +82%

5.09 FRENEMIES
(18-49 L+SD) 1.2 (Episode did not appear in the list of top 25 progams for which data is provided)

5.10 TRIO
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0 (18-49 L+7) 1.7 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +70%

5.11 CITY OF ANGELS
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (18-49 L+7) 1.5 (Rating Increase) +0.6 (% Increase) +67%

5.12 100
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

5.13 NEW DIRECTIONS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

5.14 NEW NEW YORK
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9

5.15 BASH
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0

5.16 TESTED
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0

Source: TV By The Numbers

Edited April 17, 2014 by heyerchick

[heyerchick]

Glee Season 5 ratings to date
Source: TV By The Numbers: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/?s=live%2B7

L+SD=Live+SameDay
L+7=Live+7DayDVR

5.01 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
(18-49 L+SD) 2.0 (18-49 L+7) 3.2 (Rating Increase) +1.2 (% Increase) +60%

5.02 TINA IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.6 (18-49 L+7) 2.7 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +69%

5.03 THE QUARTERBACK
(18-49 L+SD) 2.9 (18-49 L+7) 4.3 (Rating Increase) +1.4 (% Increase) +48%

5.04 A KATY OR A GAGA
(18-49 L+SD) 1.5 (18-49 L+7) 2.6 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +73%

5.05 THE END OF TWERK
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

5.06 MOVIN' OUT
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

5.07 PUPPET MASTER
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (Excluded from the ratings as a 'special')

5.08 PREVIOUSLY UNAIRED CHRISTMAS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 2.0 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +82%

5.09 FRENEMIES
(18-49 L+SD) 1.2 (Episode did not appear in the list of top 25 progams for which data is provided)

5.10 TRIO
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0 (18-49 L+7) 1.7 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +70%

5.11 CITY OF ANGELS
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (18-49 L+7) 1.5 (Rating Increase) +0.6 (% Increase) +67%

5.12 100
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

5.13 NEW DIRECTIONS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

5.14 NEW NEW YORK
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (18-49 L+7) 1.6 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +78%

5.15 BASH
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0

5.16 TESTED
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0

[heyerchick]

Glee Season 5 ratings to date
Source: TV By The Numbers http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/?s=live%2B7

 

L+SD = Live + Same Day

L+7 = Live + 7 Day DVR

5.01 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
(18-49 L+SD) 2.0 (18-49 L+7) 3.2 (Rating Increase) +1.2 (% Increase) +60%

 

5.02 TINA IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.6 (18-49 L+7) 2.7 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +69%

 

5.03 THE QUARTERBACK
(18-49 L+SD) 2.9 (18-49 L+7) 4.3 (Rating Increase) +1.4 (% Increase) +48%

 

5.04 A KATY OR A GAGA
(18-49 L+SD) 1.5 (18-49 L+7) 2.6 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +73%

 

5.05 THE END OF TWERK
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.06 MOVIN' OUT
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.07 PUPPET MASTER
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (Excluded from the ratings as a 'special')

 

5.08 PREVIOUSLY UNAIRED CHRISTMAS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 2.0 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +82%

 

5.09 FRENEMIES
(18-49 L+SD) 1.2 (Episode did not appear in the list of top 25 progams for which data is provided)

 

5.10 TRIO
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0 (18-49 L+7) 1.7 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +70%

 

5.11 CITY OF ANGELS
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (18-49 L+7) 1.5 (Rating Increase) +0.6 (% Increase) +67%

 

5.12 100
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.13 NEW DIRECTIONS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.14 NEW NEW YORK
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (18-49 L+7) 1.6 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +78%

 

5.15 BASH
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0 (18-49 L+7) 1.6 (Rating Increase) +0.6 (% Increase) +60%

 

5.16 TESTED
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0

 

5.17 OPENING NIGHT
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9

 

5.18 BACK-UP PLAN
(18-49 L+SD) 0.8

 

Headline Planet:

Update: The overnights were not misleading. FOX’s “Glee” indeed slipped to a new series low in the adults 18-49 demographic Tuesday.

Tuesday’s episode delivered a 0.8 adults 18-49 rating with just 2.35 million viewers. While the viewership count narrowly bested the 2.30 million mark delivered by the “City of Angels” episode on March 11, the demographic number is the lowest ever delivered by the show. The previous low, set by multiple season five installments, was a 0.9.

 

Edited April 30, 2014 by heyerchick

[caracas1914]

Update: The overnights were not misleading. FOX’s “Glee” indeed slipped to a new series low in the adults 18-49 demographic Tuesday.

Tuesday’s episode delivered a 0.8 adults 18-49 rating with just 2.35 million viewers. While the viewership count narrowly bested the 2.30 million mark delivered by the “City of Angels” episode on March 11, the demographic number is the lowest ever delivered by the show. The previous low, set by multiple season five installments, was a 0.9.

 

A show with .8 Demos is suppose to run for a full season next year?   Doubt it.

[indeed]

I'm guessing it does well enough internationally and in other ways (e.g., iTunes sales) to make it worth while regardless? Still, that's just sad, sad, sad...

[caracas1914]

I'm guessing it does well enough internationally and in other ways (e.g., iTunes sales) to make it worth while regardless? Still, that's just sad, sad, sad...

 

It tied a first year CW show for Demos.  Even "The Mindy Project" beat Glee by .3 Demo points last night.  Hell the cancelled :"DADS" did better against "The Voice" earlier this year on Tuesdays, if I"m not mistaken.

 

Glee is consistently now the lowest rated FOX show in the Sunday thru Thursday time slots.    For comparison, FOX just cancelled "Almost Human" which had a seasond ending 1.5 Demo.    I doubt Glee will ever see a 1.5 again except in a fantasy dream sequence of Rachel's reality show.

 

The two year FOX  renewal occurred when Glee still managed a 2.0 for it's season 4 finale.

Edited April 30, 2014 by caracas1914

[indeed]

Yes, I know all of that. However, Glee isn't like those other shows and has many different deals out there bringing in money for FOX. As pathetic as it's doing on the actual FOX network, it's probably still making money.

ETA: Final ratings actually went up. From TV By The Numbers:

"FOX Glee 0.9/3 2.41"

Edited April 30, 2014 by indeed

[bravelittletoaster]

Yes, I know all of that. However, Glee isn't like those other shows and has many different deals out there bringing in money for FOX. As pathetic as it's doing on the actual FOX network, it's probably still making money.

 

On what?  You mean like merch and music?  FOX will continue to make money on that for years long after it's done running.  As it will syndication.  And foreign markets.  The new episodes that no one is watching aren't contributing much to those bottom lines while still being expensive to produce.  There should be a picture of Glee in the dictionary next to the phrase "diminishing returns."  The only thing saving it is that it's on FOX, the most nakedly desperate and gasping of the networks.

[indeed]

Yes, foreign markets that are still eager to air new episodes. There may not be "new" revenue opportunities coming in, but they're probably not losing money by making more episodes with all the various deals already out there for broadcast, DVDs, streaming, etc. Glee may not be doing well here, but I'm not sure about the international viewings. The show is established. The show has money still coming in in many ways. It's just nowhere near the profit FOX wants or expects. Obviously, they're going to get killed when it's ad rate renegotiating time. New episodes may not be contributing much, but they're probably still helping. Now, I would think season 6 would tighten the belt considerably more. I know Eric Roberts probably comes cheap these days, but they really could be cutting back on some of the familiar faces, for one.

Edited May 2, 2014 by indeed

[bravelittletoaster]

I dunno, my experience living in other English speaking nations suggests foreign markets are eager to buy whatever the networks want to sell them, including plenty of series that have already been cancelled in the US.  And no US network makes a show because foreigners might want to buy it 2nd hand.

 

But I enjoy pointing and laughing at the ratings every Wednesday morning more than I've enjoyed Glee in ages, so they're welcome to continue striking out for my entertainment.

Edited May 4, 2014 by bravelittletoaster

[indeed]

I think the only reason Nikita got renewed as much as it did was because of foreign distribution and DVDs, etc. Glee has had deals in place as a current show for quite some time, so other interests might want new or more episodes in rotation. All I'm saying is Glee can't really be compared to other shows getting similar or better ratings since it has other reasons why it could be beneficial to renew (other than because FOX already agreed to it).

[camussie]

If we are going to compare Glee to other shows getting similar ratings we have to compare everything.  For example  1 hour dramedies are expensive to produce and Glee has always on the high end of that.  That may have changed with the smaller cast but It still would be much more expensive to produce than a show like "The Mindy Project."

 

Also, shows like Glee and Lost, don't really do well in syndication while comedies and procedurals do.  Those same procedurals also sell as well, or better, overseas than Glee.  NCIS is huge in Australia to name one example.

[caracas1914]

From what I understand, Glee tanked big time the last couple of years in both Australia and UK as far as ratings, as dramatically as it has in the US. Is Glee really that big in other non English speaking countries ?

As far as textbook examples of things, I think it is going to boil down that FOX renewing Glee for two seasons will go down as one of the most boneheaded ill timed preemptive moves by a network. To have (after the fact) the lowest rated show of FOX first 5 nights get a 2 year renewal is one if those idiocies that no matter what FOX does does is Lose/ lose.

FOX has no choice now but to drink the marketing kool aide that Glee is "special" with social media and teenagers and preteens as well as 100k households.

Which is pure bullshit when you note that they can't even get decent ITuNE sales anymore and I'm guessing their merchandising is a fraction what it used to be.

[heyerchick]

Glee moved from a delayed but continuous season airing on a UK terrestrial channel - Channel 4 - to a subscription satellite channel - Sky 1. It had a decent audience on Channel 4; Sky gambled people would follow the show & subscribe but started season 3 massively down on the old Channel 4 audience figures. And then Glee's stop-and-start approach to a season alienated even more viewers. Season 4, Sky tried delaying the airing so they could run the season straight through, but that didn't work either. So there were logistical issues here in Blighty, not just quality issues. The US method of making shows as you go along, and in Glee's case, airing barely ahead of producing, is alien to us. We finish our shows before we air them, and even our continuous production soaps have a production cushion of months, not weeks. 

[Florinaldo]

The appetite of non-English markets for U.S. products is neither infinite nor boundless; there are plenty of U.S. TV productions, most notably comedies, that do not cross over well. Glee has the advantage that the musical numbers serve as mediators and help cross the cultural barriers which other shows have trouble doing at times (dubbing is not always enough). Although first market revenues for Glee are not what they once were, secondary sources of revenues and derivatives appear to be still sufficient to justify going through with one more season. After which homegrown syndication deals should kick in.

[caracas1914]

The US method of making shows as you go along, and in Glee's case, airing barely ahead of producing, is alien to us.

 

Yet despite that, I would imagine some US show do well.  I think Glee's poor quality in addition to the weird scheduling contributed more than somewhat to their decline in the UK.  It's like several strikes against Glee didn't help.

[Glorfindel]

Here in the Netherlands they stopped airing Glee on prime time tv after season 3. They then waited a whole year before they showed season 4, and when they finally did air it they put it on saturdays at 5PM on a secondary channel. We've yet to find out if they will air season 5 (and 6?) too.

 

I don't know about other European countries, but Glee is not doing so well anymore in the Netherlands, and as far as I can tell Belgium and Germany. There are e.g. no interviews or pictures in magazines anymore, and other promotion opportunities like that.

 

As Glee progressively got worse ratings in the US I suspect it's the same in most other countries too.

[caracas1914]

It seems that after Glee was renewed for two seasons at the end of Season 4, it was more speculative explanations were given to justify "why" FOX did it , as opposed to any quantifiable datat that supported  Glee merited it.

 

While it was FOX's call it certainly looks like they are just saving face at this point for their boneheaded move. 

 

Firing all the Noobs half way through the season and rebooting the show while using regulars Jane and Matt for just one episode down the final stretch doesn't translate to a show that had any clear direction.

[bravelittletoaster]

If there are FOX executives somewhere saying, "We should keep making this because it's really big in the Philippines" [or insert whatever theoretical foreign market one imagines people still give a fuck about Glee], then they deserve to be in the ratings toilet.

 

But I don't think that's actually happening.  I think FOX is still making Glee because they literally have nothing else to put in its place and it's between Glee and a test pattern.  Though FOX might be underestimating the test pattern's performance with stoned kids in the target demo.

Edited May 5, 2014 by bravelittletoaster

[Florinaldo]

If there are FOX executives somewhere saying, "We should keep making this because it's really big in the Philippines"

 

Corporations do not make major decisions like renewing a show based on a single line-item of that type. That would be ridiculous.

 

It's the cumulative that counts, i.e. all of the foreign sales plus the domestic derivatives and secondary revenues on top of the main revenue stream (ad sales in the U.S.). If the total is deemed sufficient, then greenlighting another season could appear reasonable to the people in charge.

 

More than the unlikely explanations that they are going throught the expense of maintaining Glee to save face or because they have nothing to fill out that lone hour of programming; there are enough bad pilots out there for them to add to their line-up of mediocre sitcoms without much effort.

[caracas1914]

When Glee got the two year renewal it's season finale got a 2.0 Demo.  Now it's dipped to .9 and may go lower in the first year of a two year renewal.  That neither FOX nor Glee expected  it to  dip so much is obvious, since most of the shows cancelled by FOX this year (Almost Human, XFACTOR, Dads, etc) averaged higher ratings than .9 for their season.  There is not "bottom" yet for Glee since the initial rating for Episode 5.18 was .8 and could have easily stayed there.

 

The drop off in both ratings and audience for Glee puts it in the bottom rung of FOX shows, while it's production costs (with perhaps the exception of "American Idol") puts it among the most expensive shows produced by FOX.

 

IF the show drops to .8 or .7 FOX will have a hard time justifying cancelling other shows with higher demos.  They were caught with their pants down and now it's just spin/spin/spin to justify that insane two year renewal. 

Edited May 5, 2014 by caracas1914

[heyerchick]

I'm really looking forward to the FOX Upfronts this year, I know that. I wonder if they will issue a reduced a season order, or if their deal with the devil has them locked in to produce the full 22 (or 24, if you listen to Murphy)

[camussie]

What makes the two year renewal all the more insane is that they handed it to Glee after RM and team decided to extend the school year into season 5.  I guess Fox and everybody still thought there was money to be made from the newbies when it came to song sales and perhaps touring.  The real question for the ages is why did they think that?  The first half of season 4 should have disabused them of that notion.

 

In other words, I could almost understand the two year renewal if Fox made it conditional on shutting down Lima and getting the leads into one place.  As we can see this year It needed to be done, if only to save costs.  I will never understand the two renewal after the decision was made to extend the school year.  I will always contend, that that decision, not Cory's passing, was the real point of no return when it came to Glee's downward ratings spiral.  I think the hole his passing left on the canvas only hastened the inevitable ratings that Glee was going to fall to one way or another this season.  

Edited May 5, 2014 by camussie

[bravelittletoaster]

I'm really looking forward to the FOX Upfronts this year, I know that. I wonder if they will issue a reduced a season order, or if their deal with the devil has them locked in to produce the full 22 (or 24, if you listen to Murphy)

 

FOX isn't doing Upfronts anymore though.  Unless they've done an about face on that announcement they made last summer.  One can kind of see why they wouldn't be in the mood for them.

[heyerchick]

The FOX network upfront meeting is Monday, May 12th.

[bravelittletoaster]

Well, I guess they walked that back, then.  Kevin Reilly made a big deal last summer saying they weren't doing them anymore.  And then I stopped paying attention because I'm a whore for the zeitgeist, and it ain't at FOX.

[camussie]

Kevin Reilly said they weren't doing the traditional pilot season anymore not that they weren't doing upfronts.  Upfronts are just the media event announcing a network's schedule for next year.  I imagine Fox's upfronts will be filled with a lot of 13 episode series as I think that is what Fox is moving towards: having a fall series with 13 episodes,  mid-winter series with 13 episodes, and a spring series with 13 episodes.  

Edited May 5, 2014 by camussie

[bravelittletoaster]

That makes for a highly theoretically Upfronts without participating in pilot season, since the Upfronts are generally about--you know--pilot season.  But whatever, FOX.  Go with God.  

[camussie]

Upfronts aren't only about pilot season since it is concluded by the time upfronts happen.  They are about announcing the network's schedule for the year.  Traditionally that schedule has shows picked up during pilot season but it also has returning shows.  What Fox seems to be doing is bypassing the whole pilot season mess and instead looking for shows to develop outside of the traditional structure of pilot season.

Edited May 5, 2014 by camussie

[heyerchick]

Glee Season 5 ratings to date
Source: TV By The Numbers http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/?s=live%2B7

 

L+SD = Live + Same Day
L+7 = Live + 7 Day DVR

5.01 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
(18-49 L+SD) 2.0 (18-49 L+7) 3.2 (Rating Increase) +1.2 (% Increase) +60%

 

5.02 TINA IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.6 (18-49 L+7) 2.7 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +69%

 

5.03 THE QUARTERBACK
(18-49 L+SD) 2.9 (18-49 L+7) 4.3 (Rating Increase) +1.4 (% Increase) +48%

 

5.04 A KATY OR A GAGA
(18-49 L+SD) 1.5 (18-49 L+7) 2.6 (Rating Increase) +1.1 (% Increase) +73%

 

5.05 THE END OF TWERK
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.06 MOVIN' OUT
(18-49 L+SD) 1.4 (18-49 L+7) 2.3 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.07 PUPPET MASTER
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (Excluded from the ratings as a 'special')

 

5.08 PREVIOUSLY UNAIRED CHRISTMAS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 2.0 (Rating Increase) +0.9 (% Increase) +82%

 

5.09 FRENEMIES
(18-49 L+SD) 1.2 (Episode did not appear in the list of top 25 progams for which data is provided)

 

5.10 TRIO
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0 (18-49 L+7) 1.7 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +70%

 

5.11 CITY OF ANGELS
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (18-49 L+7) 1.5 (Rating Increase) +0.6 (% Increase) +67%

 

5.12 100
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.13 NEW DIRECTIONS
(18-49 L+SD) 1.1 (18-49 L+7) 1.8 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +64%

 

5.14 NEW NEW YORK
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9 (18-49 L+7) 1.6 (Rating Increase) +0.7 (% Increase) +78%

 

5.15 BASH
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0 (18-49 L+7) 1.6 (Rating Increase) +0.6 (% Increase) +60%

 

5.16 TESTED
(18-49 L+SD) 1.0 (18-49 L+7) 1.6 (Rating Increase) +0.6 (% Increase) +60%

 

5.17 OPENING NIGHT
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9

 

5.18 BACK-UP PLAN
(18-49 L+SD) 0.9

 

5.19 OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS
(18-49 L+SD) 0.8

 

The rating for 5.19 Old Dog, New Tricks is the fast national overnight rating. Glee may adjust up to a 0.9 when the final overnights are published as it did last week, or it may not.

[heyerchick]

EW: Tuesday ratings sag: 9 shows hit season lows

 

On Twitter, a hashtag has sprung up among morning ratings reporters when looking at the broadcast network numbers this season: #EndTimes. Last night was no exception to the doom and gloom, with no less than 10 shows tying or hitting new season or series lows among adults 18-49. With the broadcast upfronts next week, executives more than ever before will have to tap dance when slinging their numbers to Madison Avenue.

 

Here’s the dirty 9: CBS’ Person of Interest; Fox’s Glee; ABC’s Agents of SHIELD, The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife; NBC’s The Voice, About a Boy, Growing Up Fisher; and The CW’s The Originals.”

 

Edited May 7, 2014 by heyerchick

[Joystickenvy]

I don't know what they promised when they gave that 2 year renewal, but my wish would be for a short final season, so I can see what ridiculous ending they have cooked up without spending a whole season on it.

[heyerchick]

I really, really hope that there is a curtailed season order - 13 episodes, max. I think it would concentrate the writers' minds, it's about as much of an attention span as Murphy possesses, and it would force them to actually progress stories every episode. And personally, the sooner Chris is free of Glee and pursuing his raft of other projects, the better.

Edited May 8, 2014 by heyerchick

[coolbeans3131]

I agree. I think it would tighten everything up, and they wouldn't have time for filler or tribute shows. Just get them to the end please.

[caracas1914]

they wouldn't have time for filler or tribute shows.

 

Or at least we would have "only "13 filler episodes as opposed to 22 or 24.

[heyerchick]

EW: Fox fall schedule revealed

 

Also, Fox will hold for midseason new dramas Backstrom, Empire, Hieroglyph, and comedies Weird Loners, Bordertown and Last Man on Earth. The Following, American Idol and Glee are also planned for midseason. Event series Wayward Pines, originally planned for this summer, has also been pushed to 2015.

 

[camussie]

Well that surely means a reduced episode order.  "The Following" had 15 episodes this year when it debuted at mid season

[heyerchick]

I would imagine so. We'll find out more after the actual upfront presentation. Apparently the power trio of Daleastreet are in New York and are expected to represent Glee S6 at the upfronts today. No word on Chris, Amber or Kevin.

[camussie]

Yeah I posted in the spoiler thread

 

So it looks like Lea, Darren, and Chord are representing Glee at upfronts as all three are in New York.  We also have Lea saying she knows what Rachel, Blaine, and Sam are doing but no one else which tells me they will all  be in the same location.  I am also going with the assumption that where Rachel is where the main plot will be (which seems to be Rachel starring in some version of "Sing" i.e. a way for RM to go all meta and work out his issues with the Glee cast and audience).  Given all of that I have to say my interest in season 6 is about nil.  I assume Rachel gets her pilot and moves to LA and some how Sam and Blaine find their ways out there (does this mean Blaine drops out of school). They will probably all share an apartment or something but it is just that particular combination just sounds so boring to me.  The two special snowflakes and their big blond mascot. 

I will never be a huge Sam fan but at least he was tolerable around Mercedes.  Not to mention there needs to be more than one female voice.  And really it makes little sense that Sam would find his way to LA but Mercedes wouldn't (after her tour) given that LA was her home base and her move to New York was just temporary to work on her sound so maybe she does after all.  As far as, Artie depending how long the time jump is he can easily move to LA to pursue his directing career.  Finally we get to Kurt who I assume can also make his way to LA after he graduates but he seems very New York to me.

All in all it sounds like a big mess in that I think RM and team are vastly over-rating how popular Rachel, Blaine, and Sam are.  Rachel is the show's most popular character but I just don't think she and Sam and Blaine are enough to sustain even an adequate basement of ratings.

 

 

It will be ironically awful if the Blaine/Rachel/Sam dynamic gets the kind of focus that I feel the Kurt/Rachel/Finn dynamic should have gotten in season 3.  Actually it will probably get way more focus than I feel that dynamic should have gotten even though that trio worked really really well together.  

 

And I will repeat here I am adamantly against Rachel moving forward with Sam, if that is still in the cards and it very well may be given that these three seem to be the faces of Glee.  I am NOT against her moving forward with a new love interest but I have issues with her moving forward with a character they brought on as a Finn 2.0 way back in season 2.  On top of that now that they have invested some effort into Sam/Mercedes I don't want a repeat of what happened ti Kurt/Mercedes once TPTB decided that Kurt/Rachel should be besties.

Edited May 12, 2014 by camussie

[heyerchick]

MJsBigBlog: The current season order for Glee is 22 episodes, which will run consecutively when it premieres in 2015. However, Reilly does say he will sit down with Ryan Murphy to discuss. I’ll have exact quotes up in a bit

 

Lesley Goldberg ‏@Snoodit 2m

Fox’s Kevin Reilly says order for #Glee is still 22, but that may still change. Episodes will air all in a row in 2015. #Upfronts

 

Hollywood Reporter: FOX sets talent for second FanFront event.

 

Darren Criss (surprise!) will be performing. Jane Lynch, Lea & Chord will be there for Glee.

[camussie]

They are hedging with their words but from that it seems like it will be cut.  I am guessing 15.

[heyerchick]

TV Line: Glee’s sixth and final season order, originally slated to be 22 episodes, may be trimmed. “We’re going to sit down and talk [to exec producer Ryan Murphy] about how to end the show and how many that is,” he said.

 

 

#LetItGo

Edited May 12, 2014 by heyerchick

[camussie]

My question is what kind of whacked out contract did Fox sign with RM the last two seasons of Glee.  Seems like they signed one that gave him way too much power.  It is hard for me to believe that they didn't any include ratings triggers that allowed them to reduce episode counts in there but that wording makes it seem like RM is the one who has the power.  Either that or they did and are just trying to both save face and not hurt his precious feelings.  I just really have no idea why Fox gave Glee a two season order with very few restrictions (although I suspect having say over whether the show goes down to one narrative was one of them) given how much of a mess it was last spring. The only thing I can think of is the success of American Horror Story on FX gave RM some power in the Glee negotiations since both are Fox Corp properties. Still there should have been a limit to that.  

 

Also Kevin Reilly said

 

Reilly also explained why he decided to order two more seasons of Glee in April of 2013, when he [obviously] no one would predict the drama would experience ratings lows this year. “It was really a business decision,” he said. “We sat down with Ryan and heard creatively where he it was going. Ryan had a good beat.”

 

 

This just makes me shake my head.  In what world was trying to making fetch happen by extending the school year "a good beat."  As far as no one predicting ratings lows this year many of us said as soon as it was obvious they were going to stretch out the school year the show was going tank in season 5.  Perhaps tanked earlier in the season because Cory passed but it is a pretty good bet they were heading to these lows no matter what.  

Edited May 13, 2014 by camussie

[heyerchick]

Hollywood Reporter: 'Glee's' 22-Episode Final Run May Be Cut Short

 

As the network shifts to a year-round programming schedule, Fox Broadcasting Co. entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly was asked during a conference call with reporters Monday if midseason slot means that the final season's episode count will be trimmed to 13.

"The order currently is for 22 but we're actually going to sit down with Ryan and really talk about how we're going to end it and figure that out," Reilly told reporters. "The advantage of having it on later in the season is that we don't have to feel the pressure of delivering. We can do them in a row. We're going to sit down and talk about exactly the best way to end the show and how many [episodes] that is."

 

 

This reads to me very much as a game attempt to spin a business necessity into a creative choice. Those ratings are killer and everyone knows it.