Ratings...the Good, the bad and the Unknown

[binkpmmc]

I'm sure there will be some excuse other than what some may not want to admit - new show on network, hit show on network, full moon, act of God and then, of course, for the next few weeks there will always be the Olympics to blame.

The ratings for S9 - with their bright and shiny new star (that they pimped until the cows came home) and their shiny new, bigger and badder enemy - are a far cry from the 2.0s (3), 2.1s (6), 2.2s (2), 2.3s (1) and 2.4s (3) they got in S8. (In S8 there were 15 of 20 eps (75%) with 2.0 or BETTER, and 1.7 the lowest.)

So far this season there are 6 of 15 eps (40%) with 2.0 or better but nothing above 2.1 and 2 eps with 1.7s and 1 with a 1.5. Season 8 hhhmmmm wonder what was wrong with S8 that they had to "fix" in S9 - seems the "fix" might not have worked . . . or maybe nothing was broken then but it is now . . . . (If you want to look at the first 15 eps of S8 there were 10 of 15 (66.6%) with a 2.0 or better: 2.0 (3), 2.1 (3), 2.2 (2) and 2.4 (2)

I am sure we will also hear - give it time - it's only the 15th episode.

[Kanan]

Sometimes you may even preempt mistakes and retreads, given your knowledge of what they've done before.

The show is very formulaic as well, and without making a whole new show and changing the tone they will have a tendency to repeat themselves after a few seasons. ...long time viewers get more critical as time goes on and anything that seems to repeat will stand out.

I have to say that's been happening to me. I saw the last episode that I missed (Lifeboat FYI) about a year ago, and thus have now seen everyone. Naturally, I figure out what types of lines are coming next ,and sometimes scenes and whole plots. One example of this comes to mind that made me kinda roll my eyes: In "Ripple Effect" TPTB go for that old joke again, the one where Sam starts explaing everything in detail cuz she's so smart, and everyone else goes, " OK, OK!, I get, just do it!" and/or they try and explain what she said in a nutshell, simplifying it. IMO these types of lines have been used way too much, and aren't funny to me anymore just cheesy. I don't know how new viewers see it though.

[Skydiver]

If you could see the demographics of the ratings drop, the decline is mostly among older, women viewers--the kind that would rather watch those other shows. The male ratings aren't that off from last year.

Granted, RDA did have quite a bevy of older, women fans that may be more likely to be distracted away by other shows, but if the producers want to attack this particular decline, they might think of inserting more emotional--yes, maybe "shippy"--stories that this demo is attracted to. Go for the heart.

Also, the ratings may not match last year, but they are closer to 2004 and higher they were than 2003.

it's not just ship per se, however the more mature audience doesn't have much patience for homages and 'attack of the killer cgi'. they tend to like more intrigueing stories, something less superficial and more cerebral.

speaking from teh pov of someone who's not a teenager anymore, sure the homages are cute...but not a seemingly endless succession of them on a weekly basis.

what drew me to the show is the interactions between the characters. little personal moments that really don't have all that much to do with them blowing stuff up or seeing who can wear the most leather in a season, but more to do with how they interact with each other

we don't get much of that anymore.

and, despite what any reasons anyone thinks up, for the next 3 weeks they'll blame it on the olympics

[Helo]

for the next 3 weeks they'll blame it on the olympics

YES BECUASE OF CURLING AND BIATHALON!

[Skydiver]

and figure skating

[PG15]

I don't get it.

If it makes sense to blame those things, why not blame it?

I mean, it said in the report that

1. It went up against "Dancing with Celebrity" or some such hork.

and

2. The rating for the repeat was 1.2.

Yeah yeah, I'm just making excuses. Still, these are facts. Whether they resulted in the ratings drop is up for debate however.

[Dream-a-Little]

Last weeks episode got a 1.8 first run and a .9 second run for a total of 2.7.

This weeks episode got a 1.5 first run and a 1.2 second run for a total of 2.7.

A three 10ths drop on the first run turned into a 3 10ths pick up on the second run. Looks like pretty much everybody that watched it last week watched it this week. The current 8pm time slot offerings on other channels may be giving them something that they want to watch in addition to SG-1. The second broadcast may just be giving them a chance to do both.

[Icemancmd]

No RDA = Lower Ratings


But im loving the new season.

[CosmicTheorist]

No RDA = Lower Ratings


But im loving the new season.

That could work as an explanation for SG-1, but it doesn't explain what's happening with Atlantis' or Battlestar Galactica's (BG) ratings.

If we take the cumulative sum of the first 5 episode ratings for SG-1, Atlantis, and BG for this winter and compare them to the cumulative sum of the first 5 episodes from last winter we get the
following:

SG-1 2006 == 8.7
SG-1 2005 == 9.9
SG-1's ratings average has declined approximately 12%

Atlantis 2006 == 9.2
Atlantis 2005 == 11.2
Atlantis ratings average has declined approximately 18%

BG 2006 == 9.7
BG 2005 == 12.5
BG ratings average has declined approximately 22%.

Does this mean that the quality of Atlantis and BG has declined MORE then SG-1's since their ratings have declined more?

Or could there be some other factors at work impacting the entire Sci Fi Friday line-up? Like the stiffer competition mentioned by MediaSavant?

SG-1 is doing a better job of holding its ratings average then the other 2 series. So what's up with that?

[caty]

That could work as an explanation for SG-1, but it doesn't explain what's happening with Atlantis' or Battlestar Galactica's (BG) ratings.

If we take the cumulative sum of the first 5 episode ratings for SG-1, Atlantis, and BG for this winter and compare them to the cumulative sum of the first 5 episodes from last winter we get the
following:

SG-1 2006 == 8.7
SG-1 2005 == 9.9
SG-1's ratings average has declined approximately 12%

Atlantis 2006 == 9.2
Atlantis 2005 == 11.2
Atlantis ratings average has declined approximately 18%

BG 2006 == 9.7
BG 2005 == 12.5
BG ratings average has declined approximately 22%.

Does this mean that the quality of Atlantis and BG has declined MORE then SG-1's since their ratings have declined more?

Or could there be some other factors at work impacting the entire Sci Fi Friday line-up? Like the stiffer competition mentioned by MediaSavant?

SG-1 is doing a better job of holding its ratings average then the other 2 series. So what's up with that?

You can't do it like this.

You counted both pilots for Atlantis and BSG in 2005, which - of course - had far better ratings than the show itself. ('Rising' had an average of 3.2), so if you want to compare it like this, you'll have to skip the pilot and start with Episodes 3.

[pileofcrap]

I don't feel like reading all 5 pages of what people think on this matter, so if I am repeating someone elses idea...please forgive me.

But I think I can boil it down to 1 simple reason:
Internet Downloads

If you download Stargate and watch it on your PC. Do you bother to watch it on TV as well? You should, it would help out ratings.

[The Signal]

I cant be bothered with 5 pages either, so I will saY this. 0.1 down on last year on average is not a huge loss, as for Ethon, well yes it was down 0.3 but the late night ratings were UP 0.3, sometimes there is a better programme on another channel so you watch it later, I doubt that, in total, there has been much of a drop in viewers when you add up all showings.

[Zoser]

The reason, I believe, is that the big networks have stronger, more popular shows on Friday this year than last year.

It's taken away some of the *casual* viewers. Ratings go up and down by what casual viewers do not what hardcore fans do, since hardcore fans always watch.

CBS's schedule starting with "Ghost Whisperer" and "Close to Home" are getting much higher ratings than the shows that were on in those time periods last year.

ABC has its hugely popular "Dancing With the Stars", as well.

If you could see the demographics of the ratings drop, the decline is mostly among older, women viewers--the kind that would rather watch those other shows. The male ratings aren't that off from last year.

Granted, RDA did have quite a bevy of older, women fans that may be more likely to be distracted away by other shows, but if the producers want to attack this particular decline, they might think of inserting more emotional--yes, maybe "shippy"--stories that this demo is attracted to. Go for the heart.

Also, the ratings may not match last year, but they are closer to 2004 and higher they were than 2003.

As a older woman I watched Stargate because I love science fiction, mythology, politics and have worked in medical science most of my adult life. The show had a wonderful blend of these - good stories, intriguing plot arcs and fine acting. The movie peeked my interest - RDA is icing on the cake - he is a fine actor.

The only thing on Friday night that interested me was 'The Book of Daniel' and it was cancelled.

Season 9 up until the last two weeks RE and Ethon have been an awful bore - boring story line, boring villains, boring new characters. I still watch - in hope.

[Skydiver]

I don't feel like reading all 5 pages of what people think on this matter, so if I am repeating someone elses idea...please forgive me.

But I think I can boil it down to 1 simple reason:
Internet Downloads

If you download Stargate and watch it on your PC. Do you bother to watch it on TV as well? You should, it would help out ratings.

that doesn't apply in this situation since the scifi episodes are world wide first run (well atlantis isn't. they have aired in canada)

so you can't attribute downloads to stargate or bsg's ratings falling simply because there are no downloads possible until AFTER the show airs...and that makes it after the ratings have been tallied

attributing it to downloads also depends on the alledged downloader - the one that's downloading the show AFTER it's aired - also being one of that small minority of viewers that also have a neilson box on their set.

quite a few minority's that have to come together and, imho, not enough to effect the ratings in any significant way

[Shep]

I don't feel like reading all 5 pages of what people think on this matter, so if I am repeating someone elses idea...please forgive me.

But I think I can boil it down to 1 simple reason:
Internet Downloads

If you download Stargate and watch it on your PC. Do you bother to watch it on TV as well? You should, it would help out ratings.

i don't download SG1 but i have acquired downloaded shows and yes, i have then gone out of my way to watch when they air in first run on television. primarily because, hello? bigger screen.

also, shows that have recently been made available for legal download have actually shown an increase in ratings, not a decrease. something to think about.