'Lost' losing audience

[Hollywonka]

Ok well I started out a hardcore Lostie fan but now . . . I'm not so sure anymore. I mean I'm still watching it and I'll probably still watch it until it's done because lets face it, what else am I gonna do with my time? LOL.
I loved, LOVED the first season to death. It was just something different that no one had done before and it had great storylines and the characters were all so great as well but to me the show got very disappointing in season 2 and just went downhill from there. I mean what the hell was the point of bringing in the Tailies if they were all just gonna be killed off? Well except for Bernard that is. Plus I never really liked all the Dharma stuff either.
I don't know, this show just keep getting weirder and weirder that I don't even look forward to a single episode anymore. But like I said, I still watch every week but only because I have too much freetime and I don't have a life of my own. LOL.

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

I could never really get into LOST, I watched the first four episodes when they aired and thought that the pilot was interesting...I wasn't hooked though...And just stopped watching because I found it boring.

That's just me anyways.

[Chricton]

Ok, guys, all these news articles you may see about lost "losing" and audience are very twisted. Yes, the show lost about 5 million viewers when you compare season two to season three.

The fact is, this season is doing better than season 1! The thing with season two was that the premier episodes were so over-hyped by word of mouth during the summer the show had 5 million more viewers watching than it did in it's first season. After about 8-10 episodes into the second season, those viewers slowly vanished, once again leaving the "core" audience that was still there from season 1. Even falling a little lower. In average, season two did slightly worse than season 1. Season three is performing much like season one, great, and very steady. Season two did outstanding in the beginning, then plummeted 6 million viewers in the final 7-8. Everything was uneven. Topped at 23 million, bottoming at 14.2.

This season has done remarkably well. It's still the highest rated show in it's timeslot in the 18-49 by a wide margin, and ABC almost always wins the whole night in every demo. Last night got 17.1 million viewers, an amazing number giving the type of show it is.

It's not going anywhere for some time.

Just for kicks, here are some numbers:

Premier audience:
season 1: 18.65
season 2: 23.09
season 3: 18.82

Second episode:
season 1: 16.33
season 2: 22.66
season 3: 16.86

The newest episode (Six):
season 1: 16.16
season 2: 20.01
season 3: 17.10

^^^Notice the gap is closing?

Here's where it gets interesting:

Episode 18:
season 1: 19.49
season 2: 16.1

Episode 19:
season 1: 17.99
season 2: 15.8

Episode 22:
season 1: 16.60
season 2: 14.2

You can see that this season is doing well. Nothing to worry about guys.

[DEM]

I wasn't worried, Chricton, because I know how Lost ranks. However, I also wouldn't call the article distorted because it showed only what it purported to show: A year-to-year decline. AFAIK, that stat is important in the biz, but because I really don't know how important it is, I don't sweat it.

Having said that, I do appreciate your report. That is a very interesting pattern.

[Chricton]

Advertisers are still paying oodles of money because the show does so well in the all important 18-49 demo. "Criminal Minds", a show that actually does somewhat better than Lost in total viewers, doesn't charge as much for ad time because a large portion of the audience is over 49+. (Median age of all CM viewers is 53, Lost is 42) Advertisers don't like airing ads on shows that they know won't take to their products. 18-49 is the "buying age".

The latest episode of Lost was the number 1 show in the 18-49 for the night, passing even Dancing with the Stars, a show with much more viewership. But like CM, the average viewer is older than 49.

For the moment, this season is performing at a terrifc pace. When American Idol starts up again, things might change, but we'll have to see. ABC was hoping to nullify the losses they had last year with the no-repeats schdule in place. The topsy-tervy scheduling last year is what ultimately brought viewership to an all time low. This season should be far more consistent.

[Angela V]

Advertisers are still paying oodles of money because the show does so well in the all important 18-49 demo. "Criminal Minds", a show that actually does somewhat better than Lost in total viewers, doesn't charge as much for ad time because a large portion of the audience is over 49+. (Median age of all CM viewers is 53, Lost is 42) Advertisers don't like airing ads on shows that they know won't take to their products. 18-49 is the "buying age".

I LOVE Criminal Minds. Hadn't a clue that it's more geared for an older crowd. (I'm 32). Though In Canada I get LOST at 8pm and Criminal Minds at 9pm on the same Canadian station. And I don't watch commericals.

[Defiant]

Why is Lost losing viewers? That's easy- it's becoming too obscure and elaborate with less and less payoff.

Or that's why they lost me, anyway. And my mum, and my best friend, and my sister...

I was a big fan but its just taking the micky now more and more questions with no answers. The end of season 2 still hasn't been answered yet either just what was the ruddy outpost arrgghh

[M2W]

Several reasons

1) The people that watch Lost are getting just that...Lost.
2) They keep killing off good characters, Boone didn't need to die, and neither did Libby or Ana.
3) As I've said before, I can only see a show going like this for two, three seasons. It's getting ridiculous now.
4) slowing of the plot. The plot is starting to get more slow. It used to be about the Survivors, then it was about the Dharma, and now it's about the Others.
5) So many breaks between episodes. My gosh, hell, start the season late if you have to.

YES to number 5! I get so frustrated with the massive gaps. It's ridiculous. The plot has gotten ridiculously slow too. Let's get on with it already! The most frustrating thing I think though is that they seem to be killing people off every other freakin' episode. How are we supposed to enjoy a show if we're kept from connecting to the characters? Just as characters really start developing, they die. Some aren't even given the chance before they're offed. Libby had a lot to offer (we saw some interesting stuff in flashbacks). While I wasn't thrilled with Shannon, she added something to the show that's now lacking. All I know, is that it used to be my absolute favorite show currently on the air. It's totally not anymore. But I'm still going to watch. I've invested way too many Wednesday nights into it not to keep watching. I'm hoping to be rewarded. Perhaps, with a... FISH BISCUIT!

[Madeleine]

I think if anyone was going to bow out of watching the show, hindsight says the best time to do it was three quarters of the way through the ep with hurley's imaginary friend. Then we'd have got an explanation and an ending .

[Aussie_Fan]

I think if anyone was going to bow out of watching the show, hindsight says the best time to do it was three quarters of the way through the ep with hurley's imaginary friend. Then we'd have got an explanation and an ending .

Lol!!!

[pattirose]

I think if anyone was going to bow out of watching the show, hindsight says the best time to do it was three quarters of the way through the ep with hurley's imaginary friend. Then we'd have got an explanation and an ending .

I LOVED that episode!!

[The Ori]

Although I've watched every episode, I think its obvious what TPTB are trying to do, they are trying to just extend the story line, they'll just kill off a few characters and then bring a few new ones in!!

[The Prophet]

Although I've watched every episode, I think its obvious what TPTB are trying to do, they are trying to just extend the story line, they'll just kill off a few characters and then bring a few new ones in!!

Can you truthfully say that anything about Lost is Obvious?

[Easter Lily]

I like a good mystery as much as the next person and as a scifi fan I appreciate something a little more cerebral now and again. But as a viewer of Lost, I feel cheated. The plot thickens and then it turns into mush. I think I'm pretty patient generally but there has to be some pay off some of the time. No point in asking people to wait when they don't know what they're supposed to be waiting for.

As Madeline has said earlier... tell me when it's all over and I might get the DVDs later and watch something that has a beginning, middle and an end.

[~Benjamin~]

i agree "lost" has lost many fans cause they give questions but not answers and its gotten so confusing, and having to wait every week for a new episode i miss them sometimes