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

[jackspal]

Ratings are falling, what do you think the reason(s) are?
I think there has been to much of a turn over of cast members and a lackluster Lead.

[HirogenGater]

I've enjoyed the new season, it's like a new show. Maybe people can't accept change?

[AGateFan]

I think because the majority of the episodes this year have not been very entertaining in a Stargate kind of way. And many people like the regular Stargate kind of way as opposed to this new show.

[da_hippie]

With the current tren, I reckon that SGA will overtake SG1 in popularity as it still has so much more untapped potential.

[Nem2k]

i reckon its something like "oh look the second half of SG is on, lets go watch it. hm, i was expecting it to be much better than that, I dont think I can be too bothered with it next week"

[AGateFan]

i reckon its something like "oh look the second half of SG is on, lets go watch it. hm, i was expecting it to be much better than that, I dont think I can be too bothered with it next week"

Well, I'll admit if I had anything else to do I may have said that same thing after 4H2... the following weeks ep was a bit better though and this weeks ep was really good. Problem is once people start drifting off its hard to get them back.

But then again there may have been something else on, some new premiers or something and people may have only skipped that one week to try out those other shows or something.

[Callista]

Is it falling in syndication too or just on Sci-Fi? I don't have cable so I can't watch Sci-Fi but I know where I live it used to be on UPN Sundays at 9:00pm and I watched every week but they moved it to Saturdays at 6:00pm so I can never watch it. I just bought the DVDs instead.

[MarshAngel]

I think TV shows have an expiration date, not just because of the show itself but due to those who watch it and SG1 is really pushing it. If you stare at something long enough you start to notice all its flaws and SG has been on a while so for those who've been watching a while it may not be as fulfilling as it once was and every small misstep seems larger because the show's no longer able to satisfy growing expectations and you can no longer ignore errors. 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. The writers might feel ok with the stories, and examined on their own they might be good, but in the context of the series not as fresh as they used to be and long time viewers get more critical as time goes on and anything that seems to repeat will stand out.

Personally, I'm Ok with the show as it is. I'm not wowed but I'm not terribly disappointed either and I'm not wishing for it to end. Whenever they wrap it is fine. I'll miss it when that happens though.

[ses110]

I think that's pretty much it.RDA was a huge loss and big factor in the ratings decline but the problems go even deeper than that.It does not feel like SG-1 and the character seem off and TPTB talked up the Show before the Season like it was the greatest ever and it's not even close.TPTB are trying to hard to run away from the past and there leaving alot of long time Fans behind.I have no problem with BB and CB it's just there characters do nothing for me.

[ses110]

Excellent post.I no longer watch the Show but I will be sad when it's over.Maybe we will get some SG-1 Movies so maybe ending as a weekly series is the best thing.Many people may disagree but I think SG-1 has run it's course as a weekly series.

[Anubis69]

I reckon a combination of:

People not willing to accept change
Like MarshAngel said: Not as fresh in the eyes of some
And i reckon a big one is downloading. A lot of folk might not want to sit down and watch a show for an hour at a set time when they can download it a few hours later without adverts and watch when they see fit.

[jackspal]

Thanks! When I said that it started a war.

[brihana25]

They had one bad night, and it wasn't just SG1. Atlantis fell as well (twice as far as SG1 did), and so did BSG (the same amount as SG1).

They all *three* had season low ratings last Friday, and they were all three up against first-runs of highly-publicized, controversial, and/or popular network programs.

If we're going to start lamenting on the horrible decline in the ratings for SG1, then we'd better start doing it for all the entire Friday night lineup - most especially Atlantis - because they all three fell and compared to the other two, Atlantis tanked.

[ses110]

There is no doubt change is hard.I would have Loved to see Jonas or Hailey as the 4th member with Sam in charge of SG-1.I prefer Hailey because Hailey adds another Women to the Team and there could have been some great Sam and Hailey scenes with Sam being like the Teacher and Hailey the Student.You throw in more mention of Jack and get rid of the Sam/Other Ship and I would still be watching.I think with the loss of Jack the way to go was to bring in a character that SG-1 Fans were familar with.

[prion]

Well, how many people TiVo their Friday night lineup? I don't believe that counts on ratings, no matter how good your intention (TivOed only Scifi, went out to movie instead).