This post was written in Fall, 2007. If you are wondering about the current status of Pushing Daisies, click here.
The WGA strike has thrown this new season for a loop, but the TV execs will still make decisions on the future of existing new shows. Up today, ABC's Pushing Daisies, Wednesday 8PM Eastern.
With ABC's new shows on balance doing better than any other network's, will the action at "The Pie-Hole" continue into another season? Once again we ask, Renew or Cancel?
Pushing Daisies' Ratings Rank among New ABC Shows, All New Shows
| Date | Viewer Rank among New ABC shows | Viewer Rank among all new shows |
|---|---|---|
| 10/3 | #1 of 6 | #1 of 23 |
| 10/10 | #3 of 7 | #4 of 24 |
| 10/17 | #3 of 8 | #3 of 24 |
| 10/24 | #3 of 8 | #3 of 24 |
| 10/31 | #4 of 6 | #4 of 22 |
| 11/7 | no show | no show |
In a strong stable of new ABC shows, Pushing Daisies' ratings have consistently been #3 or 4 among not only new ABC shows, but all new shows. A powerful performance.
How is it doing against its competition on Wednesday?
Pushing Daisies' Viewership and Rankings @ 8PM Wednesday
| Date | Viewers (Rank) | Adults 18-49 (Rank) | Adults 18-34 (Rank) | Adults 25-54 (Rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/3 | 13.03m (1) | 5.70m (1) | 2.21m (1) | 6.63m (1) |
| 10/10 | 10.26m (2) | 4.91m (1) | 2.19m (1) | 5.21m (1) |
| 10/17 | 9.86m (2) | 4.80m (1) | 2.22m (1) | 5.03m (1) |
| 10/24* | 9.10m (2) | 3.79m (2) | 1.41m (2) | 4.43m (2) |
| 10/31 | 8.57m (1) | 3.48m (1) | 1.46m (1) | 4.08m (1) |
| 11/7 | no show | no show | no show | no show |
| 11/14** | 8.88m (1) | ?m (1) |
Pushing Daisies' ratings show real demographic power, winning the age demos in each week except vs. the World Series on 10/24. For a new show with no lead in, it started on top and stayed there.
All is not positive though, Pushing Daisies has continued to lose audience each and every week, in [nearly] all categories. Not a dramatic amount all at once, but drip, drip, drip and all of a sudden you've lost 39% of your 18-49 debut audience.
11/15 UPDATE: I have included the Fast Overnight data from 11/14, and Pushing Daisies did see some bounce back from the Halloween night low.
There's no national lead in audience for Pushing Daisies to keep or lose. It got where it is entirely on its own.
Conclusions
Negatives
- Across the board, audience keeps slowly bleeding away.
Positives
- Pushing Daisies ratings are very strong compared to new Fall 2007 shows.
- Pushing Daisies ratings dominate its timeslot age demos.
- All accomplished with no lead in help.
Verdict: Solid Renew.
This is the first Renew or Cancel? since the writer's strike, and I think Pushing Daisies is the perfect example of a promising new show that could be extinguished by the strike.
After the Nov 14 episode, there are only 3 fresh episodes left. Has its audience developed enough of a viewing habit to come back to it next year after a long strike? Only time will tell.
March 19 Update: As Rob reminded me below, Pushing Daisies will return in Fall 2008.
Wondering about other shows? Check our all our Renew or Cancel? posts.
________________________________________________________
*10/24 data is Live, all other data is Live+SD
** From fast overnight data
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2007 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Strike or no strike I think on its current trajectory Daisies would and should be replaced.
Other than CBS Criminal Minds there is no show that’s clearly a hit on Wednesdays. Daisies is up against pretty weak competition and I’m not sure the premise (which was cute in the pilot and the follow-up episode) has enough juice to sustain a full season, let alone two.
Strike or no strike I think on its current trajectory Daisies would and should be replaced.
Other than CBS Criminal Minds there is no show that’s clearly a hit on Wednesdays. Daisies is up against pretty weak competition and I’m not sure the premise (which was cute in the pilot and the follow-up episode) has enough juice to sustain a full season, let alone two.
Strike or no strike I think on its current trajectory Daisies would and should be replaced.
Other than CBS Criminal Minds there is no show that’s clearly a hit on Wednesdays. Daisies is up against pretty weak competition and I’m not sure the premise (which was cute in the pilot and the follow-up episode) has enough juice to sustain a full season, let alone two.
EAT SH*T SEIDMAN!
EAT SH*T SEIDMAN!
EAT SH*T SEIDMAN!
EAT SH*T SEIDMAN!
I think Pushing Daisies is a great, quirky show. I was glad that it received a full season pickup earlier this fall. What does the full season pickup mean in the current strike environment? Since the show obviously can’t shoot a full season, will it automatically get to return to production once the strike is over? Or, if the strike is long, would it need a 2nd season pickup to be able to come back?
I think Pushing Daisies is a great, quirky show. I was glad that it received a full season pickup earlier this fall. What does the full season pickup mean in the current strike environment? Since the show obviously can’t shoot a full season, will it automatically get to return to production once the strike is over? Or, if the strike is long, would it need a 2nd season pickup to be able to come back?
I think Pushing Daisies is a great, quirky show. I was glad that it received a full season pickup earlier this fall. What does the full season pickup mean in the current strike environment? Since the show obviously can’t shoot a full season, will it automatically get to return to production once the strike is over? Or, if the strike is long, would it need a 2nd season pickup to be able to come back?
The 11/14 episode bounced back from the low rating set by the Halloween episode. So, for the first time, the show increased on its previous rating, although some will say this is only because of Halloween. Unfortunately we can look forward to another Halloween-like rating next week on Thanksgiving Eve, when ratings are always down.
By their very nature, many cable shows, now and in the past, like “The Shield,” “Sopranos,” “Dexter” etc. have survived long hiatuses without much problem. Thus, the strike will not necessarily harm “PD”, and may even help it if none of ABC’s new strike-necessitated reality shows are hits, and if the strike lasts long enough to screw up all of ABC’s prospective pilots.
The 11/14 episode bounced back from the low rating set by the Halloween episode. So, for the first time, the show increased on its previous rating, although some will say this is only because of Halloween. Unfortunately we can look forward to another Halloween-like rating next week on Thanksgiving Eve, when ratings are always down.
By their very nature, many cable shows, now and in the past, like “The Shield,” “Sopranos,” “Dexter” etc. have survived long hiatuses without much problem. Thus, the strike will not necessarily harm “PD”, and may even help it if none of ABC’s new strike-necessitated reality shows are hits, and if the strike lasts long enough to screw up all of ABC’s prospective pilots.
The 11/14 episode bounced back from the low rating set by the Halloween episode. So, for the first time, the show increased on its previous rating, although some will say this is only because of Halloween. Unfortunately we can look forward to another Halloween-like rating next week on Thanksgiving Eve, when ratings are always down.
By their very nature, many cable shows, now and in the past, like “The Shield,” “Sopranos,” “Dexter” etc. have survived long hiatuses without much problem. Thus, the strike will not necessarily harm “PD”, and may even help it if none of ABC’s new strike-necessitated reality shows are hits, and if the strike lasts long enough to screw up all of ABC’s prospective pilots.
The 11/14 episode bounced back from the low rating set by the Halloween episode. So, for the first time, the show increased on its previous rating, although some will say this is only because of Halloween. Unfortunately we can look forward to another Halloween-like rating next week on Thanksgiving Eve, when ratings are always down.
By their very nature, many cable shows, now and in the past, like “The Shield,” “Sopranos,” “Dexter” etc. have survived long hiatuses without much problem. Thus, the strike will not necessarily harm “PD”, and may even help it if none of ABC’s new strike-necessitated reality shows are hits, and if the strike lasts long enough to screw up all of ABC’s prospective pilots.
This is my favorite show on TV. I am very pleased that a show as quirky as this has found the audience that it did.
This is the kind of show that will NEVER be a huge hit. But it fits in a niche that is underserved by the procedural-bloated network programming these days. ABC deserves alot of credit for trying new things over all other broadcast nets.
This is my favorite show on TV. I am very pleased that a show as quirky as this has found the audience that it did.
This is the kind of show that will NEVER be a huge hit. But it fits in a niche that is underserved by the procedural-bloated network programming these days. ABC deserves alot of credit for trying new things over all other broadcast nets.
This is my favorite show on TV. I am very pleased that a show as quirky as this has found the audience that it did.
This is the kind of show that will NEVER be a huge hit. But it fits in a niche that is underserved by the procedural-bloated network programming these days. ABC deserves alot of credit for trying new things over all other broadcast nets.
Most original show on the basic network line-up. The last two shows seemed to be an improvement in the storytelling department. Think Chenoweth’s Olive and McBride’s Emerson are stealing the show. While the shows don’t compare in premise, Emerson and Olive may do for Pushing Daisies, what Jack and Karen did for Will and Grace.
Most original show on the basic network line-up. The last two shows seemed to be an improvement in the storytelling department. Think Chenoweth’s Olive and McBride’s Emerson are stealing the show. While the shows don’t compare in premise, Emerson and Olive may do for Pushing Daisies, what Jack and Karen did for Will and Grace.
Most original show on the basic network line-up. The last two shows seemed to be an improvement in the storytelling department. Think Chenoweth’s Olive and McBride’s Emerson are stealing the show. While the shows don’t compare in premise, Emerson and Olive may do for Pushing Daisies, what Jack and Karen did for Will and Grace.