Moving on to Fox, which has quite a few shows with unannounced futures including Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, New Amsterdam, Canterbury's Law, Back to You, Don't Forget the Lyrics, Moment of Truth, Return of Jezebel James, 'Til Death, Kitchen Nightmares and Unhitched.
Since the lack of Fox announcements has so many shows "on the bubble" I'm going to do a more wholesale analysis than I did with the 3 CBS shows earlier.
Selected Fox Shows Ranked by Season to Date Adults 18-49, and Season to Date Viewers
| STD Adults 18-49 Rank | Show | STD Adults 18-49, Live+SD (000) | STD Viewers, Live+SD (000) | STD Viewers Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | MOMENT OF TRUTH | 9,317 | 16,484 | 4 |
| 6 | TERMINATOR:SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES (renewed) | 5,802 | 10,690 | 8 |
| 10 | NEW AMSTERDAM | 4,615 | 11,161 | 5 |
| 11 | PRISON BREAK | 4,592 | 8,156 | 14 |
| 14 | Bones | 4,241 | 8,867 | 11 |
| 15 | Kitchen Nightmares | 3,817 | 6,245 | 22 |
| 16 | DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS | 3,763 | 8,160 | 13 |
| 19 | SMARTER THAN 5TH GRADER | 3,495 | 9,145 | 9 |
| 20 | UNHITCHED | 3,283 | 5,179 | 29 |
| 22 | TIL DEATH | 3,072 | 6,232 | 24 |
| 23 | BACK TO YOU | 2,977 | 6,494 | 20 |
| 24 | COPS 2 | 2,970 | 6,475 | 21 |
| 25 | AMW: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK | 2,788 | 6,240 | 23 |
| 26 | K-VILLE (cancelled) | 2,681 | 5,886 | 27 |
| 27 | COPS | 2,582 | 5,757 | 28 |
| 29 | CANTERBURY'S LAW | 2,242 | 7,716 | 16 |
| 34 | NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND | 1,562 | 2,879 | 35 |
| 35 | RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES (cancelled) | 1,383 | 3,182 | 34 |
| 36 | NASHVILLE (cancelled) | 1,249 | 2,482 | 36 |
Guaranteed Return [UPDATE: Both these shows are RENEWED for Fall 2008.]
- Moment of Truth has been Fox's bona fide hit this season. Lots more lie detector tests are on the way.
- Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles wasn't a home run, but it was a solid double as Fox's 6th best show for 18-49s.
Likely Return
These shows are in the top half of Fox's line up in either adults 18-49 or viewers, and seem likely to be back.
- Prison Break [UPDATE: Renewed]
- Bones [UPDATE: Renewed]
- Kitchen Nightmares [UPDATE: Renewed]
- Don't Forget The Lyrics [UPDATE: Renewed]
- Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? [UPDATE: Renewed]
Toss Up
These two half hour comedies are right on the borderline. They didn't perform very well, but they're likely cheap to make which could save them.
Back to You- 5/9 UPDATE: Fox has cancelled Back to You
- '
Til Death- 5/9 UPDATE: Fox has renewed 'Til Death
Not Enough Data
- Unhitched initial episodes indicate Back to You and 'Til Death level ratings. If that keeps up, it might survive. [UPDATE: Cancelled]
New Amsterdamposted some good early numbers due to Idol, but how far will it continue to fall? 5/12 Update: New Amsterdam has been cancelled by Fox.
Stick a Fork In Them
- Canterbury's Law has a short track record, but it's a very bad one. [UPDATE: Cancelled]
Return of Jezebel Jameslevel ratings got Nashville yanked in a hurry last fall. [UPDATE: Cancelled]
3/24 Update: Jezebel James has been removed from the Fox schedule.
Fans, what do you think will happen?
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Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Bring back UNHITCHED.
The writing is funny and the cast is great.
I would like to see it continue!
Bring back UNHITCHED.
The writing is funny and the cast is great.
I would like to see it continue!
Woohoo, go “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”! Best show on Fox! I can’t wait for season two!
Woohoo, go “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”! Best show on Fox! I can’t wait for season two!
Bring back NEW AMSTERDAM.
Great new show. Great writing and great cast.
I am concerned about the ratings though?
It has been moved around a lot. I would like to see how it does with some continuity.
Bring back NEW AMSTERDAM.
Great new show. Great writing and great cast.
I am concerned about the ratings though?
It has been moved around a lot. I would like to see how it does with some continuity.
Terminator, in addition to a full second season, needs: a Season One DVD release, re-runs on FX over the summer, and a targeted marketing campaign.
It’s not a straight up action series, it’s sci-fi drama that has a good dose of action, and large story arcs and themes. There’s a difference. They keep marketing it like it’s T2, and that’s a mistake. I think they’re too high off Idol to remember how to market smart sci-fi.
The fans who like both types of series end up being pleasantly surprised, but the people who show up for all action get disappointed, and the people who wanted more of a sci-fi drama (or are curious about a sci-fi drama) – a show they could really invest in the characters – never tune in. Add in FOX’s dismal history of canning good shows, the writer’s strike, and the deluge of reality TV, and you also have a lot of viewers who would normally watch but have been driven away from TV entirely. It’s going to take a little creativity from FOX to get them back, but it is possible.
The show has a pretty invested core audience, even if it is on the lower side of what makes executives and advertisers happy. But they only had 9 episodes – 7 really, if you consider the premier was almost a two-parter and the finale was shown as two episodes back to back (which, incidentally, was not even planned as a finale originally). So I’ll say the same thing pretty much every critic, reviewer, and fan agrees on: this show has great potential. It has the makings of a real hit, given time.
It deserves a full season, let the writers really get a good story arc under it, let the characters grow, and at least a tiny bit of effort by FOX to understand what type of show they actually bought.
Given that, this show will really thrive. Well, that and obviously more airtime for Summer Glau.
Terminator, in addition to a full second season, needs: a Season One DVD release, re-runs on FX over the summer, and a targeted marketing campaign.
It’s not a straight up action series, it’s sci-fi drama that has a good dose of action, and large story arcs and themes. There’s a difference. They keep marketing it like it’s T2, and that’s a mistake. I think they’re too high off Idol to remember how to market smart sci-fi.
The fans who like both types of series end up being pleasantly surprised, but the people who show up for all action get disappointed, and the people who wanted more of a sci-fi drama (or are curious about a sci-fi drama) – a show they could really invest in the characters – never tune in. Add in FOX’s dismal history of canning good shows, the writer’s strike, and the deluge of reality TV, and you also have a lot of viewers who would normally watch but have been driven away from TV entirely. It’s going to take a little creativity from FOX to get them back, but it is possible.
The show has a pretty invested core audience, even if it is on the lower side of what makes executives and advertisers happy. But they only had 9 episodes – 7 really, if you consider the premier was almost a two-parter and the finale was shown as two episodes back to back (which, incidentally, was not even planned as a finale originally). So I’ll say the same thing pretty much every critic, reviewer, and fan agrees on: this show has great potential. It has the makings of a real hit, given time.
It deserves a full season, let the writers really get a good story arc under it, let the characters grow, and at least a tiny bit of effort by FOX to understand what type of show they actually bought.
Given that, this show will really thrive. Well, that and obviously more airtime for Summer Glau.
I’d be glad to see TSCC come back. And I’d like to see Brian Austen Green as a regular.
I’d be glad to see TSCC come back. And I’d like to see Brian Austen Green as a regular.
frankj – very nice write up. Fox can count me in as one of the core audience for T:TSCC. The deluge of reality TV you speak of has definitely kept me away from watching very much TV lately. Even when terminator premiered, I recorded the first two shows just to check it out but then watched the rest of the short season live.
I haven’t invested this much time in a TV show in a very long time and will be extremely disappointed if it’s not renewed for a full season.
Glad to see you didn’t forget your Miss Glau reference. According to one source, she has landed a role in an unnamed movie to begin filming in April.
frankj – very nice write up. Fox can count me in as one of the core audience for T:TSCC. The deluge of reality TV you speak of has definitely kept me away from watching very much TV lately. Even when terminator premiered, I recorded the first two shows just to check it out but then watched the rest of the short season live.
I haven’t invested this much time in a TV show in a very long time and will be extremely disappointed if it’s not renewed for a full season.
Glad to see you didn’t forget your Miss Glau reference. According to one source, she has landed a role in an unnamed movie to begin filming in April.
I just hope TSCC is back. It’s the only show I watch on Fox (stopped watched Prison Break after season 2).
I can’t really see fox NOT bringing back this show. Just imagine all the promotion they could get from the show by just having the 4th terminator movie coming out next May (which I can’t wait for!)
I agree with the other comments, I really hope they make Brian Austen Green a regular. He really makes the show more interesting!
I just hope TSCC is back. It’s the only show I watch on Fox (stopped watched Prison Break after season 2).
I can’t really see fox NOT bringing back this show. Just imagine all the promotion they could get from the show by just having the 4th terminator movie coming out next May (which I can’t wait for!)
I agree with the other comments, I really hope they make Brian Austen Green a regular. He really makes the show more interesting!
Right on the money frankj. I couldn’t have said it better. Exactly the reasons you mentioned prevents some people in investing their time in the show. 2 friends of mine never saw an episode and I introduced them to the show. I can now safely say I have recruited 2 new TSCC DVD buyers. They cannot wait for it to come out. We need a full season 2. I need my TSCC fix!. And Summer Glau!
Right on the money frankj. I couldn’t have said it better. Exactly the reasons you mentioned prevents some people in investing their time in the show. 2 friends of mine never saw an episode and I introduced them to the show. I can now safely say I have recruited 2 new TSCC DVD buyers. They cannot wait for it to come out. We need a full season 2. I need my TSCC fix!. And Summer Glau!
Terminator is trying too hard to be Lost or maybe even The Matrix. It shouldn’t.
Moment of Truth is one of those shows that, just because you CAN do it doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Which explains why it has such high ratings.
I like Back To You, but it can use a bit more comedy.
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader is the only other show I watch on that list, and even then I don’t go out of my way. I’m just burned out on reality shows. I stopped watching AI after its second season.
Lighthope
Pearls of Wisdom – 90% of being smart is knowing what you’re dumb at.
Terminator is trying too hard to be Lost or maybe even The Matrix. It shouldn’t.
Moment of Truth is one of those shows that, just because you CAN do it doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Which explains why it has such high ratings.
I like Back To You, but it can use a bit more comedy.
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader is the only other show I watch on that list, and even then I don’t go out of my way. I’m just burned out on reality shows. I stopped watching AI after its second season.
Lighthope
Pearls of Wisdom – 90% of being smart is knowing what you’re dumb at.
Hopefully Skynet is not behind this. Terminator rules!
Hopefully Skynet is not behind this. Terminator rules!