Comments on: Updated Wednesday Ratings: Lie to Me outduels LOST

By: Gina

Gina — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:00:27 +0000

I don’t understand the popularity of American Idol, it’s so cheesy & over hyped. WTF is so great about talentless nobodies getting up onstage for Simon to humiliate. Most of the guys are too feminine, most of the girls are 3rd rate Britney or wanna be’s.

Lost is so awesome, but of course it takes more than being a brain dead couch potato to follow the story, which is why the average viewer rejects it. If it was more like the atrocious reality Show Mama’s boys that would be right up the average American viewers taste, dumbed down reality shit. Yeah keep those assenine cheap reality shows coming, it makes people forget how pathetic their lives are because the show’s contestants are the worlds biggest rejects & losers by comparison.

By: ‘Lost’ se estrena en EEUU con bajonazo de audiencia | Fama Total Aquí

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:39:17 +0000

[...] | TV By Numbers En ¡Vaya Tele! | Lost y la vuelta del hijo [...]

By: Justin

Justin — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:30:13 +0000

If you’re a bit slow and need the instant gratification then some ‘simple’ gameshow or reality bullcrap might be your speed. If you’re into character development, a meaningful story, and topic that make you think you’ll love LOST.

Too many morons mezermized by the same crime-show formula, a bunch of teen punks singing badly, or a group of fatties loosing weight (ooooh great tv!!!). Screw em, give me an escape.

Good Shows:
LOST
TSCC
House
Supernatural
Bones
Burn Notice

Bad Shows:
Any CSI/Cop crap
Reality Junk

By: Abraham

Abraham — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 02:49:36 +0000

If Lost was on CBS it would have huge ratings. But I’m an ABC guy.

By: Fin

Fin — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:18:12 +0000

Serialized shows like LOST or HEROES are just too hard to guarantee anything on because of the high budget, and the general fact that every season less people watch (especially if theres less quality: which is sad for shows with brillaint first seasons). I think LOST will get another season though because even if it gets lower demos and numbers this year (i very much doubt it will hit HEROES numbers) theres more money in it being more international (than others on ABC), plus theres syndication + DVD sales but what about the fact that people who did watch the show will return to see the final season (out of curiousity).

By: idizzle

idizzle — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:34:27 +0000

Julia, I agree completely. The announcing of the end date was probably more a promo gimmick to reassue fans that there was something resembling a plan than anything else. There is no way guarantee would mean guarantee if Lost really started falling to Pushing Daisies numbers. It hasn’t, won’t and I have seen no post or comment suggesting as much here ever, but one has to wonder, why if this ratings do not matter at all, do these people seek them out then.

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:18:09 +0000

idizzle, I was asking why everyone keeps bringing up the “guaranteed” sixth season, as if that should make everyone feel better about these ratings. There’s nothing about these ratings that would suggest cancellation, and nothing about a guarantee that suggests there’s really a guarantee. So that point seems moot.

By: agustin

agustin — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:15:34 +0000

here in argentina everybody talks about lost.. everybody loves lost! so that is the important.. american idol is very bad seen

By: idizzle

idizzle — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:27:09 +0000

Just because a show is a dead lock for another season doesn’t mean we cannot discuss the ratings and speculate about the appeal of the show.
Look at the Thursday ratings post, where everyone is talking about 30 Rock. Another show that’s already renewed.

By: Nate

Nate — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:16:50 +0000

Heroes ratings are a model for LOST, it will eventually end up settling into similar numbers as Heroes did this season- mid 3s in the demo and 7-8million viewers, which is not bad at all for heavily serialized science fiction show in its 5th season. People should also remember that ABC studios makes this show which means ABC has a vesten interest in making sure the show ends properly so that they can reap the benefits of syndication and DVD sales. The resurrected shows like Scrubs and According to Jim which had absolutely horrendous ratings to take advantage of syndication.

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 03:02:54 +0000

You know, everyone talks about how LOST is guaranteed another season after this, but I have to wonder just how guaranteed that is. This is just hypothetical, and I don’t think that it’s in any danger of this happening, but if it were to suddenly take a nosedive and get sub 2.0 ratings in the demo would ABC really have to bring it back?

My point is, even without this so-called “guaranteed” season, the show is completely safe and would get another season no matter what. So why does everyone keep bringing it up?

By: Pete

Pete — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:46:59 +0000

What’s really interesting about all this is that regardless of the ratings score Lost will still continue through this season and conclude next year at the end of the 6th season in 2010. So it doesn’t matter whether or not the ratings drop, it doesn’t matter if you think it’s a silly show. I personally think the show is just as good in it’s 5th season as it was in it’s first. But none of this matters anyway the producers of Lost were smart enough to negotiate a contract, so ratings really have no impact on the series at all, it’s already a done deal.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:44:07 +0000

LOL, Vader, is just trying to provide more data for the whole “people who watch more TV are generally less happy than people who have more sex.” He’s incensed at a headline, which was, if only ever so slightly, true when I wrote it!

It definitely wasn’t true by the time the final numbers came out, at least in terms of the demos, but yesterday it wound up that my priority was hounding our web host to make sure the site stayed up. For an hour or two, I sucked much more at that then I did with the headline.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:27:37 +0000

Vader, these posts are *always* the fast affiliate results and we rarely, if ever, update them with the final overnight results.

By: Vader

Vader — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:21:34 +0000

I agree with Alan. For a blog that claims the demo is the most important thing, which it turns out LOST beat Lie to Me in the finals, now it seems like you guys are trying to act like total viewers have some new found importance to you. It’s also pretty funny that in the article, you pointed out Lie to Me’s numbers were inflated by three minutes of American Idol, but still keep that ridiculous headline, making it seem like Lie to Me beat LOST like a spoiled kid. For someone being a fan of a show, you sure do like to knock shows (this time for no good reason) that you claim to enjoy.

By: Cookson

Cookson — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:19:17 +0000

ABCFanatic,

LOST basically had NO competition last year… so ratings would seem to be very different, but as S4 went along the viewers started going down. S5 will most likely average just the same as S4… S5 will be much more consistent than S4.

Plus a 5.0 in the key demo is awesome. For a show that’s in its fifth season, and is so complex…. it’s doing really good still.

By: CreamPuffer

CreamPuffer — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:14:37 +0000

Of course “Lie to Me” beat “Lost”. They have the number#1 show in America as a lead in. But if you think about how many viewers the show bled from it’s lead in, then the numbers do not look good at all. They lost 1/2 the viewers and this is the premier too, so you know it’s going to continue to bleed viewers.

By: idizzle

idizzle — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:38:11 +0000

I am kind of lolzing at “the unwritten rules of scheduling”, because we all know DWTS never ever runs over into Samantha who. WTF? The only unwritten rule of scheduling is get ahead by all means possible.

By: dave

dave — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:30:54 +0000

I thought it was a dick move by fox to have AI run 3 minutes over. A deliberate move to try to steal viewers from lost. They know lost is a tough show to hop in late. It’s not even like AI was live this week, it was an audition show. I know business is business, but this feels like cheating, breaking the unwritten rules of scheduling.

By: ABCFanatic

ABCFanatic — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:12:31 +0000

I’m dissapointed of the ratings of Lost

Desperate Housewives/Grey’s Anatomy had 18 million viewers during their season 5 premieres this year. And Lost had more than 15 million viewers in its last year’s season premiere. So 11 million is a big drop if you compare it to season 4′s season premiere!.

By: docarzt

docarzt — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:50:31 +0000

I have to admit, even as a LOST zealot I was fearful that Lie to Me WOULDN’T outdo LOST. LOST is doing respectably well for a fifth season show – and as a brand at large it is as strong as ever. Lie to Me has more mass market appeal, and at the same time has a very interesting hook – even though the pilot really didn’t realize that 100%, imho.

By: evah

evah — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:24:50 +0000

“Lie to Me” has won me over as a fan after only one episode.
Roth is excellent & with the strong supporting cast & great Writers, IMO is a keeper.

I can hear the screaming comments already (Covering my ears)…but gotta wonder if it coud give “The Mentalist” competition if on same night & time.
The Mentalist supporting cast is very weak….Writing stinks…but what can I
say…I’m still a fan only because of Simon Baker’s smile & good looks.

I’m also still lost on “LOST” love it

By: RViewer

RViewer — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:20:10 +0000

I agree with you matt2. The Wednesday comedy are not working, those shows are the lowest rated on CBS schedule and they are dragging the ratings down. It is a miracle that Criminal Minds get high ratings despite the shows that are its lead in.

By: Jared

Jared — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:05:34 +0000

Robert, I love Lost too, but I really can’t see how they could carry the show on to a 7th season. That would just draw the show out. You have to make an end to shows like this.

By: RViewer

RViewer — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:55:39 +0000

yeah Lost is so brilliant…it was supposed to be about people stranded on an island after a plane crash and how they survived but now we have time travel and what have you…I did watch the first season but left when the siliness started and will not go back.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:59:26 +0000

To anybody who reads this: LOST is an absolutely fantastic show. The best show on tv since Frasier. The ratings for it are irrelevant. Its a shame that there isn’t going to be a 7th season. You have to watch it from the very beginning to get into it and then one can see its unique brilliantnes.

By: matt2

matt2 — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:11:19 +0000

With FOX and ABC much improved on Wednesdy nights, CBS’ Wednesday slate is looking vulnerable for the very first time. I know they were trying to build another comedy block but it might be time to abandon that idea and slide over Survivor into that spot. That makes me wonder why there are no solid tv sitcom’s anymore.

I have childhood memories laying on the floor in front of our floor model tv watching Three’s Company, Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, etc. and laughing until I cried. No one does comedy that hilarious any more. Today’s best tv sitcom, 2 1/2 Men, isn’t even in that ballpark. Still, I like 2 1/2 Men, but it depends too much on being vulgar in order to produce a laugh and in facing reality, without that anchor CBS’ Monday night comedy slate is dead in the water.

I can’t wait for DWTS to come back. It is so much fun, so exciting, and so uplifting that I completely understand why more and more Americans get their entertainment from reality programs.

American Idol- well over 20 million viewers a night
Biggest Loser- possibly NBC’s highest rated program avg. 10 million +/-
The Bachelor- 10 million and growing
Extreme Home Makeovers and Suvivor- both still big hits after many years on tv

By: Terry

Terry — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:14:11 +0000

I hadn’t watched lost last season at all(watched all the other seasons)…. I decided to watch the recap and the 2 hour premiere….i really enjoyed it!!!

By: Denise

Denise — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:49:33 +0000

Hmm…for some reason I bet FOX is kicking itself for keeping Til Death around as long as it did.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:50:40 +0000

Everything seems to be going FOX’s way in this second half. Now NBC is the odd one out.

By: idizzle

idizzle — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:29:36 +0000

I don’t think anyone is lobbying for Lost to be cancelled. Or expecting it. Or suggesting it would be at all rational.

Analyzing the ratings nevertheless, that’s kinda a hazzard you’ll run into when visiting a site dedicated to, you know, ratings.

By: stacy

stacy — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:36:33 +0000

I 100% with you, Rob R, but people are going to be analyzing the ratings anyway. The ratings drop does not bother me at all, even next week when it will go down even further, I won’t care.

I’m thinking of these last two season as a gift to the hard core and long time fan, of course the are going to lose the viewership of people who don’t like weird time travel story lines, or people who think the show is getting too mythology heavy. Personally, I think Lost still has great character who I truly care about, but I can’t fault anyone who might want to bail after last night super confusing episode, especially if they are just not that into sci-fi stories.

By: clutz

clutz — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:24:25 +0000

With two very well-established series as its competition, I think Lie To Me fared very well. The AI lead-in helped, for certain. But when your competition is LOST and CM, both veteran ratings powerhouses, how else but massive lead-in can you get eyeballs to your network?

By: richard less

richard less — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:02:54 +0000

NBC should hang it up… they should just run their cable outlets.

By: Rob R

Rob R — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:50:50 +0000

Lost is still going to be one of ABC’s strongest shows in the demo even if the audience attrition continues. It doesn’t make much sense to endlessly analyze the ratings for Lost as it is renewed until its final episode in May 2010.

By: David4

David4 — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:41:41 +0000

Lie to Me had three minutes of AI to pump up the ratings.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:17:42 +0000

Tom: L & O seems very affected by external events, but it wasn’t up by much overall (though moreso among 18-49). the SVU rerun this week did noticeably better than last week’s SVU rerun. ABC obviously did much better @10pm this week, which seems to have hurt CBS more than it helped NBC.

By: Charles

Charles — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:10:49 +0000

“Charles, that scheduling move looks to be more a loss limiting move (by airing 13 only once a week, and in a dead timeslot, rather than twice) rather than a vote of confidence in Privileged.”–Bill Gorman

I know it. Still they could have chosen repeats of Smallville or Supernatural…heck even something from Mondays and yet they chose Privileged. *sigh* Darn show is gonna be the end of me. LOL.

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:10:28 +0000

Enough with downloads. Why isn’t any one surprised by L&O going up from last week.

By: Mentes criminales y Lie to me vencen a Perdidos en su regreso

Mentes criminales y Lie to me vencen a Perdidos en su regreso — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:09:45 +0000

[...] Vía | TV by the numbers [...]

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:07:27 +0000

Kate: I’m saying Americans don’t download shows, just a fraction of them.
My cousin from NY visited 3 years ago and he had no idea what torrents are, and that you can download almost any tv show and how many people do.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:06:05 +0000

Kate, Tom, et al., I think that what can be said is that while lots of people in the US may download TV shows, the number of people that watch those shows on television is still, today, much larger. Ultimately the world will turn to more on demand media, part of which will be downloaded, but we are still at the beginning of that trend now.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:01:55 +0000

Charles, that scheduling move looks to be more a loss limiting move (by airing 13 only once a week, and in a dead timeslot, rather than twice) rather than a vote of confidence in Privileged.

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:51:57 +0000

sorry for the double post… when i posted the other earlier i got a network error

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:45:14 +0000

@ Tom

Look on the peer list there are alot of americans who download, i would say a majority of downloaders are american; however the websites are international cuz of US copyright laws. Also downloading shows/movies isnt mainstream in the US like downloading music, but to say americans dont download shows is false

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:43:53 +0000

CW scheduling update! 13: Fear Is Real to relocate original episodes to Fridays at 9/8c. While Privileged repeats will take over, effectively immediately. I hope this is sign of faith from The CW in Privileged…

The CW is sending “13: Fear Is Real” to Friday nights while “Privileged” is set to get an extra run on Wednesdays.

The changes, which take effect immediately, puts first-run installments of “13″ in the Friday, 9:00/8:00c slot, replacing its encores in the hour.

Filling in on Wednesdays at 8:00/7:00c then will be “Privileged” repeats leading into “90210″ encores at 9:00/8:00c.

“13″ posted an invisible 0.6 rating among adults 18-49 last night, nearly half its debut audience on January 7 (1.1 rating).

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7930

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:33:40 +0000

idizzle: I know that the people who stoped watching Lost aren’t the same people who download it.
I brought up the international viewers as an example that most of the people who download American shows are not Americans. I’m an Israeli and here the top show are 24, Lost, Prison Break and Heroes. hundreds of thousands of people here watch them regulary.

By: sam

sam — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:27:36 +0000

wow christine did pretty well its getting another season its its only off 2 million from what worst week gets

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:19:56 +0000

Alan, i didn’t spin the Lost numbers as disappointing at all. Lie to Me had more viewers, so if you read disappointment into that, it’s not my doing. I didn’t spin them as positive either — hopefully they were spin free. The ABC press release that you cite as also posted on the site would of course have a very positive spin!

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:19:43 +0000

Alan, this post is the numbers along with some commentary. The other post you are referring to is an ABC press release. Even if the numbers were half what they actually are they would make them sound amazing. That’s what press releases are.