Comments on: Dollhouse Ratings for "Vows", September 25, 2009 with DVR projections

By: guest

guest — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:07:34 +0000

Brian Fahrlander, you gotta look at it from the perspective of the studios. No one gives a sh!t if it is popular on torrent sites or by direct download. The whole point is to be able to show ads to the viewers. Ads during the live airings and merchandise sales are the only thing that keep TV shows around. If people only watch through torrents, then FOX gets no recorded viewership and they shut down the show for one where a decent amount of people will watch live. If you do use torrents, then go and buy the season 1 DVD cause this show definitely needs it.

By: Lthompson

Lthompson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:43:39 +0000

Ultimately, the Networks can kill any show irregardless of ratings. They have the controls on ratings and scheduling. Dollhouse would probably double it’s viewer ratings if it changed schedules with the new “sap fest” Glee.

By: Brian Fahrlander

Brian Fahrlander — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:23:40 +0000

Isn’t this a good case for truth?

NO ONE CAN TELL HOW MANY PEOPLE WATCHED.

If they embraced the internet, counting torrents and/or direct downloads, they would know, almost-exactly. As it is, some guy working for ONE COMPANY decides to go to the bathroom instead of watching the show opposite Dollhouse, and millions of numbers are lost.

Can we get more serious about TV and the internet yet? What’s it take- a guy cutting torrents for a whole network, and the space to make them available to PirateBay?

I’ll be so annoyed that dithering over algorythms will kill YET ANOTHER favorite show of mine.

By: Sylvia Knowles

Sylvia Knowles — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:57:00 +0000

I am curious to see if the SGU premier on SyFy this Friday will erode the Dollhouse viewership further. It has been heavily promoted and I think quite a few of the people who might have watched DH will tune into that show instead.

By: woland

woland — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:40:24 +0000

One can, I suppose, ask people why they go out on Friday nights. Here is a bit of anecdotal evidence. I go to the 7:30 New York State Writers Institute Film Series on Friday night. Why? The Writers Institute films are a one shot (unless I want to buy the DVD), they are free, and I can watch TV shows on hulu. I suspect I am not alone in doing this or doing something like this. But hey idizz don’t let me keep you from offering problematic generalisations thanks to naive hypotheses and a lack of hard evidence.

By: woland

woland — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:33:35 +0000

There is, of course, no correlation between ratings and poll numbers and aesthetic quality and reality. This lack of correlation has been known for some time. Proof? Significant numbers of Americans believed that Iraq was a threat to the US (one of the greatest howlers of all time), believe that the health care reform bill (there are actually several) mandates Nazi-Socialist death panels (a rather bizarre bricolage), don’t read James Joyce, don’t listen to Beethoven, and watched Friends. And oh yes, statistics simply measure social and cultural constructions and postulants of the cult of statistics don’t seem to be interested in how reality is socially and culturally constructed.

By: The_GodfatherSJP

The_GodfatherSJP — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:24:34 +0000

Tom, unless you’re the CW. This is business as usual for them…

By: idizzle

idizzle — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Not to mention how it has not once stopped losing viewers week to week. People who were once home and game enough to watch Dollhouse now watch repeats on ABC or cable or nothing or apparently go out just to get away from the horrible TV options. At the very least not a good sign, that.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:02:47 +0000

@The_GodfatherSJP – That would make sense if the numbers were low but Dollhouse was winning in the 18-49 category. But it’s coming in 4th in the 18-49 meaning even those young people who are home aren’t watching.

Also, the argument breaks down when you look at DVR numbers. If the problem was just the timeslot than the Live+7 numbers would be through the roof. But it doesn’t look like that’s going to be a case.

Finally, on the Sci-Fi angel, Eureka and Battlestar Gallactica before it managed to pull as many total viewers per week and they’re on Cable. When a show on a mainstream network can’t pull in more than a cable show that says something (Also, Star Trek: Enterprise managed to pull in more average viewers on UPN when it was on Fridays)

By: The_GodfatherSJP

The_GodfatherSJP — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:10:27 +0000

More like they get 13 episodes and that’s it.

Actually, these fans would argue that giving the show a chance means putting on a night where people would actually watch it, like someplace other than Fridays. There’s a reason the 18-49 demos are so low that night, even with CBS getting millions of viewers: because if you’re single or even married without children, you go out on Fridays.

Well, those are the target demos for any SCI-FI show, and they’re out on the town instead of inside. Anyone who would actually watch the show doesn’t.

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:01:41 +0000

Tom,

If the Friday numbers for Dollhouse follow the “bump” trend you mentioned…. I’d say Dollhouse is probably screwed.

Sad, because I like the show. Hopefully they’ll let them finish up the first 13, and they can wrap things up as best they can in the remaining episodes…

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:29:40 +0000

Comments like Liza’s above makes me wonder if there’s ever a point where fans of these types of shows (low rated with a rabid fan base) give up. Because you can’t argue Dollhouse hasn’t been given a chance. It’s been given several chances. It’s been given every possible chance and then some (I’m not sure I can think of a show that’s gotten more media coverage). Yet despite all that it’s ratings have continued to fall fairly consistently. Even from the Season Finale last season to the Season Opener this season (which is odd since Season Openers tend to get a ratings bump)

I just don’t understand how you could possibly believe this show is going to go up in the ratings after all that.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:12:08 +0000

“Why would everyone expect anything different on the same night at the same time?”

“Probably because the fans would have you believe there’s a slow build coming, bolstered by the fact that 1.) Hulu and other streaming services are a big factor and 2.) now that there are DVDs, people will want to jump on board no matter when it was showing (which, if it were a really good show, it would be appointment TV).”

Seriously there will never be a “slow build” for this show…it’s spiraling down the drain and will soon be forgotten…heck it may not even survive season 2.

By: Liza

Liza — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:42:24 +0000

Why would everyone expect anything different on the same night at the same time?

Probably because the fans would have you believe there’s a slow build coming, bolstered by the fact that 1.) Hulu and other streaming services are a big factor and 2.) now that there are DVDs, people will want to jump on board no matter when it was showing (which, if it were a really good show, it would be appointment TV).

By: The_GodfatherSJP

The_GodfatherSJP — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:52:15 +0000

Umm, Guys, a suggestion:

The numbers for Dollhouse during TSCC’s run and after are markedly different. The ratings now seem to match how the show ended last season. Perhaps that would give the most accurate assessment for any guess? Although, if I remember right the numbers of DVR viewers didn’t change much.

Still, it’s pretty much showing the same ratings as last season. Why would anyone expect anything different on the same night at the same time?

By: Julia

Julia — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:52:11 +0000

Charlene, you can’t really compare last year’s Smallville DVR numbers to what they may be this year. It was on a different night, so one would presume it will have a different percentage of DVR watching.

By: charlene

charlene — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:51:25 +0000

what about smallville i know my sister watched ghost whispher but taped smallville i hope some other people did the same.smallville is a great show