I doubt her appearance will boost the ratings much. Some decent Fox promo might, but I wonder if they think it’s worth it at this point. If the next two episodes aren’t killer stuff and cause it to trend upward, it’s doomed.

I think Dollhouse is doomed for all the reasons I said last season AND now the fact that they blew the chance to open the season with a couple barn burning episodes. In other words, while they were renewed because Joss promised the show would be better, that they would address their issues, and that the show would be cheap, those reasons don’t matter if the ratings continue to drop. I always assumed Fox renewed Dollhouse on the premise that its lowest ratings in season one would be the baseline for season two, given its cost and Joss; promises.

Unless somehow Dollhouse can pull out a 1.0-1.5 in the next couple episodes (the higher the better), it’s doomed.

These days you have to hook people right from the pilot or you’re doomed. Don’t hook them until episode 11 and you’re really screwed.

Finally what could Fox air that would make money on a Friday? Clearly no show based on science fiction works on network TV, and I don’t get why, as the top 20 movies are almost all science fiction or fantasy based. Why does the public like

Advertisers want to pay for eyeballs that see their ads. It’s more than conventional wisdom that DVR viewers skip most ads. 18-49 demo is the typical target demo for broadcast on every night, because those eyeballs are scarce and therefore expensive to buy for advertisers.

/sigh.

The paraphrased version: why do 18-49 demos matter on friday / saturday. 18-49 generally leaves the house for high school / college football, parties, weekend vacations, and alcohol.

Shouldn’t every Friday/Saturday show be measured with Live, DVR, Internet, and demos other than 18-49?

CBS rules fridays because CBS caters it’s shows to old people. Old people watch tv on fridays. it’s a no brainer.

I watch tv for like 4-5 hours a night, sunday through thursday. Friday night I watch zero (well, maybe an hour: Bill Maher, when i get home drunk). Saturdays I watch football all day and maybe one tv show, but by the time ‘prime time’ hits, I am not watching any tv.

I imagine a good majority of people are the same. With NCAA on Saturday nights, and high school football on Friday nights, that kills a large portion of the 18-49 range immediately.

So why are lower ratings a problem?

Any show that airs Friday or Saturday nights should always rate themselves based on DVR, Internet, and Live vieweings. Not just the live 18-49.

There’s a reason CBS always succeeds on Friday nights. Because CBS caters to the elderly. And the elderly do not go out boozing week after week.

Lie to Me may or may not be renewed. I hope FOX helps it out and airs it tuesdays after Idol until Past Life premieres but it could be pushed to friday.

“You said Dollhouse would be cancelled last season”

BYE BYE LIE TO ME! DEAD BY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER!

Johnthemon – The difference is when FOX put Family Guy opposite Friends, gthe did it because they didnt care about the series (which is why the series has a better timeslot now,because FOX actually cares) FOX wants Fringe to succeed and they want to take viewers away from the lowering CSI and Grey’s and do better in the demo. While FOX wishes that the overall numbers would be higher, FOX’s initial plan is working.

Bill – FOX seems happy with Fringe so its likely to stay in the 9pm slot all season. Theres not much to compare it to though, the previous 9pm only did OK, Dont Forget the Lyrics, Hell’s Kitchen. But Fringe has done the best in the demo.

7:30 American Dad
8:00 The Simpsons
8:30 Sons of Tucson
9:00 Family Guy
9:30 The Cleveland Show

If Brothers is axed, its possible the remaining Til Death could be burned off at 7:00, however its not liekly. With 5 half hour’s of comedy, FOX would need 1 at 7 for some kind of rerun.

Til Death seems very unlikely to survive into 10-11. Stranger things have happened but the way things look with fridays, its not likely. Til Death looks near death.

Chris – If I were FOX I would air 13 episodes of Dollhouse from now until December and double up in December. FOX may as well just get rid of the series that way and find something to replace it come January. Til Death and Brothers should just stay in their slots, it is friday so FOX shouldve expected all 3 series to do badly. Its not like FOX renewed well performing series, put them in a non friday slot and then moved them to fridays (last years Terminator and Prison Break) FOX basically put their 2 worst performers and a new comedy on their worst performing night.

Dollhouse + Til Death + Brothers + Friday = Lowest rated friday in years.

Fox’s entire system is skewed because only they and CBS have ratings going up, everyone else is down (CW/NBC/ABC) so their shows on the floating chart are also competing with growth of other shows on their own network.. a rarity.

Fox has a better set schedule then almost anyone.

I think Dollhouse & Brothers are in danger, but Fox is so safe on other nights, they might be willing to play risky because they can afford to. Otherwise, both of those are gone.. Fox will air all 13 “Dollhouse” eps, regardless.. how they air them may matter.

I wonder if Til Death will still survive until 10-11 season . When Brothers rerun on Sunday performed better, I thought there’s a chance that they could transfer that show (along with Til Death) on Sundays if the current Friday block collapses fully (I seriously think Smallville could out rate them in the succeeding weeks as last Friday they were already close).

Scott – I like the premise of Dollhouse, but with FOX actually having some success with their 2 sophomore dramas and freshman dramas, I cant see how Dollhouse can continue. Ratings are bad even for friday standards.

As for MI, Abrams didn’t write it, just directed it, so it has an excuse.

And I don’t remember the third Mission Impossible movie having any time travel…