Will Dollhouse be pulled off the air before all 13 episodes ordered air? At the beginning of the season I wouldn't have thought there was much chance of that. But now it has to be in the realm of possibility.
One thing I'm sure of though is that it's not getting a back 9, won't be renewed for an additional order of 13, won't be saved by Syfy, and won't be saved by DirecTV. 13 episodes have been ordered, two have aired. Either all 13 episodes air or not, but you won't see more Dollhouse after that.
I don't hate the show (and unlike some people, I actually thought last night's episode was OK!). But I didn't hate the show when I wrote "Say Goodbye to Dollhouse". What I hated was its numbers. Its numbers were bad. Bad even for a Friday.
I went into more detailed projections of the DVR numbers for last week's premiere. But the thing with last night is even if it increases the live+SD adults 18-49 rating of 0.8 by 50%, and even if those DVR numbers even matter a little absent "remote free limited commercial interruptions", that still only gets it to a 1.2.
We wrote that the show should not have been renewed because the numbers didn't paint a pretty picture. I was actually thrilled FOX renewed it, if for no other reason that it was such a surprise, you really could take a step back and say "wow, that's different!"
But different isn't necessarily better. Some have asked why FOX renewed the show at all. And I can only speculate there. What I speculate is 1.) FOX was really enamored with Whedushku, 2.) the numbers, outside the last 3 or 4 episodes were in an acceptable range for FOX, 3.) FOX chalked up the poor ratings for the last few episodes, especially the last two to it being late spring, longer days, more people out on Friday and thought, "It will do better in the fall."
It didn't do better in the fall.
Now the only questions are: 1.) will it air all its episodes as planned; 2.) will they be burned off in some other fashion or 3.) will some episodes be held back for the DVD.
No matter how good the DVR viewing is on a percentage basis -- and on a percentage basis you can count on it being pretty good -- it won't matter. But, because of Nielsen processing, the DVR numbers for last week's premiere won't even be available until a week from Monday (10/12 - last night's numbers will be available 10/19).
Well, thing is, if FOX yanks Dollhouse, they have to eat all the money they spent on the remaining episodes with nothing in return right?
That’s 10/11 episodes at 1-1.5 million a show at least. Quite a chunk of change. Even if the ratings are poor they’ll make at least some of that up through broadcast revenue.
And what could they possibly have to put in its place? I don’t know of anything other than repeats.
This will be an historical first comment when dollhouse gets renewed again!
(i wish, this time it seems like there is no hope at all)
The Godfather, the whole point of Fox renewing Dollhouse is that it was cheap, so it’s not like they poured a ton of money into it. Shows get pulled early all the time. This would be no different. In fact, this would be better, because the average show costs at least $2 mil per episode, while Dollhouse is rumored to be closer to $650k per episode. And repeats of House would certainly do better than Dollhouse!
I think Dollhouse fans should be thankful to Fox for giving them a few more chapter. We see shows all the time not being renewed , shows with 12 million viewers as W. a Trace , or less viewers but still Ok, as The Unit , Moonlight , ….How Dollhouse got a second season is something I still don’t get. Dollhouse give Fox the Thanks at least for giving you a chance to improve the ratings. If this show were at CBS, it would had been canceled after 3 episodes.
Julia –
Totally agree. I mentioned on the over/under thread that a mere 1.3 would keep it afloat versus whatever House would get, and Bill seemed to agree.
Well, it’s not pulling a 1.3 anymore.
It’s DOA.
Doesn’t FOX have episodes of both The Moment of Truth and Kitchen Nightmares in the can as well? Or might they not want to waste them on Fridays? Regardless, this can’t go on much longer. You just can’t be expected to stay around when you’re beaten by a repeat of The Forgotten.
I think the only question now is when will it be pulled. Do they let it air throughout October and pull it before sweeps? Do they give it one more and it’s over? Do they pull it before the next airing?
This is hilarious… you know they’re about to buy the back nine right?
Yep. Pulled? They’re talking the opposite. The advertisers aren’t upset with what they bought. It’s profitable. They believe it’s doing ok for a more competitive Friday Night.
As long as the season comes to Blu-ray I’ll be happy.
LOL then the advertisers must be thrilled with ‘Til Death and Brothers, too!
Nick,
So there is a good chance the show will actually get a full season?
I can’t wait to dance on Dollhouse’s grave when it is cancelled.
“How Dollhouse got a second season is something I still don’t get.”
Mia, probably because FOX didn’t want to appear to burn Joss Whedon twice, after Firefly.
They can say they gave him a fair shake, just in case they want to do business together in the future.
Nick, you’re joking, right? I mean, the fact that you say there’s increased competition on Fridays gives you away. At least be a bit more subtle when you want to pull one over on us.
The ratings are even worse because a big chunk of the TSCC fans took umbrage and aren’t watching anymore.
Expect the Summer Glau episodes, if the show survives that long, to tick up .1 or .2 over whatever the previous week was.
The show will be canceled anyway, but keep an eye out for that tidbit.
TSCC wasn’t a winner by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s still easy to see that Dollhouse’s ratings followed a straight line down while Terminator’s followed a curve that bottomed out.
I wonder what’s going to happen to Southland with it starts up. It plays during the same time slot.
Nick C, I’m not buying it. I’m really not. I expect 13 episodes to get produced and that’s it. And I wouldn’t be surprised if not all of these 13 will air. As much as I like the show, when I see these ratings…
good bye doollhouse. you have been great, but this is a cruel world. i hope all the episodes will air, because i stay tuned with the show!
Well last night’s episode wasn’t much to write home about. They program Echo to lactate, and that makes here a slightly stranger “mom” for a guy, turning her into a stalker. Wow. I can write better than that.
Ya know, I’ve been a big fan, but I think I have to consider walking away. Until Whedon, I never even CARED who directed shows. But having a guy who’s on-again, off-again is getting old.
I tried to give the show a chance, but come on… how are you supposed to watch the lead character get raped in just about every episode and still be invested in the story. Joss just doesn’t get the “eww” part of the story.