Top Chef returned far weaker than I expected. Not enough time between seasons. The last one ended on October 3rd. Love the series, but for its longevity, it needs a break until Summer 2009.
Well, I'll have to correct both of us Travis -- according to an article elsewhere on mediaweek, Top Chef actually beat its Fall season premiere numbers. Now, it's not Project Runway, but it's actually rising, not declining as you alluded to in your post. See info below:
quote:
Season four of Bravo's culinary competition series Top Chef got off to a sizzling start Wednesday night, averaging 2.26 million viewers in the 10 p.m. timeslot, up 11 percent versus last season's premiere (2.02 million).
Sponsored by Toyota and Glad, Top Chef: Chicago drew 1.48 million adults 18-49, a 5 percent hike over the season three inaugural’s demo average (1.41 million).
Interesting thoughts on the development cycle and the upcoming 2008-09 season from medialife:
quote:
In theory at least, the coming fall season ought to be causing the broadcast networks a bit of heartburn, with the strike having cut deeply into the development season, when outlines and scripts are created for shows for the next year.
That certainly did hurt. Just half the normal number of shows have been developed.
But fall should do well for the broadcast networks just the same, and one reason is that their schedules will also carry a number of shows that were slotted for this spring but got pushed off schedules because they didn't have enough episodes because of the writers' strike, such as Fox's "24," which will air a special movie.
Further, some of the new shows appear to be promising, featuring big-name stars like Goldie Hawn and producers like David E. Kelley.
As it turns out, back in December and January, while the strike was in effect, writers were at working from home developing concepts they could pitch to the studios once the strike ended, which came in mid-February.
“For all of this to happen so quickly, I think there were plans or discussions taking place during the strike,” notes John Spiropoulos, vice president and group research director at MediaVest.
What will change this year is how the fall slates are previewed for media buyers. In past years, the networks would host big development meetings in Los Angeles in March, about this time, and invite all the buyers out for the week.
This year, they will be meeting with buyers and agencies individually.
With their new shows, returning shows and their delayed shows, the networks may actually end up in better shape than in past years. They'll have plenty of replacement shows to shove in for those that turn out to be rating clunkers.
The networks may also have enough programs on the air and in development to stretch out the September-to-May season to a 52-week schedule, which Fox initiated a few years ago and NBC is now adopting. The idea is to roll shows out year-round, even in the summer.
“The broadcast networks are moving toward a cable television or broadband video model,” says Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate research director at Horizon Media. “We may see more shows debuted anytime, anywhere.”
While it's still early, several programming trends are popping up for the coming year, and one is shows starring big-name actors.
Goldie Hawn is in “Leap,” a drama in development since last summer from “Friends’” creator Marta Kauffman for ABC. VH1 reality star Flavor Flav stars in a comedy that debuts next month on MyNetworkTV, and producer J. J. Abrams from ABC’s “Lost” is developing the drama “Fringe” for Fox.
There are a number of shows taking cues from ABC’s “Lost” and NBC’s “Heroes,” with a bit of science fiction and fantasy. “Mentalist” for CBS is a drama about a mind reader who fights crime. “Lie to Me” for Fox is about a former FBI agent who’s a human lie detector.
Originally posted by Chimera: such as Fox's "24," which will air a special movie.
Nice! What is happening to the 8 episodes shot this year, are they turned into this movie, or will they be aired in January?
I don't know for sure, but I think those 8 will be part of next season 24 episodes, and the movie in the Fall will be seperate from that, but a sort of prequel.
quote:
Originally posted by Zitrone:
quote:
While it's still early, several programming trends are popping up for the coming year, and one is shows starring big-name actors.
(...) VH1 reality star Flavor Flav stars in a comedy that debuts next month on MyNetworkTV
Funny!! Yeah, what's the world come to when "Flavor Flav" is considered a big-name star!!
I don't know for sure, but I think those 8 will be part of next season 24 episodes, and the movie in the Fall will be seperate from that, but a sort of prequel.
They mentioned before that they wanted Jack to start off in Africa working off his guilt but couldn't do it because the flight back home wouldn't have fit into the real time concept. Maybe they'll put that into the prequel.
There are a million ways to answer your question, robert.
Different economic and business models, different demographic targets, different station lineups, legacy programming, The CW programs only prime time and really only 5 nights and no other dayparts. The two nets aren't the same, even though they're answerable to the same person. Kelly Kahl schedules The CW and CBS and a lot of the back office stuff is combined, as well.
Dawn Ostroff has never run a successful network--and she's run TWO networks. You think she should get a third strike, just to make sure?
It's never all to one person's blame, anymore than it's all to one person's credit. But CW doesn't work, never HAS worked, and having to get somebody senior to you to sign off on your decisions doesn't mean they weren't your decisions. Moonves is probably a wee tad busy to be micromanaging CW, wouldn't you say?
Ostroff's style may have been cramped, but for all we know that prevented an even worse disaster. A lot of the worst mistakes CW made were very much her mistakes (Veronica Mars going to a third season)--and Moonves' mistakes as well, for going along with them. He signed off on a lot of really bad ideas.
But honestly, CW itself was the worst idea of all.
Originally posted by robert: What on Earth everyone has against Caruso? There are people who hate him more than Bush, and as far as i know Caruso is yet to start a war.
Where did Bush come into this discussion? Caruso is not a good actor. He's not the worst actor out there but he's far from good. That's all. You were the one if I recall that said he was better than the entire cast of Dirty Sexy Money and started all of this.
Note: The fast affiliate results for Thursday will be posted at PIFeedback by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night's Results, and Thursday, March 13, 2008.
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-Yesterday's Winners: Survivor: Micronesia (CBS), Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox), CSI R (CBS), Lost (ABC), Don't Forget the Lyrics (Fox), Without a Trace R (CBS)
-Honorable Mention: Celebrity Apprentice (NBC)
-Yesterday's Losers (Excluding Repeats): Reaper (CW), Eli Stone (ABC), Lipstick Jungle (NBC)
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-Ratings Breakdown: Minus Fox's American Idol in the mix, CBS moved into the Thursday winner's circle, with more than a full metered market household rating point advantage over second-place Fox. Third overall was ABC, followed by NBC and the CW.
CBS' still addictive Survivor: Micronesia kicked-off the evening with a dominant 7.4 rating/12 share in the overnights at 8 p.m. While the ratings are not what they used to be, Survivor is still winning the time period and worthy of a "winner's" label. Next was the return of Fox's Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (6.1/10), which does not get the credit it deserves, followed by an enhanced repeat of ABC's Lost (3.8/ 6), two repeat episodes of NBC's My Name is Earl (#4: avg. 3.3/ 6), and an original installment of the CW's already renewed Smallville (2.8/ 5). Sadly, My Name is Earl is not the type of sitcom that can ignite NBC on Thursday.
A repeat of CBS' CSI won the 9 p.m. hour in the overnights, with a 7.7/12. But a 7.5/12 for ABC's Lost (great episode, wasn't it?) is more than enough to guarantee victory among adults 18-49. Third in the time period was NBC's oddly appealing Celebrity Apprentice (5.7/ 9 -- go Carol Alt!), followed by Fox's comfortable Don't Forget the Lyrics (5.7/ 9) and the CW's relocated Reaper (1.9/ 3). Retention for Reaper out of Smallville was disappointing at 68 percent. Considering there were no original installments of CSI or Grey's Anatomy in the time period, it should have been better. Celebrity Apprentice out of the 8:30 p.m. encore telecast of My Name is Earl built by a hefty 73 percent.
Top honors at 10 p.m. fell in CBS' corner care of a repeat of Without a Trace at a 6.7/11 in the overnights. The remaining two occupants -- ABC's Eli Stone (#2: 4.9/ 8) and NBC's Lipstick Jungle (#3: 4.5/ 7) -- are not expected to return in 2008-09. And there you have it…that's Thursday.
It looks like the 9pm timeslot is pretty much as expected. LOST at levels from last few weeks, with CSI edging in HH which more than likely will not translate to overall viewership lead and definitely not in the demo. Both of FOX's shows have really proved themselves, and have dramatically improved the night over previous seasons for FOX. Eli Stone's numbers are disappointing -- it seemed to have stabilized the last few weeks, but I believe this drop below a 5.0HH is a first. I can't believe how low My Name is Earl is performing -- comedy repeats usually perform better, and it was beat by a LOST rerun.
Originally posted by Chimera: It looks like the 9pm timeslot is pretty much as expected. LOST at levels from last few weeks, with CSI edging in HH which more than likely will not translate to overall viewership lead and definitely not in the demo. Both of FOX's shows have really proved themselves, and have dramatically improved the night over previous seasons for FOX. Eli Stone's numbers are disappointing -- it seemed to have stabilized the last few weeks, but I believe this drop below a 5.0HH is a first. I can't believe how low My Name is Earl is performing -- comedy repeats usually perform better, and it was beat by a LOST rerun.
All of the NBC comedies do terrible in repeats. I don't get it either.
Posts: 222 | Location: USA | Registered: 21 March 2007
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