Monday Final Nationals: Wizards-Celtics Game 7 on TNT Draws Best NBA Conference Semifinal Cable Audience in Five Years

10 Comments

1. Quantico has to have broken some sort of record for lack of retention.

   Another ratings gift from Channing Dungey’s flop renewals strategy…

   • The decision to renew ratings-challenged series Quantico, OUAT and Agents of SHIELD seems to have come from above Dungey and moreso from the Mickey Mouse execs eyeing international money from these shows apparently.

     • Thanks for the insight. 🙂

       And apologies for the late response.

       To me, if this is true, then what is she doing in the job? If she doesn’t pick shows, what is she doing? Acting like a rod for the bad decisions of her higher-ups? Serving as a flower pot to look pretty at press gatherings?

       As for the international money. there is not much of it for flops, which is what those shows are.

       On the other hand, I am sure that the syndication arm is clamoring for long-length shows, even if they have to sell them for a few thousands per episode per market as it serves to keep their cushy jobs going (which is sadly the only thing all of corporate Hollywood seems to focus on these days).

       • Dungey manages the ABC schedule and oversees development. But she also has to be aware of Disney’s bottom line and if the higher-ups indicate those low-rated shows on our shores are somehow generating money abroad, she can’t ignore it. ABC is clearly in partnership with Marvel so expect more joint programming there despite none of them achieving major-hit status.

         To her credit, she rightly moved those programs to the lowly rated Friday night. OUAT isn’t long for the airwaves anyway so moving it was just buying time to develop other series — rather that than debut a new show that isn’t ready to air yet or hadn’t tested well enough for ABC.

         But you’re also missing the bigger plus with an installed Dungey: she has abandoned the direction Paul Lee was setting for the network, especially for dramas. We’re not going to see shows like Of Kings and Prophets or Wicked City get approved. Their proverbial drama cupboard is bare at the moment (Paul certainly the culprit there!) so perhaps that may have also played a part in the questionable renewals.

         Remember — even the brilliant Les Moonves didn’t turn CBS around overnight. It took the acquisition of the NFL in 1998, the building of Monday nights as formidable and the arrival of hits Survivor and CSI in 2000 to get the network to finally emerge on top in 2002.

         • Thanks for the very interesting response (which I am sorry I missed back then). 🙂

           As you know, I’ve been saying for years that the only reason ABC keeps making Marvel shows is because Disney bought Marvel and has to justify the investment… Apparently renewing flopped shows counts as justifying the investment.

           What I don’t buy is that they’re making tons of money abroad. Looking at the ratings outside of the US, I never see Marvel shows being hits anywhere, but it’s easy for Disney to claim it as the info is hard to find and is seldom all-inclusive…

           On Dungey, she renewed 13 flops and now 10% of her workforce has been laid-off. Cause and effect…

           She probably is little more than a figurehead, but she accepted the job and will have to take the blame for accepting the disaster she helmed…

           • 10% of the workforce weren’t let go due to Dungey — it’s because Disney prioritizes ESPN as its revenue generator and paid billions in rights to sports leagues like the NFL and NBA. But because of those big contracts, a huge amount of layoffs occurred within the Disney company as a whole, especially at ESPN.

             • Thanks for the interesting comment as always. 🙂

               I have to disagree, at least in part with that. While you’re right Disney made the choice to stick all sports on ESPN at the expense of ABC with the intent to make all cable subscribers pay them $6-7 a months whether they watch it or not, Dungey did renew all those flops. She is responsible for the failure of last season (and the coming failure of this season).

               If she is just a figurehead, then she (and her bosses) should come out and say so…

               In fairness, Paul Lee is also responsible as his atrocious “management” laid the groundwork.

               Frankly, I don’t think layoffs are finished. As long as they can’t find hit shows, they’ll have to shrink budgets and the workforce…

2. Live+3 vs. Live+SD data for Monday 5/15/2017

   Adults 18-49
   …………………………….. L+SD … L+3
   Dancing/Stars …………. 1.46 … 1.75
   Quantico ………………… 0.59 … 0.88
   Big Bang Theory-r …… 1.10 … 1.15
   Man with a Plan ………. 1.08 … 1.23
   Big Bang Theory-r …… 1.13 … 1.16
   Kevin Can Wait-r ……… 1.03 … 1.06
   Scorpion ………………… 1.22 … 1.86
   The Voice ……………….. 1.80 … 2.13
   The Wall …………………. 1.04 … 1.18
   Gotham ………………….. 0.92 … 1.42
   Lucifer ……………………. 0.79 … 1.31
   Supergirl …………………. 0.51 … 0.85
   Jane the Virgin …………. 0.24 … 0.43

   PROGRAMMINGINSIDER.COM

   Total Viewers (000)
   …………………………….. L+SD … L+3
   Dancing/Stars ………. 10067 .. 11277
   Quantico ………………… 2719 … 3694
   Big Bang Theory-r …… 6036 … 6246
   Man with a Plan ………. 5735 … 6506
   Big Bang Theory-r …… 5564 … 5788
   Kevin Can Wait-r …….. 4681 … 4829
   Scorpion ……………….. 7894 .. 10515
   The Voice ………………. 9112 .. 10417
   The Wall ………………… 4854 … 5400
   Gotham …………………. 2976 … 4138
   Lucifer …………………… 3046 … 4595
   Supergirl ……………….. 1929 … 2846
   Jane the Virgin …………. 763 … 1168

3. Loud House 5:30-6:00pm please?

   • Loud House (Nickelodeon, 5/15 5:30-6:00 p.m.)
     – 1.762 million viewers
     – 0.32 adults 18-49 rating