posted
Every once in awhile I find myself going over to the TrekBBS to read some posts. Once I get through the tons of the more inane, ridiculous posts, I sometimes come across one or two that are actually intelligent & coherent.
The other day I came across a post asking about Enterprise's ratings. Although most of the people didn't really have much info about this, I was wondering if perhaps someone here could enlighten me. Here's my question:
I have a friend who works for an advertizing agency in Washington, DC. I asked him how Enterprise's ratings were. He told me that in comparison to the major networks, Enterprise was at the very bottom. But in relation to other UPN shows, it was on top. So does this actually mean that a show which basically nobody is watching (in relation to the network shows) can literally stay on the air for seven years just because it's on UPN?
-------------------- "A film made in 2008 isn't going to look like a TV series from 1966 if it wants to make any money. As long as the characters act the same way, and the spirit of the story remains the same then it's "real" Star Trek. Everything else is window dressing." -StCoop
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
Enterprise is ratings-proof, because it has a built-in audience, does well demographically, and sells widgets and doodads. It's also going to attract media attention to a much greater degree than anything else the network could put on, because Star Trek is enough of a cultural phenomenon even today to warrant the coverage from things like Entertainment Weekly or what have you.
It isn't, incidently, consistently at the bottom of the heap. (Though, of course, being on UPN, and thus having a smaller market penetration, it is close to it.)
From time to time, the Sci-Fi Channel news service will put up ratings for a number of different SF/F shows, (even ones vaguely related, and there isn't much consistency [some weeks Alias is on it, some weeks it isn't, etc.]). I was trying to keep track for awhile.
Anyway, of the little networks, which constitute UPN and Warner Bros., mostly (Fox is too big, I think, though their SF/F shows haven't really been outperforming the competition. And Pax isn't even worthy of my attention.), the highest rated program (which almost never gets above a 4.0) tends to rotate between Buffy, Enterprise, and Smallville.
Of course, my record stops just before the end of the first season, so I couldn't tell you how Enterprise is performing this year.
But, as I said, in this case, the raw numbers aren't what's really important to the networks. Consider how much of a cultural phenomenon something like the Sopranos is, despite the fact that even the worst post-Friends show that no one ever talked about had more viewers.
In my next post, Firefly!
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
IMO, the reason for the "bottom" ratings is the fact that UPN is a cut-rate network pretender. Paramount is satisfied enough with the results, but won't do anything whenever their shows get slammed in the Nielsen reports.
Not that any of the recent Trek shows would turn out any better on another network, probably -- because none of the *real* national networks have any real stake in Trek and therefore wouldn't give it the attention necessary to really make it succeed. And the syndication market has dried up since everyone jumped on the bandwagon after TNG.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Incidently, their most recent genre ratings, and Enterprise is indeed at the bottom of the heap. Note that quality appears to have little to do with it, if the most-watched show on the list tells us anything.
SHOW HHR Touched by an Angel 5.3 Smallville 4.8 Alias 4.4 John Doe 3.9 Buffy 3.0 Firefly 2.9 Birds of Prey 2.8 Angel 2.6 Charmed 2.6 Enterprise 2.5
I don't know what shows were showing new episodes and which were showing reruns that week, though, which seems like it would be important.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
You know what's really sad? "Enterprise" is doing even worse than "Firefly" and "Andromeda," but it's still perceived as the strongest show for some reason...
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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quote:Originally posted by MinutiaeMan: And the syndication market has dried up since everyone jumped on the bandwagon after TNG.
The syndication market that TNG created in the first place!
How many successful non-tabloid new-syndicated shows were there before TNG? ZERO
In the 80s (before 87 anyway) syndicated = crap. We're talking very low budget sitcoms that could only get aired early Sunday morning right after Dr. Landow finished discussing yeast infections for a half hour. Such hits as The New Monkees, The New Leave it to Beaver, and Harry and the Hendersons.
Oh yeah, I thought TNG was going to be a real winner when I heard it was going to be syndicated.
Registered: Mar 1999
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(I should add that a good 90% of the people online who attempt to draw broad conclusions from the ratings do so in a terribly hamfisted fashion and have zero knowledge of how the entertainment industry works. Basically, the easiest policy to follow about drawing firm conclusions from ratings is don't.)
Obi: It should be added that syndication has very rapidly shifted back to being solely a place where TV shows are made for the purpose of being stuffed in as stopgaps on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. With the obvious exception of DS9, I doubt anything syndicated since 1994 could really be seen as intended as compelling drama.
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Registered: Mar 1999
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capped
I WAS IN THE FUTURE, IT WAS TOO LATE TO RSVP
Member # 709
posted
even though i think the show is drek, and dont watch it anymore, do you realize how much cash i've shelled out on ENT related items? they're making their money on phase pistols, hats magazines and the like.
i even bought the novels, on the hopes that even though the show was shitty, the novels might have some redeeming value.. the novels are 3 or 4 times shittier than the show. they even have cheap typesetting, proofreading and spellchecking, something i thought wouldn't be an issue to a publishing giant like simon/schuster and a licensing giant like paramount.
but guess what: they're cheating people out of cash, ratings (and quality) don't matter
the suits do look cool though.. my captain's togs get all the chicks at parties. or at least two at a time, but who needs more?
-------------------- "Are you worried that your thoughts are not quite.. clear?"
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
Well I've stopped watching Enterprise but I do occasionally have friends tell me interesting tidbits about how the red alert thing came about. Still, I'd rather spend money on the TNG era or the TOS era of Star Trek than on Enterprise era stuff.
-------------------- "It speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow, it's not all going to be over with a big splash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans." -Gene Roddenberry about Star Trek
Registered: May 1999
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posted
Well Emissary was the highest rating pilot episode of all time when it was aired. Then they dropped a little, then a little more, then a little more, picked up a bit, then dropped, stayed same, stayed same. Roughly (for the seven seasons)
Andrew
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
quote:Originally posted by The Mike from C.A.P.T.A.I.N.: ibut guess what: they're cheating people out of cash, ratings (and quality) don't matter.
Yes, damn them for kidnapping your family, locking them in a room and then threatening to shoot them in the head unless you buy The Newest Crossover Series Of Novels Where The Captains Get Together And Eat The Defiant. Or whatever.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Personally from what I can see now and then, I like it. For the most part, it's not the general public getting turned off, but the Trekkie fans...
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Registered: Jul 2000
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