EDIT: Harry's Law hasnt been officially renewed yet but is likely to be renewed with a 13 episode midseason order, someone sent me a scoop with an article of last year's renewal so apologies for the misleading title.
Deadline now (May 10 2012) says "Buzz is also encouraging on Harry’s Law, which I hear is eyed for a potential 13-episode midseason order.."
I have personally been arguing with people all year that total viewers do matter, not for as much as the demo but they still have a significance, so i am delighted that this wonderful show is likely to be renewed, and will change how people think about ratings.
Harry's Law is NBC's #1 drama in total viewers but one of it's lowest in the demo.


it's a flashback from May 12, 2011.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see this!!
ReplyDeleteTotal viewer's should always matter even if the prime demo is golden to advertisers. It is simply ridiculous to ignore the demographic that watches the most TV and on top of that the most LIVE TV!Of course that demo is the over 55 age group (or is it 65+?) Whatever the case... the older the viewer the more live TV per week they tend to watch according to most studies I have seen.
i just realized that someone sent it to me today ): deadline did say last night
ReplyDeleteBuzz is also encouraging on Harry’s Law, which I hear is eyed for a potential 13-episode midseason order. though
Ha!
ReplyDeleteTotal viewers should matter, not the age of the viewer.
ReplyDeleteIf this happens, then both Bill and Robert on TVBTN have lost all credability with their predictions!
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that be sweet :)
ReplyDeleteThey were both wrong about FRINGE, so who knows! Don't watch the show myself but just to rub it in their smug faces!
ReplyDeleteIt may be more of a case of the Kathy Bates factor and/or the plugging the gaps factor than the total viewers number. This shows SHOULD be cancelled on ratings alone, that doesnt mean it will be. Sometimes networks make stupid descisions and sometimes they're just plain desperate.
ReplyDeleteno they wont have, they make predictions based on demo ratings and demo ratings for HL say it should be cancelled. Its not a judgement on thier credibility if NBC renew it based on other factors.
ReplyDeletetechnically they werent wrong about Fringe it was cancelled, it will just air 13 more episodes before going off the air. They also did say several times that if Fringe was renewed it would be for factors outside of demo ratings and they were again right there.
ReplyDeletetell that to the advertisers who pay money to networks that fund these shows.
ReplyDeleteWell you could say that for all shows.
ReplyDeleteeg
next year I predict that ALL shows will be cancelled. If they are not then it's due to mysterious outside factors.
except most shows are renewed based on demo ratings and not outside factors, its very rare that a shows is renewed due to other factors.
ReplyDeleteExcept they've made consistent comments that ANY other possible factor couldn't lead to a renewal. IE, the only factor is the demo and thus, it's dead... and everyone who thinks otherwise is a 'crazy fan.' Then they've refused to admit that there's even a SHRED of chance the show could be renewed. Going so far as to give it 0% (not even 1% really?). The guys have a little knowledge of the industry but realistically they are rather smug and think they know a lot more than they actually do.
ReplyDeleteThe renew/cancel index has been altered and changed SO many times since they first started it -- referring to it as foolproof at 92% or higher a series is definitely renewed.
They aren't adjusting to the ever-changing landscape of broadcast television which is itself a dying breed in the states of transformation.
If Harry's Law is renewed they'll look rather arrogant and smug. Then they'll post 1 comment about how they were wrong and then when another series falls into a hard to label category (lowest demo/highest viewers, syndication near) they'll ride the same "It's impossible." train.
How many times do we need to hear how unrealistic it is to hope a show is picked up by another network? This season we've got pilots swapping around (that didn't used to happen) Cougartown moving to TBS, Jericho being eyed by Netflix. Arrested Development renewed at Netflix. We've had Damages and Friday Night Lights shift to DirecTV, etc.
The industry is NOT the same animal it once was and relying purely on statistical information from the past as a BIBLE to how the networks will run in the future is not the best gauge. Yes the numbers matter -- they will always matter... but it's not always JUST those raw numbers. As we've seen time and again -- their are a wealth of other factors (budget, syndication potential, etc) that can change the tide -- and the general state of a network as well.
CBS would never renew a show performing like HL. CBS isn't NBC. Perhaps NBC has found a model that lets them keep it. We'll see. Either way, renewal or not -- the fact that it's being talked about as a possibility shows it's never been "dead" since they've been declaring that fact. Just teetering on the edge.
Regardless, if it's renewed it will show that the numbers aren't foolproof and that OTHER FACTORS SOMETIMES COUNT. Even ones we can't see (syndication economics, etc). Which is what many of us have been arguing with them about for a while -- all while being referred to as "crazy fans," for knowing that the ins and outs of the industry aren't always predictable.
ReplyDeleteagreed and there are so many other sub demos of 18-49 alot of male comedies like community get renewed for their strong men 18-34 demos and such good 18-34 demos are even better than 18-49, international sales def play a role as well
ReplyDeletealso 25 - 54 demo is now the standard demo http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2001/jan01/jan08/3_wed/news1wednesday.html
ReplyDeleteI would love it if they renew this show because I love it. The cast is great, not only Kathy Bates but the entire cast and it has great funny writing too. It's one of my favorite shows atm.
ReplyDeleteOther than by Nielsen, how does anyone know the ages of the people who are watching?
ReplyDeleteThey have no creditabilty with me.They were for sure fringe would be cancled.And they are only ones who are saying Nikita would be cancled and The secret Circle renewed.
ReplyDeleteThis Is helping put an end to the total viewers don't matter memo.I have been attacked by pointing out among total Viewers Nikita often Is third of CW shows behind the Vampire Diaires and Supernatural.Yes among the Demo Is is the least or second least
watched show on CW.TVbythenumbers are very antinikita just like they were I believe antichuck.
They are anti-tv full stop.
ReplyDeleteThey simply run the site to make money. Their arrogance oozes out with every post they make.
Well I knew based on posts on Nikita they were very antiNikita.
ReplyDeleteCBS Is often proof networks do care about overall ratings.
I think we should all just treat TVBythenumbers as arrogent think they know It alls.
CBS is a different beast. They pretty easily dominate in total viewers because they skew old, and those viewers are less likely to abandon networks for new media or cable.
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, they care about total viewers more in the same sense that The CW or NBC might care about the demo more.
"Total viewers matter." Heh. Try telling that to the producers, cast, and crew of Without a Trace. They'll tell you that it's only the bottom line that matters.
ReplyDeletePUH-leeese---pull Harry's Law out of the cancellation bucket---LOVE this show!!!!
ReplyDelete