This seasons premiere scored the lowest ratings and audience (excluding the Season 1 pilot) by quite a margin. To recap, Season 2 pulled in a 5.6 18/49 rating, and 12.45 million viewers. Season 3 dropped 1.6 rating points to a 4.0 18/49 rating, and shed about 25% of the total audience, down to 9.21 million viewers This seasons premiere dropped almost another full ratings point on last seasons premiere, to a 3.1 18/49 rating, and a further 2 million viewers, to 7.41 million
So what is this decline being caused by?? What are the statistics saying??
What I didn't tell you in the numbers above, is that the last 2 season premieres did not have a lead-in, but this seasons premiere did (The X Factor) which pulled in the same rating as Glee (3.1) but another 900,000 viewers (8.28 million). So the lead-in isn't a problem, because it did better statistics-wise, than Glee did So this all seems like doom and gloom, BUT, Glee scored the equal best (with its lead-in, The X Factor) ratings figure of the night. The third best show was America's Got Talent on NBC, with its lowest finale rating ever, just 2.4. Glee was the third strongest show audience-wise, being beaten by America's Got Talent (first) and The X Factor (second)
(Grey's Anatomy and Person of Interest fans, you get your turn now <(' ',)> )
However, things might not remain so positive, unfortunately. Glee premiered surprisingly early this year, and will have another relatively competition-free episode next week before ABC and CBS bring two of their best shows to the evening (27 September) with the premiere of Season 9 of Grey's Anatomy, and Person of Interest's second season premiere on ABC and CBS respectively.
Grey's Anatomy and Person of Interest also went head to head in the same timeslot, on the same day, last season. Glee takes the place of The Finder this season, after it aired alongside the aforementioned shows last season
Some more numbers. Up against each other over the 2011-2012 season, Person of Interest averaged a strong 2.87 18/49 rating, and 13.31 million viewers, whilst Grey's Anatomy averaged an even stronger 3.54 18/49 rating, but a weaker 9.82 million viewers. In last seasons timeslot, Glee averaged a 3.02 18/49 rating, and 7.31 million viewers
To sum up, Thursdays 9|8c is set to be one of the most interesting timeslots of this season, because three networks each have very well liked shows which all appeal strongly to the 18/49 demographic, but pull in audience totals far less than what the ratings numbers would suggest on face value. However, all three shows happen to be of completely different genres, so this timeslot should also be one of the easiest to look at statistically, whereby other timeslots have shows that are directly competing with each other based on genre as well as the timeslot, thus affecting each others' ratings more significantly. It goes without saying that I will be watching this timeslot very closely this season
I'll leave you with the season comparison graphs for Glee. With these graphs, you can see each season up against each other, and compare the points of strength and weakness in episodes across the seasons. For more statistics, check out Glee on my TV statistics website, www.seriesmonitor.com
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| Glee Season 4 is the red dot down the bottom left |
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| Glee Season 4 is the red dot down the bottom left |
Thanks for reading!! Feel free to share your thoughts below, and I'll try to answer any questions you may have. This is my second article for SpoilerTV, so I'm keen to hear your thoughts. For my introductory article, click here
Jimmy
(www.seriesmonitor.com)
Thanks Jimmy. Once POI comes back I'll be recording Glee.
ReplyDeleteAs you said it will be interesting to see the stats as more and more shows return this season.
Can't wait to see POI's numbers to see if it can remain a ratings hit
I think POI this season mean trouble for Grey's and Glee. The battle will be interest to watch. For me I choice POI and catch GA and Glee later.
ReplyDeletePOI all the way.
ReplyDeleteI think it will be Grey's>POI>Glee, with POI eventually beating Grey's during Winter and Spring, but with Grey's taking it back in the may sweeps. In any case, I predict a very close battle between these two, with Glee away from them in numbers (although I would predict a much clearer Grey's victory if it wasn't for Glee, as I think this will only affect Grey's, not POI). Cool read, but I think you have a msitake somewhere in there, you say that Glee's 2x01 was a lead-out of Parenthood, which is an NBC show!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that pointer on Parenthood - I just realized that error, which is also all over my website!! That's what happens when you write something at 2am :-) The article has been edited to remove that
ReplyDeleteI intend to cover Grey's and their ratings a lot more closely in another article - maybe I'll write that in the daytime ;-)
Grey's will be affected but no dramatically. Its one of the strongest dramas on ABC, they have many loyal viewers. POI (although I think ratings in general are going to go down this year) is going to not be affected and it will remain very strong.. POI kinda targets more of a male audience, Glee and Greys more female. I have seen the majority of last season for all of these shows, POI by far IMO is the best.
ReplyDeleteGlee will lose the battle and the war in the end but will probably get another season because I'm guessing the songs still sell a whole lot and that makes it profitable. I think whatever night it is on the ratings will be in decline because a lot of fans have jumped ship and it is no longer the must see TV a couple of years back.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis though, Thursdays have always been stupidly packed and any show that moves there or starts on that night has a real battle.
also given the direction of the show could affect the quality of Glee. They aren't going to be high schoolers anymore.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, all three shows I talked about are heading down some paths that are a bit "off the beaten track" for them. Grey's is having a significant cast shuffle-round, POI, well, who knows what's going to happen, and Glee is having a moving on/graduation sort of thing. So basically, what you got last season is not what you will get this season
ReplyDeleteI have that suspicion as well. Those who love drama love Grey's and POI, and I absolutely think that POI will have one hell of an awesome season 2, so anyone who falls out of grace with Grey's will probably pick up POI as a second choice. Or, they could skip over to NBC for a couple of comedy shows
ReplyDeleteI expect Grey's to drop further this season. If you look at the All Time graphs for Grey's on my website, www.seriesmonitor.com, you'll see the steady downward trend for both the ratings and audience. POI averaged just 2.87 rating per episode last season, with many episodes comfortably above 3.0, and a season low of 2.4. It's a very consistent show - probably the most consistent of the shows I monitor, though behind NCIS and Criminal Minds - but they have had 16 seasons between them, so for POI to be that consistent in just one season - especially its first season, then the signs are very promising for a ratings and audience average increase over this season
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in the article, all three shows appeal to a somewhat different demographic...with (IMHO) the Glee audience being the outlier.
ReplyDeletePOI's overall numbers reflect an older, more mature audience...the baby boomers who, in this down ecomomy, may be the only ones with any money to spend on the advertisers "stuff". :)
No problem, glad I could be of help!
ReplyDeleteI even forget that the NBC comedies are in the battle as well
ReplyDeleteSo did NBC :)
ReplyDeleteAhah good point
ReplyDeleteI agree with you the second season of POi will be explosive, I also think the first episodes of GA could be high expectation after the shocking death of Lexie, everyone is crazy to see what happens with the rest of the crew. I hope they not kill Arizona.
ReplyDeleteI'd put my numbers on POI. Both GA and Glee are on the falling end of their lives. POI grew pretty big in the spring. It became very strong in overall viewers and passable in the Demo. I can only imagine that getting TAAM as a leadin will give it quite a boost.
ReplyDeleteGA will probably continue to survive as ABC's strongest demo drama.
I wouldn't wanna be Glee this season.
This was season 4 for Glee, not 5.
ReplyDeleteThat's correct.....the first four words of the article are "Season 4 of Glee"
ReplyDeleteI expect all shows to continually do well this season, but the concern for me is the sheer rate of decline Glee has experienced over its 3 previous seasons, and whether the decline will continue this season. Greys is also dropping steadily, but I think both shows will still have strong enough ratings to get another season without too much doubt. Time will tell though
ReplyDeleteGA will be on top at least that's my opinion. people who have followed GA from the beinning still be loyal. It's addictive. Some may switch over to POI just to see which they prefer but they will come back to GA. May record POI but watch GA.
ReplyDeleteGlee is probably the outlier as well - I can't think of any shows off the top of my head that come close to its genre
ReplyDeleteI actually think POI appeals to a younger audience than most, because it uses technology to the max - no other show does that to the extent POI does. For a show that appeals to an older audience, check out ABC's Castle statistics on my website
GA will stand strong. Those who have followed GA from the beginning will stick with them. It's addictive. Some may switch over to POI just to see which is best but will end up going back to GA. Not saying they won't record POI to watch later but it's my opinion that GA fans will stay loyal.
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention Glee. Putting Glee in at same time as GA and POI, big mistake. It is a different audience but in the households with one TV parents will rule. Also, I feel Glee will fall way off once The XFactor really gets going.
ReplyDeleteThe title of the article says season 5.
ReplyDeleteI thought we were dwelling in the future for a while there! Still hasn't been foxed though.
ReplyDeleteI do think that Glee's and Grey's audience overlap somehow, but if push comes to shove, I think that shared demo will go GA. I have more faith in Grey's quality-wise, and the fact that it ended s8 stronger than s7 (and overall, more consistent) makes me think that Grey's still has steam left.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Glee is getting a season 5.
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely more qualified to comment on those two shows there because I don't watch either!
ReplyDeletePerson of Interest!
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my best shows because of the action, the awesome characters (all 4 of them) with interesting and emotional backgrounds, and the original take on crime-stopping.
I don't watch those other shows so I'm watching POI live every week. In my top 5 shows (2nd place currently).
Currently watching my Season 1 DVDs so everything is fresh in my mind for the new season. :D
Yeah I feel sorry for all the NBC shows airing on Thursdays. They're going to get slaughtered.
ReplyDelete