Dontcha wish yer girlfriend was… a capable, witty, empowered crime solver?
March 7th, 2007 by screenwriterguy
  Last night, the CW network premiered Pussy Cat Dolls: The Search for the Next Doll to 3.9 million.
Let’s take a moment to put that in perspective. In today’s ever-widening world of viewer choice, it takes only about 15 million viewers for a prime time show to be branded successful on one of the larger networks. 20 million and you’re a hit. 30 million and you’re American Idol. CW is less than a year old, and doesn’t have stations in as many markets as the older networks. CW’s average ratings are on par with, often smaller than, the numbers brought in by Univision. Highest-rated programming garners around 5 million, so scoring nearly 4 million makes the new PCD show a success. |
Meanwhile, last week’s Veronica Mars, in the same time slot and also competing with Idol, had 2.7 million viewers. That was a typical audience size for the show, perhaps a little higher than normal as they wrapped up one of the big mysteries of the season.
Just so we’re clear.. VM, found frequently in magazine top ten lists of the best shows on television, often at the top, saw more than 40 percent fewer viewers than PCD:tSftND, a show that had critics around the country opening their thesauruses to the word “shallow.” Worse still, PCD:tSftND was particularly popular with young viewers and female audience members.
VM is on hiatus until May 1, during which time PCD:tSftND will occupy its time slot. If you have a daughter, gentle reader, please buy her the first season of Veronica Mars and make her watch that instead.
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Posted in Television | 1 Comment »
Mar 9th 2007 at 11:07 pm
yeah – this is messed up.
one of the biggest demographics with purchasing power are young girls — and I can tell you with certainty that the PCD is aimed directly at them — I know, because I work at the record label that created PCD.
Unfortunately, when you are going for those young, female dollars — you are forced to do one of two things: 1. try something original and radical (like VM) and hope it succeeds — in other words, take a risk that the young female audience will like it — or 2. appeal to the least common denominator — a surefire shot — very little risk — scantilly clad young women singing and dancing — works everytime!
I hope this changes in the future — but as long as those numbers stay up there, it will continue – because none of the entertainment companies want to take a risk, when they have a surefire way make the money without the risk.