The Orville - Season 1 (1 Viewer)

[BobO'Link]

Haven't been paying attention to the TV landscape lately, I take it?

Last season, The Simpsons was dwn to just a little over 2 million viewers per episode, and they were safe. Brooklyn Nine-Nine was renewed with under a 1,0 in the demographic and a shade over 2 million viewers. Shows like Lethal Weapon and Bull premiered this past Tuesday with only a 1.2 or 1.3 in 18-49 totals.

The Orville is fine if it stays where it is now. In fact, it's a modest hit for Fox if it does. The days of 10 million viewers are few and far between, and only the top shows or sports/competitions reach them. The rest are lucky to get between 3-6 million viewers total and a 1.5 in 18-49.

Broadcast TV really is that screwed.

You beat me to it!

Yeah, broadcast TV is a totally different game than it was just 10 years ago. It's rather sad when you think about it. When I was a kid a show with the ratings of The Orville would have been cancelled after the first week.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

You beat me to it!

Yeah, broadcast TV is a totally different game than it was just 10 years ago. It's rather sad when you think about it. When I was a kid a show with the ratings of The Orville would have been cancelled after the first week.

Plus, factor in +3 and +7 viewing, and The Orville is a hit.

I know the DVR viewings aren't weighted as heavily, but the show's number of viewers increases dramatically with those factored in.

 

[jcroy]

(As an aside).

Technically the only "ratings" which count, is C+3. It measures the amount of commercial time somebody watches over 3 days from the day of broadcast, in viewings of a particular show's episode. Advertisers seem to be only willing to pay for C+3 ratings.


http://adage.com/article/media/c3-ratings-save-favorite-show/306721/

https://variety.com/2016/tv/ratings...survivor-this-is-us-empire-htgawm-1201886931/


Though the problem with C+3 is that it is not really publicly disclosed. A few years ago, some folks asserted the C+3 ratings were correlated approximately with the live + same day ratings.

https://www.tvgrimreaper.com/2015/1...-1-do-they-change-the-prediction-picture/479/

For tv cancelation prediction parlor games, this correlation is probably good enough to measure the likelihood of a freshman or sophomore show being canceled or renewed, by using widely available live + same day ratings.

 

[Bryan^H]

Haven't been paying attention to the TV landscape lately, I take it?

Last season, The Simpsons was dwn to just a little over 2 million viewers per episode, and they were safe. Brooklyn Nine-Nine was renewed with under a 1,0 in the demographic and a shade over 2 million viewers. Shows like Lethal Weapon and Bull premiered this past Tuesday with only a 1.2 or 1.3 in 18-49 totals.

The Orville is fine if it stays where it is now. In fact, it's a modest hit for Fox if it does. The days of 10 million viewers are few and far between, and only the top shows or sports/competitions reach them. The rest are lucky to get between 3-6 million viewers total and a 1.5 in 18-49.

Broadcast TV really is that screwed.

No, I haven't been paying attention because the only shows I cared about the last 10 years were on the pay channels like Showtime, and HBO(and the Office on NBC, but that was never in danger) I'm actually really surprised that these numbers are acceptable. Netflix, and YouTube are sure giving Broadcast TV a kick in the pants. Wow!

 

[The Obsolete Man]

(As an aside).

Technically the only "ratings" which count, is C+3. It measures the amount of commercial time somebody watches over 3 days from the day of broadcast, in viewings of a particular show's episode. Advertisers seem to be only willing to pay for C+3 ratings.


http://adage.com/article/media/c3-ratings-save-favorite-show/306721/

https://variety.com/2016/tv/ratings...survivor-this-is-us-empire-htgawm-1201886931/


Though the problem with C+3 is that it is not really publicly disclosed. A few years ago, some folks asserted the C+3 ratings were correlated approximately with the live + same day ratings.

https://www.tvgrimreaper.com/2015/1...-1-do-they-change-the-prediction-picture/479/

For tv cancelation prediction parlor games, this correlation is probably good enough to measure the likelihood of a freshman or sophomore show being canceled or renewed, by using widely available live + same day ratings.

In the end, it really is a crapshoot.

From numbers alone, everyone would have expected Last Man Standing to be renewed and SHIELD to be canceled, for example. But Disney owns SHIELD, and Disney wanted it to stay while LMS was an old, expensive, unowned show they weren't making money on.

 

[jcroy]

In the end, it really is a crapshoot.

From numbers alone, everyone would have expected Last Man Standing to be renewed and SHIELD to be canceled, for example. But Disney owns SHIELD, and Disney wanted it to stay while LMS was an old, expensive, unowned show they weren't making money on.

For sure.

The cancelation parlor game folks (ie. cancelbear, tvgrimreaper, etc ...) appear to have already conceded that for anything beyond four seasons of 80+ episodes or so, there is too much non-public information affecting cancel/renewal decisions. Basically ratings alone are not effective anymore for making predictions by then.

In the case of SHIELD, at times I wonder whether Disney "pulled rank" on ABC for a season 5. (ie. Non-public opaque information).

 

[BobO'Link]

No, I haven't been paying attention because the only shows I cared about the last 10 years were on the pay channels like Showtime, and HBO(and the Office on NBC, but that was never in danger) I'm actually really surprised that these numbers are acceptable. Netflix, and YouTube are sure giving Broadcast TV a kick in the pants. Wow!

Then you have to figure in old fogies, like me, who've pretty much given up on broadcast and cable channels - essentially complete cord cutters. I watch ~95% via physical media. Streaming nor broadcast rarely offer what I want to watch consistently enough to justify subscription fees or the hassle. I'll watch another couple of episodes of The Orville "live" (I've actually been streaming it later on the computer because I forget to watch on broadcast since my main TV isn't connected to cable or a streaming device) and then decide whether or not to keep my pre-order of the season. I'll then just "catch up" on disc. If it survives to a 2nd season and I enjoy the full season enough I'll just purchase a copy and won't bother watching at all until that's available for purchase.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

For sure.

The cancelation parlor game folks (ie. cancelbear, tvgrimreaper, etc ...) appear to have already conceded that for anything beyond four seasons of 80+ episodes or so, there is too much non-public information affecting cancel/renewal decisions. Basically ratings alone are not effective anymore for making predictions by then.

In the case of SHIELD, at times I wonder whether Disney "pulled rank" on ABC for a season 5. (ie. Non-public opaque information).

No need to wonder

https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/abc-idol-inhuman-1202573827/

“Inhumans” has not been the only source of friction between ABC and Marvel. Earlier this year, the mandate came down from Disney for ABC to renew its other Marvel drama, “Agents of SHIELD,” despite the desire by some at the network to end the series after four seasons.

Now, to bring this back around to The Orville... well, Fox owns the show, and if it stays level, it'll probably live a long, happy life as the Star Trek we want, not the Star Trek we're getting, because that's the way things are now for broadcast TV.

Though if it makes Bryan feel better, Firefly probably would have seen 7 seasons with those ratings in today's TV climate!

...wait, that probably won't make him feel better.

 

[Matt Hough]

Overall, I enjoyed this week's episode quite a bit, but a few observations:

Too much reliance on penis and sexual performance jokes and the tendency to call someone a "dick" has happened every week. It wasn't very funny the first time, but now it's really worn out its welcome, and we're only in episode four.

I appreciate very much that we get a good helping of the show at the start with a pre-credit sequence or two, the main titles, and then directly into the next sequence. After that, however, it seems like commercials interrupt every five minutes. Now, I DVR the show, so I skip through the ads, but I found myself picking up the remote more frequently and more often than with other shows I watch.

Liam Neeson was a most welcome surprise, and it's little pearls like the revelation of his character name with the story of the aliens that give this show enough merit to keep me on board.

 

[jcroy]

Though if it makes Bryan feel better, Firefly probably would have seen 7 seasons with those ratings in today's TV climate!

...wait, that probably won't make him feel better.

Fringe didn't have the greatest ratings either, and it lasted for 5 seasons on Fox. (It is owned by Warner).

 

[BobO'Link]

I rather enjoyed episode 4. It reminded me of both the old Canadian SF series The Starlost and the TOS episode "The Return of the Archons." I actually laughed a few times, but not at the still overly juvenile penis/dick jokes which need to be excised. If next week's episode is as good as this one I'll be keeping that pre-order and bailing on "live" viewing.

I really got annoyed at the frequency of commercials this week. I don't recall there being as many breaks in the previous weeks episodes. The last 25 minutes felt like there was a break every 4 minutes and reminded me of one of the main reasons I gave up on "live" TV. At least on the streaming version they're only 60 seconds each, although it was the exact same commercials playing in every break.

 

[Bryan^H]

Though if it makes Bryan feel better, Firefly probably would have seen 7 seasons with those ratings in today's TV climate!

...wait, that probably won't make him feel better.

ARGHHH!!!!!!!!
I was one of the 4 million that was watching "Fox Friday" Firefly first run. The cancellation was and probably will be the most painful cancellation I will ever have to endure. I really loved that show.

 

[Bob_L]

Seth. Can't. Act.

 

[Dave Upton]

Seth. Can't. Act.

I tend to agree. He's not awful, but he's not up to the caliber of others. It's too bad, because he's a phenomenal voice actor.

 

[Stan]

Just watched the first episode, a little behind on my DVR. I liked it. Somewhat of a rip-off of Star Trek Voyager, especially the music, but enjoyable.

Fun to see more humor brought to these "outer space" sci-fi shows.

 

[Bryan^H]

I'm still deciding which funny space show I like better The Orville, or the I'll-fated, criminally underrated 'Other Space'. Now there is a show that needed another season.

 

[TonyD]

Just watched the first episode, a little behind on my DVR. I liked it. Somewhat of a rip-off of Star Trek Voyager, especially the music, but enjoyable.

Fun to see more humor brought to these "outer space" sci-fi shows.

Voyager?
It’s not just exactly what I’d call a rip off but maybe Seth’s take on ST:TNG but not Voyager.

Anyhow I’m enjoying it and I think Seth is just fine as an actor on a tv comedy.

 

[Carabimero]

Just had my weekly dose of Star Tre, er, uhm, The Orville. Thought the fourth episode was better than average, but I am getting tired of the dick jokes. In the pilot episode it was funny. In the second episode, I smiled. In the third episode I thought, "Enough," and now this new episode just didn't know when to leave it alone.

I'm all for the comedy bits; they loosen up the show, make it not take itself seriously--but time to let the dick obsession, week after week, go bye bye.

The Zucker Brothers have a great list of rules for comedy. The Orvile writers need to read it.

 

[Bryan^H]

Just had my weekly dose of Star Tre, er, uhm, The Orville. Thought the fourth episode was better than average, but I am getting tired of the dick jokes. In the pilot episode it was funny. In the second episode, I smiled. In the third episode I thought, "Enough," and now this new episode just didn't know when to leave it alone.

I'm all for the comedy bits; they loosen up the show, make it not take itself seriously--but time to let the dick obsession, week after week, go bye bye.

The Zucker Brothers have a great list of rules for comedy. The Orvile writers need to read it.

I thought the same thing. In the most recent episode I actually groaned "seriously, going there again?"

Seth has The Family Guy for the low brow humor, whether he tries or not this just doesn't fit The Orville, it feels clunky when dick jokes enter the mix. Especially long running bad dick jokes as in this last episode.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Voyager?
It’s not just exactly what I’d call a rip off but maybe Seth’s take on ST:TNG but not Voyager.

It feels a lot like Voyager to me. The title sequence in particular is an incredible ripoff of STV.