Carnie Wilson and “Hidden Agenda” Debut to Decent Ratings
The GSN camp got some remotely encouraging news on Thursday. Their two major pushes and the beginning of a transition away from studio-based games (except for one that’s heavy in development apparently), Carnie Wilson’s reality show and Hidden Agenda, started with pretty decent ratings.
Carnie Wilson started at a .5 rating. Obviously not that great because of the massive promotion it got, but not that bad either. Decent in the grand scheme of things. That’s right around what shows like Catch 21 get now and given the huge amount of really expensive failures in the past year this is really needed, so congratulations to them. I don’t like reality shows that follow people around like this, but they’re popular somehow and this one did OK. Looking at both ends of the spectrum Newlywed Game, with far less promotion, debuted at a .8, but other things with ungodly promotional money like The Money List and 20Q debuted to far less. Watch out for it in the next few weeks, though. Cynical Alex says ratings always tend to tumble after the first few episode or two, after people sample it, and given I haven’t seen a single good review of the show. But maybe it’ll stick. You never know, we’ll check out next episode’s ratings.
Hidden Agenda, an actual game show and don’t try to argue that it isn’t because you’re dead wrong, kept most of its audience. It debuted to a .4 rating. This one actually got some decent reviews, but it still wasn’t overly flattering. We’ll see where this one goes as well. The only thing I worry about for either of these is burn-out. They are rerunning an ungodly amount of times. People are bound to get sick of seeing the same thing and stop hunting for it. Look, I know a lot of hardcore game show fans aren’t happy with these shows or the changes (and I’m not really a big hardcore game show person and I’m not thrilled with them), but the shows are doing well for now so give credit for that, and if it wasn’t for stuff like these you may see the remaining shows of the Fremantle library or some other classics disappear. It sucks but look for something positive.
Edit: But I prefer the negative.
In GSN schedule news, which we’ll update a bit later, Wheel of Fortune is leaving the network in the next few weeks. Deal or No Deal will get an additional airing at 1:00PM ET. The $100,000 Pyramid loses its weekday morning airing. There’s a few slight shuffles but nothing major. That’ll be shortly.
"if it wasn’t for stuff like these you may see the remaining shows of the Fremantle library or some other classics disappear. It sucks but look for something positive."
Sorry Alex, I disagree…if TPTB want those "undesirable" shows gone, this new rubbish isn't going to stop them from pulling them and replacing them with more garbage if they think that's what the desired demo wants.
I'm thinking $25,000 Pyramid will inevitably be the next one on the chopping block by summer at the latest.
"if it wasn’t for stuff like these you may see the remaining shows of the Fremantle library or some other classics disappear. It sucks but look for something positive."
Sorry Alex, I disagree…if TPTB want those "undesirable" shows gone, this new rubbish isn't going to stop them from pulling them and replacing them with more garbage if they think that's what the desired demo wants.
I'm thinking $25,000 Pyramid will inevitably be the next one on the chopping block by summer at the latest.
Can't argue with that. Thought I'd at least try to be nice and not be repeatedly ignored and told I'm negative about everything a certain place does. I'll stick to negative, it suits me better, haha.
Can't argue with that. Thought I'd at least try to be nice and not be repeatedly ignored and told I'm negative about everything a certain place does. I'll stick to negative, it suits me better, haha.
GSN better be excited about this monster rating of 0.5, because it's going all downhill from there.
GSN is now LCD programming…lowest common denominator. I'm actually rooting for its demise, and that makes me sad.
GSN better be excited about this monster rating of 0.5, because it's going all downhill from there.
GSN is now LCD programming…lowest common denominator. I'm actually rooting for its demise, and that makes me sad.
GSN better be excited about this monster rating of 0.5, because it's going all downhill from there.
GSN is now LCD programming…lowest common denominator. I'm actually rooting for its demise, and that makes me sad.
Here's my thing: There are so many classic game shows out there from the past six decades of television. I realize that a lot of shows have been lost to the ages due to tape reuse (Thanks, NBC!) but there's still a lot out there that I, someone not in the industry or obsessed with episode numbers/collecting, KNOW exists because I have seen it on the network before. I recognize that getting airing rights costs money and can be a pain in the rear, but there are so many old shows that, IMHO, have a much greater appeal than a fifth (or second) rerun of a show like "Unstapled.."
I recognize that I'm not going to enjoy every show on the network (I haven't seen "Unstapled," but it's not my type of show, so I'll pass, TYVM) and I am perfectly fine with that. BUT if the network wants to do well, I feel like it should get as broad of a subset of its target audience as possible, and you can't do that by showing the same reruns two or three times s day for a week. People get sick of it. Please, GSN, expand your horizons – throw some B&W on the schedule in the daytime! Try a few more pre-90s shows throughout the day. I think that if they pay for library access, they will have a greater audience for the network overall.
Here's my thing: There are so many classic game shows out there from the past six decades of television. I realize that a lot of shows have been lost to the ages due to tape reuse (Thanks, NBC!) but there's still a lot out there that I, someone not in the industry or obsessed with episode numbers/collecting, KNOW exists because I have seen it on the network before. I recognize that getting airing rights costs money and can be a pain in the rear, but there are so many old shows that, IMHO, have a much greater appeal than a fifth (or second) rerun of a show like "Unstapled.."
I recognize that I'm not going to enjoy every show on the network (I haven't seen "Unstapled," but it's not my type of show, so I'll pass, TYVM) and I am perfectly fine with that. BUT if the network wants to do well, I feel like it should get as broad of a subset of its target audience as possible, and you can't do that by showing the same reruns two or three times s day for a week. People get sick of it. Please, GSN, expand your horizons – throw some B&W on the schedule in the daytime! Try a few more pre-90s shows throughout the day. I think that if they pay for library access, they will have a greater audience for the network overall.
A 0.5 rating? For "Unstapled"?! That sounds like it's automatically guaranteed to be renewed for a second season no matter how poorly the rest of the series fares (and given how low GSN's programming standards have sunk, that's not a good thing).
I have to agree with Neville that the real tragedy is that GSN has been sitting on a budget-friendly rerun goldmine, and yet they've done nothing with it. If this signals the end of GSN as we know it (knew it?), I don't want to know what it's going to look like down the road (my guess is more reality shows and stuff unrelated to game shows, with Family Feud, WoF, Jeopardy and Millionaire being the network's only remaining ties to game shows).
A 0.5 rating? For "Unstapled"?! That sounds like it's automatically guaranteed to be renewed for a second season no matter how poorly the rest of the series fares (and given how low GSN's programming standards have sunk, that's not a good thing).
I have to agree with Neville that the real tragedy is that GSN has been sitting on a budget-friendly rerun goldmine, and yet they've done nothing with it. If this signals the end of GSN as we know it (knew it?), I don't want to know what it's going to look like down the road (my guess is more reality shows and stuff unrelated to game shows, with Family Feud, WoF, Jeopardy and Millionaire being the network's only remaining ties to game shows).
A 0.5 rating? For "Unstapled"?! That sounds like it's automatically guaranteed to be renewed for a second season no matter how poorly the rest of the series fares (and given how low GSN's programming standards have sunk, that's not a good thing).
I have to agree with Neville that the real tragedy is that GSN has been sitting on a budget-friendly rerun goldmine, and yet they've done nothing with it. If this signals the end of GSN as we know it (knew it?), I don't want to know what it's going to look like down the road (my guess is more reality shows and stuff unrelated to game shows, with Family Feud, WoF, Jeopardy and Millionaire being the network's only remaining ties to game shows).
I think you can add DoND and likely Match Game to round out the list.
Exactly what in the hell is wrong with GSN? Instead of trying to get on Fremantle and these other production companies’ good side, they, instead, air a brain dead reality show. Now i’m not picturing GSN’s demise like other Buzzerbloggers, but it seems like they just stop caring after Bob Boden left the network. And now they’re removing Wheel and the $100k Pyramid (2 shows that are owned by the same company that owns them? What are they smoking in Culver City?
Those are not good ratings. GSN spent a lot of money producing and marketing those shows and the results were about the same as everything else they do. An episode of Catch 21 that cost less to produce and has already aired 5 times can get the same rating. Some shows will build an audience as they continue, but that requires good word of mouth. No one who saw either one of these shows thinks they were any good.
Completely agree. I've heard exactly one good review out of dozens and dozens of dozens. The word of mouth has been awful. It's not a success if it matches Catch 21 in reruns. The ratings are middling and decent for now, but they are going to fall hard and it's going to be lucky to max out at .3.
Completely agree. I've heard exactly one good review out of dozens and dozens of dozens. The word of mouth has been awful. It's not a success if it matches Catch 21 in reruns. The ratings are middling and decent for now, but they are going to fall hard and it's going to be lucky to max out at .3.
I think that's true. At least we can see "Match Game" and original "Family Feud", so I won't be hoping for their demise, but it's more…disappointing than anything else. It truly seems like they are a teenager that doesn't give a damn about anything anymore. It's SO crazy! ANOTHER "Deal or No Deal" showing is just plain stupid! STUPID! I knew that "Catch 21" in daytime was the start of post-2000 shows on the network. I'm just disappointed…
I think that's true. At least we can see "Match Game" and original "Family Feud", so I won't be hoping for their demise, but it's more…disappointing than anything else. It truly seems like they are a teenager that doesn't give a damn about anything anymore. It's SO crazy! ANOTHER "Deal or No Deal" showing is just plain stupid! STUPID! I knew that "Catch 21" in daytime was the start of post-2000 shows on the network. I'm just disappointed…
As much as I love "Match Game", and Richard Dawson's version of "Family Feud", they are almost impossible to enjoy with the damn speed-ups – I'd rather watch them on normal speed from older YouTube clips instead of hearing everyone talking like chipmunks!
As much as I love "Match Game", and Richard Dawson's version of "Family Feud", they are almost impossible to enjoy with the damn speed-ups – I'd rather watch them on normal speed from older YouTube clips instead of hearing everyone talking like chipmunks!
As much as I love "Match Game", and Richard Dawson's version of "Family Feud", they are almost impossible to enjoy with the damn speed-ups – I'd rather watch them on normal speed from older YouTube clips instead of hearing everyone talking like chipmunks!
Schedule Effective 1/31: (source: TitanTV)
9:00AM: Match Game
9:30AM: Match Game PM
10:00AM: Family Feud
10:30AM: $25K Pyramid
11:00AM: Hollywood Squares :|
11:30AM: Jeopardy!
12:00PM: Match Game
12:30PM: Family Feud
01:00PM: Deal or No Deal :|:|
02:00PM: Catch 21
02:30PM: Chain Reaction
Classics are a step closer to being out the door.