Can someone please explain to me the fall in NBC's ratings? This is the broadcasting company that used to air the highest rated shows on television and critical favourites such as Cheers, Seinfeld, Frasier and Friends.

Shame CBS and ABC have taken the lead in regards the ratings on the comedy front, as NBC have always aired the more superior and wittier comedies past and present, IMO anyway.

Very true! I liked Community but it really was on borrowed for most of its run. NBC promoted the hell out of it and placed it in a decent timeslot, but sadly ratings only decreased as the show went on.

I disagree. ABC are failing as well as NBC. Looking at ABC lately, they have cancelled a lot of comedy shows. Modern Family is pretty much their only hit comedy, as well as The Middle. They kept The Goldbergs but their ratings is normally 4 million an episode, no worse than their cancellation of their comedies but they kept it anyway. ABC has seen a huge fall in the ratings with their dramas as well. Most of their dramas handle about 6 million an episode. Only Scandal and Grey's have managed between 9-10 million.

A network's fall from grace usually lies in the hand of the president of the network. Many called for the sacking of the ABC president but he signed a contract to stick around for a few more years.

It defiantly seems that most networks have pushed a massive reset button an had a good old clear up.

Glad all my favs have been renewed!

Also how likely is it some shows could be picked up by other networks. Does that happen often in the US?

Im really surprised REIGN hasn't been picked up by a UK channel.

It has happened more much over the last several years more than ever, but it all depends on the popularity of a show (especially fan reaction when a show is cancelled) and the final word can also come down to on how much the network that originally aired the show are willing to sell for to another network. Rumor has it ABC were asking too much for a network to pick up Happy Endings which was what led to it's final confirmed cancellation. You just never really know.

I wouldn't say "often," but it happens once in a while.



That is surprising, given that the main character is probably the most famous Scottish monarch from history. I can only think that British channels think it would attract too much bad publicity in the UK, with British people moaning about all the liberties taken with historical accuracy, Mary not speaking with a Scottish accent, and just the "youth market" tone of the whole thing.

I reckon E4 will pick it up. It appeals to their demographic and with The tomorrow people now cancelled, E4 can pick it up and know when they air season 1, a season 2 is sure to follow as well.

You know, last summer, after the new network pilots were screened for international buyers in LA, it was reported that the BBC had some interest in acquiring Reign. I thought at the time that it could be a good acquisition for BBC3. It wouldn't really suit any of the other BBC channels.

What annoys me is they are using ratings in the US but not anywhere else in the world. I live in the UK and still haven't seen cancelled shows such as the crazy ones as noone has picked it up here. They have axed it before everyone has had the chance to see it. How can they decide whether its done poorly or not when not everyone who wants to watch it has had the chance too. Cougar town has been picked up for one more season,in the UK we haven't had season four yet!! this sucks so much!!

Because the networks are American & they have to take the American audience into account first and foremost and if the ratings are poor then they aren't going to renew a show just in case it does well internationally!!

I think it has got beyond a joke for American TV. At least shows on cable networks get given a chance most of the time regardless of average ratings.

However the standard networks have become a joke. It looks like hardly any new show made it onto a 2nd season. So the people who pick which shows go to a full series need a serious rethink.

I am pleased Agents of Shield got renewed, but I cant help but think if the Marvel name was not attached it would of gone also.

Thank goodness shows like The X Files were made in the 90's because they would not stand a chance now.

The UK seems to pick up the wrong shows.... Believe, the tomorrow people etc all axed yet reign, the 100, once upon a time, supernatural and ressurection all going strong and renewed yet have no Uk channel.

Must be something to do with price.


Talking of international influence, beauty and the beast was surprisingly renewed but rumours saying its success in international markets pushed it to renewal. Maybe that's because of the rights money out ways the lack of funds it would lose in international sales.

The 100 is going to be shown on e4 this summer

Never watched it because it never appealed to me. But what accent did this Mary have? Giving her a Scots accent you could get away with I suppose but Mary, Queen of Scots spoke with a French accent.

Oh thanks for that didn't realise they picked that up

She sounds English in the show. In real life, I assumed she would have spoken English with a French accent, but someone on-line produced some quote from one of Mary's contemporaries that said Mary spoke English with a very noticeable Scottish accent.

I think the UK would butcher Reign in the press. While the show is not intending to be historically accurate, imo, it isn't a great representation or done in a good manner of characters and a historical setting that took place in Britain. It's a teen soap opera with a historical twist imo.

I agree with that, and yet, there really isn't anything WRONG with a teen soap with an historical twist. I stopped watching Reign after three episodes because I decided I am really too old for that sort of thing, but I still respect that as teen soaps go it is pretty darn novel and imaginative.

When it comes to American television. Be very careful with getting too attached to a NETWORK show... They are one of the first to get cancelled if they don't perform well. Cable networks will at least give a series a couple of seasons before pulling the plug allowing the writers to kind of spread things out - It's not always the case, but 9/10 its true.

The current NBC leadership are astonishingly incompetent - they cancelled two
of their most promising shows, "Awake" and "Harry's Law", a few years ago, and
now they're resurrecting the unpopular "Heroes" rather than invest in new
dramas.

http://www.benzinga.com/news/12/05/2...to-go-bankrupt

The fact that NBC gave good shows like "30 Rock" and "Parks and Recreation"
a decent chance is one of the minor miracles of US TV.

There's a reason why most of the shows nominated for the top Emmy/ Golden Globes awards (bar the comedies) are mostly cable shows. The writing, acting and directing is on another level with Cable shows... Network tv dramas, the ones that succeed anyways (not all of them), are nothing more than very expensive soap operas with plastic acting.

The only US network shows I watch are "American Dad!", "Bob's Burgers", "Family
Guy" and "Parks and Recreation" - all comedies. When I want to watch a US
drama, I go for cable shows instead ("Breaking Bad", "Fargo", "Vikings", "Masters
of Sex" and "Bates Motel").

I'm still p*ssed off at the cancellation of "Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23"
and wonder if it might still be going if it aired on, say, FX or Comedy Central.

Yes if they keep cancelling shows too early they are going to make a self fulling prophecy, as viewers are not going to risk getting into a new show, so the rating will be low and it will be cancelled. And so viewers will have even less faith in the next show, which will get even lower ratings and be cancelled. Etc etc.

I blame the long name and the fact they had to asterix the 'Bitch' bit out.

I love period drama shows but found Reign a bit watered down. With violence, swearing and the odd sex scene and a 10-13 episode order, i think it could be a huge hit on cable.

I also have to agree with comments regarding Cable. Cable is kicking major butt in television and has done for a long time but lately it is knocking every other show out the park. Game of thrones being the major player at the moment, and previously with Breaking Bad. I think about 70 per cent of the shows i watch at the moment, are from cable. I have cut a lot of ties from non-cable networks a lot this year.