I doubt anyone is going to judge thunderbirds on ratings, it's a kids show. Distribution and merchandise is what they'll judge it on.

Cold Feet was an ensemble but Nesbitt was pretty close to top billing there.

I still miss Jekyll.

Although strong ratings would be a factor in their decision to continue with it, or other family dramas.

Looking on Twitter, the only people watching Waterloo Road are kids who think the new pupils are 'fit'

Can't believe they've got a new head, lots of new staff and lots of new students yet again, this show has had about 3 reboots too many. They've also fallen into the trap that they always do of not getting the balance between new and old characters right, meaning it's like a completely new show every year.

The main storyline seems to be around pictures of a teacher sat on the toilet being posted around the school, like a storyline from Grange hill during its less gritty pre-teen CBBC era.

Yes, I suppose. I watched the first episode and he was the one who stood out to me.

It's turned gritty now. Just like that.

I also hope Our Zoo gets renewed, but it was pleasing (and typical of how well it was written, acted and produced) that the ending was done in such a way that nothing dramatic was left unsaid.

You could regard it as a completed story but it left enough of a door open to continue if the desire was there - without short changing the audience who stuck with it.

If only more American series could write things like that as all too often you watch mega long runs of the first season to discover they have ended on a big cliffhanger which is never resolved when the show gets axed too late in the day to stop that.

Rumour seems to be that Dallas (mark 2) is going to do the same this year. Meaning both incarnations ended like that - which must be a record for how many years/episodes you are meant to have watched without discovering the proper denouement.

Waterloo Road should have returned for 10 episodes and that's it. But we have 20 of the bloody things!

Compared to its glory days its crap now. It deserves to flop. I miss the original series which was one of my favourite dramas.

How did the original end? Was it with JR holding a gun to his head, or was that an earlier cliffhanger?

Big School has more drama and is more realistic than Waterloo Road.

580k

http://www.itvmedia.co.uk/highlights/ratings

Down around 300k on last years equivalent episode and also below Plebs inc +1 on Monday.

Waterloo Road is more for the CBeebies channel these days.

"This Life" on BBC TWO ended its series without all ends being tied up, but it sometimes suits a series.

If the BBC don't renew "Our Zoo" there is bound to be a little bit of backlash about their decision as its developed a following at around 5 million. However can't help but think its as far as its going to go in the ratings charts now. I don't think series two will climb at all. It reminds me very much of how "The Paradise" faired in the ratings. A faithful following but unspectacular figures for the drama department to sustain it.

So do I. Thats one Moffat program that didnt do well.

Just switched on ahead of The Apprentice, and Angus Deayton appears to be playing Angus Deayton again.

I would call him a 'one part actor' except he isn't even an actor.

Visited by The Devil seemingly and telling JR to commit suicide. I'm not making this up.

You heard the gun go off, I think. It was years later in the first of the two mediocre TV movies that it was resolved but pretty much just in passing in the script.

Though at least there was continuity there - which is hard to see much of in the new Dallas. Part of its problem. Not enough respect for the old show from someone who admitted she has never seen the original.

Just imagine those behind the new Thunderbirds admitting they had never seen an episode of that? Would not happen. It would be pure luck if it was any good or remotely aligned with the original.

If you revive an old show you have a responsibility to at least know as much as the viewers that you expect to tune in about what made the first incarnation work for so many years. Especially when bringing back the same characters if you do not want to create the impression they have had a brain transplant or been taken over by aliens.

There is absolutely no justification for WR to return at all and stink up the schedule.

Indeed. After 13 years they were rather running out of even mildly credible plots.

Hopefully it will not give Downton any ideas for their last episode next year.

Each show has been five minutes longer than last year, despite it running much faster without Bruce messing up every five minutes, it only worked for them last week because of the extra judge (which should never be repeated.) That and the lopsided running order, which I hope is sorted this week, are holding back the show far more than the hosts are, and I say that as someone who is not a fan of Tess. Watched the dances again before and if the good ones were evenly spread out instead of clumped in the second half, and Donny Osmond was wiped from existence, Saturday's episode would have actually been a great show.

The BBC has the funding to recommission it for a 2nd series, like for The Musketeers and Atlantis. They can't just axe it because its not a massive hit.

"Chalk".. BBC one was trying new comedy in the nineties about a school...Walliams didn't do his homework.

Haha! I remember that.