They must pay good money because they do get some decent actors on it - just a shame there appears to be no money left over for scriptwriters.

Further to cylon6's answer, Cold Feet went higher. Its later series fairly often went over 9m officially and the finale in March 2003 scored 10.72m. Best I can find for Murphy's Law is 7.48m for the pilot in September 2001.

An insult to Cbeebies!

Waterloo Road is poor drama in primetime. Who watches it in big numbers apart from kids? Limited cross-generational appeal. That's why it has low ratings.

As I have said many times about Our Zoo it will likely depend on if it sells well abroad or if TV everywhere has lost interest in feel good well acted, well scripted shows that do not feature guns, sex, car chases or aliens.

I thought that might be the case, many say this series isn't as good as previously, and it's time to call it a day, although with BBC3 being axed this is probably the case anyway.

For me it's gone from must watch highlight to something I record and catch up with whenever.

But would I be right in thinking both of those shows got very early commissions before even the run had ended? I think that BBC one have been very quiet over "Our Zoo" in terms of saying anything about its long term future. They haven't rushed to greenlight another series so quickly as "Atlantis" etc. I'm not suggesting they shouldn't but its an expensive drama so it may hold back some of their decision making.

The politically correct jump the shark moment when they moved the school to Scotland by bus was the end. It was predicted in the thread on here when announced that it would kill the show. It was so obvious but politics took precedence over sense.

I imagine it has only lasted as long since as it has to justify the cost of the move.

Why not create a new show set in Scotland with some genuine Scottish theme to it instead of take an English school from Rochdale, keep many of the staff and pupils (who were English!) and so in effect make it look like neither one thing nor the other.

Patronising to the audience and to Scotland and missed a great opportunity to create something really different that was Scottish through and through like past successes such as Monarch of the Glen.

Even bringing back Take the High Road would have been a (slightly) more sensible move.

That is true but they have kept other shows on such numbers and a lot less. I think it has a chance of renewal but it would probably be only one more series anyway so they may think it not worth it.

They may give it another run as they don't tend to give up after just one attempt to launch a show. I was convinced it would be another hit like "Call The Midwife" but I've only seen certain scenes from the show, so can't really tell why it failed to take off.

Can't believe I missed the chance to see Peter (Doctor Who) Capaldi in Edinburgh National Galleries last week! Would have been nice to see the real "Who"

BIB agreed. In the end things like Atlantis and Musketeers were always going to sell abroad, the Beeb can always get money out of those. Our Zoo maybe a tougher sale.

The BBC has to justify their costs more than ever nowadays.

I used to watch WR on and off, but I haven't seen a minute since they all randomly piled into a minibus and drove to Scotland.

Yes both got early recommissions before they aired.

They shouldn't be worrying about ratings as much, just producing quality drama. Its still over 5m consolidated.

Thanks. Surprised they didn't choose a fan of the original, though.

I have thought a lot about this. We have discussed all the possible things like schedule and family audience and everyone watching it loved it given the AIs.

So it seems to have just been a kind of show that in the modern world might not work.

If Heartbeat was launched now I suspect it might get similar figures. A loyal following, appreciation from those who watched, but lots of none viewers for whom - in the modern multi channel watch everything everywhere world - it was just too gentle/bland to be must see TV.

If that is true elsewhere then it will not come back. If other nations will still watch it then it should translate and sell and it might.

It was 5.56m last week IIRC.

Some of Tess's links have been very short, but they've chopped five minutes off the Pointless Celebrities slot for the 25th, making me think Strictly will start and end a minute or two early.

Doubt it will go down without a fight, but I'm thinking of the fate of " Upstairs Downstairs " and "The Paradise" when the audience wasn't there for them, they swiftly axed them.

I think Call The Midwife got a second series after two weeks of r ratings and before it was sold anywhere. And CTM is actually a very good seller abroad.

Never brilliant figures for Murphy then. I remember 4m overnights (or possibly officials) for series 5.

Nesbit was good in Murphys Law though.

He was. I loved it.

Officials of 4.56m / 4.81m / 4.66m for the final series stripped over three nights: Monday 1 - Wednesday 3 October 2007.

ITV competition was Doc Martin (8.58m) / Champions' League (4.79m from 19:30) / Torn (5.47m).

No ITV HD or ITV+1 to think about back then.

So it had pretty tough competition then.

I think this could work. Put on some weak filler at 7.30 against Eastenders, have Emmerdale at 8.00, then a strongish gameshow at 8.30 and drama at 9.00. ITV will need to think of something as their 2.5 hours of football will be gone next autumn for at least 3 years.

This is what I fear will happen. Fill the gap with more soap, cheap filler, gameshow. They will never have enough drama to fill the slot all year so that will finish as cheap filler as well for a lot of the time. In other words almost the same as what they do now when football isnt on.
They should in theory have some extra money but will it be used for Tuesdays?