Axiom’s Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

By John J. Joex

Nielsens, Nielsens, Nielsens. They still rule the television world, but maybe, just maybe, this season we have seen a turn of events that could mean that they have dropped a notch or two in significance. Over the last two days, I looked at the shows that were cancelled this past season, now it’s time to consider three shows that received unlikely renewals:

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Dollhouse – Against all odds, this show received the greenlight for a second season despite pulling CW-like numbers almost from the beginning of its run. Remember this milestone because it could mark a turning point in the decision making of network executives when they actually start to look beyond the outdated Nielsen ratings system and factor in such things as DVR/Internet viewing and Internet downloads. I even heard rumors that FOX executives took into account future DVD sales when making their decision (and for those who don’t know, Joss Whedon’s previous FOX series Firefly pretty much led the charge in establishing the DVD market as a viable outlet for short-lived series). From what I understand, the network wanted to keep both Dollhouse and The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but they could not justify the expense. So it may very well have come down to a coin toss (or the scenario HijiNKS Ensue postulated), but Dollhouse did have better numbers in DVR viewing and iTunes downloads. Does this renewal really indicate a change in thinking among the networks, or did Joss Whedon just succeed at getting the right FOX exec drunk at the right time? Too early to tell. If Dollhouse keeps up the same numbers next season and still gets renewed for a third season, we will know that we have seen clear signs of change in network thinking (with FOX at least). If it gets the axe, then we will know it was nothing more than a failed experiment.

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Chuck and Heroes – Both of these shows languished in the ratings this past season, though Heroes experienced much more of a drop-off from start to finish whereas Chuck started with low numbers and pretty much stayed there all season. But they both had one important thing going for them: they aired on fourth place NBC which could not bring itself to dump two of its highly branded shows. Chuck is a critical darling and has a vocal fanbase that continues to spread good buzz about it across cyberspace (and even if, like me, you are not a hardcore fan of the show, you just can’t hate it). Heroes has definitely lost some goodwill of late with its erratic story-telling, but it still scores well with the highly coveted 18-34 demographic and sponsors are still willing to buy up add-time despite its ratings slump. And with both being seasoned shows, NBC has to be thinking about padding on episodes so that they will have a more attractive syndication package and can sell more DVD sets. Still, despite all of that, there’s no question these shows would have gotten the boot if they resided on FOX, ABC, or CBS (in fact that last network would have given up on them long ago, but don’t get me started . . . ). Going into next season, I think Chuck has the best chance of keeping its run going. As long as it doesn’t slip in the ratings (and as long as NBC continues to struggle), I believe they will keep it around. Heroes, though, faces its last chance to win back fans. After all the up and downs that series has taken us on since completing its stellar first season, fans have little patience with it and many have just given up on it. The series ended its third season with a paltry 6.4 million viewers, a far cry from the 12 to 15 million it used to enjoy. So without a significant upswing in the quality of the scripts that will generate some good buzz to bring fans back, Season 4 will be the show’s last. And if NBC starts to become viable again (unlikely) and actually compete with ABC, CBS, and FOX, Chuck and Heroes both could receive their walking papers if they do not improve their ratings.

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See also, Why Were They Cancelled? Part 1 and Part 2

Related Articles:

Johnny Jay’s Network Report Cards Part 1 and Part 2

Johnny Jay’s Report Card on the 2008-09 Season

2008-09 Season Science Fiction and Fantasy TV Awards

Plus, Your Chance to Grade the Networks

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