Nov 15 2007
PUSHING DAISIES “Bitches” Ratings
It’s Thursday morning and I’ve got to say it… *Edited: “Bitches” delivered 8.88 million viewers. Below is Marc Berman’s take on the ratings. Other reports, such as TV Guide indicate Daisies improved from their Halloween episode.
There was nothing overly positive of note in the Wednesday 8 p.m. hour, with ABC’s critically acclaimed Pushing Daisies leading at a below-average 8.88 million viewers and a 3.1 rating/9 share among adults 18-49. If that is the best any show can do in this time period, there is a definite opportunity for a new show to break-out here. As predicted, the novelty has quickly worn off Pushing Daisies.
Ouch, MediaWeek’s Marc Berman was way harsh this week. What do you guys think? What’s the reason for the dip? Has Daisies really lost it’s novelty? Luckily there was an increase in 18-49. Come on folks, watch this frakkin’ show!
Since I’m Brazillian I can’t help but I love this show…
Pushing Daisies is so unlucky… First, an episode in halloween, so a lot of people didn’t watch that day, then one week without an episode…
I would bet that Alexandre is right about one week without an episode — could have caused some lost momentum and confusion about when the show is on. But, it’s also getting towards the end of the fall semester for many academic-world folks out there (like me) and time is short.
Also, if the ratings are based on how many television sets are tuned in, then there were five people watching one television set last night who normally would have had five sets on at their respective homes… it’s much more fun to watch this show with others and save some electricity to boot. So, television execs, if you read this, forget the numbers and keep this show on the air. (If there’s a “Genius of the Year” award, Bryan Fuller gets my nomination!)
This is really bad news. The show needs to get a bit more dramatic and lay off the quirkiness to attract more viewers.
I LIKE the quirkiness. That’s a huge reason I watch it. I don’t want more drama. There’s plenty of that to be found elsewhere. I don’t care if it’s hugely popular, as long as it’s not UNpopular enough that it’s canceled. If it’s on for another 10 years, I don’t think the “novelty” will wear off for me.
I thought Girth got 8.58 million viewers? Wouldn’t 8.8 million be up from two weeks ago, then?
Stepliana, you are correct. “Girth” did get 8.58 million viewers so Pushing Daisies’ viewership did go up slightly from last week. That’s a mistake on MediaWeek’s Marc Berman.
Here’s the deal folks…..PD has lost some viewers , because it has lost a little momentum. Here is why….ABC made the brilliant decision to have the CMA’s on Wed,thus putting a new PD episode off for yet another week. Why in God’s name would you put a stupid award show on the night that you are trying to develope 3 NEW shows!!!??? Why not put this award show on a Thursday night where you already have established shows like Grey’s and the like. When you couple this with the fact that PD was on Halloween this is why the ratings have gone a little south.
Now the silver lining………..We are coming up on award season and I for one believe PD will mop up. This will cause a renewed interest in the show at a critical time(the last leg of the season). When you couple this with the fact that there is NO NEW good tv shows out there , ABC will have no choice but to renew PD. Also remember that PD is still number 1 in the all important 18-49 demo. Piemakers unite!!!
Some critics can be SO harsh. Almost every show is seeing it’s audience erode. DVR and downloads (from network websites, Amazon and iTunes) have not been counted yet, so the rating could go up…and more than likely will. People just aren’t watching TV the way they did years ago. You have to factor in convenience and technology.
I think “Pushing Daisies” still has a lot of life left. This is definitely not a show for everyone, due to it being so innovative and quirky, but ABC knows the fanbase is loyal, loyal, LOYAL. This is the kind of show people will be talking about years after it’s gone.
PD is also the most successful show ABC has seen in this timeslot since “Lost” was all the rage almost 4 years ago. Plus, has Mr. Berman seen ANY new show “breakout” this year?NOPE. Not even even “Private Practice” which is a spin-off of the most successful drama on ABC, “Grey’s Anatomy”
The novelty is definitely not gone and I hope PD sticks around for a VERY long time.
Absolutely agree lonely_tourist, nicely put. I don’t care if it becomes a big hit or not so long as the ratings are good enough for the show to survive. There’s no need to pander to the masses who aren’t watching by dumbing down the quirkiness that those who are watching, love- that’s what makes it what it is!
This reviewer is definitely rude. Just because Pushing Daisies has lost viewers (or not, considering I do believe it had less for the last episode) doesn’t meant that it’s going to bomb! I think that ABC is supporting it so far, and they’re proud of it - so hopefully that will keep it around for years to come. Also, they did give it a full year order pretty early on in the game, so that’s a good sign, right?
I also agree with everyone else that having the episode air on Halloween (which isn’t really their fault), but then making viewers wait two agonizing weeks (especially with that promo!) for a new episode probably helped with the lower ratings.
But as mase pointed out, award season is coming up and I also believe that PD is a “critics’ darling” (since it got such great pre-season reviews) and should sweet up there.
here’s a ray of hope for all fellow PD fans… look at Friday Night Lights! Far from the ratings giant of last season, NBC chose to give the little show that could a second chance (and a second season). I know part of the reason for that was the backing of lots of Hollywood critics, but surely Marc B. doesn’t speak for everyone in the critical community.
like someone else said, too, surely the fact that PD remains number one in the 18-49 demo counts for something too…especially over established shows like America’s Next Top Model, which you would think would be huge in that demo.
so think twice before you go dissing our show, Mr. B. We’ll come and get ya!
PD’s viewership did grow from the last new episode by 300 000 viewers according to TVGuide.com’s ratings recap.
The novelty has never and will never ware off this show; it is amazing!!!!!!! we need to work harder as fans to get this shows’ ratings up! people we can do it!!!!
simply put, i hate this reviewer. they should never get rid of this show…its the only reason i turn on my tv all week (literally)
Same here. I had given up on network tv before this show came along.
Kait is right, according to TV Guide’s ratings report, PD gain 300,000 from its last airing AND topped the 8pm hour in the demos and total viewers. MediaWeek is just choosing to be ass-like for some reason.
Evidently MediaWeek isn’t the only ass in this situation. Shame on ThePieMaker for posting such a negative- and untrue- report from an unreliable source. I thought this was a supportive site. And 8 or 9 million people watching ain’t bad, no matter how you slice it.
Don’t Shame on these guys, there were actually multiple sources yesterday that originally posted “season low” reports.
You can be a fansite but still be realistic, the ratings are slipping and there are many factors. The strike isn’t going to help Daisies situation or any new show’s situation though. A new show that could possibly disappear until next Fall could drastically hurt chances of long-term survival.
I love this site and didn’t find their post to be negative.
Hey gang, Ned here. I posted the initial post yesterday the minute it was posted on a website. Berman was the first report I could find and I ran with it. I was unfortunately away from a computer for the rest of the day and didn’t see anything on the internet until this morning.
I’ve since updated the post to include TV Guide’s ratings information.
Tucker, thanks the shaming… next time I’d prefer a pie in the face.
Um, so this is the first week there’s been an increase in viewership rather than a decrease.
So, what’s the problem, exactly? Shouldn’t we be celebrating?
Thanks for editing the post, PieMakers — and for the discussion. Any word on the strike/negotiations?
Pushing Daisies should definitely stick to the quirkiness. Bryan Fuller is a genius, as are the rest of the production crew and actors. There’s no reason to sacrifice wit for a wider audience. While I’m sad people aren’t watching, risking its life on ABC, I’m glad I love it as much as I do and hope ABC doesn’t have to pull the plug on it.
I have to agree with the “not only TV viewers” thing. It’s just not fair to be so… TVist, I suppose. Some people watch it through iTunes and the like.
And besides, Pushing Daisies has viewers all over the world already. I would know, I live in Poland and I’ve pushed this show at my friends. But that means we need to watch it over the internet or something. So we’re not counted.
People in DUBAI are watching this show. I make them.
This is probably the best place to post something negative about the show’s ratings. The fans are the ones who would be outraged and work harder to try to get more people watching.
We don’t even have a t.v.! I (happily) haven’t had one for over ten years (I’m 35, solvent & not homeless - incase your wondering
I can hardly wait until Thursday mornings arrive so that I can download PD - I wait for it all week!! I love all the characters and everything about the show!
Does anyone know how online viewers like me get counted? I don’t want to have to buy a t.v. to show my support for PD!
PS The only other t.v. show I have watched is Battle Star Galactica =
Love that one, too ….. just wish it were back!
I am wondering if anyone else was surprised to see this family-friendly show’s episode entitled “Bitches?” It threw me off. I first started watching the show when I was babysitting a friend’s 7 year old son. He usually watches it with his mom, so we watched. I loved it, so then I went back home and watched all online episodes and I love it. But with an episode entitled “Bitches,” I would be inclined to skip the episode if kids were watching. Sure, we adults know that “bitch” is a female dog, but it’s also bad language to be throwing around young viewers. That disappointed me a bit about this PD episode. But, since I don’t have my own kids, I watched it anyway and am still a big fan. I just thought it would be wise of the people who call the shots for PD to maybe steer away from offensive language, since so many kids do watch the show.