I think I stopped watching "Lost" for good in the middle of last night's episode (and it featured the Koreans, two of the show's best actors). It's become too ludicrous and I just don't care. Most viewers don't realize that after November sweeps, the show will go on hiatus for months and be replaced by ANOTHER serialized drama. Six episodes and then off the air for months? With the show reeling creatively and now ratings-wise, that will be a devastating blow. It was still ranked #1 at 9 p.m. but it BARELY beat out CBS's "Criminal Minds" and it was down 5 million viewers from last season and 28% in the key demos. It is hurting. Look for the "What Happened To 'Lost'?" stories in February of 2007. Oh and I watched Tina Fey's sitcom "30 Rock" last night. One of the first jokes was hearing a kid taking the NBC tour give a loud burp. Seriously. Alec Baldwin has a nice low-key manner but the show is idiotic. One quick comment had a person saying one sketch for their SNL-like show was "seven minutes long." Is that an inside joke of some sort, since NO sketch would last seven minutes long. Maybe they were joking that the entire sketch should be cut? But again, seven minutes is an eternity and if that was the joke they didn't follow through. The show was moronic from beginning to end. Truly. Anyone mocking "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip" (which I'm not a fan of) should have to watch the entire season of "30 Rock." The ratings per MediaWeek's Marc Berman:
8 p.m.
1. Dancing With The Stars (ABC)-- 18.14 million
2. Jericho (CBS) -- 10.9 million
3. Baseball (FOX) -- 8.27 million
4. 30 Rock (NBC) -- 8.26 million/20 Good Years (NBC) 6.97 million
5. America's Next Top Model (CW) -- 5.49 million
9 p.m.
1. Lost (ABC) -- 16.66 million
2. Criminal Minds (CBS) -- 16.48 million
3. Baseball (FOX) -- 8.27 million
4. The Biggest Loser (NBC) -- 7.37 million
5. One Tree Hill (CW) 3.28 million)
10 p.m.
1. CSI: NY (CBS) -- 17.7 million
2. The Nine (ABC) -- 8.41 million
3. Dateline (NBC) -- 8.24 million
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Question regarding Lost -- obviously in terms of the ratings it seems to have been knocked from its perch a bit. But what do you think an acceptable number is from ABC's perspective? Would they be ok if the show stabilized in the 15-17mm viewer range (assuming it is a healthy #1 in the 18-49 demo)? Or is the show just too damn expensive (between the ensemble cast, the insane production costs, and the endless media campaigns) to justify getting the same return as Criminal Freakin Minds? Another point to consider, and this is just an assumption, that ABC probably makes a ton off DVD's from the show (a la 24) that allow it to recoup all of these costs.
Regardless of whether it gets great ratings or terrible ratings I really hope they decide very soon to end it after 4 seasons. That would give Abrams/Lindeloff/Cuse something like 46 more episodes to finish telling this convoluted story -- anything more and the plots will continue to be dragged out waaaaay too far (which in my opinion is the problem right now -- they are trying to lengthen the life of the series as much as possible).
With all that being said -- I have to admit I still love the show just because I want to know what the heck is going on...I'm definitely hooked till the end, whenever that may be.
The DVD sales go to the production company, not the network. But happily, it's all in the family on this show, so yes ABC does make good money on the DVDs. It was #1 in its timeslot and gets tons of press so ABC at this point will be happy if it stabilizes and remains a timeslot hit rather than a game-changer.r. With 200 channels, a show drawing 15 mil (presumably smart and upscale as well) is nothing to be ashamed of. But they do need to stop the bleeding and it is a very expensive show.
I agree the show would benefit greatly from a firm finish line of four seasons. (It would have been a genius miniseries of course, but that boat has sailed.) If they could plan ahead and plot out the final season creatively and tell everyone way in advance they're coming to the end it would be a big boost both creatively and ratings-wise. I might even get back on board.
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