'Heroes,' 'Chuck' hit lows; 'Beauty' finishes solid

   Chuck vs. the series low

CBS was in repeats. The CW was in repeats. ABC aired the "Women Tell All" special episode of "The Bachelor." And yet despite mostly weak competition, NBC's "Chuck" and "Heroes" generated their lowest ratings ever.

"Chuck" (6.5 million viewers, 2.2 preliminary adults 18-49 rating and 6 share) dipped a tenth in the adult demo from last week. "Heroes" (6.9 million, 3.3/8) was down 8% from its previously established settling point. Both shows placed last in their hours among the major broadcast networks.

The "Heroes" fan complaints are familiar by now. Too complex, too many character personality flip-flips, too many logic-leaping "save the world" stories. The recent "Fugitives" reboot was supposed to "save the series, save NBC Monday nights." The show's focus is more singular now (an "X-Men"-ish "mutants fighting those who seek to control them" angle) but perhaps it's not enough.

The "Chuck" drain is more mysterious. The show continues to get praise from critics and recently climbed in the ratings following its well-received 3D episode. One wouldn't think Fox's "House" moving into the same time period would draw the same audience, but the medical drama does seem to be having an impact on the crime-fighting geek.

Do these latest drops mean anything for the shows' futures?

Tough to say. NBC has so little that's competitive right now ("Biggest Loser," late-night), and is making such radical moves in some ways (moving Jay Leno to 10 p.m.), yet seems almost paralyzed in others (what's airing on Wednesday nights again?). You can pretend to be an NBC executive and make an argument for the return, or the demise, of "Chuck" and "Heroes" next fall, and neither speech would seem all too far fetched. 

At 10 p.m., "Medium" (8.5 million, 2.7/7) looked at its falling lead in, shrugged, and went back to its usual rating. 

If anybody benefited from NBC's slight drop, it was Fox, enjoying a slight gain while once again winning the night in the demo and total viewers. "House" (14.6 million, 5.4/14) climbed a couple tenths, plus "24" (11.6 million, 3.7/9) was up a peg

ABC was second for the evening with a special episode of "The Bachelor" (11 million, 3.7/9), which was up 61% over last year's "Women Tell All" and was the third-most-watched "Tell All" in the history of the "Bachelor" franchise. The finale of "True Beauty" (7.5 million, 3.2/9) was up slightly from last week despite a much-reduced lead in and won its hour -- strengthening its chance of a second season. In third place, CBS showed off by tying NBC with its repeats.

Here's a clip from "Heroes" for those contemplating a jump back in:

Comments

[Frodo]

big surprise NBC is synonymous with fail

[MrJeff]

When is NBC going to realize that the current path is leading them to oblivion.

LAW AND ORDER runs its course so they eliminate ALL 10 o'clock programming, instead of building new shows and franchises.

What do they do when the 9 o'clock series start failing? Turn to more reality shows?

Soon they'll be simulcasting OLBERMANN and MADDOW from MSNBC with sporting events, occasional sitcoms, and game shows filling the rest of the schedule.

It's shameful that Zucker and Silverman are still employed and highly paid for what they've done.

[jim]

The shame is that Chuck is a really good show, one of the best of the current slate of broadcast television. Much like Pushing Daisies, the impact of the writer's strike on developing an audience was too great to overcome.

[art]

how do you get the ratings for the shows? is there a website i could go to, is there a website that shows the ratings for every tv show? i would like to find out the ratings for shows on basic cable

[Jacmak]

So, an hour-long prime time torture fest isn't big ratings. Whap! (cartoon SFX of hand slapping forehead) Who'd a thunk it?!?

[apethticatbest@gmail.com]

Heroes fails on multiple levels. Everyone who watches it is fully aware of how bad the writers for it suck. If NBC wants to fix it, try hiring all new ones. Get some people in there that have an idea on how to write comic book characters and powers. These guys are clearly clueless.

[boynotorious]

I don't think they can kill either Chuck or Heroes. Nor do I feel you can blame Chuck given it's tragic time-slot. They had to know HOUSE being moved to 8pm was going to cause serious damage and weaken the HEROES lead-in. There simply is no audience left. And it will only get worse when GOSSIP GIRL returns to steal the tweens. But think of it this way, with no 10PM hour, and only THE BIGGEST LOSER, THE OFFICE & 30 ROCK really safe bets (thus the early pickups), are they really going to create the need to revamp 10 to 12 hours of programming next year? CHUCK also has the one thing that HEROES can no longer claim. LOYAL FANS. You don't hear a single fan of CHUCK talking about jumping ship. Heroes has meanwhile lost nearly all it's good will and continues to purge viewers. Someone bought up the idea of CHUCK and HEROES on Sunday. I actually like that idea for Chuck. Not so much Heroes, but that could work wonders for Chuck. Even Wed at 8PM would be a gift at this point. Just get it off Monday.

[Frank Caruso]

It's time for all written shows to go over to all the cable stations. The Broadcast Stations can have all the Reality, Game, Variety, and Syndicated Shows. People who want good to better to excellent T.V., just have to pay for it. Thank God there are even seperate news stations. Because that's a real downer nobody needs to pay for, just take me off that subscription list!

[Chosmo]

You am speak well for written tv.

[Lee Williams]

Is it me or does "Heroes" seem like a whitewash of the previous season's writing...I am so disappointed in this season's writing...it's like they are saying a whole lot of nothing, or frantically trying to fill an episode with...well...repetitive fluff stuff.

[Woody Wommack]

Heroes is killing me. I have no clue why I still watch it. I have no idea what is going on, or why it's happening. Is all the stuff we've seen in the future now prevented? Is Costa Verde still going to blow up, or was that stopped? I just have no idea, and I'm not an idiot. I've seen every episode and have no problem following better shows like Lost.

[TV Girl]

24 is fun. I quit Heroes two episodes in this season. Nothing happens. It is mumbo jumbo. I like the actors, it is just boring. The writing DOES stink. They should fire them all.

[John]

God, I love Chuck so much. We DVR both Chuck and House (because we're busy with the children at 8:00) and consistently choose to watch Chuck first. At this point, it's a consistently more enjoyable show than House, which is saying a lot about both shows.

Perhaps it's true home would be in a 9:00 slot with something funny in front of it from 8:00-9:00. It's good enough to keep viewers, but has been around too long to generate enough new buzz to pick up steam as the 8:00 show.

[Jake]

I seriously believe that someone at NBC should be fired for not airing Chuck or Heroes after the superbowl if they truly wanted to reboot these shows. Instead they chose the office, which did not benefit and even posted lower ratings after the super bowl episode then they did before. They are incredibly stupid over there at NBC and just wasted a golden opportunity.

Heroes is still a great show, but people need to find it again.

[Clay Dowling]

I'm inclined to agree that the best way to save Heroes is to go into the writing room with a bunch of empty boxes, pack everything up, and boxes, writers and producers at the curb. Bring in entirely new creative talent, preferably people who haven't seen the show, and try again. With a mandate that within two episodes the cast must be cut in half.

[Joshua]

I like Heroes. So there.

[Kevin]

Flat out, Chuck is the best show on television. I really wonder if Neilsen accurately captures data from TiVo households. This is a very smart show and I believe a more upscale audience which means more TiVo viewers. I truly hope that NBC will let Chuck grow for another year to find its audience. I would even pay to watch it!

[Sally]

If NBC had ANY strong shows right now, it'd be really smart of them to give Chuck a better lead in and let it grow. I love it and think it could be really successful. Heroes is falling apart and its continuity is horrid. I was really optimistic about the new season and the "reboot" but now it seems like the "reboot" was more like a "restart the series from the beginning." Haven't we already seen these plots just with different characters? I am about one more bad episode away from dropping it altogether. But I continue to choose Chuck over House because I know with Chuck I can expect something entertaining and original. House is great, but I know it will be the same thing every week and Chuck is so much more refreshing. Give it a chance to succeed, NBC! And hire me to write for Heroes.

[adam]

Heroes is MUCH better this latest season with "fugitives". They have slashed the story lines into a total of two (good vs. evil) with the subplots all related instead of completely separate mumbo jumbo (the mimic girl, nicki and her walk through wall guy, maya ect.. thoes were POINTLESS). They do need to get rid of the current syler story line unless it is leading to something big and connected in a big way with the others. They also have done better with peter IMO and turned him into something a little less powerful but more interesting (no more questioning "Well why didn't he use (insert power here) in this situation?"). What they really need to do is change the time slot though. It is absolutely stupid to have it where it is. I have to believe the fan bases of two action dramas overlap with 24 and Heroes. They also need to get the newest episode ONLINE sooner, prefurably right after the episode airs. They are losing tons of money to pirating and illeagle downloading by not doing so.

[Tom]

Move Chuck to another night. Problem solved. Show is fantastic. But House is the number one show on Monday now.

[Larry]

Chuck is on Hulu the day after, House takes 8 stinking days. I'm willing to miss a bit of House, however, I prefer to watch Chuck from beginning to end. Perhaps NBC should also think about the users that watch Chuck online and please don't cancel Chuck.

[dude]

am i the only one that still likes heroes?
lmao

[Bob]

I really like Chuck. It's a funny and fast-paced show. The BUY MORE characters are really good, the sister and "awsome" husband to be are......awsome. Even the story is going somewhere. It is pretty interesting. As for Heroes.......they never should have went beyond season one with the same characters. I doubt that the show will ever pick back up. I remember when fans everywhere were calling it better than Lost. Lost in season 3 had a few bumps in the road while season one of heroes was almost flawless that year. Now, Lost has since found ground and its way back on top. Sadly, Heroes never returned with much of anything in the 2nd season and beyond. It sucks because I was a fan of Heroes. I'm thankful that Lost is still the best of many many shows. I feel fans that jumped off the Lost ship to stay with heroes really lost out...(no pun intended)

[Giles Dawe]

Rather than cancel these shows, why not swap the writers for Chuck with the writers for Heroes and visa versa...both need fresh angles. I actually think most shows should be written for 2 series only, that way they can become cult viewing and allow for producers to think of other show ideas.

[Rusty B.]

I will be a faithful 'Chuck' fan as long as Yvonne 'Strahotski' Strahovski is on the show. She is actually the best actor on the show. Her emotional range is very broad.
'Chuck' needs to be moved to a friendlier time slot. The loyal viewers WILL follow it.
NBC, please pull your heads out of your asses and save this show by moving it.
I know MANY people who do not watch 'Chuck' because it conflicts with 'House'.

[Rusty B.]

I will be a faithful 'Chuck' fan as long as Yvonne 'Strahotski' Strahovski is on the show. She is actually the best actor on the show. Her emotional range is very broad.
'Chuck' needs to be moved to a friendlier time slot. The loyal viewers WILL follow it.
NBC, please pull your heads out of your asses and save this show by moving it.
I know MANY people who do not watch 'Chuck' because it conflicts with 'House'.

[Phil]

NBC needs to bring back Journeyman!!!

[Rusty B.]

I apologize for the double post. Apparently, hitting the refresh button on my browser posts the message again.

[Lawlipop]

Heroes had no reason to go down the drain, accept the writers are to busy copying Xmen to get anything right. After the first season they should have been no more Power stealing episodes. And definitely no more episodes that dealt with secret government societies that want to either destroy or use them.

Plots like that are what made Push laughable. You want to make people who can shatter solid objects with their mind and bring down buildings to be able to become Stronger super soldiers? Brilliant! Heroes needs to get back to good verses evil and the Grey areas between. Not focusing on how great their powers are, and rather how they use their powers to better or destroy the world.

[John E. Reb]

Heroes I gave up on. Sorry, too many same old same old and not in a good way. Maya. Mohinder the Fly. Enough. Don't care, can't make me. Chuck, on the other hand...That, I like. Clever, fun, decent stuff. Do I watch it? No. I Watch House, I DVR Chuck.

[cyd]

Heroes was ruined this season IMO. There were just too many entities with too many powers and I couldn't tell who was on who's side or who the bad guys were or what the heck was going on. I gave up on it early in the season.

[dennis]

yeap gave up on heroes this season as well. liked the first, hated the second, and this third one started out with a few good episodes here and there but after something like three or four crappy episodes in a row where characters' allegiances flip flopped and the writing was downright amateurish, i gave up once and for all. i remember that moment too: it was where peter and his brother were in some forest in south america and they were fighting and laying into one another with supposedly deep character insights and even inconsistent (retconning ones) -- ten minutes to go in that episode and i just turned it off. even if i dont love something usually ill at least watch it til the end -- but i didnt and thats how bad heroes has become.

[Brian]

So, I really think things are beginning to look up for heroes. Last night was pretty good. I love Bennet's character. I think we'll see some changes in the ratings as long as people stick around. Bryan Fuller's writing is back in 3 episodes and he helped make season 1 great. I'm sure he can help pull it together for this great show.

I've also been meaning to get into Chuck but I'm in classes til 830 on Mondays... damn college.

[Scentsy]

Hmm, I might be alone on this one but I think Heroes has been really good this season. I'm lovin' it.

[thatguy]

" Scentsy said...

Hmm, I might be alone on this one but I think Heroes has been really good this season. I'm lovin' it."

I thin hero is to complex for many people i agree with Scentsy I'm enjoying this season of heros

[d00d]

Medium and, to a lesser degree, 30 Rock, are the only shows on NBC worth saving. The rest needs to die already. I can't believe Chuck actually has fans.

[Neo]

Run Heroes at 10pm on Thursday nights next season.

[tom]

keep chuck please!!

[Megan]

Both Heroes and Chuck's episodes from last night were near the top of the list for most watched shows on Hulu today. Maybe their viewership just changed mediums.

[Traverse Davies]

I think heroes has really gotten better with the reboot in part 4. It got dark and interesting and all of the characters that made the show unworkable got fixed (except Hiro... okay, so he is the comic relief. They had him become one of the greatest swordsmen of all history in season one and then forgot about it. Do more with him than stupid comic relief).
Chuck managed to irritate me enough in the first episode that I have never watched it again.I work on computers and do parkour. Both those things were incredibly badly handled in the first episode.