'Dollhouse' & 'Terminator' improve for first time

My acting helps the ratings, yes?

Wasn't planning to post yet another story on Fox's "Terminator" and "Dollhouse" ratings, but I figure an item is necessary given what happened last night.

For the first time, both shows went up. 

"Terminator" (3.5 million viewers, 1.2 preliminary adults 18-49 rating and 4 share) went up 20% for last night's "Today is the Day Part 1" (which at these viewing levels translates to a couple tenths in the adult demo). "Dollhouse" (4.3 million, 1.6/5) went up one tenth -- 7%.

It's too early to read too much into this. After four weeks of gradual but steady decline, hopefully the gain means both shows have at least found their midseason bottoms.

For "Dollhouse," if Joss Whedon's series can creep up a few more notches, the show will have a fair chance of coming back next fall. Serialized sci fi shows are, in general, good business (as Ron Moore points out in yesterday's Q&A re: "Battlestar"), if you can find a way to keep their ratings in the ballpark.

On the other hand, it could be a one-time surge too. We'll see.

NBC grew a bit too, with "Howie Do It" (4.3 million, 1.3/5) and "Friday Night Lights" (4.4 million, 1.5/5) up from last week. Everything else was on par with recent episodes.

Comments

[dsfsd]

Tvbythenumbers and mediaweek have way different numbers.

[JAMES HIBBERD]

I can't speak for them. The numbers above are correct.

[dfss]

Actually, TVBN just changed the numbers a bit. Nevermind.

[Jake]

Finally, Friday Night Lights and Dollhouse's ratings improving! YAY! It's been tough for me having to choose between them, but hopefully FOX and NBC will see what great shows they are airing on a night where nobody watches TV*.

(*Unless you watch Ghost Whisperer that is.)

[daisykelly]

I've been reading on most of the sites that the ratings on the shows have dropped, even on shows that have been on for a while. I noticed this started when they switched over to digital. There are still many people out there who don't have the boxes yet. They ran out of money for the coupons for the boxes. As unused coupons expire, they will send out more to the people on the waiting list. Having cable for years, you just take it for granted that people can watch whatever they want. I found out that people who watch over the air programing are lucky to pick up a few stations. The CW is such a weak station, that you probably can't get it at all unless you subscribe to a service. Their ratings are not bad because of the programing, it's because not many people can get that station. Also, because of this fact, they don't have the finances to pay big money for the shows like the big networks.

[Tasha]

daisykelly, your reasoning is flawed. The digital switchover was delayed to June 12, 2009. http://www.dtvtransition.org/ That, and Dollhouse and The Sarah Connor Chronicles are actually on Fox, not the CW.

[Rena Moretti]

I can't see how any comment can be about anything other than FOX's dreadful performance on Friday.

Improvement? The numbers are so low any "improvement" is likely from a measurement error.

How about doing articles about how FOX lost 10% of its audience this years and how CW has lost 40% over two year?

Those would be reflecting the reality of how poorly FOX and CW are programmed.

The rest is just carrying water for the networks.

[Rena Moretti]

Somehow CBS' ratings are dropping. They're improving. All the talk about how the environment is really bad is really a smokescreen for how the shows are really bad. Dollhouse being a case in point (or Friday Night Lights - stinking up the ratings for a third year.... why?)

[sdfsd]

@Rena Moretti

Fox is actually doing pretty well overall. It's NBC that's sinking right now.

[herb werman]

What a poorly written media story. CBS AS USUAL DOMINATED THE EVENING. Why make a big deal over a small belch?

[Larry the Cable Guy]

Um because nobody give a shit about GHOST WHISPERER doing the same every week???

[Jayne Hasselroth]

We love "Friday NIght Lights" and look forward to every episode. Different strokes for different folks. It is the best show on TV in our families opinion. Some people just don't know a good thing when they see it.

Jayne

[matt]

Dollhouse has a prayer of actually seeing a 2nd season??? Holy Crap!--I think that's the first time i've seen anyone with any professional cred say such a thing. I'll be happy to see it continue no doubt, but the one I was hoping would see the light of another year was of course the other show--Terminator. oh well...be glad for what you get i guess..that is if we do actually get a 2nd year at all.

[daisykelly]

Tasha,
I am here in Rhode Island. Eventho they moved the date, all but one of our stations switched over on the original date. I also know that Dollhouse isn't on CW. I was just commenting on the fact that not everyone can get all the networks. Our state is very small, but hardly anyone can get CW without cable. I like Dollhouse, and I hope they give it a chance.

[Dian]

I don't know how the TV numbers are counted any more. I always watch dollhouse, but I don't have a working television (nor do I care for commercials) so everything I watch, I watch online.

dian