The Sarah Connor Chronicles

[TheCorpulent1]

Charlie wouldn't be worse than Derek. Derek and John are the only things keeping me watching the show right now.

 

[Golgo-13]

Or worse, Charley

I'd rather Charley die than Derek. Hell, i didn't even think Charley would be back in the first place....

 

[DarknessOfDeath]

Well... I don't want anything to happen to Derek and Charley but something tells me Charley may not make it after this week's episode.

 

[FCEEVIPER]

Derek and John are the only things keeping me watching the show right now.

Same here.... Also Lena "eye candy" Headey keeps me watching too.

Derek better not die.

 

[FCEEVIPER]

Terminator's Survival Instincts Kick In
By Graeme McMillan, 6:30 AM on Mon Mar 23 2009



Don't call it a comeback, but the audience for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has grown for the second week running. Has the show turned a corner in its ratings woes?

This Friday's rise (0.15 million viewers) may have been small, especially in comparison with the previous week's 0.5 million, but the week-on-week gain is notable not only for its rarity, but also the fact that this second gain came on a night when everyone expected the audience to drop, thanks to CBS' NCAA Basketball coverage (Dollhouse's ratings dropped this week, slightly, most likely through a combination of the basketball and running opposite BSG's finale). If this rise continues, even so slowly, the combination of this with the DVR additional viewership for the show gives weight to the argument that Fox should keep the show around for a third season... but maybe on a different night. Wednesdays look good, right?

 

[BlackLantern]

Charley has been living a charmed life....his number might be up this week

 

[KenK]

Terminator's Survival Instincts Kick In
By Graeme McMillan, 6:30 AM on Mon Mar 23 2009



Don't call it a comeback, but the audience for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has grown for the second week running. Has the show turned a corner in its ratings woes?

This Friday's rise (0.15 million viewers) may have been small, especially in comparison with the previous week's 0.5 million, but the week-on-week gain is notable not only for its rarity, but also the fact that this second gain came on a night when everyone expected the audience to drop, thanks to CBS' NCAA Basketball coverage (Dollhouse's ratings dropped this week, slightly, most likely through a combination of the basketball and running opposite BSG's finale). If this rise continues, even so slowly, the combination of this with the DVR additional viewership for the show gives weight to the argument that Fox should keep the show around for a third season... but maybe on a different night. Wednesdays look good, right?

Well FOX Fridays have usually been a death spot for a lot of shows, with virtually none of them lasting a second season on Friday night. But if Terminator is seeing an increase in both regular TV viewing on Friday in addition to only and DVR viewing, should they renew it, it may not be so bad for them to leave it on Fridays. It could be a step to building a viable programming block for Friday night programming for the first time in over 15 years. Even with Terminator being on its second season, it's surviving that first season on Friday nights that may make all the difference. The show she has some benefit working for it with brand recognition, first and foremost, especially with a new Terminator film on the horizon that may be a true resurgance of the franchise. The show also benefits from playing fast and loose with continuity so long as it maintains one caveat. . . .judgment day will happen. The great thing about the show is the implication that the events leading up to judgment day, and event the events taking place AFTER judgment day, are continually changing.

Basically, TTSCC is surviving because it's just a damn good show. Is it perfect, hell no! But the way storylines have been playing out, and the implications of several characters have been remarkably intruiging. It really is one of the better shows on television right now, and I hope this ratings upswing continues long enough for Fox to realize they've got a hit on their hands.

 

[BlackLantern]

Well FOX Fridays have usually been a death spot for a lot of shows, with virtually none of them lasting a second season on Friday night. But if Terminator is seeing an increase in both regular TV viewing on Friday in addition to only and DVR viewing, should they renew it, it may not be so bad for them to leave it on Fridays. It could be a step to building a viable programming block for Friday night programming for the first time in over 15 years. Even with Terminator being on its second season, it's surviving that first season on Friday nights that may make all the difference. The show she has some benefit working for it with brand recognition, first and foremost, especially with a new Terminator film on the horizon that may be a true resurgance of the franchise. The show also benefits from playing fast and loose with continuity so long as it maintains one caveat. . . .judgment day will happen. The great thing about the show is the implication that the events leading up to judgment day, and event the events taking place AFTER judgment day, are continually changing.

Basically, TTSCC is surviving because it's just a damn good show. Is it perfect, hell no! But the way storylines have been playing out, and the implications of several characters have been remarkably intruiging. It really is one of the better shows on television right now, and I hope this ratings upswing continues long enough for Fox to realize they've got a hit on their hands.

you must have missed last weeks discussion....there are shows that Fox has put on Friday nights that do very well there....granted they are game shows or reality shows, but they still do well....just because shows that YOU like don't do well there doesn't mean its a DEATH SLOT

 

[KenK]

you must have missed last weeks discussion....there are shows that Fox has put on Friday nights that do very well there....granted they are game shows or reality shows, but they still do well....just because shows that YOU like don't do well there doesn't mean its a DEATH SLOT

It doesn't have anything to do with whether I like the shows are not. There are plenty of shows that were Fridays that I hated and couldn't care less about when they were cancelled. But can you honestly tell me the last time FOX had a block of programming on a Friday where the shows were never moved around or switched to other days for more than one season, and survived more than one season? Shoot, any day on FOX for that matter. Shows like Bones and House are on new nights every time they come back from summer break or midseason. Consistently performing shows like these, on their fourth and fifth seasons respectively, and FOX can't keep them on one night? A good network shouldn't have to play musical chairs with their shows like this.

 

[BlackLantern]

It doesn't have anything to do with whether I like the shows are not. There are plenty of shows that were Fridays that I hated and couldn't care less about when they were cancelled. But can you honestly tell me the last time FOX had a block of programming on a Friday where the shows were never moved around or switched to other days for more than one season, and survived more than one season? Shoot, any day on FOX for that matter. Shows like Bones and House are on new nights every time they come back from summer break or midseason. Consistently performing shows like these, on their fourth and fifth seasons respectively, and FOX can't keep them on one night? A good network shouldn't have to play musical chairs with their shows like this.

you can blame 'American Idol' and their 15 -20 million weekly viewers for that.....but even before Idol Fox moved shows around....Xfiles moved after a while, same with Married With Children and both of those ran for a while....the only block that has never been touched is the Saturday night Cops/Americas Most Wanted block

 

[Nightmare]

I Hope its agent ellison that dies, im just annoyed by him. The whole Ellison/John Smith/Shirleynator is really going nowhere and boring for me. But like most people have speculated, I think its gonna be Charley who gets killed off.

 

[KenK]

you can blame 'American Idol' and their 15 -20 million weekly viewers for that.....but even before Idol Fox moved shows around....Xfiles moved after a while, same with Married With Children and both of those ran for a while....the only block that has never been touched is the Saturday night Cops/Americas Most Wanted block

Okay, but back to Friday programming, what's lasted longer than a season in the last decade. What's made Friday night a night for people from that 18 to 49 demo to stay home and watch FOX? Even the reality shows for that matter.

 

[BlackLantern]

Okay, but back to Friday programming, what's lasted longer than a season in the last decade. What's made Friday night a night for people from that 18 to 49 demo to stay home and watch FOX? Even the reality shows for that matter.

the only network of the big 4 that has had a set show on Friday nights is CBS 'The Ghost Whisperer'....every other network has had different shows on Fridays or has had a current show moved into a friday spot....

 

[KenK]

the only network of the big 4 that has had a set show on friday nights is cbs 'the ghost whisperer'....every other network has had different shows on fridays or has had a current show moved into a friday spot....

ON FOX!!!! ON FOX!!!!

Maybe I didn't clarify that in my first post, but I think most people know I was talking about FOX in particular. Fox had X-Files on Fridays but moved it to Sundays after the first season. They never gave it a chance to see if it could be an anchor for Friday nights because they wanted it to follow its more successful shows on Sunday, which was understandable as it was still FOX in its early days. But since then, nothing has survived on Friday for FOX.

 

[BlackLantern]

ON FOX!!!! ON FOX!!!!

Maybe I didn't clarify that in my first post, but I think most people know I was talking about FOX in particular. Fox had X-Files on Fridays but moved it to Sundays after the first season. They never gave it a chance to see if it could be an anchor for Friday nights because they wanted it to follow its more successful shows on Sunday, which was understandable as it was still FOX in its early days. But since then, nothing has survived on Friday for FOX.

I understood exactly what you said, but I was broadening the scope of the question....my point was that it's not just a FOX issue, but an issue with television in general.....prior to Terminator and Dollhouse being installed on Fridays, Fox had Are you smarter than a 5th grader and Dont Forget the Lyrics in those slots and they did well.....

 

[Arc-Light]

The only reason they moved it was to help Dollhouse.....when Dollhouse tanks which it will, they better not move it again. A third move by Fox, and i know they want to kill it.

 

[Nightmare]

What could be worse then being on friday nights? Saturday nights after cops re runs?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Sunday mornings at 4:30.

 

[KenK]

The only reason they moved it was to help Dollhouse.....when Dollhouse tanks which it will, they better not move it again. A third move by Fox, and i know they want to kill it.

How does that work? Put the show in a slot that's been ridiculously unforgiving towards genre programming for over fifteen years?

 

[BlackLantern]

How does that work? Put the show in a slot that's been ridiculously unforgiving towards genre programming for over fifteen years?

I honestly think FOX was the only network that said Yes to Whedon and the show....Dushku also has a nice contract with Fox so that moved things along....

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It wasn't a matter of Fox being the only network to say yes to the show. Dushku had the contract with Fox already and convinced Whedon to develop a show for her to star in.

 

[BlackLantern]

It wasn't a matter of Fox being the only network to say yes to the show. Dushku had the contract with Fox already and convinced Whedon to develop a show for her to star in.

that makes sense too....I liked Terminator on Mondays but Ive gotten used to it on Fridays now

 

[Timstuff]

you must have missed last weeks discussion....there are shows that Fox has put on Friday nights that do very well there....granted they are game shows or reality shows, but they still do well....just because shows that YOU like don't do well there doesn't mean its a DEATH SLOT

The people who stay home and watch TV on Friday Nights are often times easily entertained, which is why Friday works well as a game show night. Game shows are easy viewing, which is ideal for channel surfing couch potatoes. TSCC however is a show with a very involved and dramatic plot that begs to be followed closely, and frankly we should consider ourselves very blessed to see it getting even the ratings it's got.

I definitely think Wednesday nights would be a much more suitable time slot for TSCC. After people have had the summer to catch up on season 2 via Hulu, Fox.com, and DVD / Blu-Ray, I think that the ratings for the show would get a huge ratings boost if it's not in the Friday Death Slot.

If Fox is really that dissinterested in the show though, and they don't even pick it up for Season 3, hopefully Warner Bros. has a contingency plan to keep the show going. SyFy on cable would be one option, but they could also consider moving it to their own CW network, and pairing it up with Supernatural or Smallville. The CW also has a large female audience, and I think that the strong female characters in TSCC would be a pretty good sell for that demo. As long as they don't forget to keep the 18-40 males happy too with lots of ass kicking and maybe a little fan service, I think the CW would be a pretty safe bet.

 

[DACrowe]

I caught up. The last three episodes have been better than almost the entire second season. With the exceptions of the season opener and the Mexico episode, it has been 15+ episodes of nothing happening and that is just bad for a serial, even one this serious with delusions of depth (there is some depth here, but the contrived writing in plot points hurt).

However, the last three episodes have been fantastic, IMO. First they got rid of the show's weakest and most annoying link (Riley) and then they gave a satisfying origin and motive to Jesse's cruelty and manipulations. And how John, Sarah and Cameron interacted around these events was great. Particularly John's confrontation of Jesse. Emo-stage is over and John is growing into a leader. He outsmarted everyone and played this moment very well. Honestly Dekker is probably the best pre-war Connor we have gotten (though Furlong was first, so he has a special place in the heart and will always be on top). This is the first time of the three actors I really can see the man who will become John Connor. It wasn't the actor's fault, but T3's John Connor was a bumbling, weak idiot and did not say leader at all.

And the final scenes between Derek and John and especially Derek and Jesse were quite strong and surprisingly well acted. As was John's ability to hide what he was really feeling from Derek and collapse with his mother while Cameron sits there obliviously.

A truly great episode. It makes me sad to know that there is probably no chance we'll get a season 3.

 

[KenK]

The people who stay home and watch TV on Friday Nights are often times easily entertained, which is why Friday works well as a game show night. Game shows are easy viewing, which is ideal for channel surfing couch potatoes. TSCC however is a show with a very involved and dramatic plot that begs to be followed closely, and frankly we should consider ourselves very blessed to see it getting even the ratings it's got.

I definitely think Wednesday nights would be a much more suitable time slot for TSCC. After people have had the summer to catch up on season 2 via Hulu, Fox.com, and DVD / Blu-Ray, I think that the ratings for the show would get a huge ratings boost if it's not in the Friday Death Slot.

If Fox is really that dissinterested in the show though, and they don't even pick it up for Season 3, hopefully Warner Bros. has a contingency plan to keep the show going. SyFy on cable would be one option, but they could also consider moving it to their own CW network, and pairing it up with Supernatural or Smallville. The CW also has a large female audience, and I think that the strong female characters in TSCC would be a pretty good sell for that demo. As long as they don't forget to keep the 18-40 males happy too with lots of ass kicking and maybe a little fan service, I think the CW would be a pretty safe bet.

If anything, TSCC would probably have better luck on MY NetworkTV!!!t: Apparently, they've been kickin' CW's ass in certain demographics. The dumbest thing CW could have done was get rid of Smackdown. That was basically them saying "F*** 18 to 49 year-old males!!!" Plus, the cast of TSCC isn't "pretty enough" for females. That is to say, they're not of the American Eagle, Ambercrombie & Fitch aesthetic. They're all attractive, don't get me wrong, but Brian Austin Green hasn't been seen as a heartthrob since the original 90210. He'd be competing with the likes of Jensen Ackles, Jared Padelecki, Tom Welling, Justin Hartley, and Chad Michael Murry. These are the guys the girls who watch CW gravitate towars. BAG, sadly, woulbe be considered a geezer by comparison. And while they should like a character like Derek Reese, there's a line between rugged and unforgivably scruffy that he may be crossing for some people.

As for wanting a show with strong female characters, forget about it. The females who watch CW aren't the "girls kick ass" addicts that helped Buffy when it was on the WB. None of the females on TSCC are pop culture savy or fashion-forward enough (if at all) to get their attention.