Fans, why did the ratings slide?

[Hober Mallow]

Fall 1987 - Spring 1988: 8.55 Million
Fall 1988 - Spring 1989: 9.14 Million
Fall 1989 - Spring 1990: 9.77 Million
Fall 1990 - Spring 1991: 10.58 Million
Fall 1991 - Spring 1992: 11.50 Million
Fall 1992 - Spring 1993: 10.83 Million
Fall 1993 - Spring 1994: 9.78 Million
Fall 1994 - Spring 1995: 7.05 Million

These numbers come from this site I think.

Rob

Something's wrong with those numbers. TNG didn't have an eighth season.

As many have already pointed out, there was no TNG ratings slide. The ratings were steady throughout its run. Even TNG reruns scored ratings almost as high as the initial broadcasts.

Trust me, folks. I was there, and I payed attantion to the numbers. Just after TNG went off the air, DS9 experienced a steady ratings drop that continued through Voyager and ENT.

 

[ManaByte]

Fall 1987 - Spring 1988: 8.55 Million
Fall 1988 - Spring 1989: 9.14 Million
Fall 1989 - Spring 1990: 9.77 Million
Fall 1990 - Spring 1991: 10.58 Million
Fall 1991 - Spring 1992: 11.50 Million
Fall 1992 - Spring 1993: 10.83 Million
Fall 1993 - Spring 1994: 9.78 Million
Fall 1994 - Spring 1995: 7.05 Million

These numbers come from this site I think.

Rob

Something's wrong with those numbers. TNG didn't have an eighth season.

As many have already pointed out, there was no TNG ratings slide. The ratings were steady throughout its run. Even TNG reruns scored ratings almost as high as the initial broadcasts.

Trust me, folks. I was there, and I payed attantion to the numbers. Just after TNG went off the air, DS9 experienced a steady ratings drop that continued through Voyager and ENT.

That's correct. TNG went off the air in May of 1994. There were no first run TNG episodes on the air in Spring of 1995.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I guess the reruns were pulling good numbers.

 

[Hober Mallow]

I guess the reruns were pulling good numbers.

More true than you know. I don't have numbers right in front of me, but I remember back in the day I used to check weekly ratings for syndicated shows. TNG's reruns often brought in almost as high of a rating as the first-run episodes. I noticed early on DS9 was getting near-TNG ratings for first-run episodes, but there was a huge drop in viewership for reruns. Like a first run TNG and DS9 episodes might both get a 9.0 rating, while the TNG rerun would bring in like a 8.0 and the DS9 rerun would bring in a 5.0.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Why did the ratings slide?

BRAGA

Not bloody likely. Braga was never in charge of the writing staff on TNG; he was one of many staff writers.

 

[Hober Mallow]

Why did the ratings slide?

BRAGA

Not bloody likely. Braga was never in charge of the writing staff on TNG; he was one of many staff writers.

Yep. The bad one.

Obviously, the ratings didn't drop, but most fans believe the quality did the last couple seasons. I don't think you can really point to one person, but if one person has to take blame, it's Jeri Taylor. She was in charge of the writing staff after DS9 premiered. To me, those last few seasons feel a bit like Voyager -- forgetable, formulaic episodes. Piller still had final word over stories, but as he was busy cultivating DS9 and creatingh his own series for UPN, Legend, Taylor handled the day-to-day duties of TNG.

 

[roguephoenix]

as far as tng they pretty much stayed consistent. the reason they went off the air was not to ratings, but because of money issues and some of the actors had enough of the daily schedule. as far as the downward slide of ratings for trek in general, i think ds9 started that....

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Why did the ratings slide?

BRAGA

Not bloody likely. Braga was never in charge of the writing staff on TNG; he was one of many staff writers.

Yep. The bad one.

An opinion that doesn't address the point, of course.

 

[ManaByte]

Here's a typical Braga episode:

Lets all have nightmares while the Enterprise de-evolves into a model-T car and Troi has a psychological crisis over the whole thing.

 

[RAMA]

Dont you just love how people comment on your threads, and find it hard to stay on topic...

TNG's ratings slid for many reasons. But one real reason, IMO, is that they were on autopilot for the last three seasons, prepping for their move to the big screen.

I also think they kind of jumped the Shark with BOBW part two. Though many good episodes come after it, I think part two was such a letdown. And then the other season-cliffhangers tried to out-wow BOBW, but got worse each time...

And the competition had better looking babes; BAYWATCH. Baywatch killed TNG and DS9 in the ratings; big breasts = big ratings. RO LAREN came up too short in that area; should have signed Pamela Anderson!

Rob

The ratings actually went up:

Star Trek
The Next Generation
1987-1994
syndicated Season Rating Households Viewers Share A18-49
Rating GAA
Rating GAA
Households # of
Eps 1 (1987-1988) 10.90 9.66 million
-
26 2 (1988-1989) 10.10 9.13 million
-
22 3 (1989-1990) 10.41 9.59 million
-
26 4 (1990-1991) 11.32 10.54 million
-
26 5 (1991-1992) 12.50 11.51 million
-
26 6 (1992-1993) 12.66 11.79 million
- 10.65
26 7 (1993-1994) 12.28 11.57 million
- 13.41 12.63 million 26 Total Episodes Aired 178

The GAA total attempted to compensate for multiple airings. Also its is well known the syndication ratings did not really accurately count a lot of the viewership, the ratings were probably much higher.

 

[TedShatner10]

Ugh, I quite liked Brannon Braga penned episodes such as "Cause and Effect", "The Game", and "Frame of Mind", much of his stuff was streets ahead of early TNG, although "Genesis" in S7 was pants, loaded down by cod evolution, yet "Parallels" was genuinely great stuff. I wouldn't say Season Six of TNG was like Voyager at all, although I can see the comparisons with Season Seven when the production crew were burning out, on hindsight a sign NOT spin off more shows to drive the franchise into the ground.

Why childishly retro actively disallow what made him a popular writer to begin with? If he didn't stay too long in the franchise or was properly reigned in by Berman and Taylor, he would've been better respected by fandom.

 

[Hober Mallow]

Here's a typical Braga episode:

Lets all have nightmares while the Enterprise de-evolves into a model-T car and Troi has a psychological crisis over the whole thing.

You forgot the part where the Enterprise blows up. The Enterprise has to blow up in a Braga episode, preferably several times.

Looking back at Braga's episodes, he had this odd ship destruction fetish. Has anyone ever counted how many times Braga blew up the Enterprise during his time with TNG? Six or seven times in "Cause and Effect." At least once in "Timescape." Once in Generations. He said he wanted to do it in Descent, Part II. Am I forgetting any?

The GAA total attempted to compensate for multiple airings. Also its is well known the syndication ratings did not really accurately count a lot of the viewership, the ratings were probably much higher.

The problem being that syndicated series aired at different days and times in different areas.

 

[ManaByte]

Ugh, I quite liked Brannon Braga penned episodes such as "Cause and Effect", "The Game", and "Frame of Mind", much of his stuff was streets ahead of early TNG, although "Genesis" in S7 was pants, loaded down by cod evolution, yet "Parallels" was genuinely great stuff. I wouldn't say Season Six of TNG was like Voyager at all, although I can see the comparisons with Season Seven when the production crew were burning out, on hindsight a sign NOT spin off more shows to drive the franchise into the ground.

Why childishly retro actively disallow what made him a popular writer to begin with? If he didn't stay too long in the franchise or was properly reigned in by Berman and Taylor, he would've been better respected by fandom.

The only thing that saved Cause and Effect was Frakes directing it. The Game was the ultimate slap in the face to fans as it was yet ANOTHER "Wesley saves the Enterprise and makes the seasoned officers look like idiots" episode. And Frame of Mind was like the poster child for the dark psychological horror that angst boy Braga had a fetish for.

 

[Hober Mallow]

I liked "Cause and Effect," but it could have been better. And unfortunately after this episode Braga decided every story he wrote had to involve time travel and the Enterprise blowing up.

 

[DWF]

I liked "Cause and Effect," but it could have been better. And unfortunately after this episode Braga decided every story he wrote had to involve time travel and the Enterprise blowing up.

Where was the time travel and exploding ships in Frame Of Mind then?

 

[ManaByte]

I liked "Cause and Effect," but it could have been better. And unfortunately after this episode Braga decided every story he wrote had to involve time travel and the Enterprise blowing up.

Where was the time travel and exploding ships in Frame Of Mind then?

In Riker's mind, of course.

 

[Michael]

Personally, I'd take season 8 of TNG over season 1 of DS9 any day of the week.

I don't.

Why did the ratings slide?

BRAGA

When did he do that? Before or after he poisoned the wells?

 

[Hober Mallow]

Looking back at Braga's episodes, he had this odd ship destruction fetish. Has anyone ever counted how many times Braga blew up the Enterprise during his time with TNG? Six or seven times in "Cause and Effect." At least once in "Timescape." Once in Generations. He said he wanted to do it in Descent, Part II. Am I forgetting any?

Yes I am. It blew up twice in "All Good Things" and once in "Paralells." Any other times?

I didn't watched Voyager. Did he ever get to blow that one up?

 

[Jimmy_C]

Looking back at Braga's episodes, he had this odd ship destruction fetish. Has anyone ever counted how many times Braga blew up the Enterprise during his time with TNG? Six or seven times in "Cause and Effect." At least once in "Timescape." Once in Generations. He said he wanted to do it in Descent, Part II. Am I forgetting any?

Yes I am. It blew up twice in "All Good Things" and once in "Paralells." Any other times?

I didn't watched Voyager. Did he ever get to blow that one up?

Several times.

 

[ManaByte]

While viewing the ship blowing up for the 10,0000th time:

Braga: "My god Ron... what have I done?"
Moore: "What you had to do. What you always do: blow up the damn ship when you can't pull a better story idea out of your ass. "