Discovery and "The Orville" Comparisons

[MvRojo]

If Discovery fails, I think it will have more to do with it being on CBS All Access than to The Orville. The show could fail to pull in enough new subscribers because of fans unwilling to pay for another streaming service, especially if they have some reservations about the show's new style. It might have been better to put the show on a regular network where they can get more viewers and with good ratings, be a commercial success.

It would have been hard to compete with CBS' other shows in terms of ratings. It would have to compete with other networks, and the ratings of other shows on CBS, to survive. Advertising revenue is based off of ratings for viewers ages 18-49.

Even if CAA only adds 2 million subscribers to its already existing subscriber base, each of those subscribers matter since they directly contribute. And even if they subscribe only the four months that Discovery is on, that is $48-80 million that is direct to CBS. If they don't cancel, that's $144-240 million a year. It'll obviously be somewhere in between.

 

[Noname Given]

It would have been hard to compete with CBS' other shows in terms of ratings. It would have to compete with other networks, and the ratings of other shows on CBS, to survive. Advertising revenue is based off of ratings for viewers ages 18-49.

Even if CAA only adds 2 million subscribers to its already existing subscriber base, each of those subscribers matter since they directly contribute. And even if they subscribe only the four months that Discovery is on, that is $48-80 million that is direct to CBS. If they don't cancel, that's $144-240 million a year. It'll obviously be somewhere in between.

I believe they said that with ST: D they were hoping to get (IE have a final sustained total) to 4 million regular subscribers to CBSAA.
^^^
Whether this performance has changed over the time they've been producing and getting the show ready to release , I have no idea.

 

[MvRojo]

I believe they said that with ST: D they were hoping to get (IE have a final sustained total) to 4 million regular subscribers to CBSAA.
^^^
Whether this performance has changed over the time they've been producing and getting the show ready to release , I have no idea.

Yeah, they have 1.5-2 million now, so tacked on the other 2 million. I think the revised goal was 4 million combined from Showtime and CAA by the end of this year, and 8 million by 2020.

 

[starmike]

Star Trek has never been a pop culture craze. It became a staple niche over time, but it was never the thing that completely took over.

It was insanely popular in the 70s and 80s. You couldn't go into a store without seeing SOMETHING from Star Trek.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Which is not the same thing as being talk show and water cooler fare in every office in the US (And most of the rest of the West.)

 

[Noname Given]

Which is not the same thing as being talk show and water cooler fare in every office in the US (And most of the rest of the West.)

Again, by the early to mid 1970ies it honestly was - station were reporting ratings in syndication they had never seen before - and some local stations did run re-runs of the show in Prime Time as a result.

There's a reason that by 1973 NBC did the animated series AND tried to hold that series to the same level of storytelling (IE Filmation WANTED some more 'kid-friendly' type elements including some child cadets but Paramount said "No way.")

 

[BillJ]

Again, by the early to mid 1970ies it honestly was - station were reporting ratings in syndication they had never seen before - and some local stations did run re-runs of the show in Prime Time as a result.

Problem was that Paramount never really seemed to be able to capitalize on it, neither then or when TNG was doing fantastic numbers. So Trek had its moments, but never really solidified itself as "the big thing".

 

[Mudd]

TNG was kinda the "big thing" in sf on TV for a few years (1990-1994, at least), and broadcast TV was itself "the big thing" in those days. Check out the number of TV Guide covers and articles devoted to it at that time.*

* TV Guide was "the big thing" in video consumer journalism in those days.

 

[Campe]

If Hamilton was only ever staged at a community theater in Peoria, then it most likely never would have achieved the success it did.

Seriously, I did a lot of community theater in Peoria back in the day.
You never know what they might be able to prod-- Yeah, you're right.

 

[tenmei]

I'm enjoying it thus far - but it's in the categoy of 'If I lost the ability to watch it, I probably wouldn't be that bothered ...'

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Problem was that Paramount never really seemed to be able to capitalize on it, neither then or when TNG was doing fantastic numbers. So Trek had its moments, but never really solidified itself as "the big thing".

Spaceships, aliens, and the occasional moments of SF fantasy violence can take you only so far, when you have boring, bland characters.

 

[KennyB]

It's getting press because it was first out of the gate.................

 

[BillJ]

It's getting press because it was first out of the gate.................

I think it is getting press because no one expected it to come out of the gate as strong as it has.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

...* TV Guide was "the big thing" in video consumer journalism in those days.

I used to love the TV Guide.

I especially liked the crossword puzzle, because it could be done in one bathroom sitting (this is before people had mobile phones to help pass the time in the bathroom).

I know......T.M.I., but I don't care.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

When I was a kid, I read the TV Guide cover-to-cover to find all the times that Star Trek was on (it often changed from week to week).

 

[fireproof78]

I think it is getting press because no one expected it to come out of the gate as strong as it has.

I did.

When I was a kid, I read the TV Guide cover-to-cover to find all the times that Star Trek was on (it often changed from week to week).

Same here, or the local newspaper.

 

[KennyB]

I think it is getting press because no one expected it to come out of the gate as strong as it has.

Meh---we will see if everyone follows to Thursday this week. Curious how the gender reassignment episode works out for them.

 

[Mirror Mirror]

Meh---we will see if everyone follows to Thursday this week. Curious how the gender reassignment episode works out for them.

It was a bit tone deaf, they did not really seem to understand the real world subject they were trying to tie it into. It also tried to go from comedy to super dramatic and tense from one second to the next. I think this one was a miss and will likely get them flak.

 

[galad2003]

Fox let's you watch online with minimal fuss and commercials so I will do that if I forget to watch Thursdays

 

[KennyB]

Fox let's you watch online with minimal fuss and commercials so I will do that if I forget to watch Thursdays

That's how I've been watching them all so far, but episode 3 link is broken...............I'm sure they will correct soon.