DS9 Companion's claim that DS9 ranked at top of the syndicated ratings

[Navaros]

On the back cover of the DS9 Companion book, it states the following, quoted verbatim:

at the end of seven years it [DS9] could boast of ranking at the top of the syndicated ratings year after year.

That sounds very good to me, but maybe I am misunderstanding what it truly means.

Is that a really good achievement, or just a marginally good achievement?

What does it mean, exactly?

What is it comparing DS9 to when it says 'at the top', at the top compared to what other shows, specifically?

 

[mattyhugh]

Re: DS9 Companion's claim that DS9 ranked at top of the syndicated rat

On the back cover of the DS9 Companion book, it states the following, quoted verbatim:

at the end of seven years it [DS9] could boast of ranking at the top of the syndicated ratings year after year.

That sounds very good to me, but maybe I am misunderstanding what it truly means.

Is that a really good achievement, or just a marginally good achievement?

What does it mean, exactly?

What is it comparing DS9 to when it says 'at the top', at the top compared to what other shows, specifically?

I think we'd be talking about the shows in the same vintage that were syndicated. Xena etc.

 

[timelord1010]

Re: DS9 Companion's claim that DS9 ranked at top of the syndicated rat

That's what I thought, other sci-fi/fantasy shows. It could also mean all syndicated shows in general since besides sci-fi and fantasy there weren't alot of other shows in syndication besides cancelled network shows at that time.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Re: DS9 Companion's claim that DS9 ranked at top of the syndicated rat

Except, of course, that "at the top" is a bit more ambiguous than "number one." The top three or four series could be said to be "at the top of the syndicated ratings," and in fact Xena beat DS9 pretty regularly through much of its run.

It's possible that DS9's final episode finished at the top of that week's GAA ratings.

That comparison is also probably excluding syndicated fare other than one-hour dramas, as Oprah beat everything else pretty handily most weeks.

 

[Navaros]

Re: DS9 Companion's claim that DS9 ranked at top of the syndicated rat

Except, of course, that "at the top" is a bit more ambiguous than "number one."

Ha ha, maybe Sloan wrote that blurb with maximum spin-doctoring effect in mind.

 

[Who1]

Re: DS9 Companion's claim that DS9 ranked at top of the syndicated rat

Except, of course, that "at the top" is a bit more ambiguous than "number one." The top three or four series could be said to be "at the top of the syndicated ratings," and in fact Xena beat DS9 pretty regularly through much of its run.

It's possible that DS9's final episode finished at the top of that week's GAA ratings.

That comparison is also probably excluding syndicated fare other than one-hour dramas, as Oprah beat everything else pretty handily most weeks.

I'm having a hard time corroborating this with articles, but IIRC, Xena and sometimes Hercules starting overtaking DS9 in the ratings during season 5 and most of season 6. DS9 returned to consistently being the number one syndicated drama in its last season - DS9's ratings didn't drop dramatically from the previous year, but Xena and Hercules both plummeted.