Well, the "crazy Sarah" plot that ran over several episodes certainly was. Once that was resolved the series made an incredible turn around.
TSCC: Thoughts on the Ratings Decline
- Thread starter Andonagio
- Start date
Which is kinda ironic since there was practically no family dynamic. For a bunch of people whose sole mission is to protect John they spend almost no time with him.
Apart from all that time they spend with him ~~ people make some crazy generalisations about tv shows.
The ratings went down because it was too slow for a lot of people. I am not one of those people, but the method I use to watch the show won't help the ratings any, and by the time I get to buy the Season 2 DVDs it'll be far too late.
The only episode I didn't much like was the one with the sleep clinic, because it felt like they were trying to be clever much more than they were trying to tell a decent story. It was a shame, because most of the time the slightly odd creative directions this show took made me really happy. I like it to the point where I almost wish that T1 and T2 could be remade to fit in with it better, rather than the other way around. (and yes, I'm aware that's blasphemy).
It really is a shame. I can't really blame Fox - the ratings really aren't very good, and they did give the show a chance before moving it to the death slot (unlike Dollhouse). We got more episodes than were maybe warranted by its performance, but maybe they could be persuaded to do a miniseries or a one off tv movie or something? Something that Fox could bill as a "Special Terminator Event!" and release on DVD - possibly to tie in with Salvation 2.
(Apologies for the past tense used throughout this post - I know it hasn't actually been cancelled yet - and I live in hope... just... not that much hope)
I'm sorry my good man, but I just don't think that's accurate. There was precious little shown over thirty-odd episodes that would qualify TSCC as family drama and let's be honest, the word "Terminator" that precedes "Sarah Connor Chronicles" will always pigeon-hole the series as action-based.
The nearest "family" dynamic we got was John and Cameron, and that was most definitely romantic rather than sibling-based. There was precious, precious little dynamic between Sarah and her son save the Season II opener.
The producers said a lot of things which turned out to be nonsense, and they did a lot of things that in my opinion, were misguided at best.
While I agree that the move to Fridays certainly didn't help, I disagree that it was the primary reason the show dropped from 5.25 million to 3.6 million viewers over the hiatus. Yes, a lot of the target audiences aren't watching TV on Friday nights, but in this era of DVRs, VCRs and the internet, does the time of week a show airs really matter anymore? If people enjoy a show enough, they'll follow it wherever it goes. This is especially true for genre shows like TSCC. If they aren't watching on Friday night, they'll make a point to copy it or download it and watch it later.
My point is that if people stopped watching just because it moved to Fridays, it must've been a pretty easy show to give up on. Why is that?
I'm with Tim-and stuff like Allison of Palmdale made it worth the draggy episodes. The Sarah Sleep Clinic episode was wild as well. The show has potential-I'm just not sure how much will get used given the slavering wolves(sorry, critics and fans) demanding immediate gratification. Allowing a show to develop is no longer part of the network methodology. That's a sad thing, as shows like Pushing Daisys and Kings, as well as SCC, get left in the dust. I still have hopes-but will we see the resolution of John where he is now, who that character is that Summer seemed to be playing and where Scary Lady went off to? I doubt it.
I'm just going by what the producers have said. Josh Friedman said it, Zack Stentz said it. Actually, at one point, Friedman called it Seventh Heaven with Terminators.
Maybe they really believed that, but to me - someone with no experience of script writing, just a normal man who sits and watches the programmes - it never seemed to be more than a kick-arse, rollercoaster action show with strong characters and deep relationships between them. It never occurred to me that it was meant to be more like Caprica, than BSG.
Frankly, if I'd known that was the intention I may never have watched it; I have no interest in Caprica like I did BSG, for example.
Frankly, if I'd known that was the intention I may never have watched it; I have no interest in Caprica like I did BSG, for example.
Well, I think the 5.25 and 3.6 million numbers are just the live-viewed Nielsens, so discussing DVR and online viewings isn't relevant in that context. I'm wondering if there would be a similar drop if all methods of viewing were summed.
Are you kidding? How many times did Sarah demand John tell her where he is over the cellphone? And who knows what the hell Derek was doing all the time. Even Cameron wasn't around John 24/7 and protecting him was her main objective.
Part of that is just the nature of television. When you've got an A and B plot you've got to split the cast up. Unfortunately the way they did it left the future savior of mankind to defend himself most the time.
While not much in this paragraph is in dispute, I do disagree a bit with your first statement. Well, not disagree, just add to it. Almost everyone I know that records TV or downloads TV programs (including myself) does so because their work and family schedule does not allow them to plop down in front of a TV at X time on X day. I record Big Bang Theory, for instance, because I work Monday nights. Vast numbers of people do not work 9-5 jobs anymore, and vast amounts of people with families these days have maybe an hour or so of personal time after work and family and homework and putting the kids to bed, etc. People simply do not have time to keep up with three or four different shows a week on the network's schedule.
I have no doubt that this is part of the reason why TV ratings have dropped over the years, people don't have four hours a night six days a week to watch it anymore like they did when I was a kid in the 80s. All of my friend's families were like this, not so much anymore.
QFT.
It kind of reminds me of the Blade series on Spike. I enjoyed it and liked the vampire intrigue but it was not really like the Blade movies. I could certainly see where someone who really liked the movies might not care for the series and many certainly made that clear.
I think they might have went a little too off track with TSSC, they kind of lost me for a while with Riley, the pregnant girl and all the other things going on. I imagine it would have to have been hard for the casual viewer as well.
I guess in the end we only really know what didn't work for us and basically we project that into why everyone didn't like it so who knows for sure?
I think they might have went a little too off track with TSSC, they kind of lost me for a while with Riley, the pregnant girl and all the other things going on. I imagine it would have to have been hard for the casual viewer as well.
I guess in the end we only really know what didn't work for us and basically we project that into why everyone didn't like it so who knows for sure?
The producers and writers agreed with you. Each of those were ordered by Fox for them to continue to air the series.
- Kacy Cotton (Pregnant woman): Was designed to keep Sarah Connor grounded in reality.
- Riley: Ordered by Fox to provide John a relationship. She was intended to be just a normal run of the mill girl but the fans hated her. That led to the revamped storyline where she was a time traveler sent back in time to drive a wedge between John and Cameron.
I haven't seen the final epsiodes of season 2 yet. I enjoyed season one tremendously, and I've worked hard to enjoy season 2. There has been a lot with it that I feel I've not enjoyed and not really understood where they were going with it. I've found it a frustrating show because I have really, really rooted for it and wanted it to be as good as its early potential. But it hasn't. I think I'm emotionally checking out because I fear it will be cancelled and I don't want to be hurt by the cancellation. One of the bigger problems for me is that I've not really been able to connect with Sarah and John. I've found them unlikeable and tedious.
One of the bigger problems for me is that I've not really been able to connect with Sarah and John. I've found them unlikeable and tedious.
QFTx2.
Not definitive confirmation, but Ausiello is a pretty reliable source.
Crap. I hope they can arrange for a TV movie or miniseries to act as a follow-up to the season finale if this is true.
As I said in the thread on the cancellation: don't trust Ausiello when it comes to Terminator. He confirmed its cancellation the day after Season 1 ended and it got a Season 2. Wait until the producers confirm it or Fox.
Please Note: I am not saying that it isn't cancelled, just wait until you hear it from someone who doesn't get paid based upon the clicks of his website.
