When does Supernatural return?

[Candlelight]

I hate the American way of broadcasting. Why can't you guys just broadcast 22 weeks in a row?

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Because of designated "sweeps periods" where advertising rates are determined.

However, Supernatural (and the CW) won't be broadcasting any new scripted shows during this February sweeps period because of the analog/digital switchover that was supposed to have occurred February 17. It feared loss of viewers lost in the switch, so it pushed all its new episodes to March instead.

Only problem is that Congress delayed the switch. So the network is out of luck during February sweeps; it apparently won't or can't reschedule, so there won't be any new episodes of Supernatural or Smallville broadcast until the 12th of March. Some sites say the 5th but that's incorrect. Supernatural.tv confirms the date of next first run broadcast as March 12th. Hopefully the return of Castiel will spark interest after another ridiculous hiatus.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I hate the American way of broadcasting. Why can't you guys just broadcast 22 weeks in a row?

Because the 30 week hiatus would kill any show dead, even the ones with the rabid fan followings.

There's just too much else to be distracted by. Haven't you seen how badly TV in general is losing audience? Didn't you notice the ratings carnage caused by the Writers' Strike and the unnaturally long hiatus? That cost us several good shows and seriously damaged Heroes' ratings (tho fortunately not fatally).

'Course Dorian will tell you that the way they loused up the Petrellicest is really to blame.

Because of designated "sweeps periods" where advertising rates are determined.

Sweeps are actually losing importance; but the increase in non-TV competition for people's attention will only get worse.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

They did louse up the Petrellicest. I'm still waiting for that big blow up over Peter SHOOTING HIM!!! It just fell by the wayside like Nathan never remembered. Hell, all we got were harsh words. Sam and Dean had a knock down drag out complete with a thrown knife and an ax on Supernatural when the (male) siren was screwing with their minds. Dean knocked Sam through a closed door into the hallway.

And Temis won't give them another chance. Sam's not boring anymore, Temis.

 

[Candlelight]

Because the 30 week hiatus would kill any show dead, even the ones with the rabid fan followings.

There's just too much else to be distracted by. Haven't you seen how badly TV in general is losing audience? Didn't you notice the ratings carnage caused by the Writers' Strike and the unnaturally long hiatus? That cost us several good shows and seriously damaged Heroes' ratings (tho fortunately not fatally).

You're speaking from a strickly American sense. In England shows are broadcast with 13 episodes or less, so there are at least 39 weeks between seasons... and they seem to do just fine...

Oh and I completely agree with you about Heroes, I'm very glad they kept one of my top 5 shows alive.

Thanks for the March 12th tip. Will keep my eyes peeled for it.

Hopefully we get more episodes of Dean and Sam beating the shit out of each other.

 

[nx1701g]

Only problem is that Congress delayed the switch.

OT: True, yet not rigidly enforced. My local CW affiliate has switched over to the digital signal in the Pittsburgh area. The Fox affiliate has done the same.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I hate the American way of broadcasting. Why can't you guys just broadcast 22 weeks in a row?

Because the 30 week hiatus would kill any show dead, even the ones with the rabid fan followings.

There's just too much else to be distracted by. Haven't you seen how badly TV in general is losing audience? Didn't you notice the ratings carnage caused by the Writers' Strike and the unnaturally long hiatus? That cost us several good shows and seriously damaged Heroes' ratings (tho fortunately not fatally).

'

I don't think that's true. If it is American's must have dreadfully short attention spans. I think the loss of ratings has a lot to do with other factors rather than people having the attention span of a gnat with ADD, such as why watch on a schedule when you can use a DVR or online streaming/downloads and watch whenever you like, or save up a few episodes and watch a few at a time? I know there is the "There's so much choice why bother with TV" Factor too, but I don't think it's as big as made out, people watch, just later.

I find gaps here, there and everywhere much more annoying than waiting 6 months or a year for a new series/season .

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I'm still waiting for that big blow up over Peter SHOOTING HIM!!!

Oh, now it's so clear! I was wondering why Nathan has returned inexplicably to treating Peter like a prize dunce not to mention

Spoiler: Heroes to date

having his goons throw a sack over his head and trying to cart him off to Mutant Gitmo.

I was thinking, wow, man, harsh. Dude's your brother.

But now I see it: this is all a delayed passive-aggressive reaction on Nathan's part, thus tying up that loose end and explaining away this show's most recent bout of looney characterization.

I know I'm not sposed to turn this into the Heroes thread but I was late to the last two threads and nobody will talk to me!

I don't think that's true. If it is American's must have dreadfully short attention spans.

It's not so much the attention span, it's the motive to pay attention compared with all the other things competing for our attention. Maybe in the UK it's all completely different, but America is NOISY as hell, with half a billion things beeping and flashing and trying to get our attention at every waking moment. So Americans are increasingly just tuning out of it all. It's not ADD, it's self-protection. I know I do it myself. And what we do pay attention to isn't likely to be boring broadcast TV anymore - too schlerotic to keep pace with what people really want. The big networks have gotten complacent and now that competition is nibbling them to death, they don't know what to do.

I think the loss of ratings has a lot to do with other factors rather than people having the attention span of a gnat with ADD, such as why watch on a schedule when you can use a DVR or online streaming/downloads and watch whenever you like, or save up a few episodes and watch a few at a time?

DVR = no ad revenue. DVR use is increasing but it's not a business model anyone can do anything with.

Online streaming/downloads = there are legal forms, so that's a viable model for the future. Still so embryonic that it doesn't much count for salvaging a show that otherwise is getting poor ratings.

So the only viable business model is still eyeballs watching ads, measured by the mighty Nielsens. Someday that will change but not quickly enough to save any show that might currently be in trouble.

In England shows are broadcast with 13 episodes or less, so there are at least 39 weeks between seasons... and they seem to do just fine...

You must live in a society where everyone isn't scrambling all over each other for your attention so insistently that the only sane defense is to ignore practically everything. I know I've become incredibly adept at filter, filter, filter.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Hopefully we get more episodes of Dean and Sam beating the shit out of each other.

Stay tuned for the last two eps. "Sex and Violence's" little knife throwing, axe wielding bout was just a warm up according to TPTB. Heh. Nathan and Peter couldn't be this hot if they tried. Nothing like a male siren forcing you into a battle that's already brewing underneath the surface.....and it's just the warm up for the main event.

TEMIS, YOU REALLY SHOULD WATCH THIS SHOW

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I don't think that's true. If it is American's must have dreadfully short attention spans.

It's not so much the attention span, it's the motive to pay attention compared with all the other things competing for our attention. Maybe in the UK it's all completely different, but America is NOISY as hell, with half a billion things beeping and flashing and trying to get our attention at every waking moment. So Americans are increasingly just tuning out of it all. It's not ADD, it's self-protection. I know I do it myself. And what we do pay attention to isn't likely to be boring broadcast TV anymore - too schlerotic to keep pace with what people really want. The big networks have gotten complacent and now that competition is nibbling them to death, they don't know what to do.

It's not that different you know, we have exactly the same things going on. Digital TV means 90% of the country now has at least 30 channels to choose from, hundreds if you're on cable or satellite, internet, dvd rentals, game consoles, and any number of other things you can do with your time besides sit and watch TV, and of course the ratings are slipping on the big networks, and there's ad revenue problems for ITV and Channel 4, yet over 5m(around 25% of the viewing audience) people still managed to remember to tune in for Hustle after being off the air for 18 months off the air.

I think the loss of ratings has a lot to do with other factors rather than people having the attention span of a gnat with ADD, such as why watch on a schedule when you can use a DVR or online streaming/downloads and watch whenever you like, or save up a few episodes and watch a few at a time?

DVR = no ad revenue. DVR use is increasing but it's not a business model anyone can do anything with.

Online streaming/downloads = there are legal forms, so that's a viable model for the future. Still so embryonic that it doesn't much count for salvaging a show that otherwise is getting poor ratings.

So the only viable business model is still eyeballs watching ads, measured by the mighty Nielsens. Someday that will change but not quickly enough to save any show that might currently be in trouble.

There have been studies that prove that wrong though, I know advertisers probably won't accept that, because then there's no guarrentee that people are seeing your ad, but guess what? There never was, people would go to toilet, make a drink, turn the sound down and talk, whatever, so why is it now a problem? I know it's rhetorical.
I'm not saying those are reasons for keeping shows on the air, but they are reasons why the ratings aren't there, because people do have better things to do with their time they're finding ways to watch shows at their own convenience.
You're right, networks do need to adapt, and it's not to try and keep people watching in the same numbers, it's to realise they will never see those "live" numbers again they need to be happy with smaller numbers, with smaller budgets, make international shows in conjuntion with other broadcasters and make up their budgets that way and being happy with smaller audiences. Because their hardly ever going to see huge ratings again.

In England shows are broadcast with 13 episodes or less, so there are at least 39 weeks between seasons... and they seem to do just fine...

You must live in a society where everyone isn't scrambling all over each other for your attention so insistently that the only sane defense is to ignore practically everything. I know I've become incredibly adept at filter, filter, filter.

You think there isn't advertising every where here? Even the BBC who don't advertise advertise, if it's not their own shows it's charity events, music events, pay your licence fee, their radio shows, remember to get digital, catch up now online or on cable etc. etc. That's without the up to 17 minutes of ads an hour on the networks and even on the pay tv channels. But if you like a show why the fuck would you ignore it when it comes back on? Sure maybe now there's a new show you like that's on too, but that's what dual tuner DVRs are for...