Пишут, что NBC, мягко говоря, обоср...лось с новым сериалом Southland.
It seems like less than a month ago that we were hyping Southland as the season's biggest surprise hit and the end of NBC's struggling run. Well, that's because it was less than a month ago. Three weeks later, the numbers tell a completely different story.
Southland premiered April 10 to great numbers for NBC--9.72 million viewers and a 3.2 rating among adults. The second week was just as impressive--9.58 million and a 3.1--maybe even more impressive given the usual second-week dropoff.
But then things started to go sour. Week three saw the first significant drop, with just over 8 million viewers and only a 2.4 rating among the 18-49 demo. Last night's tally was even more disheartening, as only 6.68 million tuned in, good for a 2.1 rating. It was beaten by the Private Practice finale and a repeat of NCIS, and barely beat Univision's Mujeres Asesinas (which sounds both sexy AND deadly) in the 18-34 demographic. New network television shows are getting pounded in recent years, but Southland gave us hope for a few weeks that the trend could be reversed. I guess the question is: Is this a problem for the industry or a problem for NBC? Only CBS' The Mentalist stands out as a new scripted show that can legitimately be called a hit this past season. Despite the decline in ratings, Southland is considered almost a certain pickup when NBC announces its 2009-2010 schedule on Monday.
Is network television doomed? Are you watching Southland?