Friday: What Happened to Sweeps?
05-20-05, 06:39 AM
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Friday: What Happened to Sweeps?
I'd swear May Sweeps ended last night... I was just looking at TitanTV to set up my recording schedule for tonight, and wow. I'd say this is easily the worst Friday network TV wise since last summer. Hell, Christmas Eve, which fell on a Friday, had better programming. I mean really, there is absolutely nothing I want to watch on any network tonight.
ABC: Muppets Movie & 20/20
CBS: Dr Phil and Daytime Emmy Awards
Fox: Shallow Hal
NBC: An always exciting Dateline NBC two-hour special and... A repeat of a show NBC just canceled, L&O: TBJ
UPN: Who cares?
WB: Two Reba repeats, one new Reba, one new What I Like About You.
So basically one hour of new non-news programming out of six networks and 15 hours of combined TV. I realize Star Wars might be a reason for tonight's schedule, but really. This is the last Friday of May Sweeps? And even excluding this Friday and Star Wars, every Friday since sweeps began has been incredibly weak.
Personally, I was disappointed to see the networks give up on Saturdays a few years back, mainly due to the fact that they assumed no one was staying home and threw their worst programs on the night, despite the hit shows that were on Saturdays in the 80's/early 90's. Since all the junk they threw on Saturdays failed, now they just don't even bother.
It looks like Friday has become the new Saturday in terms of a refuse for weaker shows... Considering how Fridays for this sweeps period have been scheduled, especially this particular Friday, I have to wonder how long it will be until Friday joins Saturday in having absolutely nothing in terms of new, original scripted programming.
ABC: Muppets Movie & 20/20
CBS: Dr Phil and Daytime Emmy Awards
Fox: Shallow Hal
NBC: An always exciting Dateline NBC two-hour special and... A repeat of a show NBC just canceled, L&O: TBJ
UPN: Who cares?
WB: Two Reba repeats, one new Reba, one new What I Like About You.
So basically one hour of new non-news programming out of six networks and 15 hours of combined TV. I realize Star Wars might be a reason for tonight's schedule, but really. This is the last Friday of May Sweeps? And even excluding this Friday and Star Wars, every Friday since sweeps began has been incredibly weak.
Personally, I was disappointed to see the networks give up on Saturdays a few years back, mainly due to the fact that they assumed no one was staying home and threw their worst programs on the night, despite the hit shows that were on Saturdays in the 80's/early 90's. Since all the junk they threw on Saturdays failed, now they just don't even bother.
It looks like Friday has become the new Saturday in terms of a refuse for weaker shows... Considering how Fridays for this sweeps period have been scheduled, especially this particular Friday, I have to wonder how long it will be until Friday joins Saturday in having absolutely nothing in terms of new, original scripted programming.
05-20-05, 12:55 PM
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May sweeps has never gone through all of May. Unlike November and February, they typically end a week or two before the end of the month. The big movie season does have something to do with it.
05-20-05, 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Legolas
May sweeps has never gone through all of May. Unlike November and February, they typically end a week or two before the end of the month. The big movie season does have something to do with it.
That's not the point he is making. May sweeps this year ends next Wednesday, yet you wouldn't know it if you looked at tonight's schedule.
05-20-05, 05:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Red Dog
That's not the point he is making. May sweeps this year ends next Wednesday, yet you wouldn't know it if you looked at tonight's schedule.
Not all shows end their season at the same time.
05-20-05, 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Legolas
Not all shows end their season at the same time.
Sure, but it is still is a odd looking schedule given that it is sweeps.
05-20-05, 05:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Red Dog
Sure, but it is still is a odd looking schedule given that it is sweeps.
They got nothing to show us.
05-20-05, 07:43 PM
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I think the networks figure that a lot of people are going to be at the theatres. Plus some of the networks (ABC, CBS, UPN) wrapped up their Friday shows last week.
