How is this show doing? I know it has a tough time slot, but I think it's the kind of show that if you watch episode 1, you'll stay tuned for all 24. I only pray that it lasts the whole season.

The last time I loved a show this much was "Now & Again". It at least lasted the season, but the cliffhanger was never resolved. If I was rich, I'd pay the producers to shoot a final episode of that show.

Here is how it did the other week in its timeslot:

09:00 -
Frasier
Guardian
NYPD Blue
24
Smallville
Hughleys

It is finishing last of the "real" networks. And a couple of weeks ago, Smallville actually beat it - which was huge because the WB has a lot less affiliates than Fox, so they should never be beating them. Fox was very embarrassed.

The show has been doing everything from as low as 4.3/5 up to last week's 6.3/9. These are overnights. The nationals are even lower.

It has never finished higher than 4th in it's time slot.

But it has been picked up for the whole season and could come back next year if the ratings hover around 6.3/9 the rest of the way.

Sadly to say, its ratings have been pathetic.

Combine the fact that it is replayed at least twice so someone could wathc smallville, and then 24 later.

It got a 5.5/8 for this past tuesday 1-22

Do you think starting the season so late after baseball hurt fox? Other than Bernie Mac(not sure about the ratings) is there a single new fox show due back? With x-files ending this year you would think they would have to commit to a one of these shows for next year.

I think it's hurting because it's up against NYPD Blue, which has the same target audience.

You know, daring, critically praised dramas are few and far between. Ratings are great, but sometimes presitge also counts for something. Shows like Hill Street Blues, Cheers, The Practice and Party of Five were renewed after their first year with terrible ratings but critical praise and found their audience later. I don't know if 24 will be any more successful in a second season, but after losing X-Files and (probably) Ally McBeal, I think Fox will probably renew 24 to give it a shot at a second season to catch on (and hope for an Emmy or two). A show of this high quality and originality deserves some slack. Even the VERY low rated Murder One (which 24 is often compared to because they both had season-long story arcs) was allowed to come back for an ill-fated second season (albiet with major changes mandated from the network (including a new lead and shortened story arcs). Maybe I'm just overly optomistic, but I can see a similar situation happening for 24 even if the ratings don't start to pick up.

One side note: If they are getting killed in the ratings, why to they insist on running every show a second time? I get it for the pilot (where you want to introduce the show to as many people as possible), but now they are having a second prime-time hour with dismal ratings every week. Who is that helping?

It seems that a lot of weekday dramas on FOX fail, with the exception of Ally McBeal and the X-Files of course.

From ew.com


FOX No. 4 in total viewers; tied for No. 2 among 18- to 49-year-olds
The Good God bless the Sunday funnies of No. 25 ''The Simpsons'' and No. 26 ''Malcolm in the Middle.'' ''The Bernie Mac Show'' (No. 26 in 18-49) boasts breakout potential, while ''Boston Public'' earns high marks on Mondays at No. 28. ''It's doing what you want a sophomore show to do -- building on last year,'' says Fox exec VP Preston Beckman.
The Bad For being the most hyped show this fall, ''24'' is pretty low-key at No. 59. ''It's tough to launch a serialized drama on this network,'' reasons Beckman. ''24'''s lead-in, underdog collegecom ''Undeclared'' (No. 69) didn't help matters, but at least those wacky kids did better than ''The Tick'' (nixed at No. 103), ''Dark Angel'' (No. 85, down more than a third from last year), and murder mystery ''Pasadena'' (No. 111). And from the Harsh Reality file: ''Temptation Island 2'' was marooned at No. 95 (it was No. 15 last year), while ''Love Cruise'' washed up at No. 85. Speaking of sinking ships, ''The X-Files'' (No. 62) and ''Ally McBeal'' (No. 54) are netting their lowest numbers ever.
The Upshot Sure, you've had some setbacks, but if the success of ''The Simpsons'' and ''Malcolm'' tells you anything, it's this: Quirky programming is your bread and butter.
Midseason hopefuls Female-abroad dramedy ''The American Embassy''; office comedy ''Andy Richter Controls the Universe.''

http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1...losers,00.html

There's an article in today's USA Today about 24 and its sub-par ratings (unfortunately, the story isn't on-line as far as I can tell). They confirm that the show will probably be back next year, but with some changes likely. They suggest that most likely each episode will be self-contained, which will make the show much more conventional. They suggested that the show might be recast or that these actors might play different parts (highly unlikely). My favorite suggestion was to make it 3 story arcs over a season. I find this funny because it now essentially becomes a race to free his daughter and save the candidate before his 8-hour workday ends and he has to put in for overtime. "I'm Jack Bauer and today will be the longest shift of my life...."

the article also mentions that the ratings may pick up now that the Friday repeats are over and that if the ratings remain okay for the next twelve-week shift, things might remain pretty much the same next year

Making changes such as these would be a mistake. The sub-par ratings are due to the timeslot. It is in one of the most competetive time slots out there. Unfortunately, even if they move it to another night, who would want to tune in for the first time to catch episode # 13? All I care about is that we get through the entire season and the DVD set comes out soon.

Here it is:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lear.htm

Huh ... sounds EXACTLY like Murder One from a few seasons ago. The retooling did not work then, and it will not work now. Do these network executives have a clue. People have millions of choices to do and see (internet, cable, daily family things) and they most likely will not follow a single arc storyline series for the whole season. That is why Law and Order is so sucessful.
I really tried to watch the show after all the hype ... but I just did not watch to follow it. I wanted to scream everytime, Keifer goes and calls his wife on the cell phone i.e. every five minutes. I don't watch anything on Tuesday at 9:00pm but I do sometime watch Scrubs.

I do not buy the excuse that it is in a tough timeslot. Saturday at 9:00pm is a tough time slot. Tuesdays at 9:00pm should not be. If a show like Dark Angel can do Ok in that slot, then 24 should be at least more competitive.

Well chowderhead, I may not agree with you about much (I love the show), but I do about one thing : the retooling won't help. If they do it, they should go ahead and rename the show. I mean, what would 24 mean then? Maybe they can call it CTU and hope the illiterate masses tune in hoping to watch CSI instead.

Unfortunately that's exactly right. I was lucky enough to catch the first episode and got hooked. People think "Oh, I won't know what's going on if I start watching now." And I think they'd be right.

FX could do a marathon to catch people up. Or Fox could run them again, one per night for two weeks. Something.

Too bad. It's a great, fun show.

It's up against Nypd Blue, Frasier and Scrubs, Smallville, The Guardian. Pretty tough time slot in my opinion. To me 24 is the best of all these shows but from the ratings it looks like alot of people don't agree.

Clint

But.. its the best show.. ever!!

I love it

I'd hate for it to be a regular show.

Why not just keep the characters/actors the way they are, and just come up with another terrorist oriented storyline? Instead of it involving Bauer's family, it'll be a little more tame and I guess realistic, but still be edgy and exciting?

Maybe for the second season, terrorists are trying to attack something or someone. There's all kinds of terrorism in the U.S, by U.S citizens, so it could be interesting.

I think 24 could possibly be a huge DVD hit. It's perfect for a DVD, and it's got great critical reviews. Just think what would happen if it won the emmy for best drama. I think a lot of people just don't want to jump into a show once they've missed so much, it's not like other shows. Fox might be able to cash in on DVD sales.

Also, I always imagined a 2nd season of 24 having an entirely different cast.