It's not too bad. The numbers are still in the 4 million range.

That's not too far off the norm, excluding the premiere (which is almost always going to be a higher number) and "Cure." I think we can reasonably assume Dean Cain caused a decent bump in the ratings for "Cure." Helen Slater wasn't advertised, and even if she had been, I doubt her presence would have caused much of an increase in the ratings. People still remember "Lois and Clark" with love and affection, but no one remembers "Supergirl" with anything except fear and loathing:-).

But I agree with BadToad, I think advertising based around Kara is a bad idea. She's a new character, and even if people like her, they're not that invested in her fate as of yet.

The millions of viewers is very deceptive. The CW doesn't care about that number. It's the demos.

I'll use this analogy. If the network was a political candidate at a rally, then yes, just like a candidate they'd be happy to see a big crowd show up, because it looks good. But, when they talk nitty gritty, they'll be preoccupied with the people in the crowd who can vote because they're the only ones who matter to their big goal. So, if it was a rally of lots and lots of non-voters that would be a failure even though a lot of people showed up. For the CW, people over 34 = non-voters. They don't count. They're basically non-existent. They care about 18-34 only. Unfortunately, we don't get these numbers regularly bc Travis on pifeedback doesn't post them every week so it's hard to compare those figures. What virtually always happens though is that the 18-34 demo is greater than the 18-49 demo because SV's audience skews under 34. Some particular episodes have skewed exceptionally young/under 34, but without the figures for all, it's impossible to see a trend of why that is.

However, the significance is that Lara went down 500,000 viewers in 18-49 from Cure. That's disappointing. But, to me, the bigger issue is the first drop below 1.9 in the demos this season for the first week of sweeps. We'll have to see what happens next week to see if it is a fluke or the beginning of a trend.

I can hear next weeks excuse already!

'It's because Daylight Savings time being changed by falling back an hour'.

I read (well, really skimmed) an interview Dawn did with I think Forbes and bascially she had an excuse for everything!

Oh, and why is it Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader is doing so much better than SV still! When FOX had that comedy, the comedy would sometimes do worse than SV did?

At what episode are we supposed to go off on hiatus? #8? #9? And what date will that be on? And yup, Craig, January 3rd does seem awfully soon. They started a whole week or so later last year, didn't they? Then again, they showed "Subterranean" in the middle of hiatus, so ... I dunno. Can someone fill me in on the air dates for the next few episodes?

Game shows and reality TV do very well.

Does anyone know if the new episodes of Smallville will be delayed by the writer's strike that starts this Monday? Are the writers that work on Smallville part of the WGA?

They have through episode #16 written, though Al Gough did say in a recent interview that the strike may mean the shows might return later than expected.

It was a mid season replacement and right away it did better. I guess it's due to Jeff Foxworthy. I heard that he makes $10 million a year and is the most popular US comedian right now.

Someone on the Supernatural forum posted a graph of the ratings for all the CW shows this season. I thought it'd be interesting to post it here.

Yeah, S8 is in the bag.

Right. The way that gap is between Smallville and any other scripted show they got, I bet they'll milk everything they possibly can out of us die-hards, no matter how much the quality suffers. S9, maybe? Zoinks. Personally I think they won't stop unless the CW goes out of business, which isn't unlikely.

I think S9 might be pushing it. Al has said that they want S8 so badly because they have enough plot up until then to end the series the way they really want to and that if they do get S8, it will be their last. So while I think S8 is pretty much inevitable, unless AlMiles have changed their minds, I don't think they really want to go beyond that from a storytelling perspective. Could be why they want a spinoff - so they'll have something to work on once they're done with SV.

I can't see TW agreeing to another year of indentured servitude. Sure he gets paid a lot but from every Behind the scenes tidbits I read, they work his bum 6 days a week. And they're not very nice about him. If there is any truth to the Gough intervention on him getting JLA, not a snowballs chance.

It doesn't seem like a happy place where everyone wants to continue to hang on.

I REALLY doubt anyone would even consider a ninth season... then again, I said that about 8 a few years ago.

Though... I would not be surprised if they tried spinning off Kara, to extend the "franchise." Personally, I'd rather see a Green Arrow show, or even a show teaming up the two, which might make for an interesting dynamic.... but between contract renegotiations coupled with "how long is Superman going to be 'growing up'"... I just don't see it. Though 8 seems more and more likely these days... unless the CW announces they're going out of business or something.

Ok, I love the damn show, but 9 seasons is pushing it. I don't think I'd be able to muster up the strength to watch that much. Plus, the cast can't be happy with the way things are heading on the show right now, and I don't want to watch a show that has an unhappy cast promoting it. What I would love is for S8 to end well, and for the cast to get some new projects. Move on to other shows, or get lead parts on new ones - anything is alright, as long as they keep showing up on my screen. :)

I'd have to agree that eight would be the absolute max. The show might be getting better ratings than anything else on The CW right now but we also have to take into consideration the production cost of a show like Smallville. The longer a show like Smallville runs the more costly it is to produce. At this point in the game the show is very expensive. I think a season nine would simply be too costly for the network. The ratings wouldn't be good enough for the amount of money they would have to charge for a commercial airing during the show. They can't do the show without Welling and I would have to imagine that after season eight Welling would probably ask for a considerable pay bump in order to still do the show beyond an eighth season. That alone would probably make a ninth season impossible.

Gough said himself that 8 was the final season.

Is there a place where one can go to find out what the air dates for Jan - Feb for SV now?

Because we never know what A Channel will do, it looks like they've stopped playing musical chairs with Smallville. At least for this week. Wrath is still scheduled to air tomorrow (that's Wednesday) at 9pm, which is supposedly its usual day/time.

Just read that - unless it's a typo - Lost will be returning to ABC on February 14 at 8PM... a Thursday.

The competition is not looking pretty now...

I wonder if they are doing this because of the strike. It would be around that time that UB would be finished airing any filmed episodes, so it makes sense for them to put LOST in it's Thursday night timeslot. THis way they don't lose a prime ad night show.

Lost on Thursday? Yep. Sorry, but I'm definitely watching Lost and recording SV.

Wow, that really sucks. I had heard it was gonna be on Monday's at 10, Where I could have fit it in. Who needs CSI Miami anyway? Now i'm gonna have to record Lost and Smallville and watch My Name Is Earl and the Office on NBC.com. Well, that's assuming any of these shows are actually still on at this time.

Craig, I sure hope that's a typo!

Everywhere I go, it's listed February, 13, Wednesday. And the only article I could find on Lost and the writer's strike, is this one:

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/lost/lost-...rike-13363.aspx

I'll throw in a quote:



And that's it. American Idol will be it's big adversary. Stay away from Idol, and you have LOTS of options. ABC won't be concerned about competing with Smallville, let's face it, here. They will be concerned with Ugly Betty, and if that is on a forced hiatus because of the strike... Ugh.

Just a question, Gough said we have 15 episodes written. Ending with a cliffhanger. When would episode 15 air? Will Lost be already on? Is Smallville totally screwed for February?

Last year, Freak aired on February 15. The 15th episode this year may air one week earlier if Persona really does air on January 3 (as opposed to Hydro which aired on January 11 last year).

But if the strike drags on, isn't there a possibility they might pad the season with more reruns? Dragging things out as much as they can?

Or will they just finish the 2007/2008 season early?

Oh, that's real good. :D Thanks!



Could be. But if Lost really is coming to Thursdays, Smallville better wrap up their season before the competition begins... We're in for some big trouble. I wouldn't want to go agaisnt the Lost season premiere...

Craig, if you heard that news confidentialy, any word on when it's suppose to get out? In other words, when do we expect official word on it? (I'm not part of the Lost fandom. I watched till season 2, then got literally, well, LOST, hehe...)

Oh, no, I didn't read it confidentially at all - actually I think it was brought up on the pifeedback message boards.

I haven't the slightest clue when SV is coming back in January, or when the season "ends" beyond it being #15 unless the strike is over quickly... sorry I don't know more.

From the Futon Critic. Latest DVR + 7 numbers...



Judging by this articel, it's very obvious that the CW shows are being recorded because they are up against stronger competition. The gains among women is what the CW will look at most. I think an 8th season is a lock.

Seriously? Why? This shit gets more and more offensive as the weeks pass. It's like the introduction of new female characters just provides more ways for them to engage in insulting stereotypes and degrading behavior.

Someone brought up the concept of "will they pad the reduced episodes with more reruns." That's a good question.

If Lost is indeed taking the Thursday-at-8 slot, SV might just want to run back to back episodes through mid-February and then run like hell.

I'm actually curious if the entire TV industry will come up with a mutual "what if scenario" in case the strike lingers. It's looking more and more like we won't get February AND May sweeps this year.

I think I read somewhere that FOX is the network that's gaining the most from this strike, as American Idol will run regardless in the Spring. Also, shows like The Sarah Connor Chronicles are, as far as I know, already in the can, as are at least a few episodes of 24. (Though, doing a short season of 24 makes very little sense, considering the name of the show)

I really hope this strike resolves itself. Without saying any spoilers, the episodes leading to and including #15 sound REALLY good, and I have a feeling it'll be like a train that gets faster and faster, and then... stops.

These DVR ratings are for "Cure," an episode that was, obviously, much anticipated. Except for the premiere, it's been the highest-rated SV episode so far this season. It's not really a surprise that it also did really well in DVR numbers.

Before "Cure," SV's gains were in the 20% range. Still pretty good, but not quite as mindblowing.

Yes, but high enough to get in teh list of top shows from DVR playback. That is huge for the CW, when they can't get anyone to watch any of their new shows.

I'm confused. I thought those episodes would be the ones shown in Feb anyway. Right?

They would. But if this strike lasts those will be the last episodes until the Fall.

Oops, I copied the wrong part of the quote! Sorry Craig!
I meant, are you saying that they should have Jan episodes shown in Feb instead?

I'm not really sure what they are going to do, and I don't think they are, either.

It's quite possible they might hold onto the few episodes they do have so they can run more back to back later in the year... no one knows right now. I just posited it as a possibility, not a fact.

Well, here's a quote from Ausiello on Lost from his Ask Ausiello today:



If there are talks of the next season of Lost being delayed, because of there being only 8 episodes, then thank God... :D (No offense to Lost fans, here)



And yes, while the decision is not in the hands of the creators, no one (including ABC) was happy with Lost taking a little break last year, so taking a possibly even bigger one wouldn't be good to anyone. Then again, not having Lost until the fall? Or 2009? Who knows? They are in a tough spot as well... Their plan was to make a full run with no breaks, and now with the strike, who knows... I'm just bringing a bit more information to the table here.

Craig, do you happen to know when the cast & crew are likely to wrap filming episode 15? (I am wondering about their availablity for hiatus projects like, say, the JLA movie....)

No clue. I know last year I was on set for "Promise" which was episode 16 at the end of January. But who knows how or if the strike will affect the actual production of the show up north.

Thanks anyway! Guess we'll wait & see.

I just saw this over at pifeedback.com
I know that Les Moonves doesn't run CW but that CBS owns part of the network, so do you think Goughlar got served? I just found this interesting.

I don't know, but I haven't read anything about Al & Miles refusing to do producer work for the show... it's just about the writing.

From pifeedback.com



It picked up from Lara. I was thinking it would. The trailer and descriptions for "Lara" seemed like just another damsel in distress story with Kara now that wouldn't change much because it's assumed Kara will live so it seems pointless. Wrath, on the other hand, seemed primed to set up some major changes among the characters....and for once, it actually did go down that way.

Also interesting is they didn't promote Lara with Helen, or relating to Clark's family in any way other than to rescue Kara, but with Blue, the trailer was all Clark and Lara. I wonder if that will make any difference in ratings for next week, with the general audience knowing in advance there's going to be a Kryptonian/mythology aspect involved.

So, Blue is airing next week as usual, and Gemini is the last episode before hiatus. Does this mean we're getting a three-week break between these two episodes, as Gemini is supposed to air sometime in December? I remember someone saying something similar happened last year between x08 and x09 episodes.

I think pifeedback had a typo and it was actually 4.595 million viewers, if you look at the individual half hour averages. Supernatural's 3.01 million, I also think was a typo.

Still impressive.

Nov. 29 is another Smallville repeat, of "Kara."

Oh, so we're probably going to get the new episode, let's say the second week of December?

ETA: Nevermind. I just checked K-site and it's on December 13.

I am not sure if it is okay to ask this here, but I am giving it a shot.

It airs here (in Canada) on Wednesdays?! I guess I have been to busy with working and school to notice...What channel does it come on? Watching it on Wednesday instead of Thursday would...er save me time and not take away from the other 3 shows I watch.

CrazyBeautiful, Smallville airs on Wed at 9:00 PM (mostly - it hasn't been consistent for the last two weeks) on A-Channel.

According to this article, production on Smallville will shut down in January if the writers' strike is not resolved in a timely manner.