The general episode blurb said Chloe would have to reveal to Jimmy how she feels about Clark. I didn't have to go online to find that.

But for everyone that didn't read the blurb and only watched the episode saw that Lois would have to say how she felt about Clark. I am going to guess that more people saw the trailer after Instinct than the people that read that blurb.

I'm amazed how many of my non-online friends knew that and other things, like the Fever letter's return, like MR not resigning, and so on. There is a little core of them that is waiting for Doomsday as a yay/nay thing still, so I suspect that's playing into ratings so far too.

I have to say that the trailer for next week was one of the best done, I think, in a long time. I would be surprized if they didn't air that and attract people in to see Doomsday next week.

My trust in people doesn't let me believe that someone could actually care about what Nois had to say about any feelings that she has for Clark.

Still hope for a huge drop next week. It hurts to see what this show just got away with.

SV really isn't doing well despite ratings staying neutral. They're not gaining any fans which is probably what PS3 wanted with the iconic iconsity of Clois.

Whatever increase they're see is probably from the same people that tuned out for whatever reason is other episodes.

I agree, jwm. I think they're showing a good consistency this season. The initial hit of losing three regular cast members was reflected in the premiere and it seems, the show is keeping those who remained. At least so far. Has this been discussed? It's TV By Numbers Cancel/Renew Index and according to this, Smallville isn't in trouble. The index is updated each week and apparently last year, it served as a pretty accurate indicator of which shows were safe or not for 2008. This is the index from last week:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/10/14/easy-.../6199#more-6199

With Smallville holding steady for another week, I don't think its position within the list will change much either. Supernatural also seems very safe at this point of the season, which I'm very happy about.

I think you hit it on the head with that one. The folks with Nielsen boxes who doesn't like this new 'development' (by "development" I mean lightswitching) probably already left the building and the rest is in it for the long haul. My spec is that we'll see no significant increase this year, and a massive drop (as always) in spring. I just hope that the four+ millions won't mean a 9th season (Please.)

Finals:

Smallville
- 4.183 million viewers
- 2.5/4 HH
- 1.7/5 A18-49
- 1.7/6 A18-34

It's extremely rare for a show in it's 8th year to gain viewers. It almost NEVER happens. The fact that they have stayed where they are has to be extremely satisfying for the network. Yeah, it doesn't get the demo's they want, but that won't have any impact on whether or not they renew the show, IMO. If they can get it for the same price and TW agrees to return then there will be a season 9. It's the highest rated show on the network.



I would think that you would want next weeks episode to gain viewers. It's not shippy and seems to have a very big feel to it judging by the trailer.

Once again, very, very solid numbers. From the ratings it looks like there's a large chunk of the audience rooting for Clois. I'm sure the network and showrunners are taking note.

Go Clois!

I admire the optimism and enjoy your posts, but I don't think a S9 will happen. Don't have proof; just spec. I am glad that SV has been able to maintain considering losses that would have otherwise killed any other show. Though SV has its problems, the ratings at this juncture are testimony to whatever is right with the show.

IMO, I don't think it has anything to do with what is right with this show. I think that the ratings are this way because most people are completists (sp) and just want to see the ending after spending seven years of their lives watching. IMO, I think the ratings are just a reflection of what getting addicted to a show can do rather than the enjoyment because I couldn't help myself and was addicted. I know I am still addicted seeing that I visit this forum more times that is healthy, despite the fact that anything I read only makes me angrier. That said, I am in the boat that believe a season 9 is a possibility. I also believe that the ratings will probably continue to be this positive even if they they killed off Chloe or even Lois. As long as TW is in the show and the show is called Smallville, I can see the ratings staying on the 4 million mark. JMHO

I agree that at this point the ratings being what they are really comes down to the audience being completists. The people who are still watching are going to stay to the bitter fucking end. They could kill Chloe, they could kill Lois and I still think the total viewers will stay around 4 million maybe a little less. It really doesn't matter what they do now. That's the problem.

I'm a self-described completist and still enjoy the show for what it is despite its problems, which says to me they're doing something right. I'm just waiting to see if they have Clark cross the threshold...once that happens, game over for me - S9 or no S9.

If SV delivered complete and utter crap to my TV screen or I didn't like the direction of the show at all, I'd check out (Lexana almost did that to me) I checked out on Roswell for most of its second season because I hated the Max/Tess, royal four storyline. I tuned in only for the epis that I wanted to see, and I was a completist then. Once the royal four plot was dissolved, I re-engaged and watched the entire 3rd and final season.

I'd rather SV go out guns blazing with ratings at 4+ mil, which I'm happy to see. That's my preference. Ultimately, it's up to DO and TPTB, as well as TW's decision to continue. No TW, no SV for me; the show will be nothing but a shell of its former self - some might say it is right now. YMMV.

That is so sad. It should matter. If SV wasn't doing something right, I think even some completists would check out at this juncture.

Smallville is like an addiction for a lot of people. Regardless of the quality good or bad people will tune in regardless because they've invested so much time into it that they don't want it to be all for naught. It's very akin to the battered women who despite getting beat on week after week will stand by her abusive man.

I'm here because I've been here. Because I've always been here and can't leave. I want to leave but can't. After over 3/4 of a decade, my OCD trappings have made this show a necessity to me. I can't leave. Whether it's to see how bad it can get or because it's just become a staple in my life, I'm here. I've long since given up any hope for explanations or answers or plots that makes sense. But I can't leave.

However, I will say, without TWOP I probably would have given up a long time ago. This isn't the type of show that I could imagine handling alone. It's not "7th Heaven" bad where it almost becomes a masochistic ritual because that was a pure bad. This show has bits of goodness in it, but the bits of goodness is not enough to deal with the crap alone. To commiserate with you people who see the show for what it is, is what gets me through the episodes to be able to enjoy the good and snark on the bad.

I don't know if this would make any sense in explaining how I feel about the show but I didn't watch SPN until this summer. I finished all the seasons in about a week and anxiously awaited season 4. I couldn't imagine doing the same with Smallville; I wouldn't have cared enough and doubted I would have come around for season 8. In other words, if I didn't start watching this show from the beginning, I probably wouldn't have started watching.

Yet where were these viewers at the end of Season 5 when different polls were taken (and I'm not talking about the kind that can be spammed) when CHLARK was blowing both CLANA and certainly CLOIS out of the water? They were no where to be found. I've been saying this for 3 years now. The writers took 2 years (Seasons 6 & 7) to slowly but surely deconstruct Chloe and lightswitch Nois in different ways. Now they get to Season 8 and basically do a massive, and I do mean massive reboot of the show with ads that did nothing but pimp Cnois. Seriously. The ads for this season have been so over the top Cnois it's not even funny. The writers/producers have banked on slowly pushing Chlark/Chlois fans out the door in hopes of bringing in newer Cnois fans simply based on the mythos and iconic shout outs to older series like "Lois & Clark." That is so clear to me it's not even funny.

What I'd love to see, but know we never will, is how different the ratings would be based on people that have watched since Season 1 versus those that have watched only since Season 6 and beyond. I guarantee you the difference would be incredible. It would be off the charts. All that PS3 care about are the viewers from Season 6 on, and even more so they are banking on new viewers picking up the show beginning this year. It's the newer viewers that are keeping this thing afloat right now - not the ones that have been with the show since the beginning. Of that I'm positive. Guess YMMV, but I don't see how what I'm suggesting isn't 100% correct.

ITA! Most of my friends stopped watching years ago when Lana became the Mary Sue of all Mary sues. I kept watching because of Chloe but the show started going downhill in season six IMO, even the directors stopped paying attention, the prop people, makeup people and so on (for instance the moving bullet wound on Lana's shoulder), but I was already addicted. I complained how much the writing sucked but I kept watching and my friends thought I was crazy. This season though I have been able to not watch a couple of episodes because I felt the producers actually started insulting my intelligence by trying to pretend things that happened in the past seven years did not happen. However, I have a few friends, very few, who do not read spoilers, never visit forums and so on, and they hate the show so much now, complain about all the complaints I have or read online in forums but still keep watching because they are already addicted and are used to watching superman in that slot for the past so many years. That is why, IMO, I feel that no matter what they decide to do, the ratings won't change much. I have a few friends who watch SV just to pass time before Supernatural and so on. The sad thing is that, I think the producers know this and are not worried about the ratings at all, that is why they are so bold to basically do lazy writing and just do a reboot of the show without worrying about the ratings.

I agree the show has some good things, and if one overlooks the continuity problems with all the ships and characterization, or looks at the show as a brand-new show, then the writing does not suck in and by itself. It just sucks in the context of where we are with the story. My opinion is that the producers know that Al/Miles did a good job, because even with all the problems I had with the show before season 7, at least the overall story had a feel of moving forward and a feel of being the same story. So, IMO, PS3 know this, and know that the long term viewers will stay to the end, so the ratings if anything will remain in the 4 mil range. I do not believe that there are any new viewers actually tuning in, because even though it's a brand new Clois story they are telling, IMO, YMMV, hard-core comic fans would still get confused with the presence of Chloe, Tess, no Lex and so on. Therefore, IMO, it's just the same old viewers keeping the ratings this high. The PSSSHeads (tm someone in the Spoiler thread) know it and therefore can do whatever they wish and still get their season 9.

That said, I hope that PS3 decide to end the show on season 8, that way they can end it with pretty good ratings. Although a season 9 would probably still fetch about 4 mil viewers, no matter who is in the show (assuming TW is still in the show). YMMV

ETA: I hope this is in the appropriate thread, It's more of an analysis of the show and ratings and I did not know where else to put it.

LOL..Oh, make no mistake I don't think another season is going to happen. But, only because TW won't sign on.

And, I still like this show, nowhere near as much as I used to (I can't even bring myself to revisit the episodes in OMAR'S recaps), but I'm watching just to see how it ends at this point. And, for me at least, I am enjoying where they have taken Clark this year. He's my favorite character, and now that they finally are getting him right, I have to stay.

Ditto to all of this.

Watching live does nothing to the ratings unless you're an old-school Nielson household. DVRs, on the other hand, apparently add to the ratings. So you might want to watch live from now on, or get yourself an old VCR to record with, if you really don't want to be counted.

From MediaWeek: "The CW capped off Thursday with veteran Smallville (#5: 2.9/ 5), which dipped by 15 percent from one year earlier) and Supernatural (#5: 2.3/ 3). Is Robin the Boy Wonder heading to the CW Thursday next season?"

Last week the overnights were 2.8/5. Is it up slightly, or is that too close to matter? Anyway, I would think this is pretty good considering competition from the World Series.

From PiFeedback: "The CW capped off Thursday with veteran Smallville (Viewers: #5, 4.22 million; A18-49: #5, 1.7/ 5), which dipped by 430,000 viewers and 11 percent among adults from one year earlier..."

I dont know why they keep bringing up the year to year ratings when like 99% of shows on all the networks are down across the board from last year to this year. The fact that it keeps going up a little bit week to week is a sign that, as much as I hate to say it...Season 9 seems more and more likely now. That's if they have enough money to throw at TW

Nielsen upped the percentage of households with DVRs from 20% to 28% this season, which partially explains the large drops a lot of shows have seen, at least in their live numbers. If Smallville stays steady as it is (at least in comparison to other CW shows) and they can get Tom back (very likely they might be able to afford it next year, given how their schedule is performing much better, which equates to more monies), it'll be back. I really don't doubt it. What else does the CW have? They're already short an original hour Friday @ 9pm, they'll definitely lose Privileged, Reaper is probably a goner unless it does REALLY well when it airs mid-season, Stylista might not even see a second cycle, and so on. They need to be very careful about not dropping too much, especially given they haven't been able to successfully launch more than one new show a year.

All DVR viewers don't count, just those in Nielsen households do. Nielsen viewers with DVRs can watch live, you know? DVRs aren't just used to record things to watch later. People use their DVRs to view their television (think of it like a super duper fancy cable box that can record stuff) - it doesn't matter if you record or watch live (or record and watch live at the same time!), you still get counted if you're a Nielsen viewer and you have the Nielsen system hooked up to your DVR.

I'm very happy with these ratings, and I think the combination of Doomsday and the development of Clois will keep the numbers strong and deliver us a 9th season.

I believe that it's back up near the premiere, and is finally back to skewing towards the actual age market the CW wants. For a while there, SV was bringing in people but they were old people coming in for Toxic and Instinct and the "Legendary Love" promotions going on then.

So for Prey they leaked a scene of Clark and Davis. They put out promotional photos of Chlark at the DP, Chloom at the morge. They put out not one but two promos with Doomsday, Clark, and Chloe that really emphasized DOOMSDAY - both had a very s5 feel/look to them. The DC was Clark being heroic and setting up the massacre. And those in comic circles probably also knew about Manhunter returning.

I have to think the shift in promotion to Clark vs. Villain, which is what the show was set up on (although that was more clearly Clark vs Lex) is what drew people in. Actually spending money on promotions had to have helped, and the episode actually looked interesting, and Doomsday. And it went back up to the premiere levels.

If the CW continues this route in actually promoting the show and actually selling it as hella!interesting, I would have to think more young people would tune in. However, if the quality of the episodes goes down again after Prey I can't see people sticking around. But if they can build momentum off of it, they might end SV on an upswing and give people a reason to turn in for their post-SV series. (I doubt Tom will resign.)

No Nois & the Ratings went up & the CW got their "target demo" for the first time since the Season Premiere. I'm in the target demo, & I started watching in High School, my investment is in Smallville payoff, not the lightswitch "New Adventures of Bimbo Nois & Clark." I just don't care about a redux of that 90's show.

Awesome news!!

I'm not sure if anyone posted this but here is the Final numbers for Prey

Finals:
Smallville
- 4.155 million viewers
- 2.6/4 HH
- 1.7/4 A18-49
- 1.7/5 A18-34

It's still good but I wonder why is went down from a 4.22 to 4.16.

One word: Committed

But that might just be MHO

Deleted; November 15, 2008.

Baseball was on, as I recall, that's probably why numbers went down. If someone could post a link as to the best site to look for these numbers every week, I'd appreciate it.

I don't know if it's the best site but pifeedback has a rundown of the ratings as follows:



According to those, the ratings haven't fluctuated too much from week to week.

Of note at CW was above-average performances from "Smallville" (1.7/5 in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall"


Variety.

Eh, I don't know crap about ratings, really, decipher. All I know as a fan is that, if I hadn't known this week would be a NoLo zone from spoilers, I woulldn't have watched after Committed. This was an awesome action-packed ep and the trailer did it justice, too, but to follow Committed... If I wasn't a spoiler-phile, I wouldn't have watched it myself, fearing more of the same as I got in the last four.

Given the theory that ratings are influenced by the episode before, I'll be very interested to see what numbers Identity does.

Are they still planning on playing ten straight through and then going on hiatus?

For anyone who watches the CW in Denver, CO: As far as I can tell, the Denver CW affiliate is pre-empting next week's episodes of Smallville and Supernatural for a Denver Broncos football game. They're showing the episodes on Saturday from 7pm-9pm Mountain Time. I'm quite unhappy about this...:-(

Deleted; November 15, 2008.

There is no way, S8 is the last season.

Probably yes, but not because of the ratings. I can't see Welling doing a season 9, and I can't see them doing the show without him. But if he was onboard? It would definitely be happening.

First off, I can see why this episode did well. I'm no Nois fan, but even I watched, after seeing the goodness that was "Prey." :) I think a lot of other people did, too.

decipher, this part of your post jumped out at me:



Emphasis mine. It's great that SV did so well in generally younger demos, but if they're tracking men, why aren't they tracking women? I thought that was a much more important demo to the CW, and I'd love to see those demo breakdowns, if they're available.

The male demographics have always been stronger for Smallville than the female. The network iteself may cater more toward women, but on Thursdays, I believe that the network is more interested in males, since they have two action shows in Smallville and Supernatural on that night.

I thought that the CW's marketing strategy was geared more to women, but that may just be me. However, I think this is a great trend coming off of Prey. I think this continued with the strong plot. Everyone had something concrete to do. Jimmy was useful as Supes's pal. Chloe was urging Clark to be heroic and had a wicked twist ending. Oliver had his own arc fulfilled and Clark had some nice saves and realizations. Everything was based on plot and forward motion and most of that shipper crap was left to Nois/random extra.

I'm exciting for next week and tuning in and hope the numbers stay up since we'll have Kara back and since they seem to be giving us the goods---PZ, Zod's wife/underling, more of Doomsday, and the preview seems to be giving us something with Chloiac vs. Oliver. Just good meaty plots so I think the ratings reflect that.

God, no. I was hoping the show would sink lower and get cancelled, like such crap deserves.

It mostly is but sci-fi based shows (like SV, SPN and Reaper) always attracts more men.

Please Tom, say no. I want to get this over with.

I want SV to go out on top, so I'm happy for the ratings. Tom and the rest of the cast, past and present, deserve it. I see SV ending this season based on certain symbolisms and cues that I see. I also think viewership may be up because some folks may believe that it is, indeed, the last. I just don't see TW signing on for another year..felt that from the get go.

I see certain symbolisms in SV, too. That people are 'born evil' and no matter how hard they try they can't escape their destiny. And if they can't escape their destiny, it doesn't matter how well you treat them, or how hard you try to be their friend, they'll still be evil, so you can just treat them like crap, if you like. Use them as favour machines, and when they get tired of doing favours for you, and want something in return, like honesty, kick them in the face. Tell them they never think of anyone but themselves. That's what SV teaches. Also, that if your parents abuse you, it's because you deserve it. That superpowered beings are superior beings, and they're Heroes, and whatever they do, no matter how badly they treat their friends, they're still Heroes. That whatever bad things they do to protect themselves, or whatever bad things other people do to protect them, it's justified, because they're heroes.

These are the symbolisms I see on SV, and that's why I say the show is crap, and I wish it would get cancelled. I don't think SVs ratings are all that great, but that 4 million plus people watch it, and not many seem to notice these themes? That worries me.

It's great to see the numbers getting better and better each week since Toxic(the low point of the season at 4.05). I think it speaks volumes about what the audience thinks of the direction of the show so far. Hopefully the hiatus or more importantly the Lana storyline doesn't kill the momentium of the show. If the ratings continue the upward trend Bride may break 4.5M.

For me personally I am loving the more proactive and independent Clark Kent. It sort of reminds me of Clark in Seasons 1-4 where he did more of his legwork on his own, who also didn't spend a bulk of his time sulking about Lana(Seasons 5-7).

The Chloiac storyarc is also very interesting. In all honesty, it's Chloe's most interesting storyline since she found out Clark's secret in Season 5. Once Chloe found out Clark's secret it just seemed her character lost any purpose on the show other then be there for plot exposition.

It's also nice to see more Clark/Jimmy time the past couple episodes(and less Chimmy). With Clark, Jimmy and Lois at the Daily Planet, all we need is Perry White and all will be right in the world.

Yeah, Prey was liked a lot from what I read online, and it shows that people tuned in hoping for more goodness. I don't know about next week though. Perhaps Kara will pull viewers in, but I found her boring and superfluous last season. Added to that, the Nois gets possessed bit and I can't really care about Bloodline.




I remember Dawn saying something about this when they got rid of the Wrestling which was one of their high performers. That was awhile ago though and there were so many articles that they all mesh in my mind right now. Though, that's why the heavy push on GG, 90210 and now the possible Melrose Place reboot - they're aiming for the female demo, but are going to crow about any successes they get, I think.



It is. Strong episodes bring people back, and maybe Kara will be enough to bring people back, but I kind of feel sorry for LV that her last episode could be reduced to trying to make sure Nois is ok.



I guess. I just wish they'd focus on one and be done with it. I guess in a way the focus on Clark/Davis/Chloe is a focus on Chlark in the end, but I'm tired of Manwhore!Clark doing the rounds with all the females. If he's made a decision regarding heroics, one is past due with his personal life.



I really do hope it works out well for Kara as you described.

On KSite, people are saying that one Canadian station (Access, which is in Alberta) will be airing "Bloodline" at 10:00 tonight. If true, is anyone here going to be watching it?

I hope so. And I hope that person creates a thread. (hint, hint, people of Canada)