Grey's Anatomy - Doctor Report/GA News #23: Because we need all the news we can get

josebajm · 05-03-2008, 03:15 AM

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At 9 p.m., CBS’ CSI and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC continue to share leadership. But both dramas remain on the down side from one year earlier. Take a look:

Thursday 9 p.m.
CSI (CBS)
Viewers: 17.78 million (#1), A18-49: 5.0/13 (#2)

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Viewers: 15.11 million (#2), A18-49: 6.0/15 (#1)

Now take a look at the erosion for both dramas from the year-ago evening and notice how much more significant Grey’s Anatomy is:

CSI (CBS)
5/03/07 - Viewers: 19.02 million, A18-49: 5.6/14
5/01/08 - Viewers: 17.78 million; A18-49: 5.0/13
Percent Change – Viewers: - 7, A18-49: -11

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
5/03/07* – Viewers: 21.23 million, A18-49: 9.1/24
5/01/08 – Viewers: 15.11 million, A18-49: 6.0/15
Percent Change – Viewers: -29, A18-49: -34

(*the first half of a two-hour episode)

**WalaBridget** · 05-03-2008, 03:23 AM

ouch the rating of Greys has gone down,but were still 2#

**Eternal Flame** · 05-03-2008, 05:32 AM

the important thing is though that Grey's was better in the key demos.. the demos that are really important to the network. It beat CSI.

Kyls · 05-03-2008, 07:20 AM

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I highly doubt the fans are "running" the show...i doubt ABC would let that happen......fans voiced their disatisfaction and with that shonda chose to do with it what she please.

So please lets not say that the fans are running the show, its ridiculous and untrue

If storylines are being changed to cater to the fans - then they are running the show.

**Eternal Flame** · 05-03-2008, 07:31 AM

Only 1 storyline is truly done to please the fans, and that's the M/D storyline. I think any other storyline was not influenced by the fans honestly.

**WalaBridget** · 05-03-2008, 07:45 AM

Yep Karen MD pleas the fans however,many offline fans have no idea MD are getting together and the other stories aren't the best .

Angel8008 · 05-03-2008, 08:00 AM

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Originally Posted by WalaBridget (View Post)

Yep Karen MD pleas the fans however,many offline fans have no idea MD are getting together and the other stories aren't the best .

MerDer getting back together has been all over the media not just on the internet. It's been in TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. There have been interviews with the cast and segments on entertainment programs saying that they'll get back together by the end of the season. I agree with shinystar, anticipating the MerDer reunion for this season is the only thing that could've been influenced because they are the MAIN couple on the show. Everything else (characters, storylines, couples), IMO, isn't influenced at all by fans, specifically "online" ones that post in blogs, message boards, forums.

The ratings are down across the board so it isn't a problem only on Grey's. People tuned out because of the strike and became interested in other things. So, now it's hard to get people back into the habit of sitting down every week to catch their show. Those ratings (if I'm not mistaken) don't take into account TiVO, DVR or online viewing either which more and more people are doing these days. What really matters for ABC and advertisers is the ratings in the key demo (18-49) and Grey's has always won that.

Jherek · 05-03-2008, 08:38 AM

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Originally Posted by Angel8008 (View Post)

The ratings are down across the board so it isn't a problem only on Grey's. People tuned out because of the strike and became interested in other things. So, now it's hard to get people back into the habit of sitting down every week to catch their show. Those ratings (if I'm not mistaken) don't take into account TiVO, DVR or online viewing either which more and more people are doing these days. What really matters for ABC and advertisers is the ratings in the key demo (18-49) and Grey's has always won that.

Yes, but no other show I've seen is down over six million viewers from a year ago. That's a precipitous drop. CSI, by contrast, is only down 1.5 million, so the strike isn't completely to blame.

**Cristofle** · 05-03-2008, 09:04 AM

The drop from last week to this week, even with Kate Walsh guest-starring, is not a good sign. And I agree that no one thing is to blame, it's the result of across-the-board not so great writing. The show wasn't very good prior to the strike- it didn't make people want to come back.

That said, someone mentioned Tivo/DVR, and no, that's not taken much into account. The Nielson system is incredibly out-dated- just about everyone I know has a DVR.

**WalaBridget** · 05-03-2008, 09:11 AM

Well Liz I know many people From USA who DL from Torrent too that is a reason .

gabigirl · 05-03-2008, 09:27 AM

Exactly, Grey is down 8 millions, 23 to 15,and CSI just down 1.5 million from lasy teay, you cannot blame the strike for that.

A writer told me Shonda specifically told her she was dropping Gizzie due to the backlash and she was surprised as she knew Gizzie had as many fans as haters and she knew Shonda wanted them.

So at least two stories were influenced by fans and huge ones at that

**Eternal Flame** · 05-03-2008, 10:28 AM

IMO honestly if you're dropping out of a show because of a couple, then you watched a show for the wrong reason. I have my dislikes of a couple and my preferals, but in the end i still love the show as a whole, whether that its the writing on the show or the acting.

I do understand the fact that couples are an important part of a show, especially with a show like Grey's where the relationships are one of the foundations of the show, but its also still a medical show and a show about the characters. I couldn't give up on any of the characters just because I didn't approve of the couple they're a part of at that moment, and just stop watching. I don't think I ever stopped watching a show because my couple wasn't together. I have given up on shows that just stopped appealing to me, when it comes to the paths they took characters or because I found storylines unappealing.
and i think that's why the ratings drop the most. A lot of storylines may have been unappealing to viewers before the strike, not really urging them to tune back in when the strike was over. I think S4 is fine as it is, since the tone of the show is a lot lighter then last year, which is a bit more refreshing and amusing to watch. But i can understand that some storylines just don't appeal to viewers. Honestly there haven't been real stand out storylines so far this season that made you go 'Wow' though I do think that will return right now on Grey's, with the current storylines, who come off as more appealing or intriguing to me.

own worst enemy · 05-03-2008, 11:20 AM

The show got so much bad press that it left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. The same thing happened with Desperate Housewives with it's 2nd season. It's the reason why the show doesn't recieve as much awards attention as it did in the past.

But, yes... I have a feeling Shonda Rhimes is going to pull out of the show since her vision/story has been compromised. I honestly don't blame her.

For me, I personally enjoy the show for what it is. I think the writing is entirely top-knotch. The character's are flawed... not perfect, not always funny, not always likeable. They can't be. That's not life. And relationships are complicated. Even the ones that work. And let's face it, this is Television. But, honestly... Meredith and Derek need help because they both have a tendency to let go when it gets to hard to deal with. It's completely in character and real. Just because it's frustrating to not see your favorite couple together each week, doesn't mean you completely tune off the show.

I can't stand Ellen, Patrick, or any of the cast badmouth the show and the decisions they creative team have made. If that's how they feel, they know where the door is.

Ricanyork · 05-03-2008, 12:46 PM

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Originally Posted by shinystar (View Post)

IMO honestly if you're dropping out of a show because of a couple, then you watched a show for the wrong reason. I have my dislikes of a couple and my preferals, but in the end i still love the show as a whole, whether that its the writing on the show or the acting.

This is what I've been trying to say for a long time now to the Gizzie fans but it usually comes off as offensive because of who I "ship", which in it of itself is ridiculous. I've stayed with this show not because of my couple (obviously or else I would have left after season 2). I stayed because of the fundamentals of the show, the funny moments, the dramatic scenes, the high tension surgeries and M.A.G.I.C. It really doesn't get any better than that. Making a couple the driving force of a show for you is pointless. We're all not going to get what we want. Relationships are complicated and if everything was like a fan fic then it would be predictable and boring.

own worst enemy · 05-03-2008, 02:46 PM

This is quote from Rachel Griffith's of "Brothers & Sisters", it's not GA related, but fits the context of the discussion were having.

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While discussing how much fan opinion should change the course of a show, Rachel Griffiths said, "There's a difference between fans and fans who've got all day to blog."