Gotta Seriously Heart

what to watch: week 1 of the ratings race

It’s that time of year when the failed series finally leave our television screens, repeated series conclude and movies that have been run and re-run at least twenty times are returned to the ‘Summer Programming’ Department to gather dust for another twelve months.

It’s a nervous time for television executives who cross their fingers and hope their new shows succeed and their returning series continue to rate. All three commercial networks have attempted to jump the gun with Seven launching Samantha Who a week early, Nine showing A Year With the Royal Family and The Chopping Block will Ten has attempted to leap frog both networks by launching their new reality hit So You Think You Can Dance Australia? and The Biggest Loser to respectable figures.

After months of deliberating about scheduling, millions of dollars spent on advertising it is now time to turn your television back on.

Sunday
Been and gone and Nine won the night with the cricket with Ten’s So You Think You Can Dance being the most popular show of the night whilst Grey’s Anatomy and Brothers and Sisters didn’t deliver as high ratings as expected.

Nine 28.2%
Ten 26.7%
Seven 24.8%
ABC 15.3%
SBS 4.9%

Monday
Competition hots up on Monday nights with Seven screening three all ready proven popular shows with one exciting new series. It’s Border Security and The Force from 7:30 followed by Desperate Housewives and the launch of Dirty Sexy Money. Note that Dirty Sexy Money has been described as a ‘Sex and the City clone’ in the same slot that Nine showed Sex and the City, very clever scheduling. I think that this show will be a success for Seven and hold off the competition from Ten which screens So You Think You Can Dance at 7:30 followed by the return of Good News Week at 9pm.

This leaves Nine with a CSI filled night, screening A Year With the Royal Family, CSI and CSI: NY giving Desperate Housewives some good competition.

What I would watch:
7:30 – Border Security (Seven)
8:00 – A Year With the Royal Family (Nine)
8:30 – CSI (Nine)
9:00 – Good News Week (Ten)
9:30 – Dirty Sexy Money (Seven)

My prediction: Seven, Ten, Nine

Tuesday

Seven have owned Tuesday’s since Dancing With the Stars was launched but this year Dancing does not kick off Seven’s year instead it’s spin-off It Takes Two will air from 7:30 followed by the most underrated high-rating ‘forgotten’ Australian drama, All Saints at 9:30. This previously winning combination should do it again as Nine have experimented with many shows against Seven’s ‘Super Tuesday’ and this year they start by trying Monster House and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

The advertisements for Monster House are enough to make you turn off and not bother, while Sarah Connor will have a select niche audience that will remain constant but it will not set the world on fire. Don’t forget Tuesday nights are big on Fox 8 with new series America’s Next Top Model followed by Gossip Girl which steal some of the commercial audience.

Ten are launching a competitive night as well with The Biggest Loser at 7 followed by Bondi Rescue which was last weeks second most popular show on that night followed by the debut of the much talked about Women’s Murder Club and then the impressive Burn Notice. Don’t underestimate Ten, they have scheduled cleverly and will have a good share of the audience.

What I would watch:
8:30 – Women’s Murder Club (Ten)
9:30 – All Saints (Seven)
10:30 - Gossip Girl (Fox 8 +2)

My prediction: Seven, Ten, Nine

Wednesday

This is Nine’s night. The Chopping Block at 7:30 looks sketchy but should hold up followed by a double-episode of the much talked about Underbelly. This will win the night for Nine with big audiences tuning in for the premiere which should command over 2 Million viewers for the premiere episode. This will be the highest rating debut show in 2008.

Ten will attempt to rain on Nine’s parade by screening two new much talked about American comedies, Rules of Engagament and Back to You followed by House while the ABC offer another alternative with Spicks and Specks and the debut of TV1 drama, Stupid Stupid Man. Over on Seven, they should have viewer numbers at 7:30 with RSPCA: Animal Rescue and The Real Seachange but the British crime series, Lewis will bomb.

What I would watch:
7:30 – Rules of Engagement (Ten)
8:00 – Back To You (Ten)
8:30 – Underbelly (Nine)
9:30 – Underbelly (Nine)

My prediction: Nine, Ten, ABC, Seven

Thursday

Thursday’s are bland with Nine’s medical series RPA being popular with audiences because there is a lack of competition with Seven screening, Out of the Question and Ten screening Law & Order: SVU whilst at 9:30 it’s either Lost, Kitchen Nightmares: USA or Medium. Not too many good shows to choose from, but if you have to watch:

7:30 – Getaway (Nine)
8:30 – Life on Mars (ABC)
9:30 – Kitchen Nightmares (Nine)

My prediction: Nine, Seven, Ten

Friday

Although Friday and Saturday nights don’t have as many television watchers they will prove to be important in the ratings game. This week Nine will win the night with Cricket unless the game is washed out. The pressure on our cricketers could even hinge on whether or not Nine win the first ratings week. If the cricket is washed out, Seven could have the week, if the cricket is screened, it could be Nine. Seven show Better Homes and Gardens which may attract the none-cricket watchers or Ten screen Kid Nation and the movie, Pride and Prejudice.

What I would watch:

7:00 – Cricket (Nine)

My prediction: Nine, Seven, Ten

Saturday

Kids shows and movies dominate Saturday night with Seven screening Finding Nemo at 6:30 going head to head with Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show with new host, Shelly Craft followed by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Two Weeks Notice. Ten are screening two old movies as well, Billy Madison and Mercury Rising.

What I would watch:
6:30 - Billy Madison (Ten)
8:30 - Mercury Rising (Ten)

My prediction: Nine, Seven, Ten

So who is going to win the first week of ratings?

Judging by the start Nine got on Sunday night you could assume it is their week. I didn’t think the cricket would rate as well as it did. Tuesday will give a big indication as the cast of It Takes Two is struggling in my opinion and may not be the same ratings juggernaut in 2008. It’s good that Ten is being aggressive with a host of new shows with some strong programs and impressive results to date.

Week 1 Predictions:
Nine
Seven
Ten


“Gotta Love It” – Channel 7’s slogan
“Seriosuly” – Channel 10’s slogan
“We (heart) TV” – Channel 9’s slogan