|
|
America slams
door on 'Mister Mom'
(Oh, daddy.) NBC reality debut is summer's worst.
By Diego Vasquez
NBC extended its long list of summer failures last night
with the debut of “Meet Mister Mom,” which had the summer’s worst
debut for a reality show on the Big Four networks.
“Mom”
averaged a 1.6 rating among viewers 18-49 in the 8 p.m. timeslot last
night, according to Nielsen overnight ratings. The show grew slightly from
a 1.5 during its first half hour to a 1.7 for the last 30 minutes.
NBC
already has three reality stinkers this season. On June 21, NBC debuted “I
Want to be a Hilton” with a 2.5 rating among 18-49s. A week later the
network premiered the fourth season of “Average Joe,” earning just a
2.0 rating. "Law Firm" premiered last week to a 1.9.
ABC’s
“The Scholar” had the previous worst debut of the summer at a 1.7
rating.
There
are a couple reasons “Meet Mister Mom” bombed. First, show’s concept
is quite dated. These days many dads share equally in the childcare, and a
show about dads struggling to care for their kids seems very 1970s.
Second,
reviews of the show hammered it for being too over-produced, something
that usually leads to a reality show feeling too scripted, such as “The
Casino” or “The Restaurant.”
Another
reality show, CBS’s “Big Brother,” was the night’s highest-rated
program among 18-49s, posting a 3.7 at 9 p.m. CBS finished first for the
night with a 3.0 average rating and a 9 share, followed by a 2.4/7 for
second place Fox. ABC was third at 2.1/6, NBC fourth at 1.8/5, UPN fifth
at 1.0/3 and the WB sixth at 0.9/3.
At 8
p.m. CBS led with a 2.4 average rating for a repeat of “NCIS.” Fox was
second that hour with a 2.2 average for a repeat of “Trading Spouses”
and NBC third with “Mom.”
CBS
increased its lead at 9 p.m. with its 3.7 average rating for “Big
Brother.” Fox finished second that hour with a 2.6 average for a
“House” rerun and ABC third with a 2.3 for the first hour of the
“CMA Music Festival.”
At 10
p.m. CBS led once more, this time with a 2.8 rating for “Rock Star: INXS.”
ABC was second with a 2.4 for the second hour of the CMA special and NBC
third with a 2.2 for a repeat of “Law & Order: SVU.”
CBS
also paced the night among households, averaging a 5.3 rating and a 9
share. ABC finished second at 4.3/7, Fox third at 4.0/7, NBC fourth at
3.8/7, UPN fifth at 1.6/3 and the WB sixth at 1.4/2.
|
Aug. 3, 2005
©
2005
Media Life
- Diego Vasquez is a
staff writer for Media Life.
|
|
|
|
