For HBO's 'Luck,'
a jump start of sorts
Network renews racehorse drama after one airing and poor ratings
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 1, 2012
"Luck" is the perfect example of how pay cable networks value buzz over actual viewership.
Yesterday HBO renewed the new horse racing drama after just one episode had aired. Its announcement highlighted the critical praise that has been heaped on the show but said little about its ratings.
And for good reason. "Luck's" premiere Sunday at 9 p.m. was unimpressive, drawing just 1.06 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.
HBO says that another 2.24 million viewers tuned in through repeats, on-demand video and online, but that's still just 3.3 million viewers, or 1.5 million fewer than the premiere of "Boardwalk Empire" drew in its TV-only bow 18 months ago.
Still, HBO believes in the value of building a show's buzz early in its run, and one way to do that is to renew it for a second season almost immediately.
This serves two purposes.
First, it gets lots of media coverage, which draws people's attention to the network. And second, it encourages people to sign up for subscriptions to the network to see what all the fuss is about.
HBO and other pay cable networks have a history of giving out such early renewals to critically acclaimed shows.
In 2010 "Boardwalk" was also renewed just hours after its premiere. Viewership for the show dipped sharply in the following weeks, but it has still garnered dozens of Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for HBO, the longtime awards show leader that has recently been challenged by Showtime for that title.
And last year Starz renewed the acclaimed Kelsey Grammer drama "Boss" for a second season before the first season had even begun.
That seemed a dangerous move, especially when the show's very low premiere ratings fell even lower in subsequent weeks, sinking to just a quarter of a million viewers.
But Grammer's Golden Globe victory as best actor in a drama last month, the network's first ever such honor, may have justified the renewal.
The win earned all sorts of buzz for Starz the past two weeks, even rubbing off on returning drama "Spartacus: Vengeance," which was up 10 percent over last year for Friday's premiere.
HBO hopes the same sort of buzz-building will help "Luck," which critics embraced.
"As the season progresses —all nine episodes were made available for review — the show becomes steadily more entertaining and engrossing," writes Media Life TV critic Tom Conroy. "Viewers who work through the difficult start will be glad they did."
***
In cable ratings for the week ended Jan. 29:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TBS, USA, History, A&E, FX.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, History, Disney Channel, TBS, Fox News Channel.
Top five cable news networks in primetime (25-54): Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, HLN, CNBC.
Top five cable news programs (total viewers): 1 CNN's "Florida GOP Presidential Debate" (Thursday, 8 p.m.); 2. Fox News Channel's "State of the Union/Analysis" (Tuesday, 10:17 p.m.); 3. Fox News Channel's "State of the Union/Republican Response" (Tuesday, 10:28 p.m.); 4 Fox News Channel's "State of the Union 2012" (Tuesday, 9:11 p.m.); 5. Fox News Channel's "State of the Union/Analysis" (Tuesday, 10:37 p.m.);
Top movie (18-49s): No movie during the week made the top 50 among 18-49s.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN's "NBA Basketball: New York/Miami" (Friday, 8:06 p.m.) 2.29 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: MTV's "Jersey Shore" (Thursday, 10 p.m.); History's "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10 and 10:30 p.m.); E!'s "Kourtney & Kim Take New York" (Sunday, 10 p.m.); Bravo's "Real Housewives of Atlanta" (Sunday, 9 p.m.).
Show on the rise: E!'s "Kourtney & Kim Take New York," Sunday, 10 p.m. The season finale averaged 4.5 million total viewers, making it the third-most-watched program in network history.
Show on the decline: BET's "The Game," Tuesday, 10 p.m. The show averaged 1.90 million viewers 18-49, down 24 percent from 2.5 million the previous week.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
2186 |
NICK |
1354 |
|
2 |
HIST |
1762 |
DSNY |
1219 |
|
3 |
DSNY |
1696 |
ADSM* |
1042 |
|
4 |
FOXN |
1627 |
USA |
1025 |
|
5 |
TBSC |
1580 |
FOXN |
961 |
|
6 |
AEN |
1426 |
TNT |
878 |
|
7 |
TNT |
1318 |
HIST |
862 |
|
8 |
FX |
1212 |
NAN * |
853 |
|
9 |
ESPN |
1085 |
TOON |
797 |
|
10 |
ADSM |
1076 |
TBSC |
778 |
|
11 |
FOOD |
1001 |
AEN |
743 |
|
12 |
CNN |
981 |
FX |
675 |
|
13 |
SYFY |
937 |
ESPN |
630 |
|
14 |
HGTV |
936 |
FOOD |
577 |
|
15 |
AMC |
906 |
HGTV |
575 |
|
16 |
LIF |
895 |
TVLD |
569 |
|
17 |
MTV |
895 |
AMC |
565 |
|
18 |
DISC |
874 |
ID |
540 |
|
19 |
NAN |
867 |
MTV |
503 |
|
20 |
TLC |
865 |
LIF |
480 |
|
21 |
TRU |
863 |
DISC |
473 |
|
22 |
BRAV |
823 |
MSNB |
451 |
|
23 |
MSNB |
798 |
TLC |
450 |
|
24 |
FAM |
791 |
TRU |
450 |
|
25 |
TVLD |
725 |
CNN |
435 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Total Viewers
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1 |
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
7089 |
|
2 |
Jersey Shore Season 5 |
MTV |
6528 |
|
3 |
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
6372 |
|
4 |
American Pickers |
HIST |
5668 |
|
5 |
Florida G.O.P. Presidential Debate |
CNN |
5357 |
|
6 |
Storage Wars |
AEN |
4975 |
|
7 |
WWE Raw |
USA |
4667 |
|
8 |
WWE Raw |
USA |
4568 |
|
9 |
Kourtney & Kim Take New York |
EN |
4479 |
|
10 |
Storage Wars |
AEN |
4290 |
|
11 |
State of the Union Analysis |
FOXN |
4249 |
|
12 |
Gold Rush |
DISC |
4242 |
|
13 |
State of the Union Republican Response |
FOXN |
4221 |
|
14 |
Real Housewives of Atlanta |
BRAV |
3945 |
|
15 |
Teen Mom II Season 2 |
MTV |
3904 |
|
16 |
Victorious |
NICK |
3875 |
|
17 |
NCIS |
USA |
3870 |
|
18 |
State of the Union 2012 |
FOXN |
3812 |
|
19 |
Hardcore History |
HIST |
3779 |
|
20 |
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
3688 |
|
21 |
Bering Sea Gold |
DISC |
3656 |
|
22 |
State of the Union Analysis |
FOXN |
3652 |
|
23 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3631 |
|
24 |
The O'Reilly Factor |
FOXN |
3630 |
|
25 |
Jersey Shore Season 5 Aftershow |
MTV |
3580 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
MTV |
622 |
ADSM* |
505 |
|
2
|
TBSC |
619 |
NAN * |
348 |
|
3
|
USA |
494 |
NICK |
341 |
|
4
|
ADSM |
451 |
TBSC |
323 |
|
5
|
ESPN |
451 |
MTV |
318 |
|
6
|
HIST |
426 |
ESPN |
265 |
|
7
|
FX |
419 |
DSNY |
245 |
|
8
|
AEN |
417 |
FX |
243 |
|
9
|
CMDY |
370 |
USA |
236 |
|
10
|
TNT |
339 |
HIST |
220 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Jersey Shore Season 5 |
MTV |
3775 |
|
2
|
Teen Mom II Season 2 |
MTV |
2335 |
|
3
|
Jersey Shore Season 5 Aftershow |
MTV |
2151 |
|
4
|
Kourtney & Kim Take New York |
EN |
2129 |
|
5
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
1662 |
|
6
|
Love and Hip Hop 2 |
VH1 |
1476 |
|
7
|
Teen Mom II Season 2 Closer Look |
MTV |
1411 |
|
8
|
Real Housewives of Atlanta |
BRAV |
1406 |
|
9
|
Pretty Little Liars |
FAM |
1346 |
|
10
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
1314 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TBSC |
1170 |
ADSM* |
695 |
|
2
|
USA |
1081 |
TBSC |
561 |
|
3
|
HIST |
1038 |
NICK |
530 |
|
4
|
AEN |
910 |
USA |
498 |
|
5
|
FX |
833 |
NAN * |
494 |
|
6
|
MTV |
783 |
HIST |
486 |
|
7
|
ESPN |
772 |
FX |
462 |
|
8
|
TNT |
688 |
AEN |
455 |
|
9
|
ADSM |
640 |
ESPN |
446 |
|
10
|
BRAV |
631 |
TNT |
443 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Jersey Shore Season 5 |
MTV |
4818 |
|
2
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
3416 |
|
3
|
Kourtney & Kim Take New York |
EN |
3305 |
|
4
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
2956 |
|
5
|
Teen Mom II Season 2 |
MTV |
2869 |
|
6
|
Real Housewives of Atlanta |
BRAV |
2674 |
|
7
|
Jersey Shore Season 5 Aftershow |
MTV |
2668 |
|
8
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2652 |
|
9
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2330 |
|
10
|
WWE Raw |
USA |
2261 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
HIST |
1197 |
HIST |
547 |
|
2
|
USA |
1139 |
USA |
521 |
|
3
|
TBSC |
1137 |
TBSC |
508 |
|
4
|
AEN |
966 |
TNT |
479 |
|
5
|
FX |
839 |
AEN |
474 |
|
6
|
TNT |
727 |
ADSM* |
465 |
|
7
|
FOOD |
684 |
FX |
439 |
|
8
|
ESPN |
677 |
NICK |
414 |
|
9
|
DISC |
663 |
ESPN |
389 |
|
10
|
TRU |
646 |
FOOD |
350 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Jan. 29 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
3771 |
|
2
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
3282 |
|
3
|
Jersey Shore Season 5 |
MTV |
2910 |
|
4
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2886 |
|
5
|
Kourtney & Kim Take New York |
EN |
2688 |
|
6
|
American Pickers |
HIST |
2680 |
|
7
|
Real Housewives of Atlanta |
BRAV |
2548 |
|
8
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2504 |
|
9
|
Gold Rush |
DISC |
2384 |
|
10
|
WWE Raw |
USA |
2227 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
|
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