Second-year Fox shows "Fringe" and "Dollhouse" have been two of the new season's bigger disappointments, ranking among the least-watched shows in their respective timeslots.
A third season for "Fringe" is very much in doubt, while "Dollhouse" has already been yanked from Fox's schedule during the November sweeps.
But the shows do have one thing going for them, and that's huge increases in viewing when live-plus-seven-day DVR playback (L7) is figured in. Whether that delayed viewing will be enough to save them remains to be seen.
"Dollhouse" is seeing the biggest percentage increase from live-plus-same-day (L+SD) to L7 of any show on broadcast this season, according to Nielsen data.
Through the first five weeks of the season, the most recent numbers available, "Dollhouse's" L7 adults 18-49 rating has soared 55.6 percent compared to its L+SD rating, from a 0.9 to a 1.4.
It is gaining 0.5 rating points each week, more than other Fox shows like "The Simpsons" and "The Cleveland Show," which have much bigger audiences.
"Fringe" is seeing the second-biggest kick-up of any show percentage-wise, up 40.9 percent, from a 2.2 to a 3.1.
It seems doubtful that DVR viewing will be enough to save these shows if their ratings don't show some improvement over coming weeks. Fox averaged a 1.2 L+SD rating for a "House" rerun last week in "Dollhouse's" Friday 9 p.m. slot, which would be much more cost-effective in the long term than paying to produce a cult sci fi show.
And "Fringe's" audience, even when L7 viewing is added, is still down from last year, when it was the No. 1 new show of the season with a 3.5 L+SD rating.
But DVR ratings do help networks measure the devotion of a show's fan base to a show, and it's that devotion that earned "Dollhouse" a second season despite low initial ratings.
The network probably won't keep both of them, but "Fringe" could be saved by the fact that it airs in TV's most competitive timeslot, Thursday at 9, and people are still going out of their way to watch the sci fi drama later.
TOP 10 LIVE-PLUS-SEVEN-DAY-DVR VIEWING Adults 18-49
Season-to-date through Oct. 25
Rank
Program
Net
L+7 increase Contribution
L+SD to L+7 Increase
1
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM
ABC
1.40
23.7%
2
HOUSE
FOX
1.20
20.7%
3
OFFICE
NBC
1.10
25.6%
4
CSI
CBS
1.00
26.3%
4
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
CBS
0.90
18.0%
6
PRIVATE PRACTICE
ABC
0.90
22.5%
6
FRINGE
FOX
0.90
40.9%
6
MENTALIST, THE
CBS
0.90
25.0%
6
FLASHFORWARD
ABC
0.80
23.5%
10
BONES
FOX
0.80
28.6%
10
BONES
FOX
0.80
28.6%
10
HEROES
NBC
0.80
30.8%
10
GLEE
FOX
0.80
24.2%
Source: ABC Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research
