Pressure has been on for HBO to come up with its next big hit, as old ones like “Sex and the City” and “Six Feet Under,” and soon “Sopranos,” end their runs.
The network has tried, with often disastrous results, as with Lisa Kudrow’s quickly canceled “The Comeback,” or simply disappointing results, as with “Carnivale,” which was canceled after two seasons.
But in the meantime the network appears to have set its mind to mastering the craft of developing series that will prove solid performers with the network’s core viewers, relying on elements that have worked for HBO in the past.
Enter “Big Love,” the new series about the ever-so-complicated lives of polygamist Bill Henrickson, played by Bill Paxton, and his three wives. If "Sopranos" is a super hit, “Six Feet Under” was a solid performer, and certainly the model for "Big," as a drama about an unusual family.
Last week the show averaged a 2.7 household rating, up 23 percent from the previous week and down just a tenth of a point from its premiere average. The show is averaging a 2.5 through five episodes, 47 percent more than what “Under” averaged when it concluded its final season last year.
“Big" is far from a breakout hit, routinely losing about half of lead-in “Sopranos’” audience. And in a highly competitive Sunday 10 p.m. timeslot, it slumps against original episodes of the ABC hit “Grey’s Anatomy.” Last week it faced a repeat.
Yet it could very well prove to have the staying power of “Under,” which lasted five seasons, with the endless twists and turns one comes to expect from an HBO series. It also has some shady undertones in the tradition of the “Sopranos.”
“The soup starts out cold, but give it a chance to warm up,” says the Philadelphia Inquirer. “‘Big Love’ is big and lovely enough to keep Sundays on HBO bubbling on for a few years.”
Residing in suburban Salt Lake City, Bill and his clan are just like any other dysfunctional family, only multiplied three times over.
First wife Barb, played by Jeanne Tripplehorn, wants a life outside of the home. Second wife Nicki, played by Chloe Sevigny, has secretly racked up some $60,000 in credit card debt. And third wife Margene, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, struggles to assert her position as more than just the babysitter.
Work is equally complicated for Henrickson, who is being squeezed for more payback by the Prophet, head of the cult/clan to which he used to belong, for money he borrowed to start his growing chain of Home Depot-type stores. The Prophet, played by Harry Dean Stanton, also happens to be a father-in-law.
All the while the family has to keep their unique arrangement a secret, even in Utah. The Mormon Church has outlawed the practice of polygamy since 1890.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended April 9:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TNT, TBS, Spike, FX
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): TNT, USA, Nick at Nite, Cartoon Network, TBS
Top movie (18-49s): TBS’s “Spider Man” (Sunday, 8 p.m.) 1.2 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): USA’s WWE Entertainment (Monday, 10 p.m.) 5.3 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s WWE Entertainment (Monday, 9 & 10 p.m.); Comedy Central’s “South Park” (Wednesday, 10 p.m.); Spike’s “The Ultimate Fighter” (Thursday, 10 p.m.); TBS’s “Sex and the City” (Tuesday, 9:30 p.m.)
Show on the rise: “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” Bravo, Tuesday 10 p.m. After two straight weeks of disappointing ratings, “Housewives” turned things around. Week three delivered 534,000 total viewers, up 74 percent from the previous week. That’s more viewers than the show drew for its premiere episode two weeks before. The show was also up 102 percent to 432,000 viewers 18-49 and up 81 percent to 353,000 viewers 25-54.
Show on the decline: “Nick Cannon’s Wild & Out,” MTV, Thursday 10 p.m. The second season of the improv comedy battle show ended on a lower note last week. The finale drew 862,000 among MTV’s core 18-34 audience, down 8 percent from the week before.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending April 9 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TNT |
1921 |
NICK |
1672 |
|
2 |
USA |
1711 |
NAN* |
1325 |
|
3 |
NAN |
1349 |
TNT |
1073 |
|
4 |
TOON |
1292 |
USA |
1028 |
|
5 |
LIF |
1263 |
TOON |
942 |
|
6 |
TBSC |
1202 |
ADSM* |
869 |
|
7 |
ESPN |
1185 |
LIF |
776 |
|
8 |
FOXN |
1029 |
TBSC |
719 |
|
9 |
SPK |
1021 |
FOXN |
630 |
|
10 |
HIST |
914 |
MTV |
621 |
|
11 |
HALL |
883 |
ESPN |
582 |
|
12 |
CMDY |
862 |
FX |
525 |
|
13 |
FX |
849 |
HIST |
524 |
|
14 |
MTV |
836 |
HALL |
514 |
|
15 |
HGTV |
804 |
SPK |
507 |
|
16 |
AEN |
796 |
HGTV |
496 |
|
17 |
AMC |
764 |
DISC |
495 |
|
18 |
DISC |
754 |
TVLD |
478 |
|
19 |
FAM |
731 |
CMDY |
476 |
|
20 |
SCIF |
731 |
AEN |
468 |
|
21 |
TVLD |
701 |
FOOD |
463 |
|
22 |
CORT |
675 |
AMC |
446 |
|
23 |
CNN |
623 |
FAM |
435 |
|
24 |
TLC |
596 |
CORT |
405 |
|
25 |
FOOD |
586 |
CNN |
387 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending April 9 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3907 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3545 |
|
3 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
3141 |
|
4 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3138 |
|
5 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3004 |
|
6 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2977 |
|
7 |
Law & Order |
TNT |
2964 |
|
8 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2923 |
|
9 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2867 |
|
10 |
Maryland/Duke |
ESPN |
2767 |
|
11 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2672 |
|
12 |
Avenger |
TNT |
2665 |
|
13 |
FOP Movie Channel Chasers |
NICK |
2637 |
|
14 |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
USA |
2604 |
|
15 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2587 |
|
16 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2543 |
|
17 |
Fatal Desire |
LIF |
2498 |
|
18 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2482 |
|
19 |
Professional Golf |
USA |
2470 |
|
20 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2447 |
|
21 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2440 |
|
22 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2380 |
|
23 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2378 |
|
24 |
South Park |
CMDY |
2374 |
|
25 |
Jimmy Neutron |
NICK |
2359 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending April 9 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
451 |
NAN* |
427 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
431 |
ADSM* |
353 |
|
3 |
SPK |
405 |
NICK |
299 |
|
4 |
CMDY |
401 |
MTV |
275 |
|
5 |
MTV |
383 |
USA |
269 |
|
6 |
TNT |
366 |
TBSC |
266 |
|
7 |
FX |
355 |
TNT |
262 |
|
8 |
ESPN |
311 |
ESPN |
213 |
|
9 |
NAN |
285 |
CMDY |
210 |
|
10 |
VH1 |
253 |
FX |
207 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending April 9 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1636 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1550 |
|
3 |
South Park |
CMDY |
1545 |
|
4 |
Real World XVII |
MTV |
1462 |
|
5 |
The Ultimate Fighter |
SPK |
1230 |
|
6 |
8th & Ocean |
MTV |
1015 |
|
7 |
Sex and the City |
TBSC |
928 |
|
8 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
894 |
|
9 |
Nick Cannon's Wild & Out |
MTV |
862 |
|
10 |
Mind of Mencia |
CMDY |
858 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending April 9 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
983 |
NAN* |
691 |
|
2 |
TNT |
946 |
TNT |
607 |
|
3 |
TBSC |
879 |
USA |
592 |
|
4 |
SPK |
782 |
TBSC |
510 |
|
5 |
FX |
657 |
NICK |
489 |
|
6 |
CMDY |
646 |
ADSM* |
455 |
|
7 |
ESPN |
634 |
LIF |
421 |
|
8 |
LIF |
592 |
FX |
392 |
|
9 |
DISC |
580 |
SPK |
387 |
|
10 |
HIST |
494 |
ESPN |
375 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending April 9 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2933 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2659 |
|
3 |
South Park |
CMDY |
2159 |
|
4 |
The Ultimate Fighter |
SPK |
1794 |
|
5 |
Real World XVII |
MTV |
1740 |
|
6 |
Deadliest Catch |
DISC |
1611 |
|
7 |
Sex and the City |
TBSC |
1611 |
|
8 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1559 |
|
9 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1478 |
|
10 |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
USA |
1442 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending April 9 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TNT |
1107 |
TNT |
632 |
|
2 |
USA |
1016 |
USA |
598 |
|
3 |
TBSC |
827 |
NAN* |
549 |
|
4 |
SPK |
750 |
TBSC |
466 |
|
5 |
LIF |
669 |
LIF |
442 |
|
6 |
ESPN |
649 |
NICK |
385 |
|
7 |
FX |
602 |
SPK |
364 |
|
8 |
DISC |
599 |
FX |
352 |
|
9 |
HIST |
588 |
DISC |
345 |
|
10 |
SCIF |
561 |
HIST |
336 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending April 9 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2640 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2321 |
|
3 |
Law & Order |
TNT |
1629 |
|
4 |
Deadliest Catch |
DISC |
1578 |
|
5 |
The Ultimate Fighter |
SPK |
1557 |
|
6 |
South Park |
CMDY |
1498 |
|
7 |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
USA |
1450 |
|
8 |
Fatal Desire |
LIF |
1450 |
|
9 |
Sex and the City |
TBSC |
1447 |
|
10 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1428 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
