Whedonesque : Comments on 21962 : Dollhouse ratings for season 2 episode 3.

That's good news... right? right?!

Going up is always good.

Up is better than down.

Now I'm really hoping with some more promotion that next episode rises also a little bit

Thank goodness.

Though, truth be told, I had said last night to the other people I watched the episode with, that I didn't feel the ratings could go anywhere else but upwards after last week. I'm glad to see that I wasn't proven wrong.

jiggyfly | October 10, 16:49 CET

A ratings post that makes me happy? What's going on?

Racoon Boy | October 10, 16:50 CET

I thought last Saturday they were going to be 0.7 this week, as logic suggests with sci-fi genre it should keep dropping for a little while longer, combined with the lack of promo and poor launch.

This suggests maybe - just maybe - people are starting the know the show is back on. Which, by the way, all credit to you guys 'cos I know for a fact you're telling people. Just look at the box to your right.

Now we're off for baseball. Message to Fox staffers - advertise the return for episode 4. For serious!

[ edited by gossi on 2009-10-10 16:51 ]

gossi | October 10, 16:51 CET

So is this the first sign of the apocalypse? Fox and Whedon working well? We're doomed!!

BlueSkies | October 10, 16:52 CET

l am glad that this happened. Hopefully this trend keeps going up.

zee | October 10, 16:58 CET

Holy shit, they did go up? And it was a good episode, too! Whew.

Polter-Cow | October 10, 16:58 CET

Obviously those numbers are still not great but at least the downward trend stopped. Hopefully the numbers will improve even more with the next episode.

Michael | October 10, 16:58 CET

It built upon both the lead ins (Brothers, Til Death) in the key demo - 0.8 to 1.0. The amount of millions actually dropped, so it suggests that core audience they want - 18-49 - specifically switched on Dollhouse. You can spin the numbers all you want - they're still way down due to the launch - but this week looks positive.

gossi | October 10, 17:02 CET

And yet still was beaten by Smallville in total viewers, and tied with it in the demo. This is better than last week but it's by no means good.

helcat | October 10, 17:04 CET

Wow - good news. Glad more people tuned in - and to such an awesome episode. Now if only there wasn't a hiatus next week...

ankie | October 10, 17:06 CET

I don't play the 'Dollhouse Ratings Game' anymore so am sticking my fingers in my ear and singing 'La la la'.
I really hope next week absolutely kicks it, though!

missb | October 10, 17:06 CET

No Dollhouse next week - it'll be baseball playoffs instead.

helcat | October 10, 17:07 CET

That's quite a relief. Maybe the numbers aren't great, but if they're good enough to get us through to the end of a thirteen-episode season two, then I'm satisfied.

NotaViking | October 10, 17:09 CET

UP? That's... unexpected! I'm glad because I loved the episode :)

Irrel | October 10, 17:18 CET

Does baseball generally get higher ratings than scripted shows on Friday nights? Could be a great chance to reach more viewers with substantial promo'ing during if it does.

VaughnOfTheDead | October 10, 17:20 CET

I do like a glimmer of hope.

Simon | October 10, 17:26 CET

1.0 > 0.8

WilliamTheB | October 10, 17:26 CET

Any possibility it could go 0.1 up like it did last week ?(and I don't even know how it did)

maz | October 10, 17:29 CET

Well, that's good news. Hopefully we can keep it up and people will make this episode number one on Hulu too. If it doesn't drop again maybe at least the threat of cancellation before the second season is finished will go away.

Changeling | October 10, 17:37 CET

:D > :(

Pointy | October 10, 17:37 CET

First off, a big YAY for better ratings! Unfortunately, the fact that i'm rejoicing over numbers that are far from good is in itself quite telling. We're not out of the woods yet. In fact, we're right smack in the nasty thicket of it.

Talk show circuits and an active fan campaign got us up to 1.0 (which will hopefully trend to 1.2 by the time hulu/DVR numbers are in) but Dollhouse is still uncomfortably close to the bottom, if not right at it. Given the fact that whatever mindshare was just earned will at least partially dissipate over the playoffs week, I think we have our work cut out for us. We have to come up with a targeted way to convince people that next 10 days are catch-up time on HULU so that the following Friday we have even more eager eyeballs. I think fan PR (actual PR as opposed to just twitter/messageboards) may be one way. Can any of you reach your local newspaper or call a local radio station? Maybe we can come up with some sample letters/releases that you can try to publicize.

We need an angle bigger than "passionate fans try to save another dying TV show". Something like "New technology and increased savvy help grass-roots movement engage in entertainment PR". What do you all think?

whyiwatch | October 10, 17:55 CET

Hopefully the finals will improve.

Numfar PTB | October 10, 17:56 CET

whyiwatch, Hulu doesn't factor into Nielsen numbers.

The demo still needs to go up 50% to be judged as a success by the network's expectations. But I think if we can get it to 1.3 or so by December, it'll get the back 9. If it's going up, they'll gamble on it.

The bad news is the half hours show a drop off for the 3rd week in a row. There's no way of spinning that one.

gossi | October 10, 17:59 CET

It's not competing with Smallville, so I don't know why Fox should care about that.

Upwards is good. And the episode was so awesome that we can use it to build the audience over the coming days.

wiesengrund | October 10, 18:02 CET

Yes, you're right. HULU is starting to factor in as overall considerations go, but not part of Nielsen. I think that objectively (and honestly), the problem is that Dollhouse is a difficult show. It asks a lot from the viewer, it makes them uncomfortable at times, and in short - it's not for everyone.

Now, it is possible that the appeal of the show is indeed the viewers it already has, that the mainstream audience has no interest, and even if we get them to tune in, they'll drop off in the first half. However, what I'm hoping and betting on is that there are other like-minded people who simply haven't been exposed to it yet and if we can reach *them*, we'd increase long-term numbers for good.

whyiwatch | October 10, 18:07 CET

Why are the Smallville numbers relevant? Because nothing on FOX should be beaten by the only non rerun on the CW. It puts the numbers in a fuller context to me.

helcat | October 10, 18:07 CET

If Dollhouse loses to Smallville it's the lowest rated drama on network television. Which, you know, you don't wanna be really.

whyiwatch, I think there's absolutely an audience for Dollhouse won't don't know about it.

gossi | October 10, 18:12 CET

Nah, despite being stuck on Friday night, Smallville does better than some of the CW's other shows (at least in total viewers and the demo). However, being beaten by Smallville certainly puts Dollhouse down in the CW range which isn't good for FOX.

helcat | October 10, 18:16 CET

Now, this is the very definition of letting an audience grow. I'm just a bit happy. On a separate note, I do often wonder (without bothering to look into it) how The CW fund half their productions... I doubt Smallville is a cheap venture. I hope it survives

Jayme | October 10, 18:35 CET

I'm just gonna take the 1.0 > 0.8 and be happy about it.

maxsummers | October 10, 18:49 CET

I still don't think Fox makes their decision based on how much a show's numbers look like they're on the CW. They make their decision based on the profit they can make in that timeslot.

Re: half-hour numbers, there actually is a way to spin them postively: It gained .1 in the 18-34 demo. :)

wiesengrund | October 10, 18:51 CET

That hope I was talking about having last week? This is it. Gonna bask and go see Dr. Horrible live in Bloomington, IN tonight.

CrazyKidBen | October 10, 18:52 CET

When do we see DVR/Hulu/Fox.com figures from the past few eps?

BlindHawkeyes | October 10, 20:55 CET

We will see 7 day DVR numbers for Vows this Tuesday. We will NEVER see the hulu or Fox.com numbers, They are not publicly available.

TamaraC | October 10, 21:09 CET

Well... because I want to be Mr. Positivity...

I'm glad it went up, and it terms of the night's rankings, this is the best Dollhouse has done. "Vows" was #12 for the night, "Instinct" #13. "Belle Chose" came in at #8. That's some progress, right?

The Dark Shape | October 10, 21:21 CET

Ratings up!! That's good news...jumps up and down in excitment!! Maybe people are finally realizing that you have to watch Dollhouse "as it airs live on FOX" for it to stay on the air.

Little Green Kid | October 10, 23:53 CET

As I see it, the 2 week break is a great thing. It gives us a chance to get all those campaigns up and running. Still haven't heard how we can donate to the cause, or when or IF Facebook ads are going to happen. If I wasn't leaving the country before the next ep airs, I would take care of the FB ads myself as there doesn't seem to be any inclination over at activate Dollhouse to run them. As it is, I'm tempted to just set them up and let them run whilst I am away.

Ivalaine | October 11, 00:50 CET

Ratings boost (no matter how small) is a good, particularly since it was such an interesting/entertaining episode (which should bring people back wanting more). I hope the DVR numbers are good (actually I hope they are great), and I hope that Fox is pleased with their hulu and Fox streaming numbers. I'm not sure this show will ever be a ratings 'hit', but I do hope that it is allowed to continue (I need Joss shows on TV, it is important for my happiness).

embers | October 11, 02:34 CET

Awesome, slightly higher ratings, plsu The two weeks break seems like a great chance for Joss to get another episode or two shot (while he can)... I just want the 13 episodes, anything else is just a bonus in my opinion... anything less would be heatbreaking.

mortimer | October 11, 10:37 CET

I have just watched it _via... my magical DVR, and my hubby and I first question was 'Why the Hell this didn't happen last week?'. Way better than Instinct, much more got into the season's arc, and _hate to say this but that's how I feel, less Eliza's-engagementof-da-week.

I pray for they keep the story on.

Small Blue Thing | October 11, 10:47 CET

I think we should give Eliza Dushku an enormous thank you for all the work she put in on the talk shows this week. Watching her on YouTube trying to fire up various chat show hosts, who seem to have all the enthusiasm of a dead fish as far as genre shows are concerned, you can appreciate just how hard she is working for this series.

technovamp | October 11, 13:10 CET

Small Blue, maybe, if you accept the "Instinct wasn't that good" opinion, Fox thought it was better to get the "less good" episode out of the way while no one is watching and do lots of PR and chat shows and then run the great episode when lots of people tune in. That way they will go into the break waiting for the show to return rather than spend a couple of weeks thinking "That last one wasn't all that. Not going to bother tuning in again".

To give Fox PR credit that makes sense. I've criticised them enough in that past so I have to praise them when they IMHO do something right.

zz9 | October 11, 14:51 CET

Except for the bit about how it was supposedly Joss and Tim who switched the episode order, not FOX.

The One True b!X | October 11, 18:45 CET

Which of the two do you guys recommend watching first? (Episode 2 or episode 3?) I haven't seen either yet.

the Groosalugg | October 11, 19:27 CET

Watch them in the airing order or the order Joss and Tim wanted them to be in. I don't understand at all why people think they should be switched and it really doesn't matter.

TamaraC | October 11, 19:54 CET

Which of the two do you guys recommend watching first? (Episode 2 or episode 3?) I haven't seen either yet.

In terms of dealing with Saunder's departure and Ballard becoming a Handler I would watch episode 3 before episode 2. The Sci Fi Channel in the UK are going down the same route as well.

Simon | October 11, 19:59 CET

I know that was said b!x, but I can't see any story reason for the switch, and a lot of little problems (No mention of Saunders in Instinct, Ballard being a "first time" handler in BC when he was already doing the job in Instinct and so on) with them changed round.

Whether Joss and Tim suggested it or Fox I believe that would be the reason. I doubt Joss doesn't consider the broadcasting schedule and the effect of a break and you have to assume they do talk every now and then.

zz9 | October 11, 20:32 CET

Advertising during the baseball would be a really great move, so I'm assuming Fox won't do that.

Progressive_Stupidity | October 12, 01:42 CET

I say watch 3, then 2... I wish I had been able to watch it that way.

The level of echoes awareness goes backwards due to this change up.

mortimer | October 12, 02:29 CET

Thanks everybody! I'll watch 3 and then 2.

the Groosalugg | October 12, 13:03 CET

Cool beans, just what I was hoping for, up on both counts. Looks like the SGU premiere may well have caused a temporary atypical blip downward.

Fingers crossed they keep going up.

Saje | October 12, 13:38 CET

October 10 2009