MovieChat Forums > The Middle (2009) Discussion > Goldbergs faltering in new time slot...w...

Goldbergs faltering in new time slot...will The Middle do the same?

posted 8 years ago by ScaryMary123
22 replies | jump to latest

The Wednesday night premiere of The Goldbergs in the spot once considered "Middle territory," was uneventful. They came in #3 in the ratings, with a 2.0, down from 2.4 the year before. The Middle's premiere numbers last year were also higher than this year's Goldbergs. Doesn't bode well!

Which makes me wonder if The Middle will end up faltering in its new Tuesday slot. Up against the #1 show on TV (NCIS), starting late, and in a time slot and day that hasn't worked for ABC as of yet, I'm thinking this will very well be the last season for The Middle. I predict the premiere will come in below a 2, and if it does, you'll be hearing the death knell of a once great show.

Considering that by October 11th, they're usually on their third episode, I wonder just how they'll catch up to get their usual 24 a season. Traditionally, there are only two new episodes in December, so if ABC added an extra one there, they'd only have two to make up. Perhaps the last episode could be a double Middle, like the Disney World two-for. Even then, they'd be behind one episode.

Let's see how all of this plays out, but I've a feeling it won't have a good ending.

[–] menotherapy 8 years ago

The Wednesday night premiere of The Goldbergs in the spot once consider "Middle territory," was uneventful. They came in #3 in the ratings, with a 2.0, down from 2.4 the year before. The Middle's premiere numbers last year were also higher than this year's Goldbergs. Doesn't bode well!

It will be interesting to see what happens this Wednesday. How much "The Goldbergs" goes down...or possibly up.

More than likely down I suspect.

Which makes me wonder if The Middle will end up faltering in its new Tuesday slot. Up against the #1 show on TV (NCIS), starting late, and in a time slot and day that hasn't worked for ABC as of yet, I'm thinking this will very well be the last season for The Middle. I predict the premiere will come in below a 2, and if it does, you'll be hearing the death knell of a once great show.

This is quite possibly the toughest night on television. Like you Mary, I reckon this will probably be the finale season.

I do hope we get another Halloween and Christmas theme episode in there though.

The only time Raymond didn't do a Christmas theme episode is when the season had been shortened in it's finale year.

Obviously, that show was a much bigger hit and CBS had to beg the producers for a finale season...I think the complete opposite could be true in this case.

But we'll see. Maybe something bizarre will happen and the show will shock us all...yet again.

[–] mommamitchell 8 years ago

I don't think Speechless is going to last long so maybe it will go back to Wednesday. Speechless is so bad its embarrassing.

[–] sannozz94 8 years ago

Why do you think it's bad?
First of all in ratings, last week it did the same as The Goldbergs (it will probably go down a little this week, but then still above average for ABC).
And I think it's pretty good. It's funny and relatable (coming from someone who grew up with a special needs brother)

EDIT: Speechless just received a full season order. Of course no guarantee for a second season, but they'll at least make it this season.

[–] shuglife 8 years ago

Speechless has been ok. I think the mom has been pushed too over the top which takes away from the genuine comedy of the show. If they toned her down just slightly I would enjoy it more.

I thought the Breakfast CLub was a weak season premiere. Course I don't have the fondness of the movie, but the episode felt choppy and rather weak. This week's episode was pretty solid had some really good LOL moments.

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Is this Idaho? Because I will not limbo in Idaho.

[–] ScaryMary123 8 years ago

Once again, the Goldbergs has dropped in the ratings in their new time slot, to below a 2. That's not as good as The Middle's ratings last year in the same time slot.

The Wednesday night line-up for ABC isn't doing well at all, except for Modern Family--which is the only one to break a 2 and above. Black-ish is also suffering. They never should've moved The Middle to Tuesdays--it'll also fail, and ABC will have a big mess on their hands.

[–] sannozz94 8 years ago

When they broke up The Middle and The Goldbergs, I thought The Goldbergs really would do well at 8 (better than The Middle), but now that I've seen the ratings for the first two episodes, I'm really fearing The Middle's ratings as well..

Keep in mind though that ratings will almost always be lower than the season before. The 2.3 Modern Family had this week is also pretty low for their standards, especially in the fall (considering fall ratings are usually better than spring ratings).

But yeah, I agree that this move was a very poor decision by ABC.

[–] NaughtyKitten 8 years ago

The Middle was moved to Tuesday? Why?! 😱

Wednesday is The Middle day 😡

#JeSuisCharlie

[–] ScaryMary123 8 years ago

I agree! Hence the title!

[–] heatonfan 8 years ago

YIKES!

http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/the-goldbergs-tv-show-season-four-ratings-abc/

Still #3 in it's time-slot.

And now down almost 7% in demos and overall viewers.

Just researching this now...but what the hell is all the fuss about "Black-ish"???

A small 5 million viewers and a minute 1.6 in key demo's.

ABC's lowest rated program of the night.

I can never understand why California executives in the TV industry keep promoting California executives in the TV industry.

It makes absolute no sense.

What about the rest of us!!!

Such a P.C friendly "comedy". Lots of bright outfits/costumes/sets and all that...

Go watch.

Same with "Speechless". What a dramatic fall from an almost promising premier.

[–] mikebryner 8 years ago

With more and more people watching shows on their own schedule (via DVR, Hulu, etc.) I'm surprised that time slots really matter much anymore.

[–] menotherapy 8 years ago

I agree. I don't think I've seen a live prime-time broadcast (network and cable) in about 5 years.

I DVR everything!

[–] droidX 8 years ago

I'm worried about The Middle's move to Tuesday but no matter how low it goes, I'm confident it will out rate American Housewife, Fresh Off The Boat and The Real O'Neals. I'm not saying it will be far above those shows but The Middle will at least be Abc's highest rated Tuesday series.

[–] menotherapy 8 years ago

I'm worried about The Middle's move to Tuesday but no matter how low it goes, I'm confident it will out rate American Housewife, Fresh Off The Boat and The Real O'Neals. I'm not saying it will be far above those shows but The Middle will at least be Abc's highest rated Tuesday series.

I agree. And while "The Middle" hasn't been good in years both it, ABC and the viewers all deserve better than floating in off to turbulent waters of Tuesday coupled with a pair of crap-coms like "Fresh Off The Boat" and the dreadful "Real O'Neals".

One the creator seems to hate and the other the country has flatly rejected.

And "American Housewife" looks truly terrible.

How much screaming, SCREAMING, S.C.R.E.A.M.I.N.G will that one achieve for a petty laugh?

[–] ScaryMary123 8 years ago

The problem with ABC's sitcoms is that they ALL follow the template created by The Middle. Start with a narrator, someone who sets up the action. Have the kids be major characters...but concentrate on the mom, especially. The dad is just window-dressing, as are most of the other people.

The Middle
The Goldbergs
Speechless
Black-ish (though the dad has become the main character)
An American Housewife
The Real O'Neals
Fresh Off the Boat

I'm sure there are more.

Truth is, nobody does it better than the Middle, even with all its faults.

[–] straw_hat_boy_luffy 8 years ago

The Golbergs is holding very well as the Wednesday anchor and Speechless is doing well enough to snag an early full season pickup. ABC needs to cultivate new comedy hits. Moving The Middle was a no-brainer. Given Heaton's salary and the show's age, it's life is obvious limited. They needed to future proof their lineup and make an effort to launch new shows out of it while they can. The ratings were going to go down anyway. Pretty much every show is down from last fall. The Middle and The Goldbergs were both going to take hits no matter what. Given their performances, I'd say they actually did pretty much what they were going to on Wednesday. If The Middle holds even reasonably well, it will improve the overall Tuesday lineup. (Remember that The Muppets started strong so it will look like The Middle drops initially, but the overall stability will be an improvement.) If The Middle can keep American Housewife over 1.0 and FOTB there as well, that would be a huge success for ABC and give them a steady new night to launch a new show next year. Even if AH fails, I still say moving The Middle worked because it gave room for Speechless to thrive. The Middle, at this point, has it's audience. The Golbergs too. There was no need to keep them clustered. It's stupid to put all your eggs in 1 basket. When a network has several successful shows on one night, it only makes sense to move them to help serve as an anchor on several nights. Even if it costs them a few ratings points (so far it hasn't on Wednesday as the decline is in line with virtually every show on network TV), it's worth it to sure up multiple nights instead of losing all nights but one. If ABC can get 7 or 8 comedies doing reasonably well out of this season instead of just 4 or 5, this move will have been their most successful scheduling move since they moved Grey's to 8. Ratings are more than just comparing year to year blindly. It's a big picture thing. The Goldbergs is not faltering. Quite the opposite, competent ratings analysis has it doing quite well. And for sure, it wouldn't be doing better with last year's schedule. Every year, shows erode. It's getting worse and it's foolish to try and single out a show and ignore the trends of everything else. That's a plain fallacious approach. You can't blame the decline on the scheduling move if everything else takes a hit too.
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Writing is my favorite hobby. Writing something that many can enjoy is my favorite dream.

[–] Gubbio 8 years ago

Writing is my favorite hobby. Writing something that many can enjoy is my favorite dream.

Really?

Did you ever consider using paragraphs? It would make you stuff much easier to read.

[–] ScaryMary123 8 years ago

Even if AH fails, I still say moving The Middle worked because it gave room for Speechless to thrive.

Speechless isn't "thriving." It's the new "Back in the Game" and "Trophy Wife" and will be cancelled by the end of the season.

[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

It is hard to say but it looks like your reacting yourself, the best that ABC can vote for that loyal Middle fans will follow it to its time slot, but i am sure it is going to take time to adjust to the new schedules with the Middle at the same time slot but on a new night, and the Goldbergs are a half an hour earlier then they are used to. Now i have never watched the Goldbergs but can't say how the Middle will do until after the first episode airs, if fans can't watch when the show airs on tv, one thing that they can do is dvr the show and watch it when they can. That is as long as the dvr doesn't erase the show before they watch it.

[–] menotherapy 8 years ago

...if fans can't watch when the show airs on tv, one thing that they can do is dvr the show and watch it when they can.

DVR is more important now than ever before.

It's actually weird to see shows shows with 10 + million viewers but add DVR and you suddenly get 20 + million.

http://deadline.com/2016/10/premiere-week-live7-ratings-full-list-designated-survivor-the-blacklist-1201830475/

Money quote:

"Looking at the networks’ averages, as was the case in L+SD Premiere Week ratings...NBC and CBS had a strong premiere week with solid showings for all of their new series, while ABC and Fox saw mixed results."

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/viewers-chart.jpg

I can't imagine ABC throwing all their eggs into just two baskets:

Tuesday.
Wednesday.

Personally, I think "The Goldbergs" has a much better chance going forward via season #5 than "The Middle" has going into a season #9.

And who knows ???

This little show that always went unnoticed was a fighter.

Even if same day ratings don't matter anymore...

"The Middle", a program on ABC and in it's 8th season against the following:

1. CBS'S #1 rated show.
2. NBC'S #1 rated show.
3. CW's #1 rated show.

[–] ScaryMary123 8 years ago

"The Middle", a program on ABC and in it's 8th season against the following:

1. CBS'S #1 rated show.
2. NBC'S #1 rated show.
3. CW's #1 rated show.

NCIS is not only CBS's #1 rated show, it's THE #1 rated show on broadcast television!

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