STARGATE
SG-1 NEWS ARTICLES>>>
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30 JUL 03:
STARTLING RATINGS PATTERN EMERGES FOR "ENEMY MINE"
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Stargate
fans were startled yesterday when SG-1's visual effects guru James
Tichenor
announced gloomy ratings news for "Enemy Mine" on his popular blog, The Joint.
Tichenor reported "Everyone around the office was upset yesterday
when
the weekend ratings came in. 1.1. Not good. Especially after the big TV
Guide
article, and the announcements for season 8."
However, Tichenor was reporting only a part of the startling ratings
pattern
for "Enemy Mine." Viewing early in the evening was affected for
some by widespread
storm conditions and fans are reporting that the TV Guide Channel and
other
cable companies such as national player Comcast (which recently bought
out
AT & T) were listing the July 25th episodes as re-runs of Divide
and
Conquer and Window of Opportunity respectively. Tichenor even
joked
about hot new movies Tomb Raider 2 and Spy Kids 3 opening.
Entertainment journalist Mary McNamara [Salon.com, TV Guide,
Multichannel News] stepped in to post a clarification to fans on Our
Stargate forum.
"The total number of viewers tuning into Stargate's July 25th
episode
actually went UP a bit, as compared to the previous week. What happened
was:
a large block of viewers simply opted to watch the later screening. The
9pm
+ 11pm rating for each of the past 4 weeks are:
6/27: 1.62 + .87 = 2.49 :: 7/11: 1.49 + .84 = 2.33
:: 7/18: 1.53 + .70 = 2.23 :: 7/25:
1.17 + 1.12 = 2.29
So Friday's numbers are certainly in-line with the ratings for the
prior two weeks."
It is extremely unusual for the second, late night airing of
Stargate
to draw an equivalent audience to the 9pm airing. The number of
viewers,
which delighted Sci Fi Channel when Season Seven premiered to the
show's
highest audience ever, continues to outpace Season Six, even though
ratings
appear the same. Sci Fi Channel has millions more subscribers
than
it had last year, with each rating consequently worth more viewers.
It's
gratifying for Stargate SG-1 that even with the difficult circumstances
reported
around the 9pm airing of the show, so many fans tuned in to catch the
11pm
showing.
It has to be noted that the TV Guide article announced as part of the
renewal:
a reduced schedule for Richard Dean Anderson, Jack's promotion, which
would
take him from the team, the death of a beloved character and hinted the
unpopular
romantic 'feelings' story of Season Four's Divide And Conquer would be
revisited
with Col. O'Neill and Maj. Carter getting closer (nudge nudge).
Dedicated
fans were less than thrilled by these prospects for the new season and
we
have to wonder how the casual viewer would react.
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