CBS is planning to switch a couple of their freshman dramas around for midseason. Blue Bloods, which currently airs on Friday nights at 10pm, will move to Wednesdays at 10pm beginning January 19th. The Defenders will shift from Wednesdays at 10pm to Fridays at 8pm beginning February 4th (filling cancelled Medium’s timeslot).
On Friday nights, Blue Bloods has been averaging a 1.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 11.22 million viewers. While that’s a lot of total viewers, the demo numbers are about what Numb3rs was averaging last season, before CBS cancelled it. The move to Wednesday nights will likely show the network whether or not the series is capable of doing better in the demo department. It’ll have four weeks in the timeslot before heading back to Fridays at 10pm on February 11th. Spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior takes over the Wednesday night slot on February 16th.
Things haven’t been looking too good for The Defenders and the move to Friday nights isn’t exactly a vote of confidence. You may recall that CBS ordered just five additional episodes in October, bringing the first season total to just 18 installments.
Defenders has averaged a 2.2 in the 18-49 demo and 10.02 million total viewers. It premiered at a 2.9 rating and has fallen as low as a 1.8 in the demo. Of CBS’ 18 scripted series, it currently ranks 15th, not far above Blue Bloods which has already been airing on little-watched Fridays.
What do you think? Will this move help or hurt these shows’ chances for season two? What do you think the end result will be?
Love Blue Bloods…wish you had left it on Friday Night.
My Husband and I also like Blue Bloods,so please don’t cancel it.
We love The Defenders at our house. Jim Belushi is always fun to watch. Swapping times with Blue Blood might not be to bad, for us anyway, we always DVR’d it as we are up early in the mornings, so Friday at 8 we can watch on time..Pleeeeeaaaassse give it a chance!!! Maybe if the powers to be would start adverting the switch now more people would know what is going on… Kathi
I think moving Blue Bloods to Wednesday would end up with the show’s demise. There are too many comedies on an opposing channel on Wednesdays that would be too competitive. I agree with Sharon, start focusing on the over 50 crowd. We have enough ridiculous shows on the air now for the younger crowd to watch.
the Defenders is a funny, well written show, Why am I
surprised they are going to bury it on friday nights. to salvage
another boring cop show?
I love both The Defenders and Blue Bloods, what I don’t love is the networks cancelling shows before they can really make their mark. And another thing…Wednesday night has ALL the good TV (all 3 major networks), my DVR can only record 2 shows at a time, so I’m forced to choose. Try a different night (Tuesday works for me)! I have decided to stop watching new dramas on CBS, NBC and especially ABC because just when I get hooked they get yanked…all hail the sitcom! Thanks Chuck Lorre!
My husband and I enjoy both shows. Maybe you need to start focusing on what the 50 and over crowd enjoy watching instead of just focusing on the younger crowd.
It seems you tend not to give shows the chance they deserve if the younger crowd don’t watch them as much.j
both the defenders and blue bloods get 100 percent attention from me and my husband jim. we love both shows. the chemistry between the stars on both shows is great. dont even think of canceling them
The Defenders is Dynomite! I never miss it – Belushi is Great – Keep it going!
Blue Bloods is one of the best shows. Everytime something is great to watch on TV it gets moved. Leave it alone. Blue Bloods is one top notch show and should stay on Friday’s.
Leave Blue Bloods alone!!! Leave it where it is and don’t even think about cancelling it.
These shows don’t need to be moved, why can’t you networks leave well enought alone, and if you want to right a wrong move CSI MIAMI to Fridays at 8:00 before its to late, you all finally have a decent weeks programing and now you want to go and mess it up. A good motto to follow IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT.
Blue would be best at 9pm…..great show.Class act.
LOVE Blue Bloods – great cast and interesting stories, although I also tire of the underlying stories that some shows feel they have to string out week after week after week (a la “Red John” on The Mentalist). Hopefully the show does even better on Wed nights, but I think it would do well on most any night as the cast is wonderful.
I agree with Mary Sue – both shows are great and should be left in the present time slots. Blue Bloods on Fridays is a welcome lineup for what has been a dull nite. I love the Defenders, those two guys belong together. We don’t need any more spinoffs, and I still am ticked off about taking JJ off of Criminal Minds, she was so great in her role and so compassionate to those she came in contact with. Why do these people keep messing up good shows???????????????
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GUYS/…….. BOTH BLUEBLOODS AND DEFENDERS ARE GREAT SHOWS….. PLEASE DON’T CANCEL EITHER ONE…. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN FLASHPOINT WILL COME ON AGAIN.. THAT WAS ANOTHER GREAT SHOW PLEASE…THOSE THREE SHOWS ARE GREAT