ABC recently unveiled a new primetime game show called Downfall. Will it meet the network’s expectations or will lack of viewers be the series’ downfall.
Downfall lets contestants try to answer trivia questions in the pursuit of expensive prizes and one million dollars. The game takes place atop a 10-story building in Los Angeles. Racing against the clock and a giant conveyor belt that holds their prizes, contestants must answer questions before the prizes go over the edge and crash to the street below.
Hosted by Chris Jericho, the new series debuted last Tuesday on ABC. Unfortunately, the ratings could hardly be considered a winning performance. The first episode of Downfall attracted a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.674 million viewers. That put the show in third place in the demo and fourth place for total viewers. Adding insult to injury, it lost approximately 40% of lead-in Wipeout’s audience.
Though the networks have lower expectations for game shows and reality shows because they’re cheaper to produce, ABC execs cannot be pleased with this performance. Series also typically lose 10-20% of the premiere audience in week two and Downfall doesn’t have a lot to lose.
Six episodes have been produced already so it’s very likely that the network will let them all air. It’s unlikely however that they’ll be ordering any additional installments.
But, what do you think? Is Downfall worth watching? Should ABC make more episodes and give it more time to find an audience or, should they cut their losses and just cancel it already?
Image courtesy ABC.
Where all does water bottle replecas ? I don’t Think so ! And if not real items there are still a waste of wood, plastic etc… Stupid Stupic Show take it off.
Cancel this ridiculous wasteful show. I don’t find anything entertaining about this stupid show!!!!!
It’s a very hard and very strange show. It doesn’t seem like it’s that good. I’ll say they should air the rest, but I don’t see anyone ever winning that show.
Replicas ? So what?
Cancel it.
Cancel it!! This is rare for me to wish for the cancellation of a show, because I hate when shows I like are cancelled. But I could barely sit through the first episode and haven’t and don’t plan to watch any other episodes.
Oh I forgot that: And the itmes that get throw over that belt – theire replicas. Jericho said it himself at an interview. Sure, it may be a waste, but well, I like the idea. Point.
Well, as I am from Austria, I don’t got the choice to watch it at the airing time. I saw the first episode and now the 2nd and actually I like it – and I’m not a fan of game shows at all. Jericho does a sweet job, pretty charming. It’s unfair to shot on the show now. Austrian shows would be happy about these rating thou, we got a real bad program here. So, I hope ABC will air at least the full season, there are some people out there who like it. Haters always have to shot on… Read more »
As much as I dislike telling others how their money should be spent… I see this show as an incredibly wasteful. Dropping perfectly good items over the side of a building??? Ridiculous and I have to agree with the other posters… Cancel it.
It just wasn’t fun. I probably could have been, but it wasn’t. This one is a flop.
First of all, the show is terrible. Second, the items that fall off are replicas, NOT THE REAL ITEM. Its stupidity like that that is a poor reflection of America, not crappy television shows like this.
The concept of Downfall is sickening and makes America and Americans look terrible.
AWESOME SHOW ABC KEEP IT!!!!!!
It is terrible and sickining to watch. Please cancel it!
should be gone
I totally hate this show. no wonder other countries hate us. Couldn’t the money wasted from the perfectly good item going over the edge be spent on other things? Really!! This show disgusts me and is a very very poor reflection on America. You should be ashamed ABC.
Uhmm Not To Be Rude But They Dont Use Real Prizes!! If you watch the show you would know so dont going telling abc to cancel when you dont even know about it.
alright? alright!