EW’s James Hibbard recently interviewed FOX entertainment president Kevin Reilly about Fringe’s performance on Friday nights. Reilly said, “I’m so psyched about it… It does go to show you the loyalty of the genre audience, when you get the right show. I’m so grateful to that audience, I’d like to shake their hands. We have a lot of passion for that show here.”
It should be noted that the conversation took place prior to last Friday when Fringe had its second significant drop in the ratings. The series was moved to Friday nights on January 21st and attracted a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 4.87 million viewers. That’s about what it had been doing on Thursdays. The following week, the numbers were about the same.
On February 4th, the demo dropped to a 1.6 rating and 4.26 million viewers, a loss of 16% in the demo. Last Friday, the numbers for Fringe fell again, to a 1.4 rating and 3.74 million, a decline of 13% in the demo. Some are quick to point out that many series were down last week but ultimately a show must be judged on its own, on how profitable it is for a network.
There are eight episodes left in this season. The ratings for those will either convince FOX to give Fringe a fourth season or that it’s just not worth the expense.
What do you think? Will the numbers for Fringe rise, continue to fall, or have they evened off?
Image courtesy FOX.
IS IT JUST MY IMAGINATION OR WHAT? IF A TV SHOW TAKES MORE THAN TWO BRAIN CELLS TO WATCH IT DOESN’T LAST. ONE HAS TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE PARTY TO WATCH FRINGE . IT MAKES ONE THINK.
Please don’t cancel Fringe, I just started watching it and it is by far my favorite show on TV. It is very addictive and in the words of Spock, “Fascinating” (ok, word of Spock). I haven’t seen a show that good since “The X-Files.”
Nothing every comes of shows moved to Friday nights. The networks really do know how to F-up everything. It’s the end of the work week, school week. We have Friday night Football, basketball, baseball, etc. Then there are the ones that go out on Friday nights for dinner or night out with buds just to unwind for the end of the week. So why networks, do you do this to the fans (this is not just the one, its all of the networks). All I have to say, love Fringe AND if you are going to pull the plug @… Read more »
WHY IN HEAVENS NAME DO THE NETWORKS MESS WITH A GOOD THING. FRINGE WAS DOING GREAT FOLLOWING BONES. IS IT BECAUSE AMERICAN IDOL? WHY COULD AMERICAN IDOL NOT STAYED THE WAY THEY WERE. UT FRINGE BACK ON THURSDAY NIGHT……..;
****** show with too much gory and violence, that is not entertainment
I think you’re thinking of Criminal Minds, not Fringe…
Eight episodes between now and May? That’s a heck of a break… Or maybe it’s not ending in May? Huh. Well, anyway, I really hope FOX realizes that a lot of Fringe’s fans just happen to be among those who don’t own a Nielson box.
I am hopeful that the ratings will stabilize and rise a little bit. The Friday night time slot will draw the hardcore Fringe fans, but it won’t bring in new fans to the show. If it is going to be a Friday show, then at most it will have one more season before it is cancelled. It does not seem like it will be profitable on Friday night with the ratings it has now.
One reason for the drop in ratings might have been that if you have Comcast HD cable in the MN market at least, nothing aired the way it was supposed to. The sound was not working, and nothing recorded or anything as if there were no television shows that night. We have regular Digital cable on other boxes and were not able to watch Fringe on any of them either. So although our house always has Fringe on at least 2 sets each week, last Friday it was on none of them. If anyone who is doing the ratings had… Read more »
Fringe is an awesome show, because it is what many are about. It addresses alternate beliefs in dual universes. Personally, I am not a tv viewer, but Fringe has grabbed my attention for that one hour a week. I love that show and will not miss it! When they take shows off the air such as Fringe or the X-Files, I have no alternative but to sit in front of this damn idiot box all night. I despise the shows that are on TV and refuse to watch them! Fringe is the only one in my opinion who has writers… Read more »
Once again a real good tv show that I have watch sense day one when it originaly aired on Tuesdays then Thursdays and now Fridays. Do the Fox Network even do a rating count when Thurdays now Fridays shows re air on Saturday nights in the old Wanda Talk Show Time slot. I and others are so sick of the networks not including DVR, VHS, thru your cable company digital box on demand or online viewing when looking at tv shows ratings. What is the point of the networks creating tv shows for us viewers to watch and invsest 30min… Read more »
AMEN.
Fringe is a great show and I never miss it although sometimes I have to catch it on DVR. Worrying about whether a favorite show will be cancelled is tiresome in the extreme almost to the point where I think I am going to stop watching TV altogether. Cancelling Fringe and Human Target may be the final straws. I don’t know why I want to bother investing in characters and their stories when each season may be their last. What a waste of my time.
Don’t you dare cancel Fringe. Best show on TV in my opinion. In fact, isn’t it about time for a Fringe, Miami or Fringe, Los Angeles?
Oh no! Don’t even think about cancelling this show!
Please don’t cancel Fringe! Consider online and Tivo viewing when you determine how many are watching!!!
Dont cancel Fringe its a great show.