Sunday’s premiere of Kings was less than impressive in terms of ratings, especially considering the amount of promotion and money that NBC poured into it. Not even the prospect of seeing Deadwood’s Ian McShane in another series could draw in a big audience.
While things don’t look good for Kings’ future, NBC Entertainment’s co-chair Ben Silverman says he’s encouraged by the interest in the series and has faith that the show can pull through.
He tells the Hollywood Reporter’s James Hibberd, “I’m hoping because intent [to view] went up and awareness went up after it aired, clearly people responded to it, and it grew over its two hours. That gives me some hope. It’s just hard to launch things that are not obvious. We may get nailed for it, but I’m proud of the show, and we need to keep taking chances like that.”
Though his faith in the show is reassuring for the show’s fans, Silverman’s comment about the show’s audience growth over the two hour premiere is a bit misleading.
While the 18-49 demographic had slight increase in the show’s final half hour, the overall size of the audience dropped. Approximately 6.47 million started watching at 8pm and only 5.9 million stuck with it until the end. That’s not growth. Even if it was, the show was still in fourth place overall.
So, will Silverman and the network stick by Kings or abandon it? One thing is certain. The show certainly has an uphill battle for survival.
Image courtesy NBC.
I think it’s a terrible shame that this show didn’t make it. It’s well made, visually appealing with an actual plot. Unfortunately this is probably it’s undoing. It isn’t a stupid reality show about people living in a house with 100 cameras watching their every move (most of which involve little else except siting around talking aimlessly about who is and isn’t forming an alliance to get so and so out of the house), fat people loosing weight for money, or idiots trying to impress a washed up millionaire to get a job. All I can say is ENOUGH OF… Read more »
This series was a well thought out well written drama that kept me wanting to see the next episode. The finale this passt weekend is a prime example of that hook. It’s almost maddening to know that now I won’t be able to find out how Capt. Shepherd will fullfill his promise to his higher power and his country. Beyond that… now that Silas is becoming the villain I want to see how low he can go to maintain his crown and whether he’ll be redeemed and pulled from the brink of damnation at the very last minute. Would it… Read more »
Please, please, please, pretty please do NOT cancel this show. It’s brilliant. There is so much crap on television. I think the reason that it had too few viewers is not due to lack of interest but the fact that it was not promoted strongly enough I spoke to several people who would have loved the show had they known it even existed. So upset about the cancellation oh but what ever you do don’t cancel those cheap to make insulting our intelligence reality shows. NOT!!! Shame, shame
Also love this show! Moving it killed it. Put it back on prime time and it will fly.
This show is awesome but I also think that Tuesday @8 would be so much better for everyones hectic lives! I think it would be a real shame if NBC decided to cancel Kings.
Kings is one of the best things on TV, I would be a mistake and a shame to cancell it.
“KINGS” is the very first tv show on NBC that is semi-biblical but is not offensive. The writing, acting and overall production of this televised theatrical drama is overwhelmingly brilliant! Given a proper chance (airing it any weekday) I believe will improve ratings. I’m not insulting NBC, you do your jobs phenominally, I just think that your fans deserve a little more loyalty. Fans invest their time and attention spans on a particular program just to have it torn from their lives…It’s quite cruel actually. But in the end, if rating still plumit and plug has to be pulled, I… Read more »
Yea, They need to move the show to a different time slot Tuesday 8:00 would be good. This show is just too good to end. Its the best TV show. NBC will force me to hate it if they cancel.
@jnm: It airs July 25th.
has the season finale aired yet?
What’s wrong with NBC (wtf!!). They spend all this time and effort to produce a fantasitc program and then set it up to fail. Everything about this show is great; period. And then they decide to pull the plug!!. Perhaps NBC could replace it with some sort of reality TV program or crime scene show,or mabey a dating show; I don’t think I’ve seen that before on TV. I don’t understand why people would rather watch crap like today’s reality TV (eg. bachelorette; my girlfreind HAS TO watch it) week after week and can’t give Kings a chance. I never… Read more »
Also, how can you have a show 8 o’clock on a saturday night? Your showing the 18-49 demographic correct? Well I’m 18 and I know i have hockey starting at 8:30 pm and i know people party alot on saturdays. I agree, 8 pm on a tuesday would be perfect. Kings you need to exist!
How is it everytime a good series comes on TV you cancel it. No wonder we watch CBS most of the time. Forget your 18-49 they don’t watch TV they sit on the computer. Try 50- till dead.
This show is awesome! You’re totally missing it if you don’t tune in!
they should really put the show on a tuesday night at 8:00pm