Though politics are an extra touchy subject these days, CBS decided to order a new drama about a blonde, female Secretary of State — Madam Secretary. Some feel that it’s a thinly-veiled allusion to Hillary Clinton while others see the show as a piece of fiction. Either way, CBS is a corporation that makes money from selling advertising and must attract healthy ratings to do that. Is Madam Secretary a success with viewers? Will it survive? Cancel or keep it?
On Madam Secretary, former CIA analyst Elizabeth McCord (Tèa Leoni) returns to public life after being recruited by the President (Keith Carradine) to become the new Secretary of State. The rest of the cast includes Željko Ivanek, Bebe Neuwirth, Geoffrey Arend, Patina Miller, Erich Bergen, Tim Daly, Katherine Herzer, and Evan Roe.
The series debuted on September 21st to a mediocre 2.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 14.75 million viewers. Last week, Madam Secretary dropped 30% in the demo to a 1.4 rating and dropped 14% in viewership, to 12.72 million. Those aren’t very encouraging numbers for a new series and CBS was surely expecting a lot better.
Low-rated, The Good Wife brings the network some prestige but CBS needs more shows with better numbers.
If Madam Secretary’s ratings stay at this level or continue to decline (particulalry in the demo), this new show will be in very real danger of being cancelled. On the positive side, the network is likely to be patient — at least for awhile. The ratings could go up, especially if the show starts getting some positive word of mouth.
But, what do you think? Do you like Madam Secretary? Will you keep watching? Do you think it should be cancelled? Do you think that it should/will end up being renewed for a second season?
Love it!!!
How can they take the ratings seriously when the show is pushed back because of sporting events? On the east coast the show has never started on time sometimes an hour later. How can you build a fan base like that?
So, isn’t a shame that the “So-called ‘Powers That Be and Control our TV Networks seem to have so much total control over what we get to watch no matter whether we want to watch it or not? And that they can even overrule or totally ignore all of us TV viewers when we dare to complain or even actually beg them not to cancel a TV show that the great majority of us dearly love and want to see many many more hours of viewing it?
I think this is a very good show so far.
Intelligence, poise and a good drive…what’s not to like?
I love it. Best show since sliced bread. The story line is fantastic, the actors are brilliant, it’s fresh and so what if its a little “political”? Spice it up even more..
It’s far better than the reality garbage that’s currently on TV.
It’s a keeper!!!
Big Amen Collette Yes the TV Networks all keep pushing lousy TV shows on us that many of us have no real interest in ever watching and that makes me wonder if someone in Hollywood or TVLand is getting a big payoff for doing so? Greed is a wonderful thing you know!
There’s no “payoff” for low-rated shows, except for the executives if they can spin them as if they were hits and keep getting big paychecks for producing duds.
really like this show… brings everything into it.. politics, family, shows the woman being just as successful as the male, if not more… unlike any show currently on t.v. would be a shame to cancel it so soon.
What a refreshing new show! REally a well written show. Why would CBs want to cancel it? Hope it’s on for a long time!
However let all of remember that CBS aka Confused Broadcast System is often not very well known for making smart decisions or ever even considering it’s viewers desires,now
then folks! And,sadly which is also true of ABC The Disneyland Timid Mice TV Network, that also canceled another promising and very well acted show called “Killer Women” which was about a female Texas Ranger no less!
Great show
Need more good shows
Cancel the show and do a documentary that shows hows how the real Secretary of State screwed up the position. A failed attempt to resurrect history.
Good post. But I’ll keep watching it as I’m able to know the difference between what the Sec Of State does on this program compared to what Hillary didn’t accomplish in real life. Other than letting 4 Americans die in Benghazi. And yes this is a BIG Promo for Hillary.
Elaine,
I agree with u whole heartedly! I like the show and will continue to watch it because it is interesting and a seasoned cast. I honestly do not like the Clinton’s and when I first started watching this show I did not think this show revolved around H. Clinton.
It’s the best show of the newcomers this fall so I’d say keep it 🙂
I feel it’s been a void in this genre ever since West Wing ended so I hope it survives now that the decided to make The Newsroom season 3 the last…
Excellent start, interesting characters and good story line. If you download it the broadcast times don’t matter.
I love it! Please keep the show on I think there is great chemistry between Tea Leoni and Tim Daly. Please do not cancel! Sometimes people cannot always watch it when they want. I had to tape it the last two times. I watch my Mil with Dementia so hard to watch it sometimes when I would like to. Also last week it started later and did not know it and this week my son told me it was starting 8:30 because of football. So maybe sometimes people do not know when it is coming on. Keep the show coming!… Read more »
I think the show is great. I love the chemistry between Tea Leoni and Tim Daly. The are both great actors. I sometimes have to tape it because I
I haven’t seen the show yet, but how in the world is 14.75 million viewers for a new television show a bad thing? What do they want? For it to beat the Super Bowl in ratings?
They don’t care about the millions. All they care about are the 18-49 ratings.