ABC has tried numerous times to find a new hit drama to help replace some of their aging ones. Pan Am has been a disappointment and Revenge hasn’t been a big success but Once Upon a Time looked like a winner right out of the gate. But, how do things look now? Is the show on track to land a season two renewal or could it end up cancelled?
On Once Upon a Time, the daughter (Jennifer Morrison) of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Joshua Dallas) tries to help fairy-tale characters who’ve been cursed by the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla) and ended up living in a small town in Maine. The series also features the talents of Robert Carlyle, Jared Gilmore, Raphael Sbarge, Meghan Ory, Jamie Dornan, Beverley Elliott, Lee Arenberg, David Paul Grove, and Gabe Khouth.
The new drama started off with a bang and a solid 4.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 12.93 million viewers. It was second in it’s timeslot which was impressive considering that Once Upon a Time’s debut had to compete with the World Series and popular shows on cable.
New series often fall 10-20% in their second week on the air but Once Upon a Time bucked the trend and dropped a mere 3% to a 3.9 rating in the all-important demo. In week three, the numbers fell just a bit more — to a 3.8 rating — and the series got a full season pick-up.
Unfortunately, the numbers keep dropping. With the exception of the fourth week (which didn’t drop or gain), Once Upon a Time has dropped in the demo and in total viewership each week. The last episode of 2011 drew a 2.9 rating and 8.92 million viewers, a new series low. That’s a far cry from the debut and the holiday hiatus surely hasn’t helped things.
While Once Upon a Time isn’t in trouble yet, its no longer looking like a big hit and could easily be in trouble. Remember FlashForward?
That ABC series debuted with nearly the exact same ratings two years earlier. It also looked like the big hit of the season but the numbers kept eroding each week. After seven episodes, FlashForward had dropped 35% in the demo. It kept falling until it was cancelled. After seven episodes, Once Upon a Time has fallen 28%. Hopefully, it’ll have a happier ending.
What do you think? Do you think Once Upon a Time will keep falling? Will it survive and see a second season or do you think it’ll end up being cancelled?
Image courtesy ABC.
Revenge and Once Upon a Time have been two of the most buzzed shows of the season…there’s no way they will be cancelled….silly article.
I just started tuning in to this show. Got the first glimpse during the new years marathon. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I dvrd the rest of the marathon and can’t wait to see each episode. I hope this one is not axed. I love the supernatural and it’s nice to see the good win out in this series! Keep up the good work ABC.
I don´t understand this article. Why dont you say the show had been fighting against important football matches? And December Xmas holidays?
Because the first four episodes had stable ratings, but after the break (American Music Awards) it was December and every show drop in that month.
My bet:
Second season and 10 millions / 3.0 share.
Once Upon A Time is a really great show. Keep it.
this show gets your attention and you cant wait to see what happens next. it is a great show, compare to the other shows out there, hairy bikers, killing hogs,moonshiners and the list goes on.LEAVE IT ON AIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please leave this show on the air!!!!!!!! Every time we get into watching a new show, they pull the plug on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They really need to give these shows a chance! Within a few episodes, stations are already cancelling them. It’s all hard to tell now as most people download tv shows rather then watching them on tv :/
It should succeed and be renewed but this is ABC we’re talking about. The network that cancelled two of the most beloved daytime shows for over 40 years each and replaced them with The Spew and The Revultion, two of the worst shows ever on television. They are so arrogant and ignorant they will cancel this fine show as well. Look what they did to V!
I don’t think this one will get cancelled. I could be wrong but there seems to be too much buzz about it… kinda like how it is with Fringe and Chuck. When each new season starts I record the 1st episode of almost every show unless it’s the type show that I just have no interest in at all…. and this show was one of those. But because of the critic’s buzz I was reading about I DVD’d it anyway and was hooked right away. Personally I hope they keep it going.
They need to give it a chance, Flashforward was great & they keep cancelling good shows like it without thinking of the new people that will be drawn with DVDs & Netflix.
Yet another scare mongering article about falling rating. What you don’t mention is that 2.72 million tuned in via DVR in the 7 days following live broadcast, takings it rating figure up to a 4.1 for Heart is A lonely Hunter. I have just written an article on my fan site about scare mongering articles like this. Do your research and stop panicking the fans.
Gareth Hughes » All shows get a boost from 7 day viewing but ultimately it’s not that important. Why? Because the commercials that pay for the show are time sensitive. The sale, movie premiere, or new show premiere have likely passed by the time those people see the ad. You can call it scare mongering if you like (Flash Forward fans did the same as I recall) but the fact remains that the ratings have been dropping. The FF example shows how quickly a hit show can go from being a big hit to being cancelled. Fans should be aware… Read more »
Yet another reason why the neilson ratings are so outdated. On Demand is the future, time the networks and the advertisers played catch up. ABC just gave 7 hours of New Years Day viewing to the show. They can’t be that worried.
Gareth Hughes » Outdated or not, the reality is that that’s how they measure a show’s success.
But then you get other sites printing stuff like this. No wonder fans are confused!
And obviously it counts enough to have its final rating for Lonely Hunter adjusted from 2.9 to a 4.1 final figure.
“Disney-owned Once Upon A Time (4.1 rating) remained TV’s #1 new drama among Adults 18-49 in the Live + 7 numbers, topping new drama runner-up CBS’ Person Of Interest by 5% (3.9 rating). The ABC freshman drama gained an additional 1.2 rating points over its originally reported Live + Same Day numbers”. TV By The Numbers
Gareth Hughes » It is confusing and the networks make it worse by touting that every new show is a huge hit. Their motivation is to get as many people watching as possible, any way they can. All shows get a boost from DVR numbers, some more than others. Ultimately they aren’t as important because, by that point, the ads are either being skipped or they’re worthless to the sponsor. Many sites buy into the idea that total viewership is most important but it’s not true. The networks get more ad $$ for a show with higher demos and lower… Read more »
Hey man, there’s no need to call it “scare mongering” — it’s just a speculative article. I think it’s good consider what direction things might be taking, based on live ratings (as that’s what’s most important to networks and advertisers). And it won’t affect how I watch television either way.
I appreciate that. Maybe scare mongering was harsh. However, running a fan site for Once, I see how distraught articles like this make the fans. They worry without need. Twitter has been ablaze with fans feeling so down about it. It’s a 4.1. Most shows would kill for a 4.1. Let’s just see what the new batch of episodes bring before we jump to conclusions on the shows future.
@ Ross: “Happy Endings” is currently in it’s second season.
Happy Endings is currently in its second season. The first season was a mid-season replacement in March 2011.
NO! dont let the series be canceled! i will be very very very pissed! why should a stupid thing like the amount of viewers affect the fate of the show?! maybe a lot of the viewers were not able to watch some of the episodes! do not i repeat do not let the show be cancelled! i will not allow it! i will sue if that happens! come on people! get back in the game! dont let this amazing series drop!
Once Upon a Time will NOT be renewed. It’ll go down as low as a 1.5 rating and around 4.5 million viewers. Even Pan Am, Revenge, Happy Endings and Suburgatory won’t live to see a second season either.
what do YOU know?! you dont know anything! what makes YOU so sure the show wont be renewed? who made YOU the expert on the progress of shows?!
Love this show. It MUST STAY!
I’ll shout with glee when you’re proven wrong. There’s no way OUAT will go down THAT low… Maybe 2.0 at the lowest.
I think you make a pretty safe call on Pan Am and possibly Revenge, but the ratings don’t support your other three choices. Once Upon a Time, Happy Endings, and Suburgatory are all in the top half of ABC’s scripted shows when it comes to ratings. I don’t think that ABC will have enough programming to replace these shows. The only thing that could sink Once Upon a Time would be if the cost of the show is a lot higher than the other shows on ABC with weaker ratings. I know I am not going out on a limb… Read more »