If you were watching CBS earlier this summer, you couldn’t help but see loads of commercials for their new reality series called Same Name. After all of that promotion, what happened? Has the TV series already been cancelled?
Same Name follows celebrities and regular people who happen to share the same name. The two very different individuals switch places for a week and live with each other’s families, work alongside co-workers, and see how it feels to live the other’s life.
The reality series debuted on July 24th, paired with the Sunday return of Big Brother. The episode garnered a poor 1.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 5.36 million viewers, losing 40% of its Big Brother lead-in audience. Same Name was second for its timeslot, beaten by reruns of Family Guy and American Dad on FOX.
Episode two fell 13% in the demographic and 21% in total viewership. Week three’s installment bumped up to a series high with a 1.6 rating in the demo but just five million viewers. The fourth episode fell back down to a 1.5 rating. Same Name continued to lose a large percentage of the Big Brother lead-in audience, as much as 1.5 demo points and 54%. Often airing opposite other networks’ reruns, viewers were making a conscious effort to turn Same Name off.
CBS supposedly has six episodes of Same Name but the final two celebrity names hadn’t been promoted or announced when the show was pulled from the schedule just a few days before episode five was to air. The network replaced the reality show with reruns of The Good Wife.
While The Good Wife reruns haven’t been performing as well as original Same Name installments, the network no doubt wants to get viewers used to the idea of seeing Julianna Margulies and company on Sundays. New episodes of the critically-acclaimed but low-rated series will start airing at 9pm on Sunday nights beginning September 25th.
CBS may or may not have two episodes of Same Name left on the shelf. If they do, they could burn them off at some point in the future. Either way, it seems unlikely that the network will order a second season. It’s easily the lowest-rated reality show on the network and there’s simply no good reason not to cancel it.
But, what do you think? Is Same Name worth watching? Do you think it deserves a second season or should it just be cancelled?
Image courtesy CBS.
please help get Same Name back on TV. please take a second to sign this petition. Thank you 🙂 http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/samenamecbs/
I enjoyed the show and was wondering why my DVR was not recording more episodes. I think they gave up too quick, or put it on at the wrong time. It IS a good show and needed time for America to see it!
I watched the David Hasselhoff and Reggie Bush shows. They were both really good. I think it is tough for any new show to start in the summer when most people aren’t watching tv on a regular basis. I definitely think it should be given a second chance now that all the shows are starting back. If people love Extreme Makeover Home Edition then they will like Same Name. It is people(celebrities) doing good things for others. And lets face it, they make stupid amounts of money when there are homeless people in our country so it is nice to… Read more »
I really would like to see more of this show! I wondered where it went. I loved that it was a reality show done in good taste! I think it is a great idea for a show and am really pleased that it’s been done as a realistic vision of regular families’ lives. It’s actually realistic! It was put on a good night for families but since CBS having sports changes the viewing time, then please move to another night. Here’s a thought. Try on a Friday night. It’s a night thar many of us who stay home would be… Read more »
Loved and Love this show. Didn’t have to worry about my kids seeing or hearing sexual contents or language. Good show for the family to spend time watching together and I would really really really love to see it back for several seasons. I also would have to agree with Robin on the fact that CBS as well as the other networks that put a series on the air only to have sports or crap run over into the time slot and mess up your viewing or recording. It has to be someone new, young kids (still wet behind the… Read more »
WHAT HAPPENED CBS????? AGAIN, ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR GOOF UPS???? I CAN,T HELP TO THINK THAT YOU (CBS) HAVE NEW PEOPLE RUNNING YOUR NETWORK. I HAVE WATCHED SOAP OPERAS FOR 50 YEARS AND I KNOW THAT THEY CARRIED THE NETWORK ALOT OF THEIR YEARS ON THE AIR, BUT SOMEONE CAME IN WITH BRIGHT IDEAS, KNOCKED THEM OFF CBS AND PUT NEWS ON????!!!! STUPID IN MY BOOK. NOW, YOU HAEV A NEW PROGRAM-SAME NAME-YOU ADVERTISED IT SO MUCH I THINK WE WERE EATING IT!!!!! WE STARTED WATCHING IT TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT, AND IT WAS DIFFERENT, AND WE… Read more »
Thought it was an interesting premise, but wouldn’t care either way. Although, it would be nice to see more of it, that does seem unlikely.
It was krap, as are most reality shows. Won’t miss it.
Ok, I LOVE The Good Wife, but have issues watching anything that airs in the new timeslot because there are ALWAYS some sort of sport getting in the way. I can’t always tune in at exactly the right time to watch, so I record the programs and tune in as soon as possible. (I DVR EVERYTHING, probably watch like hundreds of hours of tv a week because we have 3 dvrs in our house and I fill every one of them daily, and watch nightly when I can’t sleep) I LOVE watching the Good Wife and have never missed an… Read more »
I thought it was quite a good show, though for all these advertisements they say they had not to many people have seen them. It was fluke that I came across the show but I did enjoy it and would watch it regularly if they gave it another chance 🙂
LOL I had no idea this show existed either. 🙂
im so disappointed in CBS, I really enjoyed Same Name and feel it wasnt given a fair chance. If fact, i have created a petition to get SAME NAME back!!! please sign and pass the word. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/samenamecbs/ thank you 🙂
What? I never even heard of this show. Had no idea it was on the air. If you multiply me times a couple million people, well, there’s their problem. lol.