Last spring, ABC renewed venerable comedy Scrubs and newbie Better Off Ted, despite their low ratings. Now that they’re back, the network is in a hurry to get rid of them.
Scrubs follows hospital life as seen through the eyes of Dr. J.D. Dorian (Zach Braff). After having left Sacred Heart last season, he’s returned to help teach a new crop of med students. Others in the current cast include Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, Ken Jenkins, Sarah Chalke, Eliza Coupe, Kerry Bishe, Michael Mosley, and Dave Franco.
Better Off Ted follows Ted Crisp (Jay Harrington) and the other employees at Veridian Dynamics, a heartless technology company. The rest of the cast includes Andrea Anders, Jonathan Slavin, Malcolm Barrett, and Portia de Rossi.
Based simply on the ratings, neither ABC sitcom should have been renewed last season. Scrubs had dwindled to an average of 4.97 million viewers and a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic. It was ultimately saved because ABC’s production studio produces the show and another season would bring more money in syndication.
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Last May, Better Off Ted had only aired half of its completed episodes and was averaging a disappointing 1.76 rating and 4.39 million. Though the ratings were quite low, ABC decided to bring the sitcom back for another season. The network programmers supposedly liked the pairing of Ted and Scrubs and hoped that the ratings would improve. When the network began airing the rest of Ted’s first season during the summer, the ratings dropped much further, to an average of 0.74 in the demo and 2.09 million viewers.
The sitcoms have now both returned for the 2009-10 schedule and the ratings are still terrible. Scrubs kicked off this season with a low 2.0 rating in the demo and only 4.5 million viewers. The numbers have dropped since then and last Tuesday’s episode brought in a 1.8 rating and 4.26 million.
Ted debuted with a 1.5 in the demo and 3.82 million. Last week’s installment attracted just a 1.3 and 3.18 million.
To little surprise, ABC has decided to burn off the unaired episodes of both series as quickly as possible. Single installments of each sitcom will air tomorrow night and on the 29th. On New Year’s Day, two episodes of Ted and one of Scrubs will follow the Rose Bowl Game. Then, beginning on January 5th, two installments of each sitcom will run on Tuesday nights. By the end of the month, both sitcoms are expected to have run through their full 13 episode orders.
While the network hasn’t indicated that either series has been cancelled, the decision to burn through the seasons in 60 days certainly isn’t a vote of confidence. Neither Scrubs nor Ted is expected to return, especially in light of the much better performance from newcomers Modern Family and Cougar Town.
What do you think? Do you think Better Off Ted and Scrubs will be cancelled? Will you be sorry to see either one end?
Image courtesy ABC.
I agree. There is no reason Better Off Ted should be doing so poorly on ratings, other than poor marketing. The show itself is very fresh and witty and has delightful characters. The title and advertising do not make it look nearly as good as it is. It is my new favorite, but if I hadn’t just stumbled upon it I wouldn’t be watching it. After the first episode or two I was hooked. Very clever!
This show is the best!! My whole family loves it, it’s our favorite show! Please keep “Better off Ted” on the air! My life will not be complete with out it! I have already spread the word to everyone of my friends/family and have encouraged them to watch this show. Every single person has expressed their feedback and TRUST ME it has been enthusiastic and they will continue to watch this program….NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TAKE THIS SHOW OFF THE AIR!
Thanks!
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE “Better off Ted” off the air!!!!!!!! I don’t really watch t.v. but I was introduced to this show a couple weeks ago and I’m IN LOVE!!! This show surpasses any sitcom out there! Please please keep this show on the air!:( You will disappoint the people in this country who have a “real” sense of humor. I promise to pass the word on so were able to send their ratings through the roof!!
Thanks!
They keep doing this. I find a show that I like and it gets cancelled. Most of the comedies out there are mindless drivel that inserts a laugh track to highlight the jokes. The only laughs that most shows get are from the laugh track and not from the viewers. Better Off Ted is amazingly hilarious and should be marketed better. Disney knows how to market talentless children, why can’t they market a hilarious and intelligent show? Maybe that’s the problem. Programs that show any semblence of wit apparently don’t survive. No wonder nobody is watching tv these days.
Better Off Ted is simply one of the best shows ever. I’m sure it may make those striving for politcal correctness very uneasy, it’s a show where no one or no thing is sacred. I myself work for a huge soulless corperation, and Ted is dead on. Definitely give it a chance and market it properly.
I rarely, and I mean rarely, watch any of the alphabet channels as their shows are drivel and general designed for 12 yr old children. That is until I saw Better Off Ted. It is a comedic gem and I am truly sorry to see it go.
Better Off Ted is a fantastic show and takes second only to 30 Rock in primetime comedies(which is a good place to be). ABC has this issues of getting rid of fantastic shows with marvelous actors for erroneous reasoning. ABC’s main problem, MARKETING!!! From several of the forums posts and from people I know personally, ABC has a huge issue with effective marketing. ABC burns through good shows like no other network I’ve seen. They should be thankful NBC makes such bad choices in shows or they be fighting for 2nd place. Bottom line keep Ted around a little longer.
Scrubs and Better Off Ted are the only sitcoms that I watch on ABC. I’ll be tuning out ABC when they are gone. Unfortunately, I am not surprised that Cougar Town is performing better, as it is complete mindless rubbish that appeals to the masses.
What a shame. Good writing, great acting, this show got off to a great start, found it’s rhythm and flow immediately. Phil and Lem are THE best. I’m so saddened to see this go. Feel worse about this getting canceled then some of my fave foods from Trader Joes not being carried anymore.
“Better Off Ted” is the single best show on network television. I TiVo all of the episodes and have gatherings 2ce a week to show family and friends the hilarity. It would be a trravesty — an abomination — and a horror — if the show was cancelled. But it would not be a surpirse. “Better Off Ted” is well-written, well-acted, and aimed at a high intllectual audience. It’s thre exact opposite of “Survivor” or (gag) “American Idol. In short, the show is too good for th critics and too good for the viewing puclic. I eagerly wait each week… Read more »
Better off Ted is a brilliant show and should be marketed properly! Please don
i just saw better off ted for the first time 2 weeks ago and it is now my favorite show. i don’t watch many sitcoms, but ted was (is) amazing. i’ll be crushed if it’s canceled.
Better Off Ted has to return! It is the best sitcom for years. The people who don’t watch it are simply stupid! And scrubs should also be renewed for another season.
Better off Ted is a brilliant show and should be marketed properly! Please don’t cancel this comedic gem! It is so refreshing to find an intelegent sit-com among a mine field of bad “reality” tv, tasteless humor, and T&A.
I am sick and tired of the ratings dictating which show will go on and which one will be cancelled. After “dead like me”, “samantha who”, “ugly betty”, “wire in the blood”, “dirt”, “it’s all relative”, “the inside”, “killer instinct”, “testees”, they want to continue to stop very good, funny, relaxing, enjoyable series such as “better off ted” or “scrubs”. Enough is enough !! f…k the ratings and let leave diversity !!