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.
Scrubs, was my favorite show. This awful re-invention just killed it
for me. You are supposed to LIKE the characters. I can’t stand some
of them, and the scripts are painfully bad. IF THEY TOSSED THE NEW
GUYS AND BROUGHT BACK SOME OF THE REGULARS- JD, CARLA
KELSO, AND TED I WOULD START WATCHING AGAIN.
Better off Ted, is a new, funny show. I hope it sticks around and can
build up its audience.
Agreed. “Cougar Town” is terrible. I LOVE “Better Off Ted”. I’ve worked in the biotech industry, and Veridian Dynamic reminds me soooo much of my industry days. It’s truly a GREAT show! I can’t pick a favorite episode…the one with the red lab coat? Or perhaps the one where they froze Phil? They are all delightfully refreshing!
What’s irritating is that they tend ot move the time slot around quite a bit. I usually catch the episodes on hulu or abc.com as a result.
In complete agreement with Jasakarr and others who posted above. Better Of Ted is smart & hilarious with a great concept. After just discovering the show a few months ago I have gone back and watched as many earlier episodes online to catch up. The network should have done a better job of promoting the show – seemed like the time slot was constantly changing?
Cougar Town is insipid dreck.
Really? Cougar Town over Better off Ted? Viewers are idiots…
It’s a shame this show will go the way of Arrested Development before it. Some shows are too smart for the average Amercian. Very sad.
BETTER OFF TED…is one of the best shows that I have ever watched. This show needs another chance. It also wouldn’t hurt to promote it a little better. Where Scrubs, which use to be one of my favorite shows…before the last two seasons…perhaps has run its course….TED…has not. My daughter mentioned that she thought this show was quite funny. The first time I watched….I wasn’t sure what it was really about. By the second show, I was falling off the couch laughing… I don’t usually laugh out loud. Great show. If I have to buy both (only) 13 episode seasons….and… Read more »
I LOVE Better off Ted!! It is the most hilarious show I’ve seen in a long time. I didn’t know it existed until recently. With target audience being those in the office, I doubt it was properly promoted or scheduled. I can identify with EVERY character on the show; and that makes me laugh at almost every scene. This is a gem and ABC should invest in the success of the show instead of throwing in the towel. Veronica would call them all losers at ABC HQ.
Praying that Ted gets renewed, and praying they finally pull the plug on the miserable Scrubs. Once you got rid of the janitor, you just lost it…
I just discovered “Better Off Ted” in mid December. My husband and I don’t watch many shows, but we never miss this program. It is hilarious, witty, and very cleverly written. We feel it really hits corporate life on the head! I don’t think I have laughed out loud and so hard at a sitcom in years! I hope they don’t cancel it. Maybe they should try promoting it more.
I have been a fan of Better Off Ted since EPISODE ONE and have lived in fear of it getting canceled! I have never laughed so hard and the world will be a less joyful place if it’s gone!!!!
I love Better Off Ted!! I think it is such funny and clever writing! The two scientists are hilarious!
I find “Better of Ted” to be very funny & entertaining. I really wish they would move it around the schedule to try to find a place for it. Unfortunately “Scrubs” has used up all it’s creative energies and the lose of many of the original cast hasn’t helped it much either. I really expect (and will be glad) it will end and be put to rest.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE “Better Off Ted!” It is witty and amazingly funny. If ABC is having issues with ratings, then maybe they should try promoting it more or playing around with the air time…move it to Wednesdays before or after Modern Family to see if that audience stays tuned. It would be a horrible shame to end this awesome show!!!! I reccomend it to all of my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just discovered “Better Off Ted” 2 weeks ago (mid-January). I didn’t know it might be canceled until this week. I’m very disappointed. I haven’t seen a show with that much creative humor in a long time. I used to watch NCIS which is on at the same time. Maybe if ABC switched the day and/or time it would have better ratings.
I love this show! It’s brilliant and if you take if off the air YOU ARE NOT! Don’t be stupid, keep the laughs flowing!
It’s about time you’ve created a fun, smart, and witty show! These days things are hard for every family and now is the time to LAUGH. This show allows us to kick-back and forget about our day-to-day stressful situations. We love this show and love the way it makes us smile, which is extremely needed during these times. PLEASE LEAVE IT ALONE!!!