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’ve got to agree with the 15 most recent posts — Better Off Ted is a super show and the funniest thing I’ve seen on television in several years. The dialog and plots are great. I consistently laugh out loud during this show, and there are so few sitcoms that make me laugh at all. I watch my iTunes-purchased episodes over and over and still find them funny. I am hoping that someone will pick up this show if ABC kills it! Personally, I don’t think this show ever got the right time slot or the right press. Other than… Read more »
If the execs at ABC were smart, they would put Better Off Ted in between Modern Family (hilarious) and Cougar Town (so-s0). They kicked Ugly Betty to the curb, so they have in my opinion an hour to fill. Also, Wednesday is supposed to be ABC Comedy night.
I think Better Off Ted is one of the best comedies (that isn’t originally a BBC show) I have ever seen. I thought it was great to see an American show that was very witty with it’s jokes, not the usual “make the joke as plain as day and just plain dumb”. I figured the show wouldn’t work in America like most shows that require a bit of thought to understand why you should be laughing. I imagine more ridiculous, idiotic “reality” tv shows will replace it. Very, very frustrated to hear it is most likely cancelled. I’m really glad… Read more »
Better off Ted is a great show. If you like the office, modern family, and arrested development (canceled before its time/a movie should be coming out in a year or two, so ive heard) you will like this show. I started watching it on Netflix and did not stop until I had caught up. It will be a shame to see go off the air.
BoT did start luke warm, in fact the second episode with Phil screaming put me off more than made me laugh. I shouldn’t have to turn down my TV to avoid something annoying… but everything after that is comedy gold. Scrubs died with the writers strike and has never recovered. It should have died on top in 2007-2008.
ABC totally mishandled Better off Ted. Put it as a lead in to “The Middle” and it should do fine.
Better Off Ted is my favorite show on television.
i will cry if they cancel better off ted
Unreal. I too wondered what happened to the show. I love Better Off Ted – Agree that Scrubs “definitely jumped the shark”and needs to go, but “Ted” is a classic. A visual Dilbert if there ever was one….
I don’t believe it. I’ve been sitting here waiting for new episodes of Better Off Ted wondering what was taking so long. I just came across this article and was blown away (well not by the Scrubs part, I guess; Scrubs was a great show in it’s day, but they defiantly “jumped the shark”). But Ted… Really… I don’t understand ratings in the US anymore, that show was one of the best out of the small handful of watchable shows on these days. Bring it back BOT!! I really do think the rating system needs to be revamped ; go… Read more »
Better Off Ted is the best show since Arrested Development. It is clever and consistently funny. I am sick of shows like two and a half men, which is a horrible show by the way. Scrubs can go, but Better Off Ted should be brought back.
I just started watching Better Off Ted on Netflix and am absolutely in love with it! Makes me laugh continually. I don’t watch any other sitcoms ….but BOT I can’t get enough of!! :oD
I’m a HUGE fan of Better Off Ted and am rooting that the show stays on the air. The first episode I saw of it I thought was lukewarm (similar to how I felt about Modern Family) but after seeing a few other episodes it has seriously grown on me and I think it’s incredibly funny (as I think Modern Family is). There couldn’t be a better cast, a better group of writers or a better director. The show is super sharp and very original. Where else will you see a a comical and lovable team like Phil and Lem… Read more »
Love Better off Ted – best new show I have seen in a long time.
BIG FAN of Scrubs and Better Off Ted, buts let’s face it everybody these TV Execs don’t really give a sh*t about what we like unless it makes them money, prime example(s) Reaper, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Dollhouse, King of The Hill(it didn’t just end Fox canceled it), Sons Of Tucson(Hilarious but only got 4 episodes then got canceled) all really good shows but weren’t making Fox, ABC or The CW money, so we have to suffer through stupid Reality Show and even dumber remake of sh*t that I didn’t even like when it was on before like Melrose… Read more »