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.
Better off Ted is funnier than anything else that is on and has been on for a long time. It is crazy for ABC to think of canceling the show now! It is fantastic! They must be running it on the wrong night or something – everyone I know who has seen it loves it!
Better Off Ted – If ABC cancels the show they’re some idiots. If Better Off Ted isn’t comedy, I don’t know what is!
Better Off Ted is one of the freshest, funniest comedies on television, and I don’t see how any show could be more perfectly cast. I can even enjoy reruns, something that normally would have me reaching for the remote. It’s smart, good natured comedy that relies on being clever, which a real change from much of the genre. And there are often of quick throw-aways dropped in to capitalize on whatever the main joke (gag?) of a scene may be. To me, BoT represents the best of the 30-minute comedy format, and should be required watching for anyone who wants… Read more »
Better off Ted is the best sit com on abc. They should put it on with modern family and it will shine. Cougar town has maybe two seasons before people realize Courtney Cox in a bikini is not enough reason to watch the show.
What… Scrubs is OK, and may have run it’s course, but BETTER OFF TED!!!????!!!
No frickin’ way… I swear if ABC cancels ONE MORE of my favorite shows, I’m boycotting them… They cancelled PUSHING DAISIES and ELI STONE… I’m SO upset!
Better Off Ted is a witty, clever show and I LOVE it…
CAN THE REALITY!!!
scrubs has just found a little of its old humor in the last couple of episodes. i actually laughed the other night. better off ted has good writing, would like to see more. it wasnt fair to keep zach braff hanging in scrubs, for no reason, with bad comedy and stupid daydreams, while you are introducing new story lines. he kept the comedy stale, and had no real role. i love scrubs, but couldnt stand any more episodes with zach in them. the new cast is finally starting to gel, the writing is getting better. im still learning BOT, but… Read more »
“Better Off Ted” is a smart and funny comedy that doesn’t rely on fart jokes. It also doesn’t sink to the lowest common denominator. For this it should be applauded since this type of comedy (or any other genre, really) should be applauded and nurtured.
If ABC determines it doesn’t want it anymore, perhaps it can find a home on a cable network that is more accepting?!
ABC really needs to give Better Off Ted an honest chance. I really believe the ratings will improve. This is one of the best shows on television. Smart and funny with great characters. Some of the best shows in television history started off slow out of the ratings gate. I believe this is one of them. Save Ted!
I *really* hope Better Off Ted isn’t cancelled… The latest season of Scrubs kind of jumped the shark IMHO, but this second season of Better Off Ted is even better than the memorable first season. To be entirely honest, Better Off Ted is one of the best shows I’ve watched in a very long time. Every episode hits my funny bone! Hard. With a sledgehammer.
Scrubs has jumped the shark – big time. I’m content to re-live the glory days in syndication.
Better off Ted really should be given a chance. I just recently stuck around to watch it, after Scrubs, and caught myself laughing out loud. Of course, I work for a heartless technology company also, so the humor hits home.
Are you kidding me?!Better Off Ted has THE best, wittiest, sharpest dialogue of any show out there. My whole family loves it and we have a representative from every demographic – 11 year old daughter, 14 year ols son and even my husband – we all laugh out loud – a BIG side-splitting laugh – all through the show. Phil and Lem should have their own show. PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T CANCEL BETTER OFF TED!!!
Everytime I watch “Better Off Ted” –I relate…I laugh about things that have been ticking me off all during the work day—I know nothing I say will stop it from going away..but I will miss it..
I constantly find some little tidbit that makes me chuckle in Better off Ted. I truly will miss it’s zappy charm. The episode where Veridian put in motion detecting lights was absolutley the funniest thing I have ever wtched on TV in my life.
I love both shows. IF and when they are cancelled I’ll just go back to Fox. Tuesday is my only night I turn to ABC.
Friends have just recently encouraged me to check out “Better off Ted”, and I am happy that they did. I believe the show is brilliant and likely a sleeper hit. ABC execs should reconsider its reported cancellation because–anecdotally at least–it’s just catching on.
Promote it, ABC.