FOX hasn’t hit a home run with a half-hour sitcom in years. Even though Raising Hope’s already been renewed for a second season, it’s hardly a big success. Running Wilde didn’t even get to air all 13 episodes before it was cancelled. Will FOX have better luck with Traffic Light?
Traffic Light follows the changing lives of five thirty-somethings. Mike (David Denman), Adam (Nelson Franklin), and Ethan (Kris Marshall) have been friends since college and have seen each other through both highs and lows. They now find themselves in different places in their lives. Mike’s a lawyer who’s married to Lisa (Liza Lapira) and they have a young child together. He’s trying to carve out a little space for himself. Adam recently moved in with his girlfriend, Callie (Aya Cash), and is discovering how this change impacts his life. Meanwhile, Ethan is the perpetual bachelor who loves women is only committed to his pet bulldog, Carl.
The sitcom debuted on February 8th to a disappointing 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 4.59 million viewers. The next week, the show’s ratings dropped by 36% in the demo to a 1.4 and 3.49 million viewers. In week three, they popped back up a bit, to a still-disappointing 1.6 in the demo and 3.99 million viewers.
For the fourth showing, FOX gave Traffic Light a special timeslot, leading out of a 90 minute edition of American Idol. With that great lead-in, the sitcom scored a 2.8 rating and 7.32 million viewers. That was a much more positive sampling and FOX was surely hoping that more viewers would then tune in on the following Tuesday night. They didn’t. Last week’s episode attracted a 1.5 demo rating and 3.82 million viewers.
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Thus far, Traffic Light is averaging a 1.8 rating in the demo and 4.64 million viewers — essentially tied with Fringe, one of the lowest-rated scripted series on the network. If you remove the special post-American Idol ratings from Traffic Light’s average, the sitcom falls to a 1.6 in the demo, matching the average of now-cancelled Running Wilde. That’s terrible.
It’s inconceivable that FOX would renew Traffic Light for another season. What’s more, at some point they may start replacing Traffic Light with something else. Will FOX air the eight remaining episodes? We’ll have to wait and see.
But, what do you think? Is Traffic Light worth watching? Is it funny? Would you keep it or just cancel it now?
Image courtesy FOX.
I love Traffic Light. I think it is very funny and I would be very sad if they canceled it completely.
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This show is amazing. I can’t believe how much it mirrors my life. The writing is genius, and i’ve loved every episode.
Fox has another arrested development on their hands. Don’t cancel this show. it is comic genius. Instead, FOX should take out advertising during Modern family, advertise that once modern family os over everyone should switch to FOX for Traffic Light, and air Traffic light during cougar town. no one watches that show, anyway.
One can never underestimate the awful taste of the general American public and the cooperate execs who cater to them: enough with the reality TV. Who up in Fox’s boardroom decides to cancel one of their only shows with the potential match ABC’s Modern Family and NBC’s Parks and Rec? Bravo for your myopia.
This show was the funniest thing on tv next to Modern Family. It was just in a bad time slot. I admit I never watched it when it was on but always did online the next day. They said the lead ins by Glee and American Idol should have made it more popular. Really? The teens that watch those shows aren’t going to watch a show about couples in their 30’s.
I think the show is funny however, there is one MAJOR issue that keeps bothering me. Why does this show pretend like it takes place in Chicago? They drive around with Illinois plates along with the current City Parking Sticker on the car, and expect to convince the audience that this show takes place in Chicago. Its rather annoying!!!! The show is obviously filmed in LA, and does not portray Chicago in ANY manor. At least highlight a few Chicago landmarks to convince us better. What a let down!!
I think the show is great. The dymanics between the best friends reminds me of my best friends for the past decade and I love the flow of the show.
I love this show! The idea is not very original, but the hilarious jokes and fantastic acting make up for that. I can’t believe that the ratings for the show are so low; i would think that once someone saw the first commercial they would be hooked like i am. Please renew this show for, at least, one more season. It is too good to be dropped!
I love “Traffic Light!” First-season sitcoms don’t usually appeal to me but I think the writing is excellent and I love the character dynamics–I really hope they renew it, or at least let the episodes play. I’m sad to hear that the viewing numbers are so low, but what about online viewing? My friends and I only ever watch it online–I’d hate to think the new trend of online tv is ruining the tv ratings of worthy shows…
Love this show! With all the junk out there, this witty, fun and realistic comedy with likable characters is refreshing and hysterical. I’m down to 4 comedies that my wife and I enjoy – How I Met Your Mother, Raising Hope, Big Bang Theory and Traffic
Like “Carpoolers” a few years ago, this is a funny and promising sitcom that has a terrible lead-in. “Raising Hope” isn’t as bad as “Cavemen,” but it’s pretty bad. I hope “Traffic Light” won’t get cancelled — I assume it will be — and I just hope Fox airs all the episodes before pulling the plug.
I really like this show, I dont know what is with all the negativity. like they said above, i think people wont give it a chance. fox wants to bring a show out and cancel it after a couple months then ill just watch nbc. office, parks and rec, and 30 rock are way better than any fox garbage. i hate when you give a show a chance, you like it, then they drop it to make another reality show. KEEP TRAFFIC LIGHTS! it just needs better promotion
I love this show! It’s hilarious and real! I love the characters and completely relate!
Unwatchable. Trite and cliched. I think they need more than one writer.
I think this show is extremely funny. I hope to see the next 8 episodes as well. I also like the fringe series. I guess they will cancel both of them and then I will just watch HBO. I think that people just have not given them a chance. The show and the characters are very easy to relate to. It will be a shame to cancel what is obviously a hit!!!!!