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Post by v on Nov 28, 2016 10:34:52 GMT -5
The current biggest threat to Rick’s group isn’t Negan and the Saviors, it’s audience disinterest. AMC’s plan worked initially, and The Walking Dead put up record numbers as 17 million tuned into the season 7 premiere to see who Negan had actually during after the season 6 cliffhanger. But afterward? The show’s ratings have fallen off a cliff in the weeks that followed. They dropped precipitously from 12.5 in episode 2 to now just 11 million viewers in episode 5. While viewers always drop off to a certain extent after season premieres, this is simply unprecedented for The Walking Dead. Losing over six million viewers in just five episodes is not a fluke, and the downward trend may not be over yet. Having just 11 million viewers drops The Walking Dead to a viewership level not seen since season 3. The show was still popular then, but with seasons 4 and 6 averaging about 12-13 million viewers an episode, and season five averaging more like 13-15, this is obviously not the direction The Walking Dead wants to be moving. Season 6 may have indicated a slow decline, but now in season 7, viewer interest is dying off at a simply alarming rate. www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2016/11/27/five-reasons-why-the-walking-deads-ratings-are-crashing-to-season-3-levels/#302053146041
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Post by merelei on Nov 28, 2016 10:48:42 GMT -5
Great article and thanks for posting it! I REALLY hope that the ratings drop and the reviews will actually get through but the chances of that are slim. It's good to know that more people are writing about it and maybe if AMC is tweeted at enough then they'll realize that they need to try harder.
I've seen this show since the first episode and this bottle episode nonsense alone is the working definition of insanity.
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Post by Ripley on Nov 28, 2016 12:20:43 GMT -5
As an "original" viewer who turned off house lights to avoid trick-or treaters in 2010, so as not to be distracted from the pilot, this hemorhaging of millions of viewers is still somewhat sad. The show I loved and watched as must-see TV is all but gone.
I do hope they notice and finally take some necessary action. 'Swear' wasn't a "horrible episode', but the choice to use a minor character (one i like) to introduce us to yet another community in a few episodes seems not well thought out IMO. As a placement issues, it could have gone into 7-B and delayed Tara's re-entry to the show in favor of more scenes of Rick's group or another more main character episode.
There are 2 shows fighting each other at this point IMO- the one we all want to watch about how Rick's group are coping after the deaths of Abe and Glenn, but then the other show, which is the one Gimple and TPTB want to watch.
I guess for Gimple and TPTB, the Abe/Glenn deaths they have lived with for more than a year, so their interest is on new people, new places and new walkers or effects. They have lost sight of the fact that viewers watched and loved those characters and want to see how the main group is coping with their losses.
I feel like George Stephanopolous screaming "It's the economy stupoid!" in the election War Room in the 1990s. TPTB had moved on, without realizing that the audience needs that time to grieve beloved characters we have watch for up to 6 years now and who were loved in the comic too. But nope, Lost style, Gimple has already moved on emotionally, so therefore, we get tiny bottle episodes which interst him, not us.
It is a huge failing on their parts and their awakening to the realities of how porrly they have managed Lucille, Negan and the deaths is going to hit hard. Exactly as it should. I'm guessing we may get more articles by end of season with Himple pleading for us to give them another chance to prove themselves. I'm wondering how low the ratngs will fall.
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Post by Ripley on Nov 28, 2016 19:51:20 GMT -5
This is Comicbook.com, but not by Brandon Davis . Why Are The Walking Dead Ratings Dropping? "...While audiences were upset about the outcome of the premeire, they held out hope that the series would recover from it. The trouble is, the show hasn't given them much to be excited about over the last few weeks. King Ezekiel was a nice, uplifting addition following the tragedy of the first episode, but he hasn't been seen since The problem here, is that skipping an episode snowballs into skipping the show. Once you miss one, it's not part of your routine any more. You might think you want to watch the next episode, but your inner-fan will want to watch the previous episode first. Eventually, you've missed the whole season and are waiting for the episodes to hit Netflix before you catch back up. The Walking Dead is on the verge of losing the majority of its audience. Heading into a winter break, this is the last place they want to be. .." link
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Post by reckon on Nov 28, 2016 23:08:13 GMT -5
Spot-on article by Paul Tassi, thanks for posting, v! I've been looking at ratings throughout the entire series. The first three seasons of TWD, the season finale always did better than the season premiere. Seasons 4, 5, and 6, the seasons that had Scott Gimple as showrunner, the season finale always did worse than the season premiere.
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Post by v on Nov 28, 2016 23:28:44 GMT -5
Swear was a good ep, not a great ep (despite so e of the BEST EP EVER reviews its getting) and was a much needed break from the torture porn Negan show but I agree with what these critics are saying. I noticed that several critics are mentioning the fact we had one kingdom ep, met Zeke and that was it... they are gonna be disappointed when they find out how the rest of the first half plays out. the plot has become repetative... tf finds a place, things go to shit, Rick makes a speech, things work out eventually... and repeat.
For me personally, I much preferred seeing tf work together to overcome problems. the fractured story line worked in 4b but they have used it ever since and it doesn't work any more. the set ups to send people out (carol suddenly can't kill and goes off on her own, daryl is full of vengence over someone he barely knew, ect) were so obvious that my cat knew what was happening. the quality of writing has gone to shit too.
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Post by nana on Nov 28, 2016 23:32:05 GMT -5
Hopefully these reviews and articles will bring about change for season 8. TPTB don't seem open to criticism. I am worried they may be sitting back and saying to themselves things will change in the second half of 7.
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Post by v on Nov 28, 2016 23:45:20 GMT -5
Hopefully these reviews and articles will bring about change for season 8. TPTB don't seem open to criticism. I am worried they may be sitting back and saying to themselves things will change in the second half of 7. oh babe, they aren't gonna change a thing. Its not "their" fault fans are too stupid to see the genius of what Gimps is laying out....
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