Where did the 13% go???

I've gotten close to the point of acceptance with this season's finale. I still don't like it, but we've discussed that enough. So I'd like to start a new topic that we can all thoughtfully debate. I'm assuming views are gonna differ and that's what I want, but let's keep this flame-resistent.

So here's the question: Where did 13% of the viewers go this season and why?

My own personal theory is that when the show started, it tried to connect with the Gen X audience. It was a show about a group of friends who were in the early stages of adulthood, but not to the point of marriage and starting families(except Ross). Most viewers enjoyed the show because it was funny and people of all ages could relate to it. What I think happened was that somewhere along the line, especially during the past two seasons, the show started to lose touch with some of its older, Gen X audience. Of course, many people feel season 5 was one of the better seasons, but I feel that even though it was funny, we saw the 1st signs of these characters becoming more cartoonish. Examples would be Ross's behavior last season and Monica's this season. Joey and Phoebe have always come across a little unrealistic, but in a sweet way. I think that lately the show has "dumbed down" a bit to where it's hard for some people who were 25-30 yrs old when it started to still relate to as much because as they've grown and started families, the characters have largely stayed the same(C&M relationship excluded). The show seems to have decided to focus on relating to the younger audience more instead of the older 25-40 demographic. I think that teenagers are probably a less loyal audience because they have too many activities and such that make it difficult to watch the show on a regular basis. On the other hand, the older audience, who I think would be a bit more loyal, have grown apart from the show as of late.

This is just a theory that I think could explain some of the decrease in the ratings. I have made generalizations about large groups of people, but that's the only way to do this. When I generalize teenagers, keep in mind that I'm only 22 and most of what I say comes from my own experience with high school sports and other activities causing me to be unable to watch every episode when they first aired. Obviously any teenagers in this newsgroup would be exempt from my generalizations because you and many others are avid fans of the show who will go out of their way(taping) to see an episode. Other, casual viewers may not be the same. And I'd appreciate any input on my theory from the older(relatively speaking) posters here to see what they think.

Anyone agree or disagree? Or just post your own theories.

Jay- making sure to cover all his bases.

They're watching Whose Line is it Anyway on ABC.

Leisa

Why? Drew Carey is sooo unfunny. I think the guys are watching Smackdown!

Lewis.

I much preferred the original, British version. I don't think Drew is "unfunny," just that he isn't right as a "host" for this type of show. He'd be much better as a "contestant," IMO.

Hellooooo!!! After getting drunk in Vegas, Dr. Briefs doodled cat whiskers on his/her face and miaowed this little lot at a statue...

I've not seen the American version, but I'd suspect that the British version is a fair bit more "no holds barred" than the American version because of censors and the like. Would I be right, anyone who's seen both? :)

is

show.

Me. The US version strikes me as much more arse-kissy and rehearsed. If Clive Anderson thought something was rubbish he said so, and the British version didn't seem so afraid of showing something that went wrong (John Sessions springs to mind). I've seen WLIIA filmed (UK) and although they do prepare a bit, an awful lot of it is spontaneous and, importantly, *looks it*. I guess it's the "rawness" that seems to be missing from the DC versions I've seen. (Although they filmed at least one series in the US with CA.) I think also the US audiences are less surreal in themselves, and (paradoxically for the stereotype) less confident about shouting out rubbish, which hampers the interactivity and insanity. :)

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

I very much agree. I think it's significant that American audiences in the British-made episodes were far more like the British audiences than their compatriots in the US-made shows. It also doesn't help to have the host hop around his desk & join in the fun. Having said that, the majority of the North Americans who performed in the UK shows were excellent.

Jacqui, did you see Josie Lawrence sing? How long did she have to think?

Tennant :)

With one exception - the irritating GP who is a major pain in the arse to work with (I know from Edinburgh).

think?

About 2 mins. She and Richard Vranch work out a tune and various styles beforehand, but there's not that long between the suggestion and the finished song - on occasions she did admit defeat and it wasn't kept in the show - when I saw it the version she did was kept in, and wasn't bad. The "television-heavy metal" song is the best one and apparently that was the second take (and only because she messed up her timing in the first)

Jac (big fan of JL)

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Thanks, but that's another small bet I've lost... :(

Tennant (me too) :)

well, theres a lot of new shows out now such as Popular and Whose Line Is It Anyway? Last year no one tried to compete with friends, but this year stations are actually trying with decent (but not nearly as good as friends) shows

All those new shows suck a fat one. The guy who started this thread was fairly dead on...except for the teenager part. Its just that the original watchers of the show have moved on, while the show has kind of shifted in a different direction...

gf