TV ratings... Alias vs. Buffy

[Guest8893]

Okay I was just looking at the ratings Buffy used to get when it still aired. Buffy got WAY less ratings than Alias does now. Alias has an average of about 7 or 8 million viewers? And even more in the first and second seasons. Buffy's ratings stayed around 4 or 5 million. But Buffy went on for seven seasons.

If ABC cuts off Alias after the fourth season, I'm going to be SOOO mad.

Yes I realize that Buffy was on a smaller network... but at times it seems even more popular than Alias.

 

[Rose_dj]

I don't think ABC would do that, but it's important to note that Buffy was on a much smaller network.

 

[Guest8893]

True. I love Buffy though. I just hate it how so many people are criticizing Alias.

 

[MVhunny]

thats a good point, especially since buffy was a pretty popular show!

 

[yournamehere]

well, I LOOOOOOOVE Buffy. That's my all-time fav show (next to Alias).

 

[Azalea]

Three million viewers was a lot for the WB. Alias's ratings are not great for a major network show, but they're incredibly consistent, and they're also very high in the key 18-35 demographic. It's kind of ironic, because if Alias was on the WB, it would be considered a HUGE hit. But since it's on ABC, it's considered somewhat of a ratings failure.

But it's weird how every show seems to sort of "fit" its network. I can't imagine Alias on the WB, it just wouldn't fit at all there. It wouldn't even fit on CBS or NBC. As much as I loathe ABC overall, it really is the only network Alias feels right on. I guess I could vaguely imagine it on FOX, but that's about it.

 

[verdantheart]

Alias would "fit" well on Fox--especially considering that it's the home of 24. It could also fit on a cable net, IMO, like FX--or maybe even HBO (really, the quality's there).

But you really can't compare the ratings of Buffy and Alias. The WB would be beside itself with joy to get ratings like Alias'. There's no way a show like Buffy would survive on ABC--contents or ratings-wise. Season six would have been censored right off the air! I don't even know why ABC bothered to put the supernatural thriller Miracles on the air even for the few episodes that it aired. But even so, of ABC, CBS, and NBC, ABC would still be the most likely candidate for that type of series.

 

[jems]

see the girl power link between the two shows always made me wonder why Alias never did well on Sky One in the UK - cos Buffy was HUGELY popular - hot chick, kickin ass - and Alias is the same so why did nobody see it for how great it is - bad advertising i guess.

 

[Alias_bestthingsinceslicedcheese]

I don't even know why ABC bothered to put the supernatural thriller Miracles on the air even for the few episodes that it aired.

I loved Miracles....it was a good show....I was kinda disappointed when they cancelled it.

Melissa ^_^

 

[happybirthday2me]

in my opinion alias season 3 has been sorta lacking...if it continues this way,i see about 2 more seasons at most-which isn't bad...but as an alias fan,i'm saying..JJ WORK SOME MAGIC!!!!

 

[youngwayne]

You know, I looooooove Alias much more than I had BTVS during any of its seasons. And BTVS had its share of cheesy moments, but that was to be expected as they went for a slightly light approach to the show. You know with all the hip-talk and stuff (like dawn talking about protein-window). But Alias carries itself as a serious drama. And I think some of the criticism comes about because how much the critics actually love the show. I love having Lauren on the show, but I'm not so hot on her dymanics with the rest of the characters. If say she tried to seduce Vaughn to no avail and kept on getting in the way as a villan we would have loved her as a villaness. But she turned out to be this "we're supposed to like her because she's nice and she's only married to Vaughn due to circumstances" then this "we're not really surprised that she ended up evil" character. Know what I mean, Vern?

 

[garnergarnish]

I also don't get why alias isn't more popular over here when Buffy was huge. its not logical. i love Buffy a tiny bit more than alias but only cos it been around longer. plus the issues dealt with in both shows are completely different. The only other similarity, apart from the glaring obvious are the tones of season 6 of Buffy, which i think is grossly misunderstood, and season 3 of alias. both are incredibly bleak and the central characters are miserable a lot of the time which makes for uncomfortable viewing. i'm still convinced that this is a brilliant writing technique to make the audience feel how both Buffy and Syd would have felt: displaced and despondent. OKay waffling now....

 

[MVhunny]

i kinda know what you mean, and plus alias is on a much bigger network. im not sure why alias didn catch on as much. maybe less advertising? i dont know.

 

[verdantheart]

I don't even know why ABC bothered to put the supernatural thriller Miracles on the air even for the few episodes that it aired.

I loved Miracles....it was a good show....I was kinda disappointed when they cancelled it.

So did I. What I'm saying is that ABC showed absolutely zero support for the series.
-_-

 

[SpyDude]

When ABC will cut off Alias after season 4 ABC gets a lot of angry fans. They would never do it. They end it or keep it going but never cut it.

 

[getluv]

i must admit it took a bit of watching alias s1 on dvd, to make me love the show. btvs (& angel) is the best show ever seen on the wb and upn. smallville, charmed and the other trash on the wb and upn could never live upt o a josss whedon show. buffy was a show which didnt want to have a lot of viewers. and thats what made the show good. the fans that watched the show loved the show.

the ratings problem is that u need to watch all the episodes b4 u watch the show, its common sense. csi and l&o get a lot of viewers because u can tune into it any week and expect the same thing. i hate that. buffy has set a standard, alias is right behind it, for those lucky enough to already own buffy s7 on dvd, many professors think alias, and 24 owe a lot to buffy.

 

[xinli11]

the ratings problem is that u need to watch all the episodes b4 u watch the show, its common sense.  csi and l&o get a lot of viewers because u can tune into it any week and expect the same thing.  i hate that.  buffy has set a standard, alias is right behind it, for those lucky enough to already own buffy s7 on dvd, many professors think alias, and 24 owe a lot to buffy.

[post="1006203"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]​

It's always a battle of how serialized you want to make your show. On the one hand, a serialzied show has far more potential for developing intricate plotlines that interweave into a rich universe. On the other hand, serialized shows are like trains that never stop once they leave the station. You can't get on board mid season. So as much as I'd love for Alias to be completely serial and really have some kick ass intricate plotlines, for the sake of the show, I would vote for it to scale back on the serialization and make season 4 easier for people to jump in mid way.

That's not to say I want to sacrifice the quality of each episode. We just need to find a way to maintain the quality while making it more stand alone, if that's possible.

Xin Li

 

[getluv]

let's hope the 20 million people that watch LOST get on board Alias. i would just like that

 

[Natalia]

the ratings problem is that u need to watch all the episodes b4 u watch the show, its common sense. csi and l&o get a lot of viewers because u can tune into it any week and expect the same thing. i hate that. buffy has set a standard, alias is right behind it, for those lucky enough to already own buffy s7 on dvd, many professors think alias, and 24 owe a lot to buffy.

What professors? Buffy is a long way from being original in its serial format. Credit for that style of show dates back to decades before Buffy was ever thought of.

 

[scope]

i have never seen buffy but from what i heard about it, its not that great of a show. i think alias would get better raitings if it was on a different channel than abc. abc normally has crappy ratings.