Saturday, July 13, 2013
PLUS: Perfect Score (series premiere)
The following information regarding Whose Line is it Anyway? is for the premiere only. My prediction for how the series will premiere, among total viewers and in the 18-49 demographic, is after the information presented below.
History: Whose Line is it Anyway? previously aired on ABC for six seasons (173 episodes) before the network cancelled the series due to lower ratings. After its cancellation, ABC Family aired the series for another two seasons (46 episodes), with episodes already filmed by ABC. When all was said and done, Whose Line is it Anyway? aired for eight seasons (219 episodes), airing from August 1998 until December 2007. Earlier this year, The CW announced it ordered a new version of the series for ten episodes. The only change to the series is Aisha Tyler as host, since Drew Carey is busy with The Price is Right.
Timeslot: Tuesdays at 8/7c
New Competition: Extreme Weight Loss (ABC), MLB All Star Game (FOX), Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family), Weird or What? (Syfy)
Analysis: Unlike past series' featured, Whose Line is it Anyway? has very little competition in the hour. Extreme Weight Loss is low rated, Pretty Little Liars has slumped to new lows this summer, and I had never even heard of Weird or What? until researching this post. The only major competition is the MLB All Star Game, which amassed 10.9 million viewers and 3.1 A18-49, 3% higher than the previous year.
Lead In: Local programming
Analysis: Shows that air in the 8 o'clock hour on The CW typically perform better than the 9 o'clock shows, partially because of the strength of local programming. It is hard to gauge how Whose Line is it Anyway? will perform based simply on what local programs are airing across the country.
What does all of this mean?
How will Whose Line is it Anyway do?
This may be one of the most difficult series' to predict this summer. The show has a familiar name, but with it airing on The CW, can it gain any traction? Oh Sit, which did not have the built-in name, was able to premiere with 1.23 million viewers and 0.5 A18-49 on Wednesday, August 12, 2012. Anything less than those numbers would be somewhat disappointing. In addition, I do not believe the revival will debut terribly low, like with last seasons The Catalina (0.3) and The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep (0.3). With all of the information above, I believe Whose Line is it Anyway? will premiere to 1.45 million viewers and 0.6 A18-49. The prediction may be high, but I think if any show can do be a success for the network, that show is Whose Line is it Anyway?
Bonus Feature: Perfect Score
Since Perfect Score premieres directly after Whose Line is it Anyway?, I thought it would be pointless to have to make an entire new post with predictions of its lead in. The only accurate information in predicting its premiere number would be the timeslot (Tuesdays at 9/8c). Based off of the recent CW summer debuts (The Catalina and The Next, as mentioned above) I think Perfect Score will also debut in that range. It is very likely Perfect Score will have a solid lead in, but since we do not know for sure, I am going to take a pessimistic route on this one. With the limited information I have, I believe Perfect Score will premiere to 850,000 viewers and 0.3 A18-49, in line with last summers CW debuts.
How do you think Whose Line is it Anyway? and Perfect Score will premiere? Sound off below!
Next show to be featured: Who Do You Think You Are? (TLC debut)
