Ratings progress report: ‘Blindspot’ looks to maintain its frontrunner status
Throughout the month of November here at CarterMatt, one of our goals is going to be taking a look specifically at how a number of select new shows are faring. There are some (“Minority Report,” “Truth Be Told”) that already appear in at least a metaphorical sense dead and buried, so there is a little less of a need to focus on them. However, at the same exact time there are others that have started out strong or on the bubble that we think could be around at least the rest of the year, if not longer. This is what we’ll be focusing on in these Ratings Progress Report pieces.
Today, we want to kick things off with the cream of the ratings crop so far for the 2015-16 season: “Blindspot.” While for the most part the Jaimie Alexander series is coming up roses, there are still a few little things here and there that are worth watching, and could be more problems down the line.
The good news – “Blindspot” tied “Supergirl” for the #1 new show premiere this season in the most-important 18-49 demographic, and is solely at the top when you are talking about live+3 numbers. The show remains a monster in DVR measures, has a wonderful lead-in with “The Voice,” and has kept more than two-thirds of its initial 18-49 audience. While that is not necessarily tremendous, it is also not terrible, either. There are many shows out there (see “The Muppets”) who have lost almost half of their live viewership in the demo since starting up, or ones (see “Code Black”) who started with less than half the viewership.
The bad news – Much like “The Blacklist” before it back during its first season, there is a question surrounding whether or not the ratings for “Blindspot” would plummet if you moved it away from “The Voice,” which is the best lead-in NBC has going for it. If they decide to air new “Blindspot” episodes in January without the singing-show around, we feel like that would be a mistake. Keep the two paired up all season, and then evaluate in May if you want to move it for the fall if you think you’ve got a new show that can better utilize the singing show.
Overall – “Blindspot” has to be the most well-reviewed of any of the new shows we are going to analyze so far, mostly because the numbers don’t lie. While it may be troublesome if it goes below a 2.0 in the demo soon (it’s now there yet), it has shown so far that it a show that NBC can bank on, and one that will almost certainly get a season 2 renewal.