‘Criminal Minds’ ratings drop predates star Thomas Gibson’s dismissal
We’ve written a few times over the past few weeks about “Criminal Minds” being in a little bit of a ratings rut at the moment, and in some ways, it is very easy to attribute a lot of that performance to one thing more so than anything else: The exit of Thomas Gibson.
To be fair, it would be ridiculous to think that what happened here with Gibson is playing zero role in the ratings for the CBS show going on the decline. He was the marquee star at this point, and there aren’t too many other cast members left who have been there from the very first season and never left along the way. There are also a very vocal group of fans online vowing to not watch the show unless he is around.
When you look at the live+same day data for the past several seasons of the show, though, it is pretty clear that there is something a little bit deeper going on here. So far through season 12, the show is averaging around a 1.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic, which is down over 17% from the ratings the season before. Last season, the show averaged close to a 1.8 rating, but that was also down almost 17% in the key measure from the season before. Season 10, meanwhile, was down almost 14% from season 9. Season 9 was down over 13% from season 8. Season 8 was down versus season 7 by almost 15%. That’s where the majority of the data that we have stops.
With this as a reference point, consider that the past five years or so have all seen drops somewhere from 13%-17%, which can be attributed to a number of different things: The presence of streaming options, higher competition from shows like “Empire,” or just a lack of interest in this particular format. It’s interesting to think that back in season 7, this show was averaging well over a 3.0 rating in the demo, and there are hardly any shows on network TV at the moment doing this beyond “The Big Bang Theory” and “Empire.”
Will “Criminal Minds” turn things around? It’s possible in our mind that we could see the show bump up its average to a 1.6 or 1.7 rating, but Father Time is not on its side anymore. We don’t think there is any reason for a cancellation this year, but if these ratings drops continue maybe you consider closing shop in a year or two to end things while still on a high note.
“Criminal Minds” will return with more news episodes in the new year; if you want to read more about the first episode back in January (it’s a big one for Rossi), head over to the link here. (Photo: CBS.)
JT
December 18, 2016 @ 10:54 pm
I personally think the decline in ratings is mostly due to the writing. I was rewatching season 1 and the details in the profiles and the cases were amazing. They did their research and it showed in the quality of their eps. Lately, they seem to just stumble in their profiles instead of using the clues left behind in the crime scene(s) and the victims.
As for Mr. Gibson leaving the show, well, I still don’t know the full details, but in the real world hitting or yelling at one’s boss (in his case, the producer) usually is a big no-no. IF the reports are true that this is Mr. Gibson’s third strike, then I say, he had enough chances to change for the better, or at the very least, learn to control his temper.
mary
December 18, 2016 @ 7:20 pm
Part of the reason must be down to the decline in the quality of the writing. Over the last few years we have only been getting 2 or 3 really memorable episodes a season. This means many people have been watching purely out of loyalty to a favourite character. For several seasons I have been watching just for Matthew Gray Gubler but this season has been so lacklustre without the character of Hotch that I’ve only watched a few of the episodes – and now with Reid missing the next few episodes there is really nothing to draw me in. The new characters just do not hold any attraction and I am not a fan of Prentiss as Unit Chief. The show has been sinking for years since it took a turn away from its original concept and we rarely see the complex psychological profiling it used to portray.
Lucy
December 18, 2016 @ 3:35 am
The show has lost its storylines after season 5, but I still watched because of Thomas Gibson & his character. Although Thomas was there, his character was missing alot in these episodes throughout 6-11. The only good episode in season 10 was w/Hotch & Mr. Scratch. Now, No Hotch No Watch mainly because of this show’s attempt to destroy & smear Thomas Gibson.