Ratings Report: Why Michael Weatherly’s ‘Bull’ should be smooth sailing towards season 2
At the moment, CBS has yet to issue any sort of sweeping renewals to any of the shows that are currently on their schedule. With that being said, there is certainly one that we are feeling a great deal of confidence about in terms of its ability to get said renewal and stick around on the air for a rather long time: “Bull.”
The last time we took a long look at the show’s ratings, it was back in the fall, and even then you could make the assumption that the show would be coming back. The latest numbers simply serve to validate that further.
Talking raw data – To date, the series is averaging a 1.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic (live+same-day) and also more than 12 million viewers. It is the most-watched new series of the 2016-17 season, and the fact that it is doing that against another dominant freshman series in “This Is Us” is all the more impressive. The show rises considerably when you throw in three and then seven days of DVR viewing. It is one of the network’s highest-rated drama series, and is only behind the flagship “NCIS” in terms of the demo and total viewers.
Just on the basis of all of this alone, you can argue that “Bull” deserves a renewal for multiple seasons, similar to the one that “This Is Us” received at TCA. If we were to guess, the show will have at the very least a season 2 by the end of March.
Rising quality – While “Bull” did have some things going for it in the early going such as its cast and a strong premise, it’s getting better and better at figuring out the right ways to tell its stories. Since the structure of some many episodes is going to be inherently similar, much of the entertainment value is going to come out of seeing cases that are unique, creative, and engaging. In “EJ,” for example, we looked at the race to produce quality electric cars. While “Teacher’s Pet” was inherently disturbing, there was an element of psychology there that was fascinating to explore. The stronger and more consistent the show becomes, and the more steady the ratings will be moving into the future.
Global appeal – “NCIS” is a past recipient of the most-watched show in the entire world. People know and love Michael Weatherly. His appeal can make this show into a hit around the world, and it’s yet another good reason to keep it around and continue to market it. (On a side note, we appreciate the work that Michael has put into making Dr. Jason Bull so nuanced — as you would expect, we had our concerns entering the season that we would picture Anthony DiNozzo every couple of minutes, but that hasn’t happened.)
Syndication – We’re thinking far down the road here, but this is what really made “NCIS” the #1 show on TV. “Bull” has all of the structural tools in order to be a similar sort of monster.
We didn’t need to write this article to tell you that “Bull” is a lock for a season 2, but do you want it to be renewed? Vote in the poll below, and head over here for news, reviews, and so much more related to the show. (Photo: CBS.)