NCIS: Los Angeles season 9 ratings: What’s hurting the show the most?
So far this year, the CBS crime series is averaging a 1.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic. That’s down more than 25% year-to-year, which is the second-largest decrease from one season to the next in the history of the show. The only one that is larger is when the show moved off of Tuesday night and it lost some of that NCIS lead-in — basically, an understandable decline.
In some ways, the drop-off this year is understandable in its own way, as well. One of the worst programming decisions of the year, at least from our vantage point, is placing Wisdom of the Crowd in the 8:00 / 8:30 p.m. Eastern timeslot after 60 Minutes. There are often big NFL lead-ins there and they’re being squandered by a show with a terrible title that wasn’t able to attract new viewers. CBS could not predict some of the other controversy that befell the show via Jeremy Piven allegations, but they knew that they were moving an established show from a timeslot it performed well in last year. We feel like had Wisdom of the Crowd aired after NCIS: Los Angeles it would’ve still had a great lead-in; we don’t think that its ratings would be all that different. Wisdom is likely getting canceled so this timeslot for the fall was by our money wasted.
Another issue for NCIS: Los Angeles is being thrown up opposite The Walking Dead, one of the most-dominant series on TV. Then, there’s also the fact that it’s airing right in the midst of Sunday Night Football. It’s easier to attract viewers away from football earlier in the night, given that at that point you are not in the thick of the game.
If there’s one issue that this season of NCIS: Los Angeles has that they can control (and is probably impacting their ratings), it’s with the story. Having Hetty (Linda Hunt) separate from the team is a rough pill to swallow, and there’s also the notion of Nia Long being set up to fail. There’s nothing wrong with Long’s performance, but the Shay Mosley character was brought in via a method that makes her hard to root for. Audiences rarely click for the character who is comes in and tries to remake a team America already loves. This is some of what happened with Eliza Minnick on Grey’s Anatomy last year — when you’re set up in a way that is adversarial to the rest of the team, it’s hard to turn viewers around on you over time. Hopefully it happens with Mosley but she’s got an uphill battle.
Note here that we’re only talking about the live NCIS: Los Angeles season 9 ratings — there are of course plenty of people watching via DVR and the show’s not in any danger of going anywhere.
What do you think is hampering the NCIS: Los Angeles season 9 ratings? Let us know in the comments!
For some other insight into what’s coming next on Sunday’s new episode — otherwise known as the last one of the year — head over to this link!
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amyabn
December 13, 2017 @ 1:10 pm
The time slot isn’t helping and the over runs from football aren’t helping. I think they need to get back to being the specialized team who puts on the personas (I wouldn’t call most of it undercover work) that highlighted their teamwork and talents. They seem to have veered into police work. I like Hidoko and her chemistry with Kensi was great during “Forasteira.” I still can’t like Mosley (and I like Nia Long). She turns me off with her sashaying in at the charity event “In Plain Sight” with the rank-has-its-previleges attitude and treated Sam and Callen like bodyguards. Her actions at the consulate in “Forasteira” didn’t help either. I watch for Densi and the team. I miss Hetty too. I agree with the others and Deeks needs to finally become an agent.
Eliza Nan
December 13, 2017 @ 4:03 am
I think some of the fans are just set in their ways. Many of the episodes this season have been really good, and people are giving Nia Long a hard time. As for the “new direction,” I like most of it. Changes were to be expected after last season; besides, it makes it more interesting for the actors. I’m glad to see less of lovey dovey “Densi.” After all, it’s a crime show not a soap opera. I’m not a big fan of Deeks–he’s always been the least important member of the team IMO. If he “retired” after marrying Kensi, I’d be cool with that. And I can understand if Linda wants to work less; she’s in her 70s and has other things she might want to do–like relax. As long as Callen and Sam hang around, I’ll be watching.
mytwokids
December 12, 2017 @ 6:22 pm
Combination of things every week football runs into it. You never know if it’s going to be on time late or on it all. Also the absence of Hetty is horrible in the character of Mosley is no asset or replacement for Hetty. and when is Deeks going to stop being the LAPD liaison. isn’t it time he had full agent privileges
Tyler Proctor
December 12, 2017 @ 6:02 pm
It annoys the hell out of me the way they write for Deeks. He came to NCIS LA as a decorated police detective and it seem they play him the fool. It sure is a far cry from ‘Hand to Hand’ and ‘Human Traffic’. I would hope they would write him as a serious player. There I’ve vented.
Jaybird
December 25, 2017 @ 9:32 pm
I completely agree with you. I always thought I was more a fan of Deeks than of the show as a whole. But as time goes on, I realize that I am more a fan of what Deeks could have and should have been than of what he became. And I don’t in any way blame the actor – when given something solid to work with, ECO has always put together an impressive performance. Somewhere along the line, TPTB turned their backs on that tough, capable undercover cop and turned the character that first drew me to the show into the butt of jokes, to say nothing of turning him into the lapdog of Little Miss Perfect Kensi.
Stef
December 11, 2017 @ 11:46 pm
I think there are three reasons, first as you said the lead in show. It almost feels like CBS is punishing us long time NCIS LA fans by placing it after a show that would not attract viewers, and having it start a different time each week, so late after football. Second, long term fans watch to see Deeks/Kensi, Sam/Callen, and Eric/Nell. It feels , at least to me, they have changed this dynamic to accommodate the two new people. Third, I respectfully disagree with you, you can not replace two incredible actors, one of whom won an academy award with a mediocre actress whose acting technique consists of hands on the hips and a signature glare.The six core team members have an energy and are all really good at their profession, when they are in a scene with someone who is not as good as them, it is glaring.
Brian Lancet
December 11, 2017 @ 8:09 pm
I think part of the problem is that you never know if it’s going to be on time because most weeks football runs late and causes the shows to be delayed.