Here it is! Questions of the Week are back in special edition exclusive to The TV Ratings Guide. Feel free to answer whichever ones you want, or just read my responses.
1) Do you think network-turned-streaming-only shows will become a bigger trend in the future?
2) Would it have been more beneficial for FOX to start the summer with Golan the Insatiable or reruns of The Last Man On Earth?
3) Does Wayward Pines have a future as a summer show, or is this simply a burn-off?
4) What do you think the renewal threshold is for Zoo and Under the Dome?
5) Will The CW and/or NBC opt to bring their summer comedies into the spring season if they perform well enough?
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1) Do you think network-turned-streaming-only shows will become a bigger trend in the future?
Streaming services have definitely become more prominent over these last couple years. Yahoo acquired Community in a push to provide original programming, The Mindy Project got picked up by Hulu, etc. Aquarius also gets an honorable mention in this one, being released in its entirety on NBC's web site after airing just its first episode. So not only are paid streaming services becoming more popular, but network websites are as well, as indicated by NBC's willingness to do such a thing.
I do think that network-turned-streaming-only shows will continue to have a role in
modern day television. I also think we will see more and more just go to streaming
period, without ever being on TV. Look at Orange Is The New Black, House Of Cards, etc. on Netflix. But yes, shows being revived by networks or picked up by streaming services should continue to grow in the near future. Potential target: Person of Interest.
2) Would it have been more beneficial for FOX to start the summer with Golan the Insatiable or reruns of The Last Man On Earth?
FOX animation is arguably dying away. They recently cancelled The Cleveland Show, shipped American Dad to TBS, and Bob's Burgers crashed in its move to the 7pm hour, all while The Simpsons and Family Guy have started hitting lows. Because of this, I'm surprised they actually let an animated comedy air in the summer. I think it would have been much more beneficial to rerun The Last Man On Earth, which I believe will be a breakout sophomore hit. If they are going to ruin the animation momentum with Brooklyn 9-9, they might as well try The Last Man On Earth as well, which arguably has more potential to grow.
3) Does Wayward Pines have a future as a summer show, or is this simply a burn-off?
Wayward Pines could really go any way, in my mind, and it all matters on two things: a) if FOX is willing to keep up with scripted series in the summer, and b) if Terrance Howard is available. After all, this show was first picked up in the 2013-2014 season and kept getting delayed, so he signed on to do Empire. Ratings are mediocre, but nothing worse than what Bones and Sleepy Hollow are going to do there in the fall. I say renew it.
4) What do you think the renewal threshold is for Zoo and Under the Dome?
I think CBS has high expectations for Zoo. I would be surprised if it premieres to anything under a 2.0 rating, and if it settles by a 1.3, I'm sure it will be fine. I still think it will end up rating much higher than that though.
Under the Dome, meanwhile, reminds me exactly of Sleepy Hollow's trajectory. It did outstanding in its first 13-episode season, premiering to a 3.3 A18-49 rating and finishing with a 2.8. In its second season, it completely collapsed as viewers lost interest in the stretched-out story line that strayed from the book it was based on. As such, it fell to as low as a 1.2 rating. This season, it will air Thursdays at 10 after Big Brother, but I don't think the time change will help it all that much. I think its renewal threshold is around a 1.0 rating, but I don't think it will be able to get there.
5) Will The CW and/or NBC opt to bring their summer comedies into the spring season if they perform well enough?
Probably not for The CW/The DC Network, as they more or less go against their current program slate. Meanwhile, NBC was willing to renew Welcome to Sweden's 0.4s and give Undateable's 0.6s a post-Voice time slot, and given how desparate they now are in the comedy genre, I think they will continue to try comedies out in the summer, so that they will do minimal damage if/when they flop. In the occasion they do half-decent, like say, 0.7/0.8, then maybe NBC will continue bringing them into the regular season to see what they can do. Just probably not this season considering how many comedy backups they already have.