Only 51.1 Million Tune In To Friends Finale - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AtlantaBravesFan29 · 05-07-2004, 12:43 PM

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/fc?d=tmpl&c...nt&cat=friends

Looks like NBC was disappointed in the numbers that Friends got in the finale. It ranked lower than the Seinfeld finale. At least M*A*S*H*'s record of 108 million is safe.

Any comments on this???

tvfan0101 · 05-07-2004, 01:06 PM

According to that article:

Quote:

but along the lines of what NBC had been predicting

It looks like NBC was just about spot-on. Sure, it would've been nice to have even more tune in, but as long as it met expectations I'm sure NBC is thrilled.

barwars · 05-07-2004, 01:25 PM

once they got that $2million per 30 second commercial space....
i think NBC could care less who watches.
they've already got the dough.

They predicted 45million total.... 51.1 is better.
Im sure they're happy.
I know their bankaccount is.

Dean Winchester · 05-07-2004, 02:56 PM

I find it funny to see "Only" 51.1 million. I mean, before this episode, the highest rating Friends has ever had was about 25 million viewers, and that was back in 95... so they had double the ratings they had in their prime... not bad at all

barwars · 05-07-2004, 03:02 PM

This is very hypocritical of me to say, but Ill do it anyways.

Just yesterday, I started to become a fan of Friends.... maybe it was because the finale was going to be on, I dont know.

But I wonder -- who are the 25million people who didnt watch every week.... but tuned in for the finale??

Dean Winchester · 05-07-2004, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by barwars88
This is very hypocritical of me to say, but Ill do it anyways.

Just yesterday, I started to become a fan of Friends.... maybe it was because the finale was going to be on, I dont know.

But I wonder -- who are the 25million people who didnt watch every week.... but tuned in for the finale??

I think a lot of the people who watched the finale were fly-by "Friends fans" back in the mid-90's that got hooked when it was in it's prime then lost interest, who decided for the hell of it to watch the finale. I know my older sister quit watching probably in 97 or 98, and she watched last night. Plus, I'm sure with all the hype, people who never watched Friends before decided to watch last night just because it was such an event (such as a friend who has never seen a complete episode before... but he did tune in last night just because it's "tv history"

Central Perk · 05-07-2004, 03:08 PM

I think 51 million is great. Does anyone here honestly think there will be another sitcom currently on the air that will be able to duplicate those ratings during their finale? I highly doubt it.

barwars · 05-07-2004, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Central Perk
I think 51 million is great. Does anyone here honestly think there will be another sitcom currently on the air that will be able to duplicate those ratings during their finale? I highly doubt it.

the only ones that would even come close would be either Everybody Loves Raymond or Frasier, which leads to my next question....

Any idea how many viewers NBC is expecting for the Frasier finale??
Im sure the commercials last night alone will attract an extra couple million.

USTVFanFromUK · 05-07-2004, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
I find it funny to see "Only" 51.1 million. I mean, before this episode, the highest rating Friends has ever had was about 25 million viewers, and that was back in 95... so they had double the ratings they had in their prime... not bad at all

Actually, the highest rated Friends episode was the season finale a few years back which brought in 35 million viewers.

Screenwriter · 05-07-2004, 04:08 PM

OH, WAH WAH WAH!!!!!! People watched it. So, quit with the complaints!

AtlantaBravesFan29 · 05-07-2004, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Central Perk
I think 51 million is great. Does anyone here honestly think there will be another sitcom currently on the air that will be able to duplicate those ratings during their finale? I highly doubt it.

I think Frasier may beat Friends in its finale. Cheers had a even higher rating than Friends did when they had their finale. NBC talked and even advertised to the effect that they were trying to beat out Cheers in its effort to promote the finale.

barwars · 05-07-2004, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BravesFan2004
I think Frasier may beat Friends in its finale. Cheers had a even higher rating than Friends did when they had their finale. NBC talked and even advertised to the effect that they were trying to beat out Cheers in its effort to promote the finale.

That would be very cool.... Im a much bigger fan of Frasier.

But on the off chance that that does happen.... NBC will surely be kicking themselves for not charging exorbinant (sp?) prices for commercial time.

USTVFanFromUK · 05-07-2004, 04:53 PM

The end of Frasier will be an end of an era as well. It was the last connection to one of the most loved sitcoms of all time (Cheers). It seems like NBC is hoping for Joey to pull a Frasier. Anyway, in particular I think the Frasier finale will be espically hard on those who've followed the character for 20 years. With NBC's critical darling gone (Frasier) and its ratings powerhouse (Friends), it will be intresting to see how sitcoms in general will survive on American television. Maybe something will come along like The Cosby Show or Seinfeld again and bring back light into the genre. But the future looks grim.

Joker85 · 05-07-2004, 04:59 PM

Bear in mind that this whole thing is based on the Neilson ratings. I mean, do any of you actually know someone who has, or have yourself a Neilson box?? It's so sad that that's what TV is based on these days. More networks are worried about the Neilson Ratings than the quality of show they put out.

BotchieB · 05-07-2004, 05:50 PM

I don't know how the ratings actually work as far as people who taped it and watched something else, but it did go up against the most watched drama on television (CSI) and it wasn' t a repeat. The first hour of friends(10 years of Friends) went up against a new Survivor.

05-07-2004, 12:43 PM	#1
AtlantaBravesFan29 Atlanta Braves Fan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2002 Location: Pleasanton,TX--40 Miles South Of San Antonio Posts: 1,859	Only 51.1 Million Tune In To Friends Finale http://tv.yahoo.com/news/fc?d=tmpl&c...nt&cat=friends Looks like NBC was disappointed in the numbers that Friends got in the finale. It ranked lower than the Seinfeld finale. At least MASH's record of 108 million is safe. Any comments on this???

05-07-2004, 04:08 PM	#10
Screenwriter Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 18, 2002 Posts: 760	OH, WAH WAH WAH!!!!!! People watched it. So, quit with the complaints!
	__________________ I have to leave you now... don't TVDVDs I own All in the Family: Season 1, 2 & 3 Charlie's Angles: Season 1 Cheers: S1, 2. (need S3) DVD Season 1 and 2 Dallas Season 1 & 2 Happy Days: Season 1 Laverne & Shirley: Season 1 Taxi (Season 1 Coming Soon) The Jeffersons: Season 1 and 2 The MTM Show: Season 1 MAS*H: S1,2,3,4,5 Mork & Mindy Season 1 Sanford and Son: Season 1 (needing 2, 3, 4, and 5) I Love Lucy S1, 2. (3 in Nov.)

05-07-2004, 01:25 PM	#3
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	once they got that $2million per 30 second commercial space.... i think NBC could care less who watches. they've already got the dough. They predicted 45million total.... 51.1 is better. Im sure they're happy. I know their bankaccount is.

05-07-2004, 02:56 PM	#4
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I find it funny to see "Only" 51.1 million. I mean, before this episode, the highest rating Friends has ever had was about 25 million viewers, and that was back in 95... so they had double the ratings they had in their prime... not bad at all

05-07-2004, 03:02 PM	#5
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	This is very hypocritical of me to say, but Ill do it anyways. Just yesterday, I started to become a fan of Friends.... maybe it was because the finale was going to be on, I dont know. But I wonder -- who are the 25million people who didnt watch every week.... but tuned in for the finale??

05-07-2004, 03:08 PM	#7
Central Perk ~~~~~ Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 10, 2002 Posts: 4,553	I think 51 million is great. Does anyone here honestly think there will be another sitcom currently on the air that will be able to duplicate those ratings during their finale? I highly doubt it.

05-07-2004, 04:53 PM	#13
USTVFanFromUK Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 24, 2004 Posts: 553	The end of Frasier will be an end of an era as well. It was the last connection to one of the most loved sitcoms of all time (Cheers). It seems like NBC is hoping for Joey to pull a Frasier. Anyway, in particular I think the Frasier finale will be espically hard on those who've followed the character for 20 years. With NBC's critical darling gone (Frasier) and its ratings powerhouse (Friends), it will be intresting to see how sitcoms in general will survive on American television. Maybe something will come along like The Cosby Show or Seinfeld again and bring back light into the genre. But the future looks grim.

05-07-2004, 04:59 PM	#14
Joker85 Back in St. Olaf... Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 18, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 481	Bear in mind that this whole thing is based on the Neilson ratings. I mean, do any of you actually know someone who has, or have yourself a Neilson box?? It's so sad that that's what TV is based on these days. More networks are worried about the Neilson Ratings than the quality of show they put out.

05-07-2004, 05:50 PM	#15
BotchieB Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 29, 2003 Posts: 27	I don't know how the ratings actually work as far as people who taped it and watched something else, but it did go up against the most watched drama on television (CSI) and it wasn' t a repeat. The first hour of friends(10 years of Friends) went up against a new Survivor.