No Ross, No Rachel, No Big Ratings - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 09-11-2004, 11:50 AM

by Joal Ryan
Sep 10, 2004, 5:15 PM PT

Joey wasn't quite Friends. The Apprentice wasn't quite itself.

Airing opposite opening-night, NFL festivities on ABC, NBC's series debut of Joey got off to a solid, if unspectacular start Thursday.

The Friends spinoff, transplanting Matt LeBlanc's dim-witted alter-ego to Los Angeles, bowed before 18.6 million, per preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.

The 90-minute season opener of The Apprentice 2, meanwhile, airing immediately after Joey on NBC and going head-to-head with football, averaged 14.1 million viewers, down more than 4 million from the reality show's premiere last spring.

Per NBC, Joey "totally dominated its time period." Alas, the network's Valley Girl-accented spin efforts were for naught as most coverage categorized Joey's debut as something less than the second coming of, well, Friends.

Still, Joey was indeed "totally" dominant in its super-sized, 8-8:38 p.m. debut. ABC's NFL Opening Kickoff special, featuring absolutely no wardrobe malfunctions from the likes of Jessica Simpson, warmed up about 7.4 million fans from 8-9 p.m. CBS' Big Brother 5, with about 8 million viewers for the hour, ran second to Joey.

barwars · 09-12-2004, 03:36 PM

Wow, a lot less than I expected.
And if Ross and Rachel were the only reasons Friends fans watched Friends.... then it all makes sense why I used to hate the show.

(although now its own of my favorites)

09-11-2004, 11:50 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	No Ross, No Rachel, No Big Ratings by Joal Ryan Sep 10, 2004, 5:15 PM PT Joey wasn't quite Friends. The Apprentice wasn't quite itself. Airing opposite opening-night, NFL festivities on ABC, NBC's series debut of Joey got off to a solid, if unspectacular start Thursday. The Friends spinoff, transplanting Matt LeBlanc's dim-witted alter-ego to Los Angeles, bowed before 18.6 million, per preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. The 90-minute season opener of The Apprentice 2, meanwhile, airing immediately after Joey on NBC and going head-to-head with football, averaged 14.1 million viewers, down more than 4 million from the reality show's premiere last spring. Per NBC, Joey "totally dominated its time period." Alas, the network's Valley Girl-accented spin efforts were for naught as most coverage categorized Joey's debut as something less than the second coming of, well, Friends. Still, Joey was indeed "totally" dominant in its super-sized, 8-8:38 p.m. debut. ABC's NFL Opening Kickoff special, featuring absolutely no wardrobe malfunctions from the likes of Jessica Simpson, warmed up about 7.4 million fans from 8-9 p.m. CBS' Big Brother 5, with about 8 million viewers for the hour, ran second to Joey.

09-12-2004, 03:36 PM	#2
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	Wow, a lot less than I expected. And if Ross and Rachel were the only reasons Friends fans watched Friends.... then it all makes sense why I used to hate the show. (although now its own of my favorites)