Taxi's ratings slide, why? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Dean Winchester · 10-23-2004, 07:02 PM

I know Taxi was ranked #10 it's first season, and it fell a little in season 2, but was still a respectable #13, so what caused the plummet between 2 and 3, when it fell to #53, and then all the way down to #73 during it's final season? I know Andy Kaufman became quite unpopular latter into the run, but I don't see why that would've killed the series' ratings.

When I think of shows like Taxi, I think of an ensemble "setting" program like Cheers or MASH, which started out at the bottom and rose to the top, yet Taxi did the opposite. Why did people lose interest in the droves it did? I don't know anyone who thinks the show declined at all.

jamesanthony · 10-23-2004, 11:48 PM

This is a good question. I am guessing that whatever it was competing against in the ratings was beating it very badly. In 1981-82 I think it was on against Simon and Simon on CBS (I"m not certain) and something that I can't recall on NBC. All the ABC Thursday shows had declining ratings that year. Mork and Mindy was cancelled and Barney Miller ended. I don't know if Barney Miller would've gotten cancelled if the producer hadn't decided to end the show voluntarily but I suspect so because it's ratings were rather poor too that season, although it was still a critical and award winning darling.

As for the 82-83 season, NBC clearly thought Taxi was a quality affair to have picked it up, but the ratings were even worse there than they'd been on ABC. It came on after Cheers which had terrible ratings in its first season and just before Hill St Blues which I think was getting its highest ratings ever that year. I think Simon and Simon was still on CBS at that time but I'm not certain.

Who knows why NBC cancelled it. I think it's just as well as the show never jumped the shark. If it had gone on I suspect it would have.

jaime_weinman · 10-25-2004, 03:38 PM

I believe the drop in ratings happened when it was moved to a new time slot. In the first two seasons, it was right after one of the most popular shows on TV, "Three's Company." In season 3 it was moved to a new time slot, and the ratings accordingly plummeted. For whatever reason, "Taxi" was never really able to become a hit on its own until it went into syndication -- unless it came after a hit show, it faltered.

Similarly WKRP, Taxi's contemporary (and my other favorite sitcom of the era), only got high ratings when it followed M*A*S*H, and only became a big hit in syndication.

Brian Damage · 10-28-2004, 11:21 AM

Moving a show from one network(ABC) to another(NBC) almost spells doom for any show.

10-23-2004, 07:02 PM	#1
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	Taxi's ratings slide, why? I know Taxi was ranked #10 it's first season, and it fell a little in season 2, but was still a respectable #13, so what caused the plummet between 2 and 3, when it fell to #53, and then all the way down to #73 during it's final season? I know Andy Kaufman became quite unpopular latter into the run, but I don't see why that would've killed the series' ratings. When I think of shows like Taxi, I think of an ensemble "setting" program like Cheers or MASH, which started out at the bottom and rose to the top, yet Taxi did the opposite. Why did people lose interest in the droves it did? I don't know anyone who thinks the show declined at all.

10-23-2004, 11:48 PM	#2
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	This is a good question. I am guessing that whatever it was competing against in the ratings was beating it very badly. In 1981-82 I think it was on against Simon and Simon on CBS (I"m not certain) and something that I can't recall on NBC. All the ABC Thursday shows had declining ratings that year. Mork and Mindy was cancelled and Barney Miller ended. I don't know if Barney Miller would've gotten cancelled if the producer hadn't decided to end the show voluntarily but I suspect so because it's ratings were rather poor too that season, although it was still a critical and award winning darling. As for the 82-83 season, NBC clearly thought Taxi was a quality affair to have picked it up, but the ratings were even worse there than they'd been on ABC. It came on after Cheers which had terrible ratings in its first season and just before Hill St Blues which I think was getting its highest ratings ever that year. I think Simon and Simon was still on CBS at that time but I'm not certain. Who knows why NBC cancelled it. I think it's just as well as the show never jumped the shark. If it had gone on I suspect it would have.

10-25-2004, 03:38 PM	#3
jaime_weinman Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 22, 2000 Posts: 122	I believe the drop in ratings happened when it was moved to a new time slot. In the first two seasons, it was right after one of the most popular shows on TV, "Three's Company." In season 3 it was moved to a new time slot, and the ratings accordingly plummeted. For whatever reason, "Taxi" was never really able to become a hit on its own until it went into syndication -- unless it came after a hit show, it faltered. Similarly WKRP, Taxi's contemporary (and my other favorite sitcom of the era), only got high ratings when it followed MAS*H, and only became a big hit in syndication.

10-28-2004, 11:21 AM	#4
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	Moving a show from one network(ABC) to another(NBC) almost spells doom for any show.