What is a “hit”? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Cbalducc · 10-23-2020, 12:58 PM

A show that consistently finishes in Top 10? Top 25? Top 30?

LUNCH · 10-23-2020, 01:12 PM

It used to be decades ago a show in the top 25 show meant you had a hit. Even the top 30. A program in the top 10 meant you had a very big hit show. These days it has become meaningless because even so called hit shows nowadays get very low amounts of viewers compared to how it used to be.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-23-2020, 01:23 PM

I second what Lunch said.

In retrospect, I think the change began to happen in the 1990s, when shows on The WB, UPN, and Fox began to be called "hits", even though they weren't in the top 30 (or in the case of The WB and UPN, not even in the top 60). These shows were clearly the most popular shows on those networks, but they didn't have the viewership of the Big Three.

Now, with so many streaming services, as well as cable and satellite options, viewing shares have been vastly diluted, and a "hit" now seems to be defined as anything that lasts a few seasons.

10-23-2020, 12:58 PM	#1
Cbalducc Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 09, 2020 Location: Mississippi Posts: 139	What is a “hit”? A show that consistently finishes in Top 10? Top 25? Top 30?

10-23-2020, 01:23 PM	#3
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	I second what Lunch said. In retrospect, I think the change began to happen in the 1990s, when shows on The WB, UPN, and Fox began to be called "hits", even though they weren't in the top 30 (or in the case of The WB and UPN, not even in the top 60). These shows were clearly the most popular shows on those networks, but they didn't have the viewership of the Big Three. Now, with so many streaming services, as well as cable and satellite options, viewing shares have been vastly diluted, and a "hit" now seems to be defined as anything that lasts a few seasons.
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10-23-2020, 01:12 PM	#2
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	It used to be decades ago a show in the top 25 show meant you had a hit. Even the top 30. A program in the top 10 meant you had a very big hit show. These days it has become meaningless because even so called hit shows nowadays get very low amounts of viewers compared to how it used to be.