Why Didn't "The Rookies" Start Beating Gunsmoke in the Ratings Earlier? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

James28 · 08-31-2023, 12:56 PM

There is no understanding why The Rookies couldn't have gotten more viewers than Gunsmoke in the Monday lead-off slot. Gunsmoke was a western that had been on the air for 17 seasons by the time The Rookies debuted, and The Rookies was an up-and-coming police-procedural drama that should have been seen as a fresh alternative to old-a$$ and tired-a$$ and boring-a$$ Gunsmoke. Here is the seasonal ratings rundown for the three seasons that The Rookies and Gunsmoke were on the air together.

1972-73: Gunsmoke, 23.6/8th place; The Rookies, 20.0/23rd place
1973-74: Gunsmoke: 22.1/15th place; The Rookies, 20.3/25th place
1974-75: Gunsmoke: 20.5/28th place; The Rookies, 22.0/18th place

You see? Only in Gunsmoke's final season was Gunsmoke beaten by The Rookies. I believe The Rookies should have started beating Gunsmoke's ratings earlier than that, like in The Rookies's second season.

Mr. Television · 08-31-2023, 01:01 PM

IDK. My family watched Gunsmoke during those years. It was tradition.

Alan Brady's Hair · 08-31-2023, 01:45 PM

I'm pretty surprised that The Rookies was rated as highly as it was, and lasted four years. I don't recall people talking about it at all.

icecream · 08-31-2023, 01:45 PM

Several decades later, Gunsmoke is still going strong in reruns on multiple channels today. The Rookies hasn't aired anywhere in a long time.

biffbronson · 08-31-2023, 04:29 PM

MeTV Plus airs The Rookies currently.

Actually the last few seasons of Gunsmoke had lots of good episodes. Long-running doesn't always equate with "tired." I don't find it any more "boring" than The Rookies, and the Gunsmoke lead actors were superior in some ways. I've seen most of both series... there were not very many exceptional episodes of The Rookies IMHO.

08-31-2023, 12:56 PM	#1
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,976	Why Didn't "The Rookies" Start Beating Gunsmoke in the Ratings Earlier? There is no understanding why The Rookies couldn't have gotten more viewers than Gunsmoke in the Monday lead-off slot. Gunsmoke was a western that had been on the air for 17 seasons by the time The Rookies debuted, and The Rookies was an up-and-coming police-procedural drama that should have been seen as a fresh alternative to old-a$$ and tired-a$$ and boring-a$$ Gunsmoke. Here is the seasonal ratings rundown for the three seasons that The Rookies and Gunsmoke were on the air together. 1972-73: Gunsmoke, 23.6/8th place; The Rookies, 20.0/23rd place 1973-74: Gunsmoke: 22.1/15th place; The Rookies, 20.3/25th place 1974-75: Gunsmoke: 20.5/28th place; The Rookies, 22.0/18th place You see? Only in Gunsmoke's final season was Gunsmoke beaten by The Rookies. I believe The Rookies should have started beating Gunsmoke's ratings earlier than that, like in The Rookies's second season.
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08-31-2023, 01:01 PM	#2
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,128	IDK. My family watched Gunsmoke during those years. It was tradition.
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08-31-2023, 01:45 PM	#4
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,689	Several decades later, Gunsmoke is still going strong in reruns on multiple channels today. The Rookies hasn't aired anywhere in a long time.
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08-31-2023, 01:45 PM	#3
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,824	I'm pretty surprised that The Rookies was rated as highly as it was, and lasted four years. I don't recall people talking about it at all.

08-31-2023, 04:29 PM	#5
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,392	MeTV Plus airs The Rookies currently. Actually the last few seasons of Gunsmoke had lots of good episodes. Long-running doesn't always equate with "tired." I don't find it any more "boring" than The Rookies, and the Gunsmoke lead actors were superior in some ways. I've seen most of both series... there were not very many exceptional episodes of The Rookies IMHO.