[cancermatt]

I never saw these mentioned anywhere:

"An analysis of Nielsen figures shows that the average 24, Lost or West Wing viewer saw just one in five episodes last season. And only 15% of 24 fans watched 10 or more episodes, which explains Fox's detailed recaps at the start of each episode.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-01-12-24-cover_x.htm

Comment: I can see how the serialized nature of the beast is both good and bad (hard to keep up with), but I would assume the average viewer would want to know what was going on more than just watching one in five episodes. I would assume it was a WHOLE lot more, but you know what they say about assuming...

Season premier ratings: Hour 1 - 17 million people watched, Hour 2 - 15 million people

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsA...1_N17276826_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-RATINGS-DC.XML

http://www.slate.com/id/2134395/ -- a 24 writer gets interviewed on the making of the show

 

[RegBarc]

That really surprises me, especially for Lost. I would have thought the fan base for Lost would be one of the most loyal for any TV drama. 24...eh, I sort of understand. West Wing, I definitely understand during the election episodes.

 

[ebonovic]

Does that include:

DVR Statistics (those that record it and watch it outside the live airing period)
Tape Statistics (see DVR)
IPod, PSP (not that big but....)

Torrent, or DVD Sharing ?

The reason I say that is, based on what I know about neilsen raitings....

I would not count, as 90+% of my viewing (especially 24) is never during the live time slot.

For 24, I normally don't start it till it is over (because I wait for my Son to go to bed, and the show is just that much better with out the commercials)
(and out of the 10 people in the office that watch 24, only 1 would count as the other 9 either watch via DVR, or via a DVD that one of usually generates because "someone" always forgets to watch it)

But 24... you can get very lost vey fast if you watch every other episode... You can "possible" get away with watching every 1 out of 5 as 24 has shown they usually have 4+ story arcs during the 24 episode season.

 

[newsposter]

I dont understand why, with such an obvious timeline as 24, people would even invest any time at all if you weren't going to stay true to it and watch beginning to end. Watch it all or dont bother.

things like WW really dont need retelling or a following since most of the stuff is independent and as long as you dont mind inside jokes, etc, you won't miss a lot. If you miss entire campaign shows, you literally have missed nothing.

Even lost, how in the world could you come in today and be happy not knowing what went on for 1.5 years?

 

[xbones]

I'm new here but went right for the "24" fans.
I have to agree, that if you miss a show you're pretty lost.
I love the pace but like many, I can't have interruptions while watching

X

 

[pmyers]

I just don't see how this could be true. I don't know anybody that just watches Lost or 24 occasionally. They either say they watch it all the time or that they never got into it....no middle ground.

 

[MickeS]

They watch it because it happens to be on at the time when they plop down in front of the TV. The recap is enough info to enjoy the current episode. That's all. What's hard to understand?

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I wonder what their methodology is. Maybe it's the average of the people who watch it religiously and the people who watch it once, scratch their heads, and never tune back again!

 

[lordargent]

These days, I wouldn't trust Nielsen figures further than I could throw them.

/wanna get lost, try watching 1 out of every 5 episodes of babylon 5

 

[7thton]

I'm not buying it. How can you enjoy Lost or 24 without seeing at least 75% of the eps?

 

[MickeS]

Who says they enjoy it?