The Prisoner on AMC had a strong premiere showing. The show pulled in over 2 million viewers for its premiere. Yet the subsequent night, it barely pulled in a million pairs of eyeballs.
I think I know how AMC snagged in over 2 millions viewers. I happened to have watched their Matrix trilogy airings. Yes, I used plural. I’ve been sick and watching a lot of TV, much to my chagrin in some cases.
I think AMC plotted this premiere of The Prisoner very carefully. They aired a popular movie series and with every single commercial break, they pummeled you with at least 2 ads for The Prisoner. At least. And in EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK. Or at least by the end of the weekend, that’s what it felt like.
I had seen so many ads that I recorded The Prisoner, looking to take a break from the show before it even started. If you like brain-teaser with a message, I’m sure you’re doing well with the show. But it gave me the feeling of LOST, but not. If that even makes sense.
Maybe Monday Night Football dinged the viewer numbers. There’s always the 7-day delayed viewer numbers that might prove otherwise to the lack of interest… even if the series is getting flogged by some reviews out. Any SoB readers catch the show? What did you think of it if you did?
I’d love a guest review!
reference: TV By The Numbers
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You probably know me from all my posts on the Sanctuary debacle. I guess my wife and I were among the few who watched all six episodes over the three nights. My wife wouldn’t let me watch ‘Heroes’ because she wouldn’t watch the later repeat. Old people go to bed early and 10 til 12 is to late for her. We both enjoyed it. I think her more than I because she never watched the original show with Patrick Mcgoohan. I think some people tuned in initially because they were part of the cult following of the original and left disappointed that I wasn’t true enough to the original. Those who never saw the original and didn’t know what to expect either liked it or hated it. This type of drama is an acquired taste. I give AMC a lot of credit for taking the risk. Sometimes it is worth it. Remember Robert De Niro in the “Last Tycoon”. As head of the studio he chose to make a movie he knew would lose money. We make money on these other movies so we can make a movie like this.
Hey Tim,
Careful… I try to hit the hay around 10 on weeknights… at least that’s my target time zone!
Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate it!
And thanks for cruising the site!
Let me sum up the first 2 hours and see if the reason a million viewers dissapeared by night 2 isn’t clear.
6 arrives in Village.
6 wants to escape.
6 knows he’s in the middle of what is supposed to be an uncrossable harsh desert in which he just buried the last guy who attempted to escape across it.
6 comes up with brilliant escape plan #1: Run off into the desert. With no water. And no food. And no supplies. Even though all of these things appear readily available.
6 ends up lying in the dirt. (Surprise). Has to be hauled back to the village by 313 before he dies of exposure or dehydration.
6 comes up with brilliant escape plan #2: Run off into the desert in another direction! With no food. And no water. And no supplies. But this time it’ll work because the towers are this way! Uh-huh… and, ummm, when he reaches them he’ll be ‘escaped’…. somehow.
6 ends up smacked into the dirt and having to be hauled back to the village by yet another resident.
6 comes up with brilliant escape plan #3. Run off into the desert in this THIRD direction! With no water. And no food. and no supplies. but THIS time it’ll work because he’s bringing two other people with him! Who also have no water, and no food, and no supplies except whatever the lady is carrying in HER PURSE. Because they might not be able to cross the desert… but they can totally cross the desert AND the ocean and the lady said she heard the ocean this way once upon a time!
Stunningly, the escape attempt once again fails despite this brilliant execution.
End of night 1, in which 6 demonstrates that any random 5 year old plucked off the street could have planned an escape from the village more effectively than the central character of this abomination of a show. I guarantee you if you ask a 5 year old kid what they need to cross a big hot dry desert they almost certainly grasp the need for more preperation than just running out into the thing with nothing but the clothes on your back.