January 16-20, 2006

[Ponz]

Like I said, I'll revisit this dicussion IF the ratings keep climbing to the mid 3's and sustain themselves through Feb/March. An increase from an incredibly low base of 2.5 to 2.9 is nothing to get excited about. Yes, the show is improving but that is not saying much when you consider how awful it was in the first half of 2005. Secondly, killing off the child of a supercouple is something you can only do once if it's to be effective in drawing in new viewers. If the ratings don't continue to climb, JER will have once again spent valuable story capital that can't be recouped.

[FanSoAp07]

IDA

It has totally excited!!

[PhoenixRising05]

Its something to be exctied about given where they were a year ago and most of last year and how slowly they have gotten viewers back. Any increase in viewership over any length of time frame is huge in this day and age.

[Ponz]

I don't buy into the argument about ratings declines being a function of a general industry decline (Is this what you are implying by "in this day and age"?). As the CBS soaps have shown, shows that deliver viewers the quality of product they demand (i.e. good writing) will benefit both relative to other soaps and in terms of total viewership. Soaps that don't will suffer the converse. Much as TPTB would like to pin the blame on reality television or the increasing use of tivos, the real reason for their predicament is obvious: they have lost touch with what viewers want.