 |
| 'Hey, has anyone seen the want ads around?'
|
All we have to say is, the movie better be good. And if it isn't?
Well, you know.
For the first three weeks of the new season, South Park has averaged a dismal 3.8 rating in cable homes. During the equivalent three weeks in 1998, when the show was actually laugh-out-loud funny, South Park averaged an impressive 7.0 rating. For those unsavvy folks who can't do the math, that's a pretty lousy showing, especially considering the episodes during those three weeks were brand spanking new. Add to that the
fact that the cable network shelled out more than $1 million to promote the new episodes, and you've got serious trouble.
"We never expected the show to sustain 6, 7 and 8 ratings," said Michelle
Ganeless, senior VP of programming for Comedy Central, while not wetting
her pants as expected. Ganeless went on to point out that, even at a 3.8 rating so far this season, South Park is the highest-rated scripted entertainment series on cable television.
If this sub-par crap keeps up, it won't be for long.
Tony Fox, senior VP of corporate communications for Comedy Central, said the network plans to spend another $4 million-plus to market its two-hour block of original programming, led by South Park, starting the week of June 14. If the gamble doesn't pay off Fox will begin looking for a job waiting tables.
Comedy Central will slot reruns of South Park (probably the same shows we've seen about twelve thousand times) during the May sweeps to avoid getting battered by the broadcast networks. New South Park episodes will return on June 16 along with new episodes of the brilliant series Upright Citizens Brigade (look for an exclusive interview with the comedy troupe early this June).
Comedy Central is also counting on getting a boost from the South Park movie, which Paramount will release early this summer. If it's anything like the new episodes, we're in trouble, South Park fans.
We have our own theories why the ratings for South Park are tanking. If you haven't read the brilliant piece, check it out. We posted many of your responses to this story last week. Nearly all of them were unsympathetic to the now fledging series. Gulp.
If that's not enough, check out what the girls at daily movies did with the South Park story
And as always, for a more detailed coverage of South Park be sure to check out our brilliant affiliate site, Mr. Hat's Hell Hole.
