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[07/02/03 - 12:00 AM] Cable Originals Battling for the Spotlight By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC) |
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CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- With the June ratings period (May 26-June 29) officially a wrap, some basic cable networks are finding their original offerings are fighting an uphill battle to attract viewers.
Here's a breakdown of the latest rumblings:
-- FX is probably having the toughest time out of all of the basic cable networks. Its two latest originals: "Lucky" and "The Orlando Jones Show" have not been the ratings grabbers the network had hoped. Particularly disappointing has been "Lucky" which many expected to rebound this past month with the broadcast networks having wrapped their regular season. That hasn't been the case as the comedy saw its adults 18-49 average drop to a 0.55 rating during the period, lowering its season-to-date average to a 0.77 rating. The same bad news applies to "Jones," as the late-night talk show fell more than 60% from its opening week numbers by the end of June in the key demographic (0.24 vs. 0.60 rating). The series only saving grace has been its performance among African-American viewers where it scores a 0.66 rating among the 18-49 demographic.
-- USA on the other hand has had better, albeit mixed, results thanks to its original series "Monk." The second season bow of the drama was the most-watched episode of the series to date, securing a 4.1 household rating. Nevertheless, week two of its new season saw its viewership fall by 1.4 million total viewers (4.0 million vs. 5.4 million). Further complicating matters is the lack of another fresh installment of the series until July 11 due to the national holiday this Friday. Despite such dark clouds, "Monk" remains a key component to USA's original series strategy. A new drama, "Peacemakers," kicks off on July 30 and "The Dead Zone" returns for seven new episodes this Sunday.
-- MTV's June offerings also garnered a mixed bag of results. New Sunday series "Doggy Fizzle Televizzle" and "Who's Got Game" scored respectable numbers, topping the network's previous time slot average by 30%. Returning series "The Real World" and "The Osbournes" however weren't so lucky as both were off from year-to-year comparisions. Nevertheless, MTV's new late-night series "The New Tom Green Show" has been a surprise hit for the network, posting a strong 1.1 rating among MTV's target demographic of persons 12-34.
-- Game Show Network has seen its aggressive Sunday night lineup fail to meet expectations. After two weeks, neither "Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned" nor its lead-out, "Funny Money," topped the network's projected 0.8 household rating for the series.
-- TNT, which doesn't carry original series, has pulled lukewarm responses for its latest batch of original telefilms. This past weekend, the network's mini-series "Caesar" averaged 3.36 million total viewers, 1,553,000 of which were among the coveted adults 18-49 demographic. That's up 23% from TNT's primetime average as of late with Sunday's installment bringing in 3.6 million viewers (1.6 million in adults 18-49) and 3.1 million viewers (1.4 million in adults 18-49) for its conclusion on Monday.
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[08/18/26 - 12:01 PM] Netflix Top 10: Week of August 10 - "My Life with the Walter Boys" Lassos No. 1 in This Week's Top 10 "Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes" launched in the No. 2 spot on the English TV list, gathering 4.9 million views.
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[08/18/26 - 11:56 AM] Lifetime Adds Two New Movies Inspired by Actual Events to Its "Strength of a Lifetime" September Slate "Sole Survivor of Flight 119" and "The Ocean Between Them" join the previously announced "Angel in the Rubble: The Genelle Guzman Story."
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[08/18/26 - 10:05 AM] FOX Sports Unveils Landmark Production Plans and Broadcast Schedule for Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. The unprecedented event, a centerpiece of the nation's 250th birthday celebration, will showcase the most ambitious live motorsports production in FOX Sports history while offering viewers unparalleled coverage of a revolutionary event in American motorsports.
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[08/18/26 - 10:00 AM] Darren Criss, Sherry Cola and James Monroe Iglehart Join the Cast of "Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story" Hugo Ateo, Sean Yves Lessard and Dan Bakkedahl are also bound for the project.
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[08/18/26 - 09:31 AM] Netflix's New Unscripted Dating Format "Weight to Date" Explores Love After Extreme Weight Loss The series is a dating format that follows singles during and after extreme weight loss as they navigate dating, identity, and the search for lasting love.
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[08/18/26 - 09:26 AM] Horror Has No Off-Season: Terror on Tubi Becomes a Year-Round Destination for Fans With more than 13,000 hours of horror content, Tubi gives fans the depth and freedom to follow their obsessions wherever they lead.
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[08/18/26 - 09:16 AM] Video: "El Juicio" - Official Trailer - Prime Video The new series, inspired by true stories, premieres on September 11, only on Prime Video.
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[08/18/26 - 08:03 AM] Olivia Colman Joins Season 6 of "Only Murders in the Building" Hulu confirmed the news on social media this morning.
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[08/18/26 - 08:02 AM] Video: "The Creep Tapes" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Shudder Peachfuzz isn't finished with you yet.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM] Kim Kardashian and the Producers of "Love Island USA" Bring "Team Moms: Baseball" to Paramount+ September 24 The series follows a group of parents whose sons attend Legendary Prep Academy: a premier baseball training school in Scottsdale, Arizona, dedicated to molding the next generation of star athletes.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM] First Look at "East of Eden" Coming to Netflix October 1, 2026 Starring Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, and Mike Faist, the multigenerational saga follows the Trask family through generations shaped by ambition, betrayal, and the haunting, indelible antihero Cathy Ames.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM] One of America's Most Frightening Homes Gets an Overhaul in New HGTV Competition Series "A Very Haunted Renovation" In the six-episode season, hosted by actress Anna Camp, six daring designers, SK Stokes Kennedy, Patrick Peel, John Ryan, Bershan Shaw, Logan Wright and Diana Vogel, will live inside the uncanny abode for 31 days while completing a top-to-bottom transformation - all in pursuit of a $50,000 dollar cash prize.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM] Two Seasons of Circa Sports' Hit "Circa Survivor" Docuseries Premieres on AXS TV Sunday, August 23, 30 & September 6, Featuring "The Quest for $14.2 Million" and "The Quest for $18.7 Million" Expertly crafted, "Circa Survivor" offers a rare and unfiltered look into the ever-growing field of sports betting - showcasing all of the unprecedented highs and devastating lows, packed with unforgettable moments, larger-than-life personalities, and the ultimate in high-stakes competition.
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[08/18/26 - 07:31 AM] Elizabeth Chambers Returns to Investigation Discovery to Explore the Dark and Dangerous Side of Love with New Season of "Toxic" The new season will premiere Tuesday, September 15 at 10PM ET/PT on ID, with new episodes airing weekly.
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[08/18/26 - 07:01 AM] Video: Case Reopened! BritBox Debuts Official Trailer for Season Two of "Ludwig," Premiering on October 13 The six-episode season premieres on BritBox in North America on October 13, with weekly episodes following until the finale on November 17.
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