What Caused The 'CSI' Ratings To Fall?

CSI Files

CSI Files

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The latest episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, “Blood Moon”, posted the lowest ratings the forensic drama has ever seen in its decade on the air. Fancast wondered what caused the decline over the past few seasons, and fans offered a number of theories including cast changes, compelling competition and a lack of new plot [...]

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Cast changes have certainly played a role for a lot of fans, but I also think a lot of it just comes down to natural audience erosion. The show has been on for a full decade, of course it's going to age - it still pulls in 12+ million viewers every week, which isn't really anything to sneeze at these days. It's not dominating the ratings anymore, but it's not doing horribly, all things considered. I think if it did better in the "key" demographics, the ratings wouldn't be as much of a problem - but CBS is an older skewing network, and CSI is no exception.

Overall, I don't think there's any one cause for the ratings decline. I think it's a combination of factors.
 
I think it is because of cast changes. And it seems like they focus too much on Ray - he's not the supervisor, but they write him as if he is. They didn't need to get rid of Wendy. Yes, I miss Grissom but I also miss Warrick and killing him was a big mistake. I miss Warrick and Nick's friendship. Blood Moon could have had some classic Warrick/Nick scenes.

In earlier seasons, you saw the lab rats and the detectives - now they are hardly on.

The storylines aren't that bad, but they need to write them the way the used to - if that makes sense. For example, I loved that Nick and Sara scene we got in Blood Moon - it reminded me of past seasons.

For me, I still watch the show for George Eads and I will continue to watch it until the series ends or he leaves.
 
I think it's just age and competition.

The show itself was very top down, not allowing for much interpersonal drama which is really what draws viewers to GA. They should have gotten rid of Naren Shankar a long time ago because his iron fist on the whole 'science only' element was what kept the show from growing. He should have been fired a long time ago.

CSI and Billy Petersen made a huge mistake by making the show all about him. Particularly, when they knew Billy wanted out of the show a long time ago. Had they balanced the characters more and allowed for more personal storylines beyond theterrible GSR (which almost half the viewers hated including me)storyline. Even TV Guide has them down as one of the worst romances on TV. Yet TPTB pursued it.

It's unfair because characters like Nick, Greg and the lab rats were wonderful and should have been allowed to blossom sooner into the series rather than later.

We should have had more PTSD from Nick after Grave Danger. It would have been great for ratings. We had nothing.

So TPTB have no one to blame but themselves.
 
The two main factors in my opinion are the show's age and the fact that it's lead actor is gone.William Petersen will never get replaced.
 
This interested me: I asked some of my friends who had stopped watching for the reason why. Most answers were to do with cast changes, competing shows having more appeal, and underappreciation of their favourite characters (mainly Greg, but some of the lab rats and detectives as well). Along with natural viewer decline due to CSI being a long runner...

Wow, I can't actually think of why I'm even watching the show anymore. Probably wishful thinking that things will change for the better :shifty:
 
Interesting...
Even the hot sex scene at the beginning didn't keep viewers watching the rest of the episode? :shifty:

I chalk it up to age of the show, the small but significant actor turn over, the departure of Grissom who made CSI what it is.

Also it's hard to keep storylines and ideas fresh for a show that's been on for over 10 years. The writers/producers don't have an easy job trying to appeal to an audience that has several new shows to choose from every fall.

Again, I guess I'm still baffled by the lack of viewers for this particular episode. I guess sex doesn't sell. ;)
 
I really didnt think that this episode was that bad. Seriously, the drop in ratings have been slipping for a while ever since Grissom left.

I talked to a girl in my sorority yesterday about the episode and she said she would had watched if the sex scene had been between Hodges/Wendy. :drool: (dont think she knew Wendy is gone)

I didnt know how bad the ratings was for "Blood Moon" until I read this. I think it has alot to do with cast changes and coming up with new ideas for the show.

I too have been asking around for an explanation on why the ratings have been falling and I keep getting the same answer. "The show is not the same without Grissom." :cardie:
 
Yay for lots of comments! :D

(Also, wow, this thread got a lot more views being linked from CSI Files.)
 
Personally I think it's just natural. The show's just started it's 11th season. People leave, some may have come but more left. It happens when a show's been on for this long. I was an avid viewer of JAG from it's first episode through the 7th season - then I just stopped watching.

Susan
 
Well CSI is doing fairly well for it's 11th season, some shows don't live to even see half of that, and then yeah some don't tune in cause they miss Grissom, and get tired of all the focus on certain characters, I know I do

Plus things like the internet and Netflix have come into play and are becoming more popular, it's probably the future of tv
 
sharp52092 said:
Well CSI is doing fairly well for it's 11th season, some shows don't live to even see half of that, and then yeah some don't tune in cause they miss Grissom, and get tired of all the focus on certain characters, I know I do

Plus things like the internet and Netflix have come into play and are becoming more popular, it's probably the future of tv
Click to expand...

I think you make a good point here. When CSI started, watching TV on the internet was not even an option in 2000, now many people don't even bother to have cable anymore, they just watch everything on the net.

Also, I think Liz Vassey's departure made a difference.

And I always say, making the show slowly focus on one character-Grissom-was dangerous in terms of longevity while may have proven a good selling point at the time.
 
Could be many reasons, a friend of mine now has 120 channels including movies. And the competition is tough, so many new shows/series. I don't think Liz had anything to do with this. She was great but not the star or lead. And on Billy Petersen, he's been gone since S/9, and fans are used to his being gone and sometimes fans like and call this season new and improved. It's just a tough road to row, with so many other shows on the scene. Then there's the fanatical fans that no matter who's on or what's happening are die-hards and always will be till the bitter end.. me being one of those:bolian:
 
Desertgoblin said:
Could be many reasons, a friend of mine now has 120 channels including movies. And the competition is tough, so many new shows/series. I don't think Liz had anything to do with this. She was great but not the star or lead. And on Billy Petersen, he's been gone since S/9, and fans are used to his being gone and sometimes fans like and call this season new and improved. It's just a tough road to row, with so many other shows on the scene. Then there's the fanatical fans that no matter who's on or what's happening are die-hards and always will be till the bitter end.. me being one of those:bolian:
Click to expand...

I think there are many reasons why the show is losing ratings, but I don't think you can deny that cast changes could very well be one of those reasons. Liz Vassey was very popular despite being a supporting player. And it's also a possibility that people who gave Ray a chance for a couple of seasons have now decided they don't like him or what the character has brought to/taken away from the show and have decided to leave.
 
I'm sure she was popular but not seeng her hasn't changed my opinion of the show. And I think that the chose of LF was one of the best decisions ever made on CSI. I've got some friends, who now watch the show because of him. He's very popular. The only insults I see about him are on here. He's awesome and has brought the show to a higher level of class , style and elegance. A master of all he surveys. To each one's own on who they like or who they don't but if he left then I probably wouldn't watch the show anymore:(
 
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