X Factor, Survivor fight ratings decline
It’s been fascinating to watch The X Factor and Survivor: Blood vs. Water try to reverse the irreversible trend of sliding ratings this season. Both programs have stalled in recent years — Survivor less so in Canada but certainly in the U.S., where the all-important scheduling decisions are made.
Reality TV happens in real time, in the here and now. So when an established, longrunning reality program starts to slip in the ratings, its makers will often try to fix what’s wrong — or what they think is wrong — in midstream. Everything is faster in reality TV time. Once the program is on the air, there are no timeouts, no taking time off to tweak scripts, hire new producers or change the cast.
The X Factor and Survivor, which compete head-to-head at the same time on opposing channels, have tweaked their formats with mixed results. Survivor: Blood vs. Water has managed to stem the bleeding, in Canada if not in the U.S. Survivor premièred to 2.2 million viewers, in eighth place in its first week and held steady in its second week. The X Factor debuted in 25th place with 770,000 viewers, and tailed off after that.
In the most recent ratings, The X Factor failed to crack the Top 30. The problem lies with the show. Viewers have not suddenly lost their appetite for TV singing competitions. The Voice is soaring. Nearly 1.8 million viewers tuned into The Voice in its most recent week, placing it firmly in the Top 15. The X Factor’s makers, mindful that the ratings were not what they wanted last season, have tweaked the format this time around. They’ve done away with the “home visit” section of the show, in which the four groups of remaining contestants — girls, boys, over-20s and groups — were coached in the respective judges’ summer homes, before being whittled down to a final 16 for the live performance shows.
This time, the 10 remaining contestants in each group perform before a live audience for the right to sit in four chairs. Last week, it was the girls’ and over-20s’ turn. When X Factor returns this week, it will be the boys, coached by Paulina Rubio, and groups, coached by Simon Cowell. The so-called four-chair challenge continues Thursday, then the program will take a brief break for the baseball playoffs. The live shows start Oct. 29. (X Factor: 8 p.m., Fox, CTV Two; Survivor: 8 p.m., CBS, Global)
Dragons’ Den is back in fine fettle, with the Dragons jumping through hoops, figuratively — and literally, in Wednesday’s outing — to invest in the next big thing. Programming side note: Dragons Jim Treliving and Kevin O’Leary appear on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, tonight. (8 p.m., CBC)
Modern Family reaches a milestone — 100 episodes, and counting — with a refreshingly low-key outing in which Cam (Eric Stonestreet) is desperate to keep his engagement secret from his visiting older sister, a confirmed singleton who has some news of her own. (9 p.m., ABC, City)
The Tomorrow People, a new sci-fi drama loosely based on the U.K. original about a group of young people in the distant future who possess unique superhuman abilities, debuts with Toronto native Robbie Amell playing the proverbial leading man caught between this world and the next. (7 p.m., CTV; 9 p.m., WGN, WPIX)