Critics' Choice : best rated show on t.v.

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jan 8, 2004

TELEVISION critics are an odd lot.

We see something shiny or pretty, anything that doesn't scream business as usual, and we embrace it with all the fervor of Homer Simpson grabbing a doughnut.

Viewers, of course, don't always agree.

Earlier this week, the magazine TelevisionWeek released its Winter Critics Poll. The poll summarizes the likes and dislikes of TV critics across the country in the last six months.

Fox's "Arrested Development" was the first comedy in more than five years to be named the best show on television by critics. NBC's short-lived "Coupling" snagged the dubious award for worst show.

Although Bay Area TV viewers' tastes don't exactly mirror the results of the critics' poll, their viewing habits haven't been far off. While "Arrested Development" isn't a top-20 show in the Bay Area (it ranked No. 33 last week), it does look as if the comedy by Ron Howard's production company is gaining ground, particularly with the broadcast network's coveted male demographic.

"Basically, 'Arrested Development' has great appeal for men. By the ratings, it looks like men are appreciating the show's humor," says KTVU research analyst Pat Macholl. "In men 25-54, 'Arrested Development' clocked the competition. Advertisers like that in a series because those young males are a difficult demographic to grab."

So how did the broadcast television shows championed by the critics stack up with Bay Area viewers?

In some cases, the list appears to mirror the tastes of Bay Area audiences. The long-running animated Fox series "The Simpsons" regularly lands in the Bay Area's top 10 category. In the critics' poll, it snatched the No. 6 spot.

When it comes to Bay Area household ratings, which counts the shows with the highest number of people watching, CBS has consistently owned the top two spots in Bay Area ratings with "CSI" and "Survivor: Pearl Islands." Even the critics

acknowledged these two ratings

giants, placing "Survivor" No. 9 in the top 20, while "CSI" checked in at No. 14.

In an earlier interview, CBS CEO Les Moonves called "Survivor" and Fox's "American Idol" -- which did not make the critics' favorites list -- the Rolls-Royces of reality shows.

" 'Idol' and 'Survivor' are the two best reality shows, qualitatively. And the good news is the ratings have matched the quality," Moonves says.

Moonves and other broadcast network executives have always struggled with the fact that without the ratings, quality may not be enough to keep a show on the air.

That certainly happened with the No. 19 show in the critics' list, NBC's superb drama "Boomtown." After audiences failed to show up for the series, NBC canceled it.

On the flip side, shows that critics clearly despise can end up with strong ratings. Two prime examples of this are "Fear Factor" and "Extreme Makeover," shows that generally rank in the upper half of the ratings in the Bay Area.

"We are the broadcasters of 'Fear Factor' and 'West Wing.' ('West Wing' landed in the No. 20 spot in the critics' poll)," says NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker in a recent interview. "We think of ourselves as true broadcasters, reaching a broad range of viewers."

And all that really counts is

what the viewers think about a series. No matter how much critics would like to persuade them to watch (and they do have a role in guiding viewers), viewers often tend to go their own way.

Or at least the majority of viewers who are in the 18-49 demographic highly prized by advertisers. NBC landed $3 billion in advertising revenue for its line-up this season based on its ability to snag those advertiser-friendly viewers.

"Nobody tells the advertising community and the ad buyers what they have to buy. They're in charge," Zucker says. "They are the ones who spend the money, and everybody knows what the currency of the business is. All that business is written predominantly on (what viewers) 18-49 (are watching)."

Critics hope that by trumpeting what they see as the best in program options, the viewers will tune in to save those shows.

You can e-mail Susan Young at syoung@angnewspapers.com or call her at (925) 416-4820.