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I am – Hercules!!Fox’s new game show “Moment of Truth,” which features people providing embarrassing answers to personal questions, beat both “Terminator” and “American Gladiators” as highest-rated series premiere of the season. It retained 94 percent of lead-in “American Idol’s” audience, an all-time record. Read all of TV Week’s story on the matter here. |
No Lie: Fox’s 'Moment of Truth' Opens Huge
Moment of Truth (Fox)For the third time this month, the season's highest-rated new series premiere record has been shattered: Fox’s provocative lie detector game show opened with a massive Nielsen rating thanks to an “American Idol” lead-in and plenty of viewer curiosity.
“Moment” was seen by 23 million viewers and scored a 10.2 preliminary rating among adults 18 to 49, retaining 94% of its “Idol” audience (10.8). That’s higher than previous record-setting freshman debuts this season by NBC’s “American Gladiators” (5.9) and Fox’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (7.6).
The "Moment" premiere is the largest retention ever of an “Idol” lead-in, and the highest-rated premiere on any network since last February's "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" (11.2) -- Fox's previous game show to debut in a post-"Idol" slot. Drop off between the first and second half hour of "Moment" was 13%, which is nominal considering the large influx of “Idol” viewers. The "Moment" rating could shift slightly in the nationals later today since there’s one minute of “Idol” bleed into the program.
The show was not sent for review to critics, but TV Guide’s Matt Roush had an early critique this morning: “Who with a brain or a soul could do anything but despise Fox's new bottom-of-the-reality-barrel time-waster.” Viewers posting on the blog were more intrigued, though several said the show’s pace needed to speed up.
Once again, an NBC unscripted effort held up best against “Idol.” Continuing its “Million Dollar Mission,” last night’s “Deal or No Deal” hit a 15-month high in this time period (3.7). The “MDM” (where suitcases containing $1,000,000 keep being added to the board until a contestant finally wins the top prize) has played like a sweeps stunt, only placed in January. The play has given a more serialized nature to the show that has boosted tune-in, not unlike Ken Jennings’ famed winning streak on “Jeopardy.”
NBC also had “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (2.2) and “Law & Order” (3.0).
Other competitors didn’t fare nearly as well against Fox’s duo.
Third-place CBS’s entire lineup hit series lows, including “Power of 10” (0.9), “Criminal Minds” (3.2) and “CSI: NY” (3.3, winning the 10 p.m. hour).
ABC’s “Wife Swap” also hit a series low (1.9), followed by “Supernanny” (2.7) and a season low “Cashmere Mafia” (2.0).
The CW aired “Crowned” (0.7) and a “Gossip Girl” repeat (0.5).
UPDATE: Fox's Mike Darnell on "Moment of Truth" ratings and critic reviews. "They thought it was everything from boring, to vile, to boring and vile. But generally speaking, if you have a critically acclaimed reality show, it's not a big hit..." More ...
LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Interactive TV gaming company Netplay TV PLC said Canadian bingo software developer Parlay Entertainment Inc has agreed to develop 76 web-based games for NetPlay users to play as part of Netplay's Big Box Bingo and SuperCasino.com services.
The new games will be launched by the end of the first quarter of this year.
Big Box Bingo's interactive TV game show was launched in July 2007. The show allows viewers to play along with an interactive bingo game from their homes.
The addition of these web games will allow its customers to play a variety of bingo and casino games online as well as on the TV.
Financial details were not disclosed.
'It is a natural progression to extend the offering online, allowing our customers to play bingo and other online games any time they please,' said Martin Higginson, chief executive of NetPlay TV.
NetPlay TV was formerly known as Stream Group PLC.
January 21, 2008
We are trying to buy a minivan. I hate how difficult it is to buy a car. We test drove one on Friday and liked it. The price was just out of our range so we had to sleep on it over the weekend. We researched the vehicle, looked at other options (which were none, actually) and decided we’d let them call us.They called us this morning. We did the “I don’t know because I’m a helpless woman, let me ask my husband” song and dance first. Because I don’t know how to do it any other way. (We do this the opposite way for furniture, though. He’s the dope, I’m the stickler. We think it works. We’ve not tried buying big stuff without that routine, so maybe doing it another way would work, too.) Anyway, I called him back and named my price, thinking he would say, “Uh, no way.” and instead he jumped on it like a rabid dog. CRAP. I should have said “My Price minus A WHOLE BUNCH.” He’s “running numbers” right now and will get back to me. I have one thing to say about that: HURRY UP. Piece of advice: Don’t do this stuff when banks are closed for a holiday.
Agony. All the questions: Is this the right vehicle? Should we keep searching? Should we try to drag this out until February? Will someone give me a Toyota Sienna or a Honda Odyssey for free? Yes? What if this thing falls apart? What if I back into things and people and pets with this cruise liner? How about a chauffeur? Who the hell decided to spell “showfer” “chauffeur”?
I would like the third child in every family to come with a minivan. I wouldn’t want to give birth to the minivan, but I would like it to be waiting outside. Like a lovely parting gift from the hospital. And also, the home version of Family Feud.
January 21, 2008
We are trying to buy a minivan. I hate how difficult it is to buy a car. We test drove one on Friday and liked it. The price was just out of our range so we had to sleep on it over the weekend. We researched the vehicle, looked at other options (which were none, actually) and decided we’d let them call us.They called us this morning. We did the “I don’t know because I’m a helpless woman, let me ask my husband” song and dance first. Because I don’t know how to do it any other way. (We do this the opposite way for furniture, though. He’s the dope, I’m the stickler. We think it works. We’ve not tried buying big stuff without that routine, so maybe doing it another way would work, too.) Anyway, I called him back and named my price, thinking he would say, “Uh, no way.” and instead he jumped on it like a rabid dog. CRAP. I should have said “My Price minus A WHOLE BUNCH.” He’s “running numbers” right now and will get back to me. I have one thing to say about that: HURRY UP. Piece of advice: Don’t do this stuff when banks are closed for a holiday.
Agony. All the questions: Is this the right vehicle? Should we keep searching? Should we try to drag this out until February? Will someone give me a Toyota Sienna or a Honda Odyssey for free? Yes? What if this thing falls apart? What if I back into things and people and pets with this cruise liner? How about a chauffeur? Who the hell decided to spell “showfer” “chauffeur”?
I would like the third child in every family to come with a minivan. I wouldn’t want to give birth to the minivan, but I would like it to be waiting outside. Like a lovely parting gift from the hospital. And also, the home version of Family Feud.
