Why are the ratings down so much from last year?

A large part of it is right now it's competing for viewers with Monday night football, and The Big Bang Theory is on from 8:00 to 8:30, and it's also competing with Dancing With The Stars and The Voice so some big TV stuff is fighting them for their viewership, and the shows they're competing with are not only very popular, but have also been on a lot longer.

Supergirl premier had an 80% gain in the live+3 .9 and 2.8 million viewers. Can we pretty please put the ratings issue to rest

I will be the first to admit that I haven't been watching after the premiere. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I just want my superheroes to be, well, more Reeve-esque in spirit.I loved Tyler's tapping into that last season, and had high hopes, but as a middle of the road conservative Christian male, I felt preached to most of the season as if I had to apologize for my values. No, I'm not dogging on Maggie and Alex. My brother is gay and has been with his husband for 25 years. Better than I've ever managed a relationship, make no mistake. No, it's the politics that seem to be everywhere in this climate, and there seems to be no escape. One cannot simply enjoy a show for action and intrigue anymore. Same with that's dismal new Star Trek. Ugh. Dark and dismal and actors spewing arrogance to their fan base, and the they expect fans to PAY to see it? Anyhow, I digress. If Supergirl gets better, with better writing and lest hamfisted politics, I will give it another go. I supported this show from the beginning, and I still want to love it. I have always believed Superman and Supergirl should embody an ideal of what we as human beings can achieve, and this world, in my opinion, is sorely lacking in ideals these days. From every direction and political side of the fence. No one is exempt.

Nothing personal, and I mean no offense to anyone. I'm just too old to waste time on things that perturb me and do not add to my overall sense of well being.

Consider this Kara's working back to her optimistic and hopeful self. We're seeing a hero go from the dark to the light when usually we're shown the opposite. No light without the dark and no good without the bad right?

Robert Anthony: I missed/did not see any politics in the last episode. Simply saying I did not notice.
I am worried the show may lose network support. My original call was this show could go on for at least five years at a minimum. Now I am not so sure. Ratings are down for Monday Night Football, (and the NFL in general - but that's another story). I do not watch DWTS so I cannot address that. If/when BBT moves that could be good for SG.
I will say again - the first 12 minutes of the pilot was the best 12 minutes in TV in the last 10 years.Another gem was when Alex "goes" to find Kara in the black mercy episode. From when they capture Alex until the end of the fight between Kara and Non at the satellite dish was pretty spectacular too. Oh - if only the feel of the show could get close to that again. I realize it can't happen every week but at least once in a while would be nice.

Not surprised most of the shows fans are watching Supergirl via alternate modern day means. Genre tv fans tend to watch their favorite shows via DVR, on demand or some streaming service.

A few years ago, the CW's catch praise was TV Now.

Monday shows are down across board. Its weird Robert and the OP only see SG down. Monday is insane for scripted tv. And all shows are down across the board. Yesterday ALL shows was down in viewers. Only DWTS was up. While SG was steady in demo along with GD, Scorpion and Lucifer because it adjusted. While all other shows was down in the demo.

This. Supergirl may be down, but I honestly think it has the roughest competition. Monday Night Football, Big Bang Theory, and DWTS are all huge shows. It will help a bit when Big Bang Theory moves. But, as I've said in other threads, I honestly don't think same-day-ratings are nearly as big an indicator as they used to be. Especially with CW. Between DVR, On-Demand, and CW's free streaming app, watching later has become a norm for a lot of people.

I post this the beginning of each season, so people can relax about the ratings. The networks/CBS and the CW judge ratings very differently. The networks/CBS are all about the overnights and ESPECIALLY the three day ratings. The CW largely doesn't care about live ratings. They're all about the end game: getting a show to 88 episodes, so they can sell it to syndication and more. Here's an excerpt from a Forbes magazine article, which basically sums it up -
"Unlike the big four of CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox, The CW is not a network trying to make money on a grand scale off its live viewership. Rather, it was created as a vessel for 1st-run domestic broadcast. Why is that important? Because without somewhere to air first, there’s no way for television studios to achieve the syndication friendly number of 88-episodes necessary for profitable 2nd-tier syndication deals. The CW is a network created with the singular goal of getting the shows of its parent company to syndication qualifying numbers."

So relax all and just enjoy the show

Or maybe jdbop, my fellow conservative, the writers are still mad at last November's US elections and are doing everything to throw a temper tantrum. Well this is not just on Supergirl, but everywhere like the NFL, ESPN, etc.

When you isolate half the audience and bash them over the head with your leftist globalist politics, get set for a backlash.

When you pay your cable/web/satellite or streaming bill, you are in a way paying the salaries of those involved. The minute the celebs or a crew member opens their mouths or posts something on social media that insults half the US, the backlash begins.

And I do not even want to go into the Weinstein matter...besides it's already a post at this forum.

Now last night's episode had a slight, very slight political thing about a dossier on Edge. One can assume it's a dossier on "someone else" one that has been proven to be a big lie put out by the global elites in DC, the media and Hollywood.

But that was not brought up again later on nor repeated so the integrity of the episode was pretty stable.

That's my theory on why the ratings are down and substantially. But it may also have to do with all those Sanvers shippers reading all those articles and losing it over Maggie and Alex breaking up and not tuning in as a result and all the hatred against Mon-El as well.

But I also think there needs to be a major overhaul in the writing. Stop reading the corporate media and start reading the comic books. Going apolitical is working gangbusters for The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow is reaping some benefits.

I think the writers/producers are tone deaf to this discussion and what the majority of the fans really want.
Case in point: the sneak peek they release is all about Maggie and her dad. WTF?
The show is called SUPERGIRL!!! It is not a DEO soap opera show.
This sneak peek clip is a prime example of putting the focus on other than the lead character. Big mistake. Too much emphasis on the side stories. If the side storylines are more important than the title character - then change the name of the show.
I fear this downward rating trend will continue and we may lose this show for all the wrong reasons.

I think the writers/producers are tone deaf to this discussion and what the majority of the fans really want.
Case in point: the sneak peek they release is all about Maggie and her dad. WTF?
The show is called SUPERGIRL!!! It is not a DEO soap opera show.
This sneak peek clip is a prime example of putting the focus on other than the lead character. Big mistake. Too much emphasis on the side stories. If the side storylines are more important than the title character - then change the name of the show.
I fear this downward rating trend will continue and we may lose this show for all the wrong reasons.

Calm down....LOL, was doing the same griping after the first sneak peek from the premiere episode. It was all about Lena and James, and once I saw the scene fully within the scope of the episode it was actually a really good scene.

HOWEVER, they should be showing these sneak peeks far earlier for sure....waiting until the weekend before for the first SP, and then Monday for the next 3 is ridiculous.

Supergirl premier had an 80% gain in the live+3 .9 and 2.8 million viewers. Can we pretty please put the ratings issue to rest

Dang I was gonna be happy with .7 beck yeah I'll take that

I post this the beginning of each season, so people can relax about the ratings. The networks/CBS and the CW judge ratings very differently. The networks/CBS are all about the overnights and ESPECIALLY the three day ratings. The CW largely doesn't care about live ratings. They're all about the end game: getting a show to 88 episodes, so they can sell it to syndication and more. Here's an excerpt from a Forbes magazine article, which basically sums it up -
"Unlike the big four of CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox, The CW is not a network trying to make money on a grand scale off its live viewership. Rather, it was created as a vessel for 1st-run domestic broadcast. Why is that important? Because without somewhere to air first, there’s no way for television studios to achieve the syndication friendly number of 88-episodes necessary for profitable 2nd-tier syndication deals. The CW is a network created with the singular goal of getting the shows of its parent company to syndication qualifying numbers."

So relax all and just enjoy the show

*****

Amen! I couldn't have said or quoted it better. Relax, people, relax. The show isn't going anywhere. Once the magical 88 episodes is achieved, it's into syndication heaven.

This may happen as an outside shot late in Supergirl Season 4 if they stretch it out by two additional episodes or so (or if they include the crossovers). If not in Season 4, then within the first three or four episodes of Season 5. Arrow has managed to do it, The Flash will likely get there this year and Supergirl will presumably follow suit. The only other CW show that may or may not get there is Legends of Tomorrow due to their reduced number of episodes and shorter airing seasons. However, anything is possible and they may also eventually get there as well.

I will be the first to admit that I haven't been watching after the premiere. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I just want my superheroes to be, well, more Reeve-esque in spirit.I loved Tyler's tapping into that last season, and had high hopes, but as a middle of the road conservative Christian male, I felt preached to most of the season as if I had to apologize for my values. No, I'm not dogging on Maggie and Alex. My brother is gay and has been with his husband for 25 years. Better than I've ever managed a relationship, make no mistake. No, it's the politics that seem to be everywhere in this climate, and there seems to be no escape. One cannot simply enjoy a show for action and intrigue anymore. Same with that's dismal new Star Trek. Ugh. Dark and dismal and actors spewing arrogance to their fan base, and the they expect fans to PAY to see it? Anyhow, I digress. If Supergirl gets better, with better writing and lest hamfisted politics, I will give it another go. I supported this show from the beginning, and I still want to love it. I have always believed Superman and Supergirl should embody an ideal of what we as human beings can achieve, and this world, in my opinion, is sorely lacking in ideals these days. From every direction and political side of the fence. No one is exempt.

Nothing personal, and I mean no offense to anyone. I'm just too old to waste time on things that perturb me and do not add to my overall sense of well being.

I will be the first to admit that I haven't been watching after the premiere. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I just want my superheroes to be, well, more Reeve-esque in spirit.I loved Tyler's tapping into that last season, and had high hopes, but as a middle of the road conservative Christian male, I felt preached to most of the season as if I had to apologize for my values. No, I'm not dogging on Maggie and Alex. My brother is gay and has been with his husband for 25 years. Better than I've ever managed a relationship, make no mistake. No, it's the politics that seem to be everywhere in this climate, and there seems to be no escape. One cannot simply enjoy a show for action and intrigue anymore. Same with that's dismal new Star Trek. Ugh. Dark and dismal and actors spewing arrogance to their fan base, and the they expect fans to PAY to see it? Anyhow, I digress. If Supergirl gets better, with better writing and lest hamfisted politics, I will give it another go. I supported this show from the beginning, and I still want to love it. I have always believed Superman and Supergirl should embody an ideal of what we as human beings can achieve, and this world, in my opinion, is sorely lacking in ideals these days. From every direction and political side of the fence. No one is exempt.

Nothing personal, and I mean no offense to anyone. I'm just too old to waste time on things that perturb me and do not add to my overall sense of well being.

Consider this Kara's working back to her optimistic and hopeful self. We're seeing a hero go from the dark to the light when usually we're shown the opposite. No light without the dark and no good without the bad right?

And to add to Brierrose...AND speaking also as a conservative....Argox66...

I, too, was getting REAL tired of being preached to last season, to the point of feeling the writers and actors would actually think I was a horrible person for being conservative. But, happy to say, depsite a few political jabs here and there, this season has been a HUGE improvement over the feel, tone, and watching experience of season 2. A few eye roll moments, but nothing that has lessened my watching experience. So...come back :-)