Ratings Review: BOB'S BURGERS (Season Four)

I think I see how FOX plans the life of it's animated series. Let them get at least five season, no matter the ratings, so as to satisfy syndication needs, then when the ratings drop even lower, cancel it and prop up the next new animated series. Why else would FOX air new episodes of BOB's BURGERS at 7 p.m. on Sundays, in the spring?

Outside of FAMILY GUY and THE SIMPSON, no recent animated comedy has really gotten any good rating numbers, unless they feed off the lead in ratings of the two previously mentioned shows. Once BOB'S BURGERS moved from 8:30 p.m., behind THE SIMPSONS, to kicking off the night, at 7 p.m., the ratings dropped like a rock. The spring numbers it drew do not support an earned renewal, yet FOX will give the series a fifth season.

The lone data point of the LIVE+7 ratings show that few bother to record the series and watch, after a Sunday night. They may watch it if it's on, but will not make any extra effort to watch it beyond that.

For the season, BOB'S BURGERS averaged 3.10 million viewers and a 1.4 rating in Adults 18-49, for the 23 airings, including three encore episodes. FOX is in the process to diversify it's Sunday lineup. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE will join the three remaining animated series, and I would bet that in the fall of 2015, a second live action series will be added to Sunday, replacing BOB'S BURGERS.

BOB'S BURGERS (Sundays at 8:30 p.m., on FOX)

Date	Viewers*	A18-49	L+3	L+7
09/29/13	4.48	2.2
10/06/13	4.21	1.9
10/13/13	MLB Playoffs
10/20/13	Preempted
10/27/13	World Series
11/03/13	3.75	1.8
11/10/13	3.17	1.5
11/17/13	Preempted
11/24/13	4.08	1.9
12/01/13	3.39	1.6
12/08/13	4.60	2.1
12/15/13	5.57	2.4
12/22/13	preempted
12/29/13	preempted
01/05/14	6.35	2.9		6.51 (3.3)
01/12/14	4.20	2.0
01/19/14	preempted
01/26/14	3.24	1.5
02/02/14	preempted
02/09/14	2.44	1.1	(R)
02/16/14	2.25	1.1	(R)
02/23/14	preempted
03/02/14	2.34	1.1	(R)

* - in millions

BOB'S BURGERS (Sundays at 7 p.m., on FOX)

Date	Viewers*	A18-49	L+3	L+7
03/09/14	2.21	0.9
03/16/14	2.44	1.1
03/23/14	2.45	1.2
03/30/14	2.26	1.0
04/06/14	2.27	0.9
04/13/14	1.83	0.8
04/20/14	1.52	0.6
04/27/14	2.26	1.1
05/04/14	2.23	1.1
05/11/14	1.97	0.9
05/18/14	1.95	0.9

* - in millions