2011-12 Ratings Review: Charlie's Angels

CHARLIE'S ANGELS (CA) was tabbed as one of the most anticipated new shows for the 2011-12 season. Industry publications were on the bandwagon and were hyping the remake of the 35 year old franchise. But, when the series premiered, all that hype meant nothing, zero, nada.

CA had a tough task a head of it. It was competing with THE BIG BANG THEORY,in a new time slot, and THE X-FACTOR, hyped as the next AMERICAN IDOL. It's premiere numbers were lack luster, at best, placing third for the hour (8.76 million viewers, 2.1 demo rating). It is always a given that a new series will lose 10-20 percent of the viewers for the second episode and then another 10 percent for the third episode. In the second week, CHARLIE'S ANGELS lost 19% in viewers, but was down 29% in the demo ratings. by week #3, CA was down 32% in viewers and 43% in the 18-49 demographic. it wasn't even halloween and the series is on life support.

After the fourth episode aired and the ratings were out, ABC promptly cancelled the series, but was committed to airing the remaining episodes that had been completed. Famous last words, right? The following week (week #5 of the new season), CA was preempted for a Charlie Brown holiday special. Two weeks into the November sweeps and ABC had enough and pulled the series from the schedule.

The problem the series had is that is did not continue the formula that made the original series a hit. It needed strong beautiful women that guys drool over an women want to emulate. The three cast ladies were cute, but not the bombshells Farrah Fawcett, Jacklyn Smith and, to an extent, Kat Jackson were.

It is said that CHARLIE'S ANGELS still has four completed episodes that have yet to air. If that ever does happen, it will be during the summer of 2012, perhaps on a Saturday night.