Ratings Report: Saying Goodbye
CW
Broadcast: This past Monday (7/29), ABC’s hot summer show Grand Hotel gained a 7.87% uptick in viewership corresponding with 2.95 million viewers. Outside of the continuing Agents of Shield, Grand Hotel is ABC’s only brand-new scripted content for the summer. The network occupies the rest of the prime-time time slots with a myriad of game shows.
On Wednesday (7/31), 649,000 viewers said goodbye to CW’s Jane The Virgin. The show ended its 5th season with 100 total episodes. The beloved show won over its viewers with strong telenovela sensibilities combined with a strong heart at its core. Jane The Virgin has won numerous awards including a golden globe for lead actress Gina Rodriguez while the show was in its first season. According to Lluvia Perez of Teen Vogue, “Jane The Virgin showed American viewers that Latinx people have nuance and deal with a range of emotions that need to be explored beyond the surface.” The show may have ended, but its impact has had a far-reaching influence on its viewers and the success of Latinx centered content.
Disney
Cable: As of Thursday (7/25), Comedy Central’s The Daily Show brought in 653,000 viewers. The episode focused on new Trump Beefs and correspondent Dulce Sloan reacted to new relationship study findings. Additionally, Angela Bassett made an appearance to talk about her new Netflix film Otherhood which tells the story of three suburban mothers who show up to the New York City home of their sons unannounced.
On Friday (7/26), Disney channel showed the final episode of their groundbreaking show Andi Mack. The final episode had 652,000 viewers. Although the show falls outside the age range of our readers, it’s important to address its diversity milestones. The show’s creator, Terri Minski, spoke about its Disney milestones stating that “We were its first serialized show, its first series centered around an Asian American family, and its first to feature an LGBTQ character who spoke the words 'I'm gay.’” It’s notoriously difficult to broach certain issues on a kid’s show without causing some kind of uproar which the show certainly did.
Freeform’s Grownish garnered around 440,000 views this past Wednesday (7/31). The first spin-off from Blackish is on its 2nd season and continues to receive critical praise for its charming realism along with strong performances from the outstanding Yara Shahidi.
Streaming: Season 3 of Netflix’s Dear White People premiered on Thursday (8/2) to mixed reviews. The show pushes in a slightly different direction with many of the characters exploring new avenues of expression that don’t place them directly in activist circles. Dear White People had an incendiary start that worked in its favor. Fans of the show may enjoy seeing the characters look after themselves a bit, all the while hoping for a return to form next season.