The ratings for Sunday’s 2.5-hour “Lost” finale came in yesterday, and they were impressive: 13.5 million viewers and a 5.8 share of the 18-49 demographic. It was by far Sunday’s most-watched program, as well as as the most-watched episode of “Lost” in over two years. But where does it stack up against other show finales? Well, right about 55th all-time — just behind the finales of “Wings,” “JAG,” and “Mr. Belvedere,” and slightly ahead of “The King of Queens.” Ouch.
Of course, you have to consider the circumstances. Sitcoms are much easier to drop in on than serial dramas, and more importantly, cable and DVR have permanently changed the landscape of television ratings, to the point that I’m not impressed that 106 million people watched the “M*A*S*H” finale — I feel sorry that they didn’t have more options.
Perhaps a better comparison for “Lost” is the “X-Files” finale: both shows worked in the realm of sci-fi mysteries and had fan bases that extended outside of general geekdom. In 2002, before DVR, “The X-Files” finale got 13.2 million voters, putting it at 60th all-time. So by that standard, “Lost” was a resounding success.
But still: “Mr. Belvedere.” Ha ha.
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I’d watch a show with Bob Uecker stranded on an island with only a case of Miller Lite, no doubt.
Considering how the X-Files spent two full seasons before its finale sucking incredible cock, I’m not sure squeaking out a couple hundred thousand more viewers is a success on Lost’s part.
/watched the X-Files finale anyway because that show didn’t mean it when it hit me. It loved me! [sobs]
To be fair, Mr. Belvedere had a more devoted fan club.
/wants to put Sawyer in a jar in his basement
If we are comparing sci-fi shows I think “ALF” finale works better because it got 21.7 million viewers. So by that standard “Lost” was a a resounding failure.
There was something about the Lost finale that had me confused – did the cops know that Internal Affairs was setting them up?
It’s a different TV world in 2010. Mr. Belvedere was 1990, which was the era of 3 major networks, one upstart and a handful of cable channels.
Wesley!!
not trying to sound like a dick, but I thought this was on thrusdays.
Wings… God damnit, I miss you Roy Biggins.
Wait…Mr. Belvedere was the smoke monster???
People still watch TV on, like, TVs? While its actually being broadcast? How quaint.
Beat me to it, Burnsy. No show can compete with the awesome power of Roy Biggins.
The X-Files lasted 80 more episodes and 3 more seasons. The writers never had the benefit Lost’s writers did of the network allowing them to set an early end date (3 years in advance, no less) and end the show on their terms. Fox bled TXF dry and yet its finale still almost beat Lost’s. Granted, dvr is a factor but so is the fact that Lost faced extremely weak competition, whereas TXF finale went up against Survivor’s season 4 finale (when that show was still a massive hit) and a Cosby Show reunion special.
Contrived mess that it was, though, I’d still say Lost ended better.
@Grimey,
I vote that we call Hugo “Brocktoon.”
I’m going to defend this for reasons of ABC’s stupidity to think that putting the show on Sunday night will do better against more competition than it would on Tuesday night when it would only have to go up against the those foofy kids over at Glee.
On Sunday, Lost went up against The Celebrity Apprentice with Bret “I ain’t dead yet mother fuckers” Michaels, the Suns-Lakers game, the awesome Family Guy season finale and don’t forget a Brooks & Dunn concert that got 10 million, yes 10 million viewers, which was followed by a repeat of CSI that somehow got 6 million elderly viewers who had no idea WTF The Island is. Not to mention, you know shit like the Internet, Call of Duty, masturbation, LOLCat photoshopping and the handful of people on the West Coast and middle America who actually go outside and enjoy beautiful spring evenings.
And thanks for mentioning Wings. Now all I can think about is how awesome Lost would have been if Roy Biggins was a character. He could have just sat around and ripped on Jack and Locke, eventually winning over the rest of the somehow always soaking wet morons with his sadistic humor and fat-man charm.
Phoas
No one forced Chris Carter to keep making the show. The X-Files decline is totally on the writers/producers and not on Fox.
I’ve personally watched the “Arrested Development” series finale 13.5 million times.
BraveSrBob, it doesn’t matter what the writers wanted. Fox owned the show and it was obvious they weren’t going to let it end while it was still a big success. It didn’t even hit its ratings peak until season 5, whereas Lost began declining after the first episode of season 2. ABC only allowed the writers an end date in mid-season 3 because altough the ratings were still very good, they were declining rapidly and, by their own admission, the writers were struggling. The end date helped the show slow the ratings attrition. TXF had no such benefit, and lasted 80 episodes longer.
Freedom Chipmunk,
Lost’s finale faced weaker than what it was facing on Tuesdays, up against Glee, NCIS: LA and The Biggest Loser. Celebrity Apprentice only got 9.3 million, Family Guy 6.3 million, Brooks & Dunn 10 million, Lakers/Suns 8.5 million. None of this was serious competiton. Nothing compared to the combined 44.4 million TXF finale faced from Survivor and The Cosby Show reunion.
Let’s talk context. Only 3 shows were in the Top 35 of finale ratings in the 2000′s: Friends, Frasier, and Everybody Loves Raymond… LOST at 13.5 mil is fantastic for a show that lasted only 6 seasons, and was a crazy genre mash-up. Not like the aforementioned 3 sitcoms.
The X Files Demise began when David D decided to move the series from Vancouver to Los Angelas. That was the beginning of the end for that show.
And it also let reminded every man out there, never move your number one hit show for a broad that’s going to suck Billy Bob Thornton’s dick.
Why are people making excuses for the Ratings? Seriously.
King of Queens isn’t on anymore? What the heck have I been avoiding on CBS on Mondays?
Lost spanked the 24 finale (which got beat by Dawson’s Creek).
It’s not excuses. It’s just comical observations. Why so serious Rondogg? Was there a cereal this morning in which someone shat?
You’re sad that people didn’t have more choices when MASH closed out? What “Spank my Donkey” and “Dancing with Circus Bears”? Did you even watch MASH, one of the best shows ever? Especially back then when there was about 120 million less people? Now the commentators brains are turning into the same mush as the people who watch “Minute to Make an Ass out of Myself.”
I’d like to point out a lot of fans were in theaters or viewing parties. Eh.
“I’d like to point out a lot of fans were in theaters or viewing parties. Eh.”
Which is meaningless unless the people there are a nielson family.
More people watch WWE than Sons of Anarchy, more people read Dan Brown than Dave Eggers, more people read Perez Hilton than WarmingGlow. Public acceptance does not denote awesomeness.
Let’s stop all this pointless bickering and just find some common ground good people of uproxx nation, both the Lost and X-files finales sucked balls, regardless of how many people had the misfortune of witnessing them.