CN Saturdays - How's It Doing???

[jarjar23]

Does anyone have the ratings for CN's Saturday morning block? How's it been doing compared to Nick, KWB, etc? I hope it made SOME SORT of dent, since if it did, Saturday mornings could have a brighter future (with, hopefully brighter people making the cartoon).

[AdamYJ]

I sure hope it's doing well. It's a pretty darn good lineup. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't. Modern kids have developed an annoying tendency of sleeping in on Saturdays (what do they think they are? Grown-Ups?).

[Freedom Fighter]

I was saving my analysis for whenever I get around to putting up the 'Winter/Spring 2006 Ratings Report Thread' (hopefully by the end of the week), but so far (through Feb. 4), it looks like this.

(Note: This is all Kids' 6-11 comparisons only.)

'Ben 10' is doing extremely well. The Feb. 4 episode earned a 4.0. That's a season-high for any show that's aired on Saturday mornings on CN this season. 'Foster's,' which was previously in that spot, was averaging just below a 3.0 on Saturdays. That means that's a 33% jump. All of that jump seems to be people jumping from the broadcast networks... especially from heavy hitters 'Pokémon' and 'Winx Club.'

'Codename: KND' is down slightly from what it was averaging in the fall.

'Robotboy' is faring decently, right around the network average for the morning.

I'd say the same about 'Zixx' until last week, when it got a 2.3. Losing just over 40% of the audience from 'Ben 10' is not a good sign.

'Dragon Hunters' and 'Juniper Lee' are in trouble. (Which might've inspired the flip flop they did this weekend.) They're barely averaging 2.0 apiece, not good considering the 'Billy & Mandy' hour previously there averaged around 2.8-2.9. On the 4th, both were beaten by Disney Channel's offerings... 'Juniper' also got beaten by 'Yu-Gi-Oh,' making it 4th in its timeslot.

So as of right now, other than 'Ben 10,' the block hasn't really taken off. I wouldn't go so far as to say CN's decision to have a premiere Saturday morning block was bad... at least not yet. But I will say this... it takes more than one show to make a block, and in a three-hour block, CN needs at least one, possibly two more.

[Mister Intensity]

Don't say that Dragon Hunters floundering. It's probably the only good show on that block. It's certainly the most fun. Then again, Ben 10 is the show on the block that gets most of the focus while Dragon Hunters is out of place in today's Cartoon Network.

Mister Intensity

[AdamYJ]

Don't say that Dragon Hunters floundering. It's probably the only good show on that block. It's certainly the most fun. Then again, Ben 10 is the show on the block that gets most of the focus while Dragon Hunters is out of place in today's Cartoon Network.

Mister Intensity

Well, if it's not doing well in ratings, then it's not doing well in ratings. No way around that. Honestly, Dragon Hunters always seemed like it would be the hardest sell on the line-up. It's a very unique, smart comedy series that doesn't look much like the other stuff on the lineup. It probably had an uphill battle going in.

[EscaflownePilot]

Hmm... I wonder if the fact that Ben 10 is doing well and Zixx and Dragon Hunters aren't might have a little something do with, I don't know, maybe the fact that Zixx and Dragon Hunters are NEVER advertised, while Ben 10 is advertised every FREAKING commercial break!?!?

If Zixx and Dragon Hunters fail, it's because CN more or less wants them to - least, that's what it looks like.

Anyway, out of curiosity, how do the other showings of Ben 10 (or any other show on the block) compare to the other showings elsewhere on CN? Anyone know?

[Xerroo]

Ben 10 and Dragon Hunters are the best shows on CN saturday. I can't stand Zixx or Robotboy. I'm indifferent with KND and Juniper Lee.

[Skank]

This Zixx show really pisses me off.. it's like something off the old disney channel.

[Mister Intensity]

Well, if it's not doing well in ratings, then it's not doing well in ratings. No way around that. Honestly, Dragon Hunters always seemed like it would be the hardest sell on the line-up. It's a very unique, smart comedy series that doesn't look much like the other stuff on the lineup. It probably had an uphill battle going in.

I knew that when I started watching it. In fact, I'm surprised Cartoon Network haven't moved it to 5:00 AM yet.

Mister Intensity

[PeppeRaskell1]

I taped yesterday's episode of Dragon Hunters on DVR. It's not really a bad cartoon (I've seen worse, and that includes the Wulin Warriors puppet show).

It looks out of place on CN. It would look more at home on Toon Disney's Jetix...and that's where it will end up eventually.
Zixx is also more of a TD Jetix show than a CN show. And anyone who tuned in to these shows probably thought, "Hey! What's Jetix doin' on Cartoon Network?" and then changed the channel.

[Xerroo]

The reason why I can't stand Zixx is because it's live action with no familiar voice acting, plus the characters are not enjoyable. Robot boy for the same reason...minus the live action.

As for Ben 10. The show is excellent. Steven Jay Blum being a regular is a + and the action is good with witty comedy. Dragon Hunter is good cause of the animation. I think the voice acting is the same as Kaput and Zosky. I really love the animation though. It reminds me of Jak and Daxter: The precursor Legacy.

[Zyzzybalubah]

I'm not a Ben10 fan, but I don't mind if that's doing well. Dragon Hunters was alright from what I've seen and I've never seen Robotboy but have heard nothing but negative opinions about it. The only show I hope is bombing is Zixx. It's way too much live action for Cartoon Network and it's not even a fun show to watch. It's like a poor man's Reboot.

[AdamYJ]

This Zixx show really pisses me off.. it's like something off the old disney channel.

Actually, it reminds me more of some of the shows from the old Nickelodeon. The slightly more serious shows like Tomorrow People or Animorphs. The main problem I have with it is that I just realized I don't completely "get it". For example, what's the point of them going in The Keep again? I forgot.

[Draft]

as long as i hear knd and zixx doing bad, i'm happy

i think what cn needs to do is just sell zixx to disney, and get something from them that could do well somewhere

dragon hunters sounding like a failure from the start, but i saw a min or two, and i tohught it wasn't that bad, but it is a hard sell, it think they need to shuffle it in between some of the better shows

ben 10 ain't suprising, but did it beat oujt pk and whatever nick airs now? cause if it did, i think cn is on the market..

robot boy and junniper lee ratings are not suprising

retooling the sat am block:

-cc should be off there, give jle sunday back(and pair it with hhpays) and knd has enough airings

-add somethign proven it couldsdo well(i think ygo gx could work very well there)
-add ppg z once it comes, if it comes, to cnus(has it aired yet in another country, i'm not sure)
-add a cancelled property from 4kids or kids wb(i think cn needs to air shaman king, they have aired every other sj i think, with the exception of ultimate miuscle, which could work as well, or megaman nt/axess, heck, even viewtiful joe)

-put totally spies on it(it mind as well air somewhere

-put in a toonami rating gainer, and put it on there, but encore it on ti(i still think zb is the way to go, but op could go here, the batman, not bobo or nar, and definatly not ww, dbzu, maybe dm2.0)

and we get this(semi-fantasy)

9.0 totally spies!
9.5 zatch bell
10.0 robot boy
10.5 ben10
11.0 dragon hunters/zixx
11.5 yu-gi-oh gx

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Well, Zixx is supposed to improve a whole lot in its second season, guess we just have to be patient until then.

[veemonjosh]

My fantasy schedule:

9.0: Robot Boy
9.5: The Batman (starting with season 2)
10.0: Ben 10
10.5: Legion of Superheroes
11.0: That show made by the same people as Totally Spies that Cartoon Network has 52 episodes of.
11.5: Pokemon (Advance episodes)

[Freedom Fighter]

I certainly agree that Dragon Hunters is struggling because it's something different than what kids are used to watching. The 'emo' theme song, the seemingly slow pacing, characters that don't really excite you. And that's just scratching the surface. This doesn't mean Dragon Hunters is a terrible series, mind you. (I should know, I'm watching it and for some reason, despite the above flaws, can't stop watching it. Don't know why.) It's just a terrible series for when and where it's broadcasting. Like CN's sudden penchant for live-action stuff (Zixx included), Dragon Hunters is out of place to the normal CN viewer.

You can honestly credit CN's action of picking up Dragon Hunters as doing something unexpected or out of the ordinary. You can also credit their action towards pushing more European animation into the States as another alternative to home-grown American animation. Problem is, it doesn't seem the kids are biting on it, and I fear Dragon Hunters is not long for this world, so to speak.

Also, something to add to my ratings analysis all the way up the page... remember that the Saturday morning line-up previously had shows that were all network originals. And those always, always get the highest ratings. Acquistions have lower standards, and that's why CN's ratings for Saturday mornings in general are down from the fall.

On that note, that also means that CN (and most networks in general) are more likely, in the case of two series with similarly bad ratings (such as Dragon Hunters and Juniper Lee) to give more benefit of the doubt to the original. The recent flip-flop in the schedule supports that greatly. A working theory I have is that people are leaving after Zixx because they don't like Dragon Hunters and forget or don't come back for Juniper. They're hoping the switch at least props up Juniper, and hope that in turn, that also props up Dragon Hunters. If they both stay with their current ratings even a month after the switch, guess which show's gonna be pulled first?

[Andrew T. Hingson]

And a TV-PG cartoon on Saturday mornings probably isn't going to work out. CN should try it at least mid-day or in prime time. But really the show seems quite out of place on CN. Which is a shame because I think it's a pretty good show from just seeing one episode.

I'd say CC's should be gone from Saturday as well.

Here's what I'd like to see later this year.

09:00 - Zixx (I don't much care for it but I guess it can have a slot)
09:30 - Totally Spies Premieres
10:00 - Ben 10
10:30 - The Legion of Super Heroes
11:00 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Premieres
11:30 - Dragon Hunters

[creativerealms]

Dragon Hunter's like others said is a very hard show to really put anywhere. I mean people can see only a little of an episode and know it's good.

I think it's Zixx that is making people leave and they are just not comming back for the final shows, maybe putting Zixx at the beginning of the block (Or off all together but I heard it gets better later.) would help. However Dragon Hunters seems out of place anywhere on Cartoon Network.

[Mister Intensity]

I certainly agree that Dragon Hunters is struggling because it's something different than what kids are used to watching. The 'emo' theme song, the seemingly slow pacing, characters that don't really excite you. And that's just scratching the surface. This doesn't mean Dragon Hunters is a terrible series, mind you. (I should know, I'm watching it and for some reason, despite the above flaws, can't stop watching it. Don't know why.) It's just a terrible series for when and where it's broadcasting. Like CN's sudden penchant for live-action stuff (Zixx included), Dragon Hunters is out of place to the normal CN viewer.

You can honestly credit CN's action of picking up Dragon Hunters as doing something unexpected or out of the ordinary. You can also credit their action towards pushing more European animation into the States as another alternative to home-grown American animation. Problem is, it doesn't seem the kids are biting on it, and I fear Dragon Hunters is not long for this world, so to speak.

Also, something to add to my ratings analysis all the way up the page... remember that the Saturday morning line-up previously had shows that were all network originals. And those always, always get the highest ratings. Acquistions have lower standards, and that's why CN's ratings for Saturday mornings in general are down from the fall.

On that note, that also means that CN (and most networks in general) are more likely, in the case of two series with similarly bad ratings (such as Dragon Hunters and Juniper Lee) to give more benefit of the doubt to the original. The recent flip-flop in the schedule supports that greatly. A working theory I have is that people are leaving after Zixx because they don't like Dragon Hunters and forget or don't come back for Juniper. They're hoping the switch at least props up Juniper, and hope that in turn, that also props up Dragon Hunters. If they both stay with their current ratings even a month after the switch, guess which show's gonna be pulled first?

While I do agree that Dragon Hunters is different from anything currently on Cartoon Network I don't think the pace is slow (especially considering some of the Anime that airs), but it's leisurely, storytelling pace where something doesn't happen everything thirty seconds allowing time for the plots and characters to breathe may make it seem slow to a lot of younger viewers. I find the characters well developed but they do come across as "old," especially on the last episode thus it may be off-putting to some viewers. In European countries, it's marketed as a "children's show," but it does seem out of place.

I love the character development and the intricate world that Dragon Hunters inhabit.

Mister Intensity

[creativerealms]

Sadly dragon Hunters is the first to be removed all together from the Saturday Moring line up. Thing is could this show have done well anywhere on Cartoon Network?

[judyindisguise]

Sadly dragon Hunters is the first to be removed all together from the Saturday Moring line up. Thing is could this show have done well anywhere on Cartoon Network?

I thought it was an extremely cool-looking show. But...and this is a problem many new toons have...can your average viewer identify with and like the main characters? I was unable to with DH. I love dragons, magic, the medieval, heck I've even gone to Renaissance Faires *blush* in costume...but DH didn't enthrall me. The twerpy human character, the Timon-wannabe, was the worst. I didn't like him at all. Sometime I think that the people who pitch the new toons are trying too hard to be quirky and not hard enough to come up with a premise and characters people can identify with...

[Mister Intensity]

I related to and liked the characters in Dragon Hunters, then again I'm in my thirties.:)

Mister Intensity

[Prism]

Dragon Hunters would've done better on Miguzi or primetime. Thing is that it's more fairytale toon rather then superhero which may not have gone well with the agedemographic. As it is it'll probably be put on latenight Friday or early morning weekdays.