Ratings: Once Slips to Series Lows 

returned from its AMAs break to 4.3 million total viewers and a 1.3 demo rating, down 12 and 19 percent from its Nov. 15 double pump to mark new series lows.

Once Upon a Time Recap: Dread Pirate — Hook’s Very Dark Plan Is Revealed

(3.2 mil/0.9) was up a tenth from its last fresh outing, while

(4.1 mil/1.2) ticked down to match series lows.

(7.3 mil/0.9) was steady in teh demo while slipping to its smallest audience ever.

 (23 mil/7.8) surged 44 and 39 percent versus last week’s fast nationals.

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Want scoop on any of the above shows? Email insideline@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.

Good lord OUAT….i certainly hope they get a 13 episode 6th season to wrap it up

I think that will be the case, and a long shot for 7. I’m still committed to the show (being the first show I’ve ever watched from the beginning live), but it feels like it’s going nowhere after so long. I couldn’t stand the Frozen arc but this one was just boring. I’m worried it’s going to be another mind wipe or let’s move the cast to Hercules Land (which is looking like what will happen in 5B) and it’s getting beyond repetitive. I think this show would have been better off as an anthology series or done more of the random Fairy Tale episodes (they weren’t great, but it’s a main part of the show) as opposed to it being a Disney grab bag every half season, which I suppose isn’t a fair argument since they own everything now :)

I think the show lost its way when magic returned to Storybrooke in s2. Was enjoyable for a while, but upon reflection the far better move would have been to keep the real world groundedin some sort of reality, like early fan theories that Henry was mentally ill and just really, honestly believed the world he lived in was real, and not created inside his own head. I suppose the show could still go there for a series finale twist, where we discover that everything we thought was real was a figment of Henry’s imagination. Maybe the final series arc could be sort of flash-forward-y or like the final season of Lost, where the non-island stuff was afterlife fantasies. I’d love a twist like discovering Regina’s been Henry’s mother all along but has had to deal with Henry believing he was adopted by her, and just sort of end the series on a hopeful quasi-happy ever after note that acknowledgesthe real world isn’t like fairytales but this small Maine town will rally around Henry because they’re stronger together, something like that. But I have a feeling they’ll avoid that angle because it would be maybe too polarizing. But at least it would be realistic.

The real misstep was in S2. S2 “should” have been about Emma realizing Henry was right, but no one else having that knowledge. The mid-season finale should have been about Regina realizing that Henry and Emma knew the truth. Maybe Emma was aware that Regina knew Emma was hip to what was really happening, or maybe not. The S2 finale should have been about ONE, but not BOTH, of Emma’s parents realizing the truth. I lean towards Charming knowing the truth, but whatever. S3 should have been about the other parent learning the truth, and S4 about “lifting” the curse. S5 and beyond should have been about the reintegration of “reality” back into the magical realm, only with some modern ideas. Having people know both their true backstory, and what happened in Storybrook would have made for some interesting stories. That nonsense about Peter Pan as a villian was insane. Trying to redeem Regina and Rumple was just as stupid. Let the bad guys be bad guys. Not conflicted, not redeemable. Just be villains, even if they had legit reasons for being “bad”. This show had so much potential, but, like Lost, there was no long term plan. The plan seems to have been, “make it up as we go” and that failed. Horribly. This failure was glaringly obvious by episode 3 of S2. They had no idea where they were going, and they lived up to that.

Agreed. The first two seasons of OUAT was solid. Season three was okay, but I appreciated the writers changing what we know about the story of Peter Pan, with him being the evil one and Hook being misunderstood for being evil. The show really started to take a nosedive when Disney decided that the writers couldn’t mess with Disney characters like they did with Peter Pan and the show changed, tonally, with the introduction of Disney characters as they appear in the Disney movies. Then they ended the curse only to continue getting cursed and losing their memories each season because the writers don’t know what else to do, like they did in Lost…I really should have known better than to trust the writers of Lost…that show went on and on with a great concept but meandering stories that eventually lead to nowhere.

It’s ratings are still better than the other 2 ABC shows and it typically beats anything else in that time slot in the demo, excluding football.

Even though the ratings have gotten pretty bad, what’s interesting is that it seems to still be the highest-rated scripted show on Sunday nights. That has to count for something, right?

Unfortunately, we gave up on OUAT back in the Frozen season. It’s time for the producers to pull a “Lost” move and choose Ann end date.

Gotta say, a great SNF game is no match for OUaT.

I don’t believe Quantico has been given a 2nd season yet, just a full order for season 1

I like Quantico but I dont really want it to get a second season… For a show like that, one solid season with a beginning and an ending is best… If they try to stretch this thing out for another season it could get tedious.

Much like Prison Break….which is, for some unknown reason, coming back

I just don’t enjoy Emma’s character at all. It’s hurts the show for me – a lot. Losing interest really fast. :-/

I think the problem is that Jennifer Morrison can’t play bad. Lana Parilla and especially Robert Carlyle relish their badness. She just looks stiff :)

Part of that may be while Regina and Rumple embraced their darkness with a whole lot of enthusiasm Emma appears to be playing the role of a very conflicted Dark One (her plots revolve around destroying the Dark, unlike, at the moment, what we see Hook doing). And that tension comes off as “stiff”….

That may be the case, but whatever the motivation, I agree with @Malcom and @Farleyc that the stiffness comes across the screen as incredibly boring. A villain requires some type of chemistry or spark to jump off the screen. Dark Swan is like watching paint dry.

yeah, I agree. I think the Dark Swan storyline had a lot of promise but it’s been kind of a dud for me. The memory loss rehashed plot line really turned me off and I’ve mostly just been confused this season. I hope they can come up with something better for next year.

I’ve always liked Emma, but I feel like the Dark Swan role didn’t live up to its potential.

Let’s just call it like it is, this was a Hook centric. But typical of his fans, he won’t be blamed as a cardboard bland character and Colin embarrassingly trying to mimic the great Robert’s take of the DO. Nope, it is all Thanksgiving and football fault.

There are actually a myriad of legitimate reasons contributing to lower ratings. OUAT – which STILL won the night in broadcast scripted programming – is a serialized show, viewing mechanisms are changing, sports competition on a holiday weekend. But seeing as you place the blame on the character as well as the actor (which is unkind), I will probably be dismissed as biased. Still, I don’t think that you can blame a character/relationship. If you insist on doing so, this wasn’t a typical Hook/Captain Swan episode (which all had solid ratings). We were hit over the head with promos indicating that Hook embraced the darkness. Many fans find that unappealing – I know that I haven’t been a fan of dark Emma and even less dark Hook. I don’t think that I’m overly invested in one character, I like them all, and it was a struggle for me to watch. It’s not unrealistic that people would tune out for a dreary and depressing episodes.

When a relationship derails other character’s storylines, arcs, and screentime, then yes, it can be put to blame on them. And you guys are seriously having some cognitive dissonance. This episode and the next were heavily promoted Hook episodes and you guys are still spreading misinformation that CS have solid ratings and it just isn’t that.

Every facet of fandom is getting tired that an overall useless character is being front and center. And saying that Robert is a superior actor to Colin who was a no name before this show, is not unkind, it is fact. And some of use think it is cringe worthy to try to mimic Rumple gestures. They can never create an unique storyline for Hook. Basically Hook was Regina 2.0 when first introduced. They killed Neal who was the basis of the whole Dark Curse to force him into the bad boy/good girl cliché troupe with Emma. They hijacked Emma’s storylines and just placed it on Hook. He is the most redundant, useless character on the show. But no matter how toxic that relationship is, CS will be endgame.

But if you seriously don’t get overly invested in one character, then you should have notice how much of those characters are sidelined for just Hook.

What a surprise that people would choose a semi-Hook-centric episode to complain about him being “front and center”. You are clearly so blinded by your hatred for Hook. All the main characters got to have some moments of their own this episode. Rumple/Belle, Emma and Henry, Snow/Charming, Regina, even Zelena had some moments. Hook this season has acted in similar capacity to the other core characters. He was one of team trying to save Emma from the darkness because he is one of the many people who care about her. If anything, a lot of the main characters were sidelined because of the focus on the Camelot and Brave characters/arcs.

I don’t understand why so many people like you basically want Emma to just be alone romantically and have no one. She loves Hook. She’s with him. He didn’t hijack her storyines. He is a part of her life and will get screen time accordingly especially since she’s one of the central characters of the show. Much like Charming is a part of Snow’s life and they are rarely ever apart. Part of her story this season was removing the darkness and there was a point in that endeavour where she was about to lose Hook, so she did what she could to save him. Much like Snow and Charming share half a heart or how Regina wanted to save Robin.

Just because he became Emma’s love interest doesn’t make him useless. By that logic, Belle’s primary purpose on the show is as Rumple’s love interest. Robin shouldn’t be on the show because he’s only a love interest for Regina. Emma is one of if not the main character of the show. Hook serves a purpose in Emma’s life. He helps her lower her guard down and let people in. He cares for her deeply which is something she always wanted was to be loved and have loved ones in her life.

I loved seeing Hook mimic Rumple’s gestures. Colin has always been great in his role on the show

“They can never create an unique storyline for Hook.” So two Dark One’s existing at the same time, which has never happened before on the show, is not unique?

OUaT is in its fifth season. It’s suffering from viewer fatigue. That’s being expressed as Hook and Emma fatigue.

Stop trying to argue with people who are expressing a legitimate complaint. At least they care enough to still watch the show.

I didn’t watch for the exact reason you said. I love Hook and Captain Swan, but the promos were awful. I don’t want to see Hook act evil. I want him and Emma to be heroes, fighting the villains together and going home together to their house with a view of the sea every night.

Maybe OUAT should have more Hook and Captain Swan. That will solve all their problems.

Maybe they should turn Hook back to the hero we love and not have him fighting with Emma. Ratings were much better when Captain Swan was happy.

I don’t understand why CSI:Cyber wasn’t shown last night. It was scheduled to be on but as usual CBS Sunday’s football ran over. Does anyone know when that episode will be shown? At least I got to see Madam Secretary, which was a great episode.

They said last night on the football game that it will air next Sunday instead

I think Madame Secretary is having a great season, even better than last year. Too bad everyone looks at the demo as it is certainly getting people to watch it

Wasn’t Harry’s Law getting 17 million viewers, but since almost none of them were the demo, it was cancelled? I might be remembering incorrectly, but I thought that was the shocking info put out.

Not surprised about OUAT, this season is just plain bad. Sucks about Quantico though.

I’ve watched Once live since day one and I’ve gotten increasingly frustrated by the over-emphasis on Hook and Hook/Emma.

It seemed that they gave Hook/Emma a story that could have been and should have included Rumple/Belle. Many Rumbelle fans have been around since Season 1 and have hoped for the Dark One story to come front and center and include their relationship.

Last night Rumbelle were given a strange, emotionless (on Belle’s part) separation, again. I don’t want them to jump back to being together, but I would like them to have a chance, with Rumple finally not being cursed, and trying to do the right thing without dark magic involved. I just feel like this might be a poor way to write out Belle for a while. I actually felt she was being controlled or it wasn’t even her in that scene. She felt so off and contradictory to what we were seeing earlier in the season…

There was a lot of stuff about that episode and these last few episodes that have made me whip my head around a bunch of times due to inconsistency, contradiction, or poor continuity. I hate to be saying this stuff because I loved the show. At least if Rumbelle were still around I would have something to look forward to even if it was angst-driven… but they just don’t show them on screen. They want the younger and hotter couples. That’s what I’ve been getting from this. It’s very disappointing.

At least I have Rumple and Robert Carlyle still on the show and he’s always enjoyable to watch, but I’m practically in mourning for Rumbelle, Emma, and Belle and all the characters that I used to love in the earlier seasons.

IMO, this show has strayed too far from what it used to be. Maybe it’s being reflected in the ratings… It’s such a shame. I hope they turn it around.

OUAT and Quantico both get huge DVR bumps, last week Quantico over 100%. Even though retired now I never watched anything live after 10/9 due to work. Again somehow the networks need to figure out a way to make money off the DVR viewing as a shows true popularity has nothing to do with demo

I’m happy to hear that about Quantico. I’m not worried about OUAT (I think it has one more season at the very least) but I was worried for Quantico since its ratings keep dropping.

The networks have figured out how to capture the data from multi-platform viewing. It’s just that TVLine isn’t in the business of reporting this data. Variety has published several articles on how the Networks and Nielson are developing new metrics to capture this data.

The problem is that most of the people who respond to these articles are uninformed about the way that the networks use this data.

The networks need to capture revenue for DVR viewing. Some percentage still watch the ads, so it has some value to advertisers, but all we hear about is Same Day, +3, and +7, after which the viewers have no value. Does watching the same week really make a difference to advertisers other than movies about to open, sales, and candidates before an election. What should really matter is how many people actually watch the ads.

I can tell you that the advertisers have figured out that they can buy ads on other platforms. I use my smartphone a lot and ads are finding their way onto many streaming devices – and not just for scripted shows. They’re becoming part of games. I upgraded to Windows 10 and now get ads on things like Solitaire games.

Plenty of money is being made, it’s just not as focused on the schedule of the broadcast networks.

The husband says, “It was a little strange, last night. They keep wanting to bring people to the dark side. There is nothing happy. No one seems to have a happy life. They want the sad life. It is bleak sometimes. What is this thing about Emma and the dark side? There is no consistency. Remember?” I say bring back Snow’s bouncing curls.

I agree! I don’t expect sunshine and roses and puppies all – or even half – the time, but that was difficult to watch.

Once experienced the EXACT SAME demo drop last season from the ep before the two-week AMA break to the ep airing on Thanksgiving weekend: 4×08 (2.4, airing on Nov. 16) to 4×09 (2.1, airing on Nov. 30). A two-week break plus a holiday weekend results in a ratings drop. Of course, since Once’s ratings are lower this year than last, it’s a bigger percentage drop, but a drop was to be expected.

You can’t compare last season to this season. You can make an observation that ratings typically dip during the Thanksgiving weekend, but to say that last years ratings are lower than this year’s ratings is meaningless. Due to the shift to multi-platform viewing, we’re observing a social trend that has affected every scripted show on every network. Suffice it to say that some people continue to watch scripted shows live, but most of us have moved on to other platforms

The Frozen arc was enough to get me to stop watching. Very disappointing, it started out so strong.

I don’t get why people hated the Frozen storyline so much. I loved the Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell was great) and Emma/Elsa’s new friendship. And that arc also gave us some much needed background on Emma since she was very underdeveloped at that point in the shows run.

For me it wasn’t the Frozen storyline so much as the back half of the season with the queens of darkness and the Zelena return/pregnancy thing. I had watched the show from the beginning, but by that point it was a struggle to tune in, so I was done.

And if people want to compare OUAT to current shows, OUAT is the only show that has experience a significant demo drop.

Matt, any word on how QUAT does with DVR watching factored in??? Plus I know a lot of people’s viewing habits have changed with Hulu a big player now. Thats how my sister watches all of her shows, on Hulu. She still DVR’s them but doesn’t watch them that way.

Season to date averaging 46% bump in audience (7.6 mil), 60% bump in demo (2.7). But advertisers aren’t really buying against those numbers, they largely suggest to a network a show’s “potential.”

Matt, in all your spare time:), would love to see your ideas. Also if you really feel demo as is makes sense anymore. Otherwise it seems to me network tv could die.

OUAT has been boring this year. I’m not a regular watcher like some of my family, but from what I’ve seen its been boring and even a little confusing. Too much jumping around between Camelot and fariybrook(I think that’s what it’s called), too much Hook/Swan stuff, and Emma is boring as the dark one. Hook isn’t even interesting. So yeah I can see why the ratings are slipping.

Admitting that you’re not a regular viewer of a SERIALIZED show and then complaining that it’s confusing…yeah that makes sense.

My family who are regulars have said the same thing. I also watched quite a bit before this season. I started around the season before frozen. Anyway I’m not going claim I know this show inside and out. I don’t. It’s just what I observed and commenters here seem to think the same thing at least.

Serialized shows rely on the continuity: lose that by only occasionally watching (and not getting the town name right means not watching much At All, I’d guess) and “confusing” isn’t a complaint, it’s an expected result.

Yeah whatever. Won’t be commenting under OUAT post anymore .Geez. And yes its storybook. My bad. I do know the character names, their relationships, the dark one (now two) plot and I have a very excited regular watching with me to fill me in (who’s also confuse), but I’m too stupid to follow apparently so I’ll just shut up.

And maybe “regular” was the wrong word. I’m not longtime watcher. I have started watching every week since the season before the frozen one. Ok now I’m shutting up.

I love OUAT, but I couldn’t watch this episode. I love Emma and Hook’s relationship too much to watch the show trash it by turning Hook evil. Wake me when they fix Captain Swan.

I guess the Camelot storyline is dragging on too much and is bit confusing too.

It was up against Broncos vs Patriots…..there were a lot of eyes on that game.

Yup. A live sporting event involving two of the most popular teams in the NFL – with a great finish – is always going to trump a scripted show.

The story line is so mixed up. I realize there cannot be a happy every after, but where are the adventures?

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