Challenge Not To Show More Series (For Now) -

[WhiteDevil]

From The Challenge Forum:

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Sorry guys, wish I had more to tell you, but we do not have any current plans to purchase further series of Knightmare.
The situation here is pretty much identical to when we first showed series 3; Ratings information from series 4 is inconclusive and we need more time to measure just how worthwhile it would be to buy more episodes.

I know I always say this, but we certainly haven't ruled out buying further episodes in the future. Keep watching this space.

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These are sad times we live in..

WhiteDevil

[GrimaldineGrimwold]

I don't know. Perhaps we shouldn't read too much between the lines. I'd hope that they genuinely do just need more ratings details before making a decision. Remember they don't get the ratings immediately for each week's programming, and that they're interested in whether a show has long term showability, rather than ratings on just the first time around. That's why it was encouraging to see a Series 3 episode among the Weekly Top 10 programmes.

Having said that, there are a lot of programmes they're buying or have the rights to show. There's not room for them all, obviously. Without detailed ratings information there's no real way for us to tell which would be first out the door if there was a schedule shake-up.

Ho hum.

[Crispin]

They said pretty much the same thing when they finished series 3 and a new one did come along.  Here's hoping...

[Porsmond]

humn. I still dont know what to believe. this sort of responce was given when they finished showing Series 3 and they seemed determined not to show more series, however after apparently improved ratings when Series 3 was repeated. They reversed their plans and purchased Series 4.

So I wouldnt believe all what you read. Yes it not encouraging at the moment but if the ratings improve with these repeats of Series 4, anything could happen and lete remember that a repeat of Series 3 made it into the TOP 10 Schedules for W/C 22nd June so this is promising at least.

Also its good that still havent ruled out buying new series in the future so there is always hope.

[Bananaman]

Well at least Challenge gave the show a second chance in a new slot.

I doubt pressure on the forums would work this time as the show is just not bringing in the ratings, i know for a fact that they never managed to reach 80,000 viewers for any of the episodes in series 4. The 6 PM timeslot that they are showing Knightmare was pulling in 200,000+ viewers when Takeshis Castle was shown in that slot, even putting Knightmare between its two most popular shows didnt give Challenge enough viewers.

I just hope that some channel in the future has the guts to give Knightmare a go.

[GrimaldineGrimwold]

I doubt pressure on the forums would work this time as the show is just not bringing in the ratings, i know for a fact that they never managed to reach 80,000 viewers for any of the episodes in series 4. The 6 PM timeslot that they are showing Knightmare was pulling in 200,000+ viewers when Takeshis Castle was shown in that slot, even putting Knightmare between its two most popular shows didnt give Challenge enough viewers.

I'd definitely agree about not putting pressure on Challenge via their forums. I think it's now pretty much a ratings and strategy decision, and constant badgering about another Series may do more harm than good. Of course, it's good to give a channel positive feedback about shows you've enjoyed. In any case, I'd just like to remind everyone again- although I'm sure 99% of the people reading this don't need reminding, and the remainder probably won't listen anyway- that abusive posts on Challenge's forum are totally counterproductive. Controlled frustration about their programming is one thing, making abusive posts to their schedulers is quite another.  

On the ratings themselves, I still think it's an issue of consistency. I don't think we or Challenge themselves yet have the data to presume that the programme is "just not bringing in the viewers". If Knightmare was consistently pulling close to 80,000 viewers, they might decide to persevere for the time being. Other shows in the past haven't rated well shortly after they've been moved to a similar slot. Sometimes it takes a while. There's plenty of relevant evidence in the ratings archives.

You mentioned in another post that it's nothing to do with timeslot, but that's not 100% true. I do think Fort Boyard would rate a lot better than Knightmare in the 6pm slot, but the 6pm slot itself has always been a bit unreliable, and the show placed there has pretty often rated worse than both the shows that preceded and followed it. That was true when Takeshi's Castle was in the 6pm slot- very often both the Fort Boyard episode beforehand and the Takeshi episode afterwards rated significantly better.

In addition, to compare Takeshi's Castle when it was in the 6pm slot and KM now in the 6pm slot is rather misleading. Takeshi's was part of a double-bill. Takeshi's consistently did and still consistently gets more advertising than most other shows, certainly more than Knightmare. Also, although to say Takeshi's rated better in the slot than KM does now is true, when you say it was "pulling in 200,000+ viewers" it is slightly misleading. For a start, it had been in a primish slot for a while, so its figures had built up over a period of time. Secondly, in the weekday 6pm slot it only ever hit 200,000 viewers on 2 occasions, to my knowledge. I wouldn't like people to think it was a constant achievement.

I suppose what I'm saying is what Challenge themselves have said. We need more time to watch the ratings before making conclusions. To compare things at present is a little premature. The ratings certainly haven't been so bad that the show has been immediately moved- I noticed You Bet in a primish slot was nowhere in the top ratings, and now not there in the schedules, for example.        

[MPK]

I find it a little confusing on how they call Knightmare the second most popular show on challenge, then go on to say that they need to think about ratings before buying another series!

Both statements oppose each other!

[Illusion]

I find it a little confusing on how they call Knightmare the second most popular show on challenge, then go on to say that they need to think about ratings before buying another series!

Both statements oppose each other!

Perhaps it's second most popular in terms of e-mails/messages they receive about it but that doesn't necessarily translate into high viewing figures.

At the end of the day, viewing figures matter most as they are a commercial channel.

[GrimaldineGrimwold]

I find it a little confusing on how they call Knightmare the second most popular show on challenge, then go on to say that they need to think about ratings before buying another series!

Both statements oppose each other!

I think when the GJs say "the two most popular shows" they're referring to the amount of texts/emails/forum messages they get about them. Active comment like that and passive participation (i.e. viewing figures) don't always correlate.

[Purgatory]

Oh thats sad, dunno what to think.  :(

Well its so easy for the channel to say what they have than give us a answer.. after all i doubt they know them selfs.  After all we don't really want them to go bust and maybe Knightmare isnt as populer and as wanted as we hope.

Knightmare isnt really a show that people are going to keep watching repeats of and its not like u can really join in as such.. which maybe due to its low ratings.

If u say that Knighmare only becomes 2nd more populer due to emails then that must meen all them 'different' people watch it.. there for it has to be more then don't bother sending in Emails.. sounds to me that it IS in fact 2nd most populer in ratings.

Anyway if Challenge can't get knightmare going who else can? Maybe Knightmare is truly Dead.

[Pickle123]

well maybe if you sum together the weeks ratings then the almightly takeshi's (*spits*) is the most popular and knightmare is second, behind takeshi's by quite a way but above everything else which is behind takeshi's by even more??

here's hoping

[WhiteDevil]

hiya,
i cant see why challenge constantly repeat things like TCM, i have seen the whole lot repeated more than twice... maybe they got the right to the lot cheap, kind of like BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free)...

I agree that Takeshi's is starting to slip, and soon it will start loosing viewers drastically... But lets hope challenge dont take this as, we have repeated a series too much, we need to buy another... TCM has been done to extinction, it needs to be lain to rest..
Knightmare should be the future...

WhiteDevil

[MPK]

Maybe the problem is about the little red button!

That has to be the reason why Family Fortunes et al are all doing better than KM! The whole interactivity thing!

If there was a way to do that with KM we maybe on to a real winner!

[Purgatory]

once this new knightmare show stuff kicks off challenge are going to be all over getting That as well as the original.. it will become so big