Mindy Kaling from the Office

A year and half ago, Mindy Kaling was considered a big enough breakout star from The Office to start her own TV series called "The Mindy Project". If you haven't seen it, it's partly because almost nobody watches it. Ratings were lower than CBS's lowest rated series, "The Job" which was killed after two episodes.



Despite almost no improvement in ratings, "The Mindy Project" was renewed for a 3rd season. Once a sitcom is renewed for the 3rd season, it is nearly impossible not to renew it for a 4th season, as it can then be sold into syndication.

Perhaps this is the new reality of television. A show that can attract 4 million viewers can sustain a limited production budget, and if it develops a cult following, it can be sold into syndication.

Some shows, I don't even start watching until they're in syndication.

The original Star Trek dropped to 52nd in ranking by the end of its first season. NBC was going to cancel the show, if not for fans. Could have easily been no more Trek after that.

In 2002, the sitcom "Leap of Faith" premiered after Friends to over 20 million viewers. After it dropped below 15 million viewers it was cancelled by NBC (not moved to a different time slot), because they could do better by following "Friends" with "Friends" reruns.

In 2014, the "Mindy Project" breaks 4 million viewers for the pilot, and never breaks 4 million again. It dips as low as 2.34 million viewers.

Quote: rxwine

Some shows, I don't even start watching until they're in syndication.

I think you are not alone today. Sometimes I think they are wondering how a show will play in syndication, rather than how much advertising money it makes today.

Quote: rxwine

Some shows, I don't even start watching until they're in syndication.

Things work differently in Mexico. I rarely watch a show until it hits its third season, assuming I'm interested, because then I know it will be on for years on whichever cable channel carries it. Also it will be re-run on weekends, which lets me catch up.

This is how I watched Stargate SG1, except the timing was off. The very first show I tuned into was the series finale :) I then spent the next four years catching up on reruns.


Great show. And totally impossible had Star Trek not preceded it in the 60s.

OR Charlie Sheen's deal where, if he reached a certain ratings level in the 1st season, FX had to pay for an additional 90 episodes, which would put the show at 100 episodes, which then would go into syndication - BRILLIANT deal by Sheen - not so much for FX


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Quote: aceofspades

BRILLIANT deal by Sheen - not so much for FX

Tyler Perry started this idea. You take a big star like Sheen with $100 million in the bank, and he can defer compensation for two years. You do the test run of 10 episodes to see if they meet a pre-established viewership. If yes, then you lock in a contract for 90 episodes. Since you are not paying the star, and you are shooting episodes at double the normal rate, the production costs are minimized.

FX may not be losing out, if it isn't paying much for the show, it may be making a decent profit.

Quote: CNN

"Anger Management's" premiere was the most-watched basic cable scripted comedy debut in history and the series overall has averaged 4.5 million viewers and 2.5 million adults 18-49.

Of course the ratings took a nosedive after the publicity wore off. The show now often only attracts a few hundred thousand viewers. CBS wouldn't even consider keeping a show with less than 7 million viewers.

Charlie Sheen was predicting that he would more than double his net worth of $125 million when this show goes to syndication this fall. I can't understand who is going to pay that much money for this show.

I usually don't watch a show until it is in its fourth season at least, and then try to catch up on Netflix. It was that way with Breaking Bad and the Big Bang Theory. I figure I'll let the masses weed out the bad shows for me and jump on the bandwagon late if the show is any good.

Regarding Mindy, I never even knew she had her own show.

Quote: Wizard

I figure I'll let the masses weed out the bad shows for me and jump on the bandwagon late if the show is any good.

Many people do that, although often the pilot gets good ratings because people are curious. The Fcc requires 88 episodes which typically takes 4 seasons, before they will permit the old episodes to run in syndication while new episodes are airing on the original network. If they cancel the show, then 88 episodes are roughly the number you need to sell the show in syndication so it doesn't repeat itself very often.

Seinfeld was unusual in that it had only 86 episodes at the end of it's FIFTH season.

You can pretty much guarantee that if a show is renewed for a third season, it will be renewed for a fourth. The production company will drop the fees on a low rated series so that a 4th season gets made, and they can sell the show in syndication.

Quote: Wizard

Regarding Mindy, I never even knew she had her own show.

The Mindy Project made 24 episodes, and then 22 episodes. This new order is for another 22 episodes, so they will make one more season. It is a very low rated show, but they must be counting on people like you, a fan of the Office, discovering the show on Netflix, and securing some value in DVD sales, and syndication.

Rainn Wilson took his fame from The Office to do bit parts in feature films. I'm betting you haven't heard of over half of those films.

2013 The Stream -Adult Ernest
2011 Few Options -Cousin Don
2010 Peep World -Joel Meyerwitz
2010 Super- Frank Darbo / The Crimson Bolt
2010 Hesher- Paul
2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen -Professor Colan
2009 Monsters vs Aliens -Gallaxhar (voice)
2008 The Rocker -Fish
2007 Juno - Rollo
2007 The Last Mimzy - Larry White
2006 My Super Ex-Girlfriend -Vaughn Haige
2006 Dominion - Angel Gabriel
2005 The Life Coach -Dr. Watson Newmark
2005 Wheelmen -Barney
2005 Blue in Green -Doug
2005 Sahara -Rudi Gunn

Quote: Pacomartin

Rainn Wilson took his fame from The Office to do bit parts in feature films. I'm betting you haven't heard of over half of those films.

2007 Juno - Rollo

I've barely heard of a few of those but Juno I've watched many times. One of those few movies I can watch over and over. Rainn plays a similar character to his in the Office. Smug and overly talkative, who seems to secretly take joy in the pain of others.

On a related note, I just finished with Jeff, Who Lives at Home. Ed Helms, who plays Andy on the Office, is a major character who is very much like Andy. I give it a generous 7 on the 0 to 10 scale.

The problem with Mindy Kaling is that she appeals to people who don't watch much TV.

Ed Helms was awesome in Cedar Rapids.