Entertainment
Do Strong Marriages or Steamy Affairs Earn TV Shows Higher Ratings? Let's Take a Look
If last year's big TV trend was quirky comedies, this fall it's dramas filled with affairs. Following the success of its many soapy dramas, ABC premiered Mistresses this summer, which is pretty self-explanatory, and will debut Betrayal, the story of one woman's complicated affair, in just a few weeks. Other networks are following ABC's lead, as The Hollywood Reporter pointed out, with Showtime's upcoming The Affair and HBO's Open, both with a focus on extra-marital affairs.
But are affairs all it takes to get an audience? The heat between Olivia and Fitz on Scandal brought them success, but that doesn't mean viewers won't tune in for strong marriages—right? TV has had its share of both happily married couples and those who turn to someone else for...comfort. Let's look at the ratings for shows best known for one of these relationships, and see just what TV fans are looking for.
Image: ABC
Until Death or Ratings Do Us Part
If last year's big TV trend was quirky comedies, this fall it's dramas filled with affairs. Following the success of its many soapy dramas, ABC premiered Mistresses this summer, which is pretty self-explanatory, and will debut Betrayal, the story of one woman's complicated affair, in just a few weeks. Other networks are following ABC's lead, as The Hollywood Reporter pointed out, with Showtime's upcoming The Affair and HBO's Open, both with a focus on extra-marital affairs.
But are affairs all it takes to get an audience? The heat between Olivia and Fitz on Scandal brought them success, but that doesn't mean viewers won't tune in for strong marriages—right? TV has had its share of both happily married couples and those who turn to someone else for...comfort. Let's look at the ratings for shows best known for one of these relationships, and see just what TV fans are looking for.
Image: ABC
Sandy & Kirsten Cohen, 'The OC'
The couple responsible for bringing Seth Cohen into the world had a few issues. There was Kirsten's alcoholism, her father's death, Sandy becoming more like her father and the time they both came very close to having affairs. Whoops. They'll still count as a strong marriage though, because though both had opportunities and came close, they always chose each other. Who could resist those eyebrows?
Ratings: From 9 million in the beginning to just above 4 million by the end.
Image: Fox
Everyone, 'Grey's Anatomy'
It'd be easier to list who hasn't had some sort of illicit relationship on Grey's Anatomy than who has. If the show can be relied on for anything, it's an absurd amount of catastrophes and secret romances. Even the show's main couple, Meredith and Derek, technically started out as an affair.
Ratings: Its ninth season was still going strong with an average of 11 million viewers, and the tenth is set to premiere on September 26.
Image: ABC
Coach & Tami Taylor, 'Friday Night Lights'
The king and queen of Dillon, Coach and Tami have been lauded as TV's best marriage and they deserved it. The two always stuck by each other, through a surprise second daughter, career changes, long-distace and plenty of football drama. The Friday Night Lights series finale only re-affirmed just how perfect they were, and in five seasons there was never even an inkling of an affair.
Ratings: From about 6 million viewers in seasons one and two to 3.4-4 million towards the end. FNL never got the numbers it deserved, but it's still beloved by its devoted fanbase.
Image: NBC
Olivia & Fitz, 'Scandal'
Let's just say that the show is aptly named, because the affair between Olivia Pope and Fitz, aka the President of the United States, is easily the most scandalous one on the list. If any show is singlehandedly responsible for the new affair-trend, it's this one. Every TV viewer is talking about Scandal and now every show wants to be the next Scandal.
Ratings: It jumped from 8.7 million in its first season to over 10 million with its second, and thanks to all of they hype, season three should have even bigger numbers.
Image: ABC
Adam & Kristina Braverman, 'Parenthood'
It was tough to choose one couple from Parenthood when so many of them are great. The oldest Braverman just beat out Julia and Joel and newlyweds Jasmine and Crosby. Adam and Kristina win this one because season four threw them their biggest hurdle yet, Kristina's breast cancer diagnosis, and they handled it with the same love and support that they do everything else in their lives. All of the younger Braverman siblings and children should follow their lead.
Ratings: After averaging around 6 million viewers in its first three seasons, Parenthood's fourth was its best yet with over 7 million. Hopefully that number will keep growing.
Image: NBC
Everyone, 'Desperate Housewives'
Similar to its former Sunday night partner Grey's Anatomy, almost every main character on Desperate Housewives has had an affair. If they haven't had an affair, it's because they were too busy killing someone or covering up the murder. Its eight seasons saw countless relationships form, fall apart, get back together, and repeat with someone new. Remember when audiences thought Gabby's affair with the gardner was scandalous? They had no idea what was to come.
Ratings: ABC really didn't want to let this one go. It's first two seasons averaged over 10 million viewers, but the numbers kept declining until Desperate Housewives' final season had only 2.7 million.
Image: ABC
Cliff & Claire Huxtable, 'The Cosby Show'
Had to throw in one classic couple. Cliff and Claire still rank as one of TV's best couples and best set of parents. They raised five children, plus grandchildren and a cousin, with love, compassion and fights that were more silly than serious. It says a lot that their biggest disagreement tended to be over Cliff's eating habits. They're the couple that TV writers should look to when trying to form a happy marriage.
Ratings: It was different in the 1980s and 1990s, when shows needed much higher ratings to stay on the air. But to put in perspective, The Cosby Show was the most watched show on TV for five of its eight seasons.
Image: NBC
The Verdict
For current and recent shows, it looks like those with the affairs average higher audiences, but not by too much. Definitely not by enough to single out the scandalous relationship as the cause for their success. It looks like audiences just want drama from their dramas, and if that comes from affairs, they'll take it. Look at Parenthood, they got their highest ratings when they pursued their most dramatic, emotional storyline yet—and all marriages remained in tact. We'll see what happens to Betrayal, The Affair and Open. They're going to need more than just an affair to keep an audience coming back each week.
Image: ABC
