1024x768 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles ( TSCC) is one of the most acclaimed science fiction series to hit the television landscape in the past several years. The quality of the productions including the acting, the storytelling, the visual effects and the tie in with the Terminator film series has caught the attention of millions of fans and has garnered industry respect. The cast?s young stars Thomas Dekker won a Young Hollywood Award,  Summer Glau and TSCC both garnered nominations at this year?s Teen Choice Awards, Summer tied as a winner for best supporting actress in a Science Fiction Drama at this year?s Saturn Awards, and both Lena Headey and Summer Glau along with Terminator are nominated for Spike TV Scream Awards. Terminator was also nominated for three technical Emmy awards.

When it premiered last winter TSCC was up against weak competition from the other networks while the writer's strike was in effect. It was paired with Prison Break on Monday nights in order to maximize the action on that night of the week. TSCC did well in the ratings, outperforming its partner series all winter long, with viewers tuning in specifically to see TSCC and not just carrying over from Prison Break?s audience. This fall TSCC came back in the earlier time slot opening for Prison Break and up against not only Chuck which attracts many of the same viewers as TSCC, but also against Dancing with the Stars and Monday Night Football which are usually the biggest ratings winners of the night. The ratings have suffered from both the competition and the time slot change as well as an overall drop off in network TV viewing.

Bones- another top rated Fox series has likewise suffered being shunted off to Wednesday night with two comedies ( one already canceled) opening for it. Bones did very well last spring when paired with House. Bones ratings are strong, but they can improve with better partnered programming. Both TSCC and Bones feature strong intelligent female leads and compelling dramatic storytelling with action too.

The quick fix for Fox to help both shows is to move TSCC into the time slot behind Bones at 9 pm and give Bones viewers something to stick around for and fans of Joss Whedon to tune in all night for. Joss is re-joining the Fox family this winter with Dollhouse and showing solid support for TSCC will encourage Whedon fans to tune in by assuring them Fox has a commitment to quality sci-fi programming. If your network still sees value in running Terminator at 8PMs on Mondays, why not air rebroadcasts after Bones in order to give viewers who missed it on Monday a chance to catch the episode during the same week?

The bright note is that the fan bases for both of these shows are active - whether they are involved with participating in forums or not. Bones and TSCC have ranked in the top 10 shows for DVR viewing this season and they both are highly ranked in paid download viewings with both shows consistently in the Amazon and iTunes top ten for video on demand rankings which shows that both shows have plenty of viewers who can?t watch when the program is on live TV.

Bones and TSCC are both character dramas at heart, providing intelligent and provocative storytelling week after week, with some occasional explosions to keep things interesting. Pairing these two shows together on Wednesday nights will help them both out this fall. . When American Idol returns in the winter, Fox will have to do some shuffling anyway with their schedule no matter what they do now. This pairing of Bones and TSCC for now assures the network that both shows will enter the winter with healthy ratings and a solid fan base of support.