The final ratings are out for Ryan Lochte’s E! Television reality show “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?,” and despite falling two days of Lochte being featured as part of Universal Sports’ Santa Clara Grand Prix coverage, the results once again look tepid at best.
After a decent premier, ratings trended slowly in the wrong direction.
One industry analyst we spoke with called it a “disappointing performance,” and another said that it was unlikely that the show would get picked up if its original airing failed to outdraw repeats of other of the network’s shows.
In its current format, it seems unlikely that the show will survive. Perhaps if it were retooled and edited differently next season, and allowed more of the meet-interview, well-spoken, thoughtful, intelligent and good-guy personality to shine through, it could grab a bigger swimming audience, at least, but then it may lose the broader reality tv audience. It’s a tough scenario.
For now, though, Ryan Lochte will turn his attention back to swimming, and try to build off of very good performances in Santa Clara toward the World Championships.
Here are the takeaways from season 1:
- Delivered 444,000 total viewers and 277,000 Adults 18-49 for the full season, down -9%/-6% respectively vs. E!’s primetime average.
- Under-delivered E!’s prior 12-week time period average (Kourtney and Kim Take Miami repeats, Married to Jonas and Playing with Fire originals, movie and On E!) and year-ago average (Mrs. Eastwood and Co. premiere and repeat, On E! and True Hollywood Stories) by as much as -43% with total viewers and women/adult demos in its Sunday 10:30pm time period.
- Fell from its Married to Jonas lead-in by as much as -42% among total viewers and key adults and women.
Source: Nielsen NHI, Live+Same Day. (000s) unless noted. Lead-in based on half-hour share. Analysis based on Sunday 10:30p time period unless noted. Primetime/prior 12-week average = Feb 10- Apr 28, 2013. Year-ago = May 6, 2012. Primetime = Mo-Su, 8-11p. The series debuted Sunday Apr 21, 2013 at 10p, after its second episode it moved to 10:30p for four weeks. Its final two episodes aired on Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day) at 10 and 10:30p. Key demos = Women/Adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.
The show lacks in so many areas. To be honest, it was boring.
They should revamp the premise – call it: “SInk or Swim” and focus solely on his competitive swimming.
”What Would Ryan Lochte Do?” It appears that, the answer will never be ‘Read a book’.
It looked like he listened to those gophers that they have in the movie and TV business. That hang around and tell you how great your doing and lead you on and constantly exaggerate. Saw them at a swimming movie premier in the past.
IF lochte just wants to be in front of people and build his brand, his best bet is to create his own Youtube show, that way costs are low, he controls production, and its whatever he wants.
Id personally watch if i got to see more about his workouts and what his lifting sessions are like. That would be interesting, just follow his training.
Anywho, keep doing you locthe, you make us swim fans proud (just dont get in a bar fight and punch a teammate in the face…. LOL)
Well said, RJCID.
The problem with a reality show that follows you around is that most people’s daily lives just aren’t that interesting. I am afraid that includes Ryan Lochte. He is just not that interesting..at least on camera. The show made him come across as a bit vapid and self absorbed and didn’t do his family any favors either. I am wondering if it was done on purpose. Anyway glad to see him back in the pool and have a good Santa Clara meet. I will never look at bananas the same way again.
Well, there are some swimmers that are not great students, Michael Phelps had attention deficit disorder and Amanda Beard stated she had a mild form of dyslexia, usally both ADHD and dyslexia usually means particulary in grade school you are not a great student. Not putting them down, swimming helped me since I had ADHD as a kid and was in Special Ed in Grade School.
How strange to compare Lochte’s career to Esther Williams’ (also mentioned in swimswam today) and Johnny Weismuller’s. Hollywood used to know how to use a swimmer’s talents. Then again, I don’t recall that either of them had major speaking roles in their movies. Also, I’m old enough to remember seeing Mark Spitz on the Ed Sullivan show. That didn’t go well either. What a shame. Do we all spend so much time at a solitary sport that we’re no good at public performances? I’d love to be proven wrong.
Esther Wiliiams did have speaking parts in the movies, Johnny Weismuller, “Me Tarzan, You Jane.” And Buster Crabb is Buck Rogers, the old space opera series of the 1930’s. Loche is… Read more »
wow..
Are you really comparing Ryan to those bimbos housewives?
How strange to compare Lochte’s career to Esther Williams’ (also mentioned in swimswam today) and Johnny Weismuller’s. Hollywood used to know how to use a swimmer’s talents. Then again, I don’t recall that either of them had major speaking roles in their movies. Also, I’m old enough to remember seeing Mark Spitz on the Ed Sullivan show. That didn’t go well either. What a shame. Do we all spend so much time at a solitary sport that we’re no good at public performances? I’d love to be proven wrong.