Our readers were so eagerly anticipating the premiere of DIRTY SOAP, E!'s brand new docu-series, we decided to sponsor an exclusive survey of DIRTY SOAP viewers. As it turns out, the Nielsens for DIRTY SOAP were initially difficult to locate but now we know the show was watched by 0.834 million viewers (Ranked #23) and had a 0.4 Adults 18-49 rating (Tied for #17 with AGAINST THE WALL.)
We're extra grateful to the nearly 200 survey respondents who took the time to share their first impressions.
As you can see from the pie charts and comments below, DIRTY SOAP was well received. We were expecting positive feedback, given that as we were live tweeting the first episode, we saw DIRTY SOAP trending on twitter. On the other hand, E! has been quiet on the subject since Sunday night. This creates something of a disconnect, then, because usually a network is mum about Nielsens only when a premiere disappoints expectations.
According to tvbythenumbers.com, a reliable source for preliminary Nielsen ratings data, DIRTY SOAP was not in the top 100 programs that aired on Sunday, September 25, 2011. This implies that DIRTY SOAP had a lower rating than the lowest programs listed. In other words, it scored lower than HOLMES INSPECTION on HGTV, which had 1.335 million viewers and a 0.3 Adults 18-49 rating?
What's more, KENDRA, which preceded and followed DIRTY SOAP, made the list at 11:00 PM but not 9:30. At 11:00 KENDRA had 1.541 million viewers, and they didn't all just turn on their TV sets.
To top it all off, E! sent out a press release Tuesday (September 27) which we eagerly tore into, hoping it was information on DIRTY SOAP. The release did, in fact, contain the official September 2011 "performance highlights" and also boasted, "Sunday nights remain a destination for coveted young viewers, ranking as the highest-rated & most-watched cable network with W18-34 on Sundays at 10pm." However, there is absolutely no mention in the entire document of DIRTY SOAP, which had premiered two days earlier, to much fanfare.
None of this makes sense. So let's go ahead and take matters into our own hands, and focus on the audience survey. We asked three questions--the basics, really--and from where we sit, DIRTY SOAP looks like a hit with its target demographic.
These aren't just high positives, they're very low negatives. Usually, people who fill out a survey are more likely to be complainers, and yet less than 5% said they "Hated it."
Question 2 also recorded a positive overall response, considering that most of the feedback from the "comments" section indicated that viewers wanted to be able to choose more than one favorite. Overall, it looks like the women are much more popular. The men better bring it next week! It will be interesting to see how this data shifts from episode to episode.
Our last question gets to the heart of the matter. For the record, we agree with 83.9% of the respondents!
Our survey results send a clear message: viewers are eager to say positive things about DIRTY SOAP, and more importantly, most plan to watch again. So where are the Nielsens?
We'll keep looking, and we'll post updates as we investigate. If you have any leads, please share them in the comments section below. Also, to the extent that DIRTY SOAP might be seen by other networks as an indicator of the vibrancy of the soap-viewing community, we are all invested in their success. So if you enjoyed the premiere, tell your friends! DIRTY SOAP airs Sundays at 10 PM ET on E!.
RELATED:
- Watch: Exclusive interview with Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa, executive producers of DIRTY SOAP
- Read about this past weekend in RATINGS: Where is DIRTY SOAP?
- View all DIRTY SOAP features on WeLoveSoaps.com
- THE COMPLETE LIST: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History
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