Image Credit: NBC
Tonight the Peacock launches The Voice, its potential rival to American Idol, with a star-stuffed “coach” panel and a concept that puts a literal twist on a hugely popular reality format. The show represents NBC’s last best chance to exit the season with one new ratings winner.
But can Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine deliver the goods against a super-sized Glee and Dancing With the Stars?
“This is really unknown territory,” says one industry insider when asked an opinion about the ratings.
Predictions I’m hearing from insiders are all over the map — from the pragmatic mid-2s in the adults 18-49 demo to the exclamatory 5.0.
NBC’s other singing competition series, The Sing-Off, gave the network the gumption to try The Voice. It started in the mid-2s and topped out a 3.3 earlier this year. Mid-2s is also where The Biggest Loser has been landing in recent weeks in The Voice‘s slot — it’s a safe bet NBC hopes for at least that much. Another factor: This is a sluggish time of year for broadcast television, so with most ratings falling to season lows in recent weeks, it’s a rough time to launch something new.
There’s no safe bet here. If I had to guess, I’d go with a fairly optimistic 3.5.
NBC rather not have anybody comparing the show’s ratings to American Idol, the biggest thing on TV, but just fyi, the Fox show has been averaging about 7.0 lately for performance shows this season.
Here’s another question: What is Glee going to do for its 90-minute episode? Will viewers stick with it or switch at 9 p.m. to The Voice? We’ll have the numbers tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, all hands at NBC are on deck to get out the news. Cee Lo Green recently tweeted: “Hey yall its in my contract to tweet about the voice premiere 2nite so…..WATCH IT DAMIT:) I’ll be the baldheaded cute one with red Shades.”
I say 10 mil and a mid 3 demo.
The Voice sucks. There are just tooooo many singing shows….they’re going to cannabilize each other. They’ve even turned DWTS into a singing show with Veteran singers from the 1980s and 1990s resurrecting their career. I think the public is going to turn off and go to cable.
A year later and “The Voice” is winning Monday nights for NBC and is the only big talent/reality show still climbing! Thanks Christina! You’re doin’ it, Babe!
I liked it a lot. It was good.
The Voice is way cool, and it is about real singers, real talent, real professionals coaching, not silly clown contestants with sad sob stories like American Idol prancing around like tacky Karaoke. The Voice is on every TV in my house every week from now on! 2 thumbs up!
Your wrong about American Idol. Stinks American Idol is pretty good and isn’t karaoke as you have claim which is a lie I like the sob sad stories nothing wrong with it so your again Stinks. I like The Voice it’s pretty good show I like the judges. Both Idol & The voice is finding talent.
If the voice is so much better than idol, then why is the winner from the first season failing? Last I checked Idol has produced Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Scotty Mcreary and Jordan Sparks. The winner of the voice’s album debuted in the upper 100′s on the chart, and has gone nowhere. And where is the winner of the first season of Idol? Well Kelly has had several albums debut #1, and is still popular 10 years after her win. I think this shows idols superiority, dont you?
You might think differently if you knew how the show acutally starts. In case you didnt know the winner and runner up of last season both already had albums release and fail before the show. The producers of the show actually sifted through failed albums and contacted these people, encouraging to try out. Why do I know this? One of my moms friends (im 16) Has released a few albums that never went anywhere. She was contacted by the voice and encouraged to try out. No show like this should select people before the auditions.
I guess that makes Blake Shelton chopped liver or something? Why no mention of him? I dare say he’s more popular with a certain segment of the population than Cee-Lo Green. (and this isn’t a racial comment, just a music genre content)
content = comment. Sorry about that.
I agree that Blake should be mentioned too. However, at this point in time, I think Cee Lo is more recognizable mainly because he has been riding a huge hit song for months now.
I was thinking the same thing. They also forgot about Carson Daly, who is a lot more likable than Ryan Seacrest. I bet a lot of his radio listeners will tune into The Voice as well. I’m looking forward to seeing the show, especially my girl X-Tina!
Blake added!
Thank you! So glad to see you guys actually read the comments. And with no “The Good Wife” this week I may have to check this out.
I’m guessing 11 million. I have really no clue though. NBC did a good job of promoting though.
Since it’s a 2-hour premiere, I have a feeling it may pick up in the 10pm hour since Dancing with the Stars ends at 10pm and a lot of viewers may switch over to catch the second half of The Voice.
That’s actually what I did – and I’m not a country fan, but Blake is hilarious when he appears on “Chelsea Lately.”
I was bummed I wouldn’t be able to start catching up on “The Good Wife” now that “Parenthood” is over for the season.
I DVR’d it, thinking that like Idol, I’d skip about 60% of the garbage but I found that I watched just about the entire thing (although I sped through commercials). I loved it for the most part.
I’m not a country music fan but it’s odd that there’s no mention of Shelton. I’m aware of who he is, just not his music.
This show is going to flop, deservingly so.
ITS NOT GOING TO BE FLOP BECAUSE YOUR WATCHING NOW..THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Xtina > J-Lo
Vocally, yes. Personality-wise, no.
Vocal talent- Christina wins by a landslide
Enggaging personality, likeability, and warmth- J-lo wins by an uber-landslide. Xtina is a major cee you next time.
I’ll be tuning in just to see what the fuss is about. They’ve been doing ton of promotion, so I’m thinking a generous 13m debut, then a significant drop off next week.
Is that really the set? It hurts my eyes!
Boooooooo. I’ll be watching Glee. NBC just sucks at picking shows.
Most of NBC’s shows are better than that crapfest Glee.
Amen. Glee has gone downhill this season, while NBC shows like Parks & Rec, Community, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights and Harry’s Law have been fantastic.
Glee has jumped the shark and become almost a parody of itself in less than 2 seasons. Sad.
ditto
It’s “Heroes,” the musical!
Couldn’t agree more. I’m about done with Glee
I’ve only seen two episodes of Glee since the season started. Haven’t missed it either. just my opinion no need to get snarky people!
glee suck!!!!!!!!!because you SUCK!
i am boycotting ABC due to saveoursoaps movement and cant wait to see this new show on NBC tonight in just a few minutes, good luck NBC looks like a winner to me.
Watching “The Voice” tonight, I see several advantages that this concept offers over AI – the premiere opened with the four judges/coaches performing together (proving they are actually talented musicians), the auditions are in front of a live audience and so far no one has shown up dressed as the Statue of Liberty. Don’t know it that will translate to actual ratings, but it’s a refreshing change from the tedium of AI this season.
I hope it can get a least a 4.0 or higher. All the promos make it look better than idol. Plus they’ve got better judges and a better host.
Christina needs to go back to having black hair she does not look good as a blond…. Blake shelton is awesome…
This show will do very well. First off NBC has promoed it to hell and back. Anyone who doesn’t know it’s on is dead. Second….the judges are real recording stars -at this very minute- and not has-beens who were once popular 20-40 years ago. Third ,we are getting into the Dead Zone on TV. All the series are over or almost over till next Fall.Everyone will check it out (at least once) since it’s new.
The only major thing working against it is it’s another re-tread singing competition. How many of those do we need ?
I’ll watch the first hour at least….