Image Credit: MTV
As the Jersey Shore cast wrapped its drunken scream-filled vacation in Italy, the show’s ratings concluded lower than the previous season for the first time.
Shore delivered 6.6 million viewers for its season 4 finale, down 13 percent from season 3′s closer. That downturn is despite the season launching higher than ever, with a spectacular 8.8 million blowout that was MTV’s most-watched series premiere ever. So far Shore finales have clocked 4.8 million for season one, 6.1 million for season two, 7.6 million for season three and, now, reversing down to 6.6 million.
So the Italy adventure began more popular than ever, yet the finale dipped for the first time. Why?
Fans of the show can probably give a few reasons: The season started strong and chaotic, but by the last few weeks, the Shore cast seemed a bit, well, bored. The housemates rebelled against Mike’s attempts to “stir up drama,” content with simply having a pleasant time. Refreshingly mature of them, sure, but with JWoww, Snooki, Ronnie, and Sam all in relationships, the usual Shore mayhem seemed lacking.
Which isn’t to say the Shore finale did anywhere near poorly for a cable — or broadcast — program.
In fact, the episode’s 3.7 adults 18-49 rating crushed broadcast shows at 10 p.m., easily beating ABC’s Private Practice (2.3) and CBS’ The Mentalist (2.5). NBC was in repeats (I don’t need to tell you that Prime Suspect wouldn’t have stood a chance, right?). The series also managed to beat the scripted dramatics at Seattle Grace, edging out Grey’s Anatomy (3.6) at 9 p.m. (they weren’t in the same time slot, but let me play).
Even dominating the ratings, however, the competition — including the World Series, let’s not forget that — could have bogged down Shore. The show hasn’t had a late October finale since the show’s second season, so its audience might grow for the cast’s return to New Jersey in season five (which has already been shot and will premiere in January).
Point is: Shore is still a behemoth. But even the biggest shows tend to eventually reach a ratings peak and hike back down. The question is whether Shore has now planted its flag and is returning from that summit, or whether kids from Seaside can still reach even greater heights in the seasons to come.
Read more:
EW’s ‘Jersey Shore’ season finale recap
Why ‘Jersey Shore’ is better than ‘Boardwalk Empire’
I had no idea Jersey Shore had those ridiculously high ratings! A 3.7 is a HUGE demo rating. Yikes!
Was there ever a gayer picture posted on EW? Adam Lambert and the whole cast of Glee has nothing on this.
I’ll start watching when Vinny and Pauly D hook up. They are the two hottest guys on the show.
Well they were in bed together last week!
Wouldn’t surprise me if they go gay for pay to get the ratings up. After the publicity from the Real World gay p o r n scandal, that seems to be the direction MTV is heading in.
I’m not growing tired of it! At its worst, it’s still better than mostly anything else on tv. Cant wait till next season.
I am growing incredibly bored with this season. Everything they do is so obviously fake now… Mike claimed to “be in love” with Snooki, but when Vinny hooked up with Snooki, Mike didn’t even bat an eye. And that’s just one example of how horribly contrived the drama is.
@Dee… Good point! But just like all reality tv, there has to be some writing or scripting. I still find these ppl to be entertaining esp Mike. Next season should be interesting since Ron n Sammi broke up. We’ll hopefully get to see them date others.
I can’t wait either, it’s the only thrill for an old gay man in his 70′s watching those hot guys tantalize me while I sit in front of the TV naked. Mmmmm I am drooling with anticipation…..
Well bless ur heart!
Please pick up a book (and read it.)
We’re all waiting for you to step up and move from the trailer park. Your smarts are going to waste there.
Is someone calling themself Bucky seriously telling someone to pick up a book?
@buckydoe, you placed that period in the incorrect location, idiot. It belongs outside of the parenthesis. You’d know that if you took your own advice.
Actually, the period is in the correct place. You’d know that if 1) you really knew your grammar and punctuation and 2) had a copy of Strunck and White at your disposal. Grammar police my foot (and I’m not Bucky.)
Wrong!
Don’t forget the real star of this show: Venereal Disease.
lets not forget, STD’s, unplanned pregnancy, alcoholism, drunk driving and a big case of immaturity for people in the late twenties. Also gives the false impression to younger kids that they can have nice cars, go on expensive trips, while working at a t-shirt shop, without a college degree. I personally think Deena and Snookie have slight brain damage from alcohol. They have black outs from drinking at least once a month.
Oh and lets add, verbal abuse from Ronnie.
The black outs aren’t real moron.
I think most people saw the previews and realized nothing happened on the finale. I’m sure next seasons ratings will be insanely huge again.
I sure did. I’m smarter then anybody who watch this carp.
Your all contributing to the numbing down of America.
Says the person who misused “your”…
Your sh it stinks.
I’m surprised it’s stayed popular this long but I think when this show loses it’s popularity it’ll be a steep drop and it won’t wane gracefully and go out on a high note. However that being said these folks fight and drink so much that MTV has enough bits to advertise to get the viewers curiousity and thus they tune in. The Hills only became a big hit when it became Heidi vs Lauren so as long as it’s bottom of the barrel lowest common denominator the viewers tune in.
“…it won’t wane gracefully and go out on a high note.” I’m just not sure. Callers?
You are so dumb.
show stinks. time is urs!
Aptly summed. How do people willingly watch this? I can sit through almost anything I dislike but when my cousin made me watch this, Snooki made me lose my mind. I was literally screaming for her to shut up and plugging my ears. I almost threw my laptop at the TV.
I hate being over the top, but darn tootin this show made this 17 year old want to burn our TV in a campfire and do tribal dances around it whilst roasting marshmallows. O.o
Gay much, drama queen?
Sorry, but the SCRIPTS for this show just aren’t as good as they used to be! If the producers of an alleged “reality TV” show think that you can just film people interacting naturally and the public will but it, they are crazy! Fire whoever was writing the scripts this season and hire new writers. Snooki and her idiotic friends need some help.
My god. Is there hope for mankind??
I wonder the same question when idiots start to believe that these ignorant reality shows are real and begin to emulate this behavior in the “real” world. Humanity is destined to destroy itself and morally, ethically, and spiritually we are more than half way there… Here is some reality for you people this Country is about to enter a phase not seen in our history and when rampant violence is all around you in the streets what and how are you going to respond or protect yourselves? You have kicked God, morals, and ethics to the curb and have instead embraced completely materialistic, socially decadent attitudes and behavior. ” When they kick in your front door how you gonna come with your hands on your head or the trigger of your gun” Good Luck on the other side!
Kill yourself.
The show is garbage and those that watch it are garbage. After watching a couple episodes I would never visit New Jersey, good advertising for the state…
So, technically, your garbage..
Boom.
Bang.
Zoom!!
Cha Ching!
This sentence is incomplete. What about his garbage? Oh, wait, you misspelled “you’re.” Shouldn’t have expected better from a fan of this show.
@Julie, why insult yourself? There are meds for your self hate honey.
That’s pretty idiotic of you to think that EVERYONE in Jersey is like that.
You mean NJ won’t have JoeWat around? It’ll be tough to get by.
I watch. That must make me garbage. The show is actually really funny. It’s no masterpiece but no one ever said it was.
This show is still on, it seems so 2009. I’m ready to adopt the next guilty pleasure MTV reality show, but this one seems so passe.
Using the word passe is passe, idiot.
lmao. PWNED!
It’s easy to understand the popularity when you see the shows that it’s up against.
The finale was boring though. Really boring.
Agree completely! There’s nothing else on TV at that time – Jersey Shore is a guilty pleasure. It’s entertaining.
And yet the last few eps have been horrible. Deena (and sure, Snooki) make me ill. Drinking all day and night, screaming, falling down everywhere.. in Italy!? They have no class. At least before it was a funny version of no class – now it’s just disturbing to watch.
Why do people lie and say it is disturbing to watch like they really care about these people? Just take it for what it is, why take it so serious that it disturbs you.
Yep the last two episodes were boring. It always is when they decide to blame everything on Mike. I’m excited for season 5 though.
maybe this is a signal of the beginning of the end… finally. of course, those are still stellar ratings for MTV, but hopefully they continue to decline.
maybe? it’d have to go A LOT lower than that for MTV to walk away! Let’s face it, rommates who GTL and club every day gets old but I still LOVE It and im not ashamed of it!
Dear god!! It was that high?? My sister is one of those morons watching that show..I want to cry
And your reading and commenting on it….perhaps ur sister is equally ashamed of u?
And YOU’RE reading….
ur = your
u = you
Doesn’t take that long to type, surprisingly.
It is when uv used a blackberry for the last 5+ yrs n just recently switched to a touch screen! I write for a living booboo….don’t worry abt me. K? Thx!
It’s not you we worry about, lisa g., but humanity and its slide into incomprehensible text-speak. But then what can we expect from Jersey Shore fans?
I suppose something snarky n rude can also be said about ppl who read AND comment about shows they THINK are beneath them! either ur a closet fan or suck so bad at life, u feel good trolling comments for typos! Either way, sux to be u!
Speaking of grammar…people are either bored WITH or tired OF the show, not “bored of.”
ChaCha you are so dumb. You can be bored of something. Of course with a name like ChaCha, I shouldn’t expect much from you.
It’s time to pull the plug on this fiasco of a ‘show’. Lame plots, slutty pigs, giving Italian people a bad name. Enough already/
No It’s no! Anyone who stereotypes Italians based on this show is either really dumb or already have their mind made up to be a bigot n just need an excuse!
They are what they eat.
I eat pies and cookies while I watch JS marathons on Saturday. Mom says I should get out more, but I’m happy.
Everything that goes up, must come down. THANK GOD.
I’m not hating……but the show is boring already!!!!!
hater……..
And now hopefully these horrible people will go away
the show was boring this season, but not because people are over it, more likely because this seaosn promise so much and failed to deliver. Once they are bck in jersey, i expect to be more interesting. The show will most likely last for one more year and call it quits. Making millionaires out of these idiots
The 4th season hit its peak just before the fall season started when new or returning shows premiered – there’s basically nothing on during the summertime.
Agreed. A big problem with this season was the language barrier. They couldn’t communicate with the locals. Also, Snooki’s meltdown became very tiresome.