666 Park Avenue, ABC’s new series about a couple living in a potentially demon-possessed Manhattan apartment building, premiered last night on September 30, 2012. So how did it do?
Ratings were lackluster, and critics tried to see the show’s potential through its tedious plot.
Though it’s being touted as TV’s next guilty pleasure, 666 Park Avenue apparently wasn’t sinful enough for some viewers. It garnered a 5.3 rating in the metered markets, and, though many shows that rise to success have often started out in a worse place, the opposite can also prove true. For instance, last year’s Pan Am started at 8.5 and lasted only 14 episodes.
Even worse, notes Headline Planet, 666 Park Avenue dropped from a 5.7 in its first half hour to a 4.9 in the latter half, meaning that people got bored with the pilot partway through. Sure, they might come back next week and give the show a second chance, but, for the pilot episode, the one that’s supposed to sell the concept of the series, that’s not a very good start.
Reviews? While EW gave several reasons why 666 Park Avenue “deserve[s] that pickup to series” it also opined that the show follows several horror cliches that it would be better off avoiding. “I think it’s more eerie when we see the craziness and Jane and Henry don’t. Jane having weird ‘dreams’ and not realizing how dirty her feet are in the shower will grow tedious,” they write.
NY Daily found that, while the show is stylish and visually interesting, the “challenge for 666 may lie in getting viewers to stick around for the couple of episodes it will probably take to grasp the picture.”
In short? 666 Park Avenue is no American Horror Story, but, like the FX show, it may play host to a modestly-sized and deeply devoted cult following. The show may be off to a rocky start, but I think that some of it might have to do with the marketing. For a show about success and the supernatural, why did so many of the promos look more like Dirty Sexy Money than The Devil’s Advocate?
Did you watch 666 Park Avenue? What did you think?
I liked it, had a little spooky moments without being over the top. Sheesh, these networks need to give new shows more of a chance. If they had cancelled Seinfeld, Mash etc as quickly, we would have lost out on years of entertainment, they did not do so good the FIRST SEASON!
Saw it, got bored, nothing else to watch though.
I watched it and it did not disappoint at all it was good to see television in such a good form but still mysterious! My New Sunday Night Watch!
ABC IT SUCKS BORING.
I liked it and feel that it has great potential once the foundation for the series has been laid. It takes more than one or two episodes to determine what a show is going to be. In the past They have cancelled shows after one or two episodes that in my opinion ( we all have one ) they never gave the opportunity to develop. They tend to renew shows that are worthless and cancel others that have potential without giving them a chance.
We watched the full episode: First opening effect – guy sucked through a hole in the door was lame. The "attorney" married to the new manager didn't read the contract he and his wife signed – stupid. The tenant washing his hands over and over was great! really! probably the best effect. Same guy getting sucked into the wall – lame. The red dress showing up gift wrapped after the abrupt end of the conversation at the dress shop – TOTALLY PREDICTABLE. I even said "Oh, that's going to be the red dress"…. The mosaic, concrete over the door, old library books…hmm… how many movies has THAT been I before? I will watch it again, but only after we have devised rules for a drinking game to go with it. Maybe they need to bring in someone from American Horror Story to show them how this is done. Needs to be way more edgy with some Nine Inch Nails music.
We watched the full episode: First opening effect – guy sucked through a hole in the door was lame. The "attorney" married to the new manager didn't read the contract he and his wife signed – stupid. The tenant washing his hands over and over was great! really! probably the best effect. Same guy getting sucked into the wall – lame. The red dress showing up gift wrapped after the abrupt end of the conversation at the dress shop – TOTALLY PREDICTABLE. I even said "Oh, that's going to be the red dress"…. The mosaic, concrete over the door, old library books…hmm… how many movies has THAT been I before? I will watch it again, but only after we have devised rules for a drinking game to go with it. Maybe they need to bring in someone from American Horror Story to show them how this is done. Needs to be way more edgy with some Nine Inch Nails music.
I liked it. It was not that scarry. I hope it will stay on the air!
We watched the full episode: First opening effect – guy sucked through a hole in the door was lame. The "attorney" married to the new manager didn't read the contract he and his wife signed – stupid. The tenant washing his hands over and over was great! really! probably the best effect. Same guy getting sucked into the wall – lame. The red dress showing up gift wrapped after the abrupt end of the conversation at the dress shop – TOTALLY PREDICTABLE. I even said "Oh, that's going to be the red dress"…. The mosaic, concrete over the door, old library books…hmm… how many movies has THAT been in before? I will watch it again, but only after we have devised rules for a drinking game to go with it. Maybe they need to bring in someone from American Horror Story to show them how this is done. Needs to be way more edgy with some Nine Inch Nails music.
I liked the first episode and am willing to give it a try. It may never become myfavorite show on television, but I've seen much worse.
I liked it. ABC needs to give it a chance. It does remind me a lot of the movie the Devils Adovate. Shows need some time to build up a following. I mean it went up against Sunday night football.
I like it and I hope will it not get cancelled.
It needs more scenes with Vanessa Williams. I'd be happy to watch her read from the phone book for an hour every Sunday night!
Count me in — looks like it could evolve into a great show. Maybe even Lew C. Furr will make a cameo!
I had hopes for this show, but once, in the beginning, that man got sucked through the door, I just smh. But I did stick with it for the first half hour. After that, ho-hum….
I see this show going down in flames. Though there might be a niche of horror fans likely to follow 666 Park Ave, I think that will be cancelled out by the many people flocking to see other shows that air at the same time. I am a huge horror fan (just ask anyone who has seen the decorations in my office at DISH during Halloween), but even I can’t be swayed to watch this show over Homeland or The Mentalist. I’m just lucky that my Hopper DVR can record up to six things at once, so I am able to juggle all these series. I suspect that most audience members aren’t as fortunate, which will make the ratings plummet. Hopefully this show lasts, but I can’t imagine that it will.
I missed it last night but watched it this morning.. I thought it was an excellent pilot and looking forward to the next show. But of course, all the shows that I really like end up getting cancelled. So…….
Unfortunately, there's so much reality tv junk out there, that scripted shows, that may start out by trying to develop characters and thus have a slower story just don't last. See the brilliant NBC Kings from a few years ago. Relevant and extremely well written and acted, yet cancelled.
Awesome show.. Can't wait to see next episode.
I watched it and it was kinda cool a little bit shinning a little bit devils advocate will watch this Sunday
I freaking loved it! So I told all my friends to watch Lol
Love it! Its on my DVR recording list!
Loved it!
Not doing it for me! I gotta be drawn in right away! It's a wash for me! Sorry
Why would ABC put a demonic show on Sunday? 666!
U know what Pat , I hadn"t even thought of that !
GET IT OFF SUNDAY NIGHT NO SHOW WILL BEAT THE NFL PUT IT ON BEFORE DANCING TO THE STARS OR LEAD IN TO ONE OF YOUR POPULAR SHOWS. TRUEFULLY I WOULD FIRE YOUR TV PROGRAMER,
Great show
I'm hooked!!! What happens next??