Hannibal – ratings plummet, station drops

By: American Decency Staff

NBC is learning that relatively few people in America want to tune in for gruesome violence as they curl up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn.  NBC’s repulsive show “Hannibal,” about a cannibalistic serial killer, is seeing its own ratings die. 

The premier episode on April 4 saw decent ratings (especially for the ratings-desperate NBC), but since then the ratings have taken a nosedive.  The last two weeks drew only a very dismal 1.0 ratings share in the coveted 18-49 year old demographic, with only 2.5 million viewers overall. 

In comparison, for the same time slot CBS drew 9.5 million viewers; ABC had 8.13 million viewers; and NBC’s “Hannibal” drew a measly 2.5 million viewers.  Also noteworthy, this week’s dismal ratings for “Hannibal” came during the first week of May sweeps – when ratings are especially important since TV stations use a network’s ratings to set advertising rates.

Take Action!  Click here to send a message to the advertisers empowering “Hannibal.”

While there are other television shows which have depicted morbid violence, I’m not sure if any have had such graphic, grisly scenes as those on “Hannibal” week after week.

However, I do know I’ve never seen a network television show in which evil is portrayed so sympathetically – where the killer is actually one of the main characters, the sophisticated and genteel Dr. Hannibal Lector. 

This character is written in such a way as to lure and sway viewers to relate to, even sympathize with Dr. Lector, even though viewers know that this psychopath mutilates and kills his victims – then serves up their body parts as the main course for his unaware dinner guests.

Not only have the ratings for this disturbing show been flat, but one TV station has refused to air anymore episodes.  NBC affiliate KSL-TV in Salt Lake City stated:

 “After viewing the past few episodes, as well as receiving numerous complaints from viewers, KSL TV will cancel the airing of the NBC show “Hannibal” on Thursday evenings. This decision was made due to the extensive graphic nature of this show.”

 And later on the station’s Facebook page posted:

“We don’t make programming decisions lightly, and we want to listen to our viewers, who have called and emailed our station — and also responded with low viewership. This show has been called one of the most violent, bloody shows on TV by the The Salt Lake Tribune. Thank you for your feedback — we’re reading them all.”

One popular entertainment website, zap2it.com, which reviews shows and tracks TV ratings, wrote:

When it comes to "Hannibal," KSL cites the show's graphic violence and said last week's episode — which featured a killer who sliced open and arranged the flesh of his victims to simulate angel wings — was the tipping point.

"After this last week's episode, it just had too much graphic content for us," KSL vice president of marketing, research and promotion Tami Ostmark tells the Salt Lake Tribune. "This is beyond anything we've put on our station before. This is too graphic to be on regular TV. It should be a cable show. We've talked to NBC, and that's how we feel about it."

This zap2it.com entertainment writer went on to acknowledge:  “The episode was indeed disgusting, and if KSL doesn't want to air the show it's their choice.  …”

KSL spokesperson Tami Ostmark stated the station had received hundreds of complaints.

While most secular entertainment reviewers have given “Hannibal” an enthusiastic thumbs up, praising its “artistry,” it seems as if the review that really counts –people tuning in to watch – is giving the show an overwhelming thumbs down.

We encourage you to do as hundreds of viewers in Utah did.  Call your local NBC affiliate and urge the station to cancel the graphically violent “Hannibal.”

In addition, help us keep the pressure on the advertisers sponsoring this sickening show.

Take Action!  Click here to send a message to the advertisers empowering “Hannibal.”

Advertisers include:

Subway restaurants
KFC restaurants
Olive Garden
Macy’s
LensCrafters
Verizon Wireless
Microsoft
Tums
Farmer’s Insurance
Geico Insurance
Allegra
Visa
Capital One
Honda
Toyota
Home Depot
Mazda

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