Dating Hell
By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/2/2004 8:00:00 PM
Dating is tough. Ex-treme Dating is even tougher. Which is why it appears the show won't return this fall. Host Jillian Barberie said it was over on On Air With Ryan Seacrest last week, although the syndicator says that's still to be decided. "We are currently out of production," says a Twentieth spokesperson, "but we will be making a decision on the show's future after the May books."
The likely cancellation isn't a surprise: Ex-Treme Dating has been out of production since November. Barberie has been released from her contract, say Twentieth reps. The show averages a 1.0 household rating, ranking 82nd among all syndicated shows. In the week ended April 18, it rated a 0.7 among adults 18-49, and was the No. 61 show.
Ex-Treme follows a man or woman on a daylong dream date with a catch: Two of his or her exes are wired into the proceedings. The exes watch on a monitor and stay connected with their old flame's potential partner through a microphone. The exes' job is to persuade the newbie to dump their former squeeze. If they succeed, they win a prize, such as a vacation. If they don't, the dater gets to go out again—privately.
Twentieth launched Ex-Treme Dating in about 20% of the country in July 2002. It was taken national last June but never clicked. The show also runs on cable channel FX, which gives it a little ratings boost.
Dating shows hit their peak in 1999, when Universal's Blind Date appeared on the scene and grabbed the lead from Warner Bros.'Change of Heart. Blind Date transformed the genre by introducing a reality component, forcing Change of Heart to venture out into the world. That move also set up Warner Bros.' Telepictures as one of the premiere providers of network reality shows, producing ABC's The Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise.
At a 1.0, Ex-Treme Dating repeats managed to outperform Twentieth's rookie Ryan Seacrest, which has been averaging a 0.9 and ranks 93rd out of all syndicated shows. Among adults 18-49, On Air hit a 0.5 in the week ended April 18, putting it at No. 85. And Barberie's other syndicated vehicle, Good Day Live, scored a 1.0 in households the same week.
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