http://www.equestriadaily.com/2015/06/rating-for-princess-spike-lowest-of.html
The recent ratings for FiM weren't encouraging: Princess Spike with 260,000 viewers hits one of the lowest results of the show.
Putting aside explanations of sort for the last cases (anybody blame something, raging for the "hiatus", a bad Spike episode, Discovery shitty ads, you can choose what you like), I'm thinking that something more large is happening, and is not good for FiM in middle-long period.
I notice as the last episode had not a previewn, and is the first time that happens from when I follow the show. Also, this happens after that two of the most hyped episodes got an average-low result: "Make new friends and keep Discord" collected a low rating 307.000, and "Slice of Life" an average 431.000. Those episodes where largely pushed from the companies: first images appeared in storyboards form in some special interviews before the S5 airing, some hinting at San Diego Comic Con, and many previews for Slice of Life; even the Facebook page of MlP pushed. I think they worked much to hype these episodes.
In comparison, "The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone" collected 594.000, and without the same efforts for the hyped episodes.
Many blamed the hiatus fist for the low result, and now the Discovery bad cover for the meager rating of Princess Spike. Now, while I think there is something of true, I think there also much more.
First, I think that DF is choosing to giving low priority to FiM, becouse investing in ads and previews do not gives that return that they hoped with the most hyped episodes. How blame them? They got higer rating with other episodes!
The last episode had not previews at all, and I found odd. If this week is happens again, probably the network is really doing that.
Also I'm worried from the decision of DF to schedule the S5 in summer months: at least here in Italy, is the worst period of the year to air a program, becouse we do the "mass vacations"; I don't think in USA is different. I fear also this factor will "kill" ratings in July/August. I guess that the decision is in part to restructure The Hub in the new channels, and they use FiM as a "patch" to keep the rating high while new programs incoming, but that at same time will hurt the show very soon.
Second, I thinking the S5 starts to failing the expection of the audience. They promised to make FiM "bigger and larger"; the truth is we are near half season and we saw few of new.
The episodes revolves on the same old stuff and theme already saw. Somebody tells that a part of the audience skipped the last episode becouse was on Spike, and the Spike's ones are overall bad: that could be possible, becouse the last episode was really weak. I and a my friend thought that the Mane 6 and Discord had a better relationship after Tirek, instead is remained same as before. Is not longer funny see Discord and the main characters despise each others, or Spike that can't handle nothing by himself.
I think the audience is tired to see the old stuff, and at same time, is clear that the writers skip the most interesting things to do with the characters: there is too much stuff in the setting that is few or not used at all, and a lot of missing things. Is clear that, after 5 years, we will never see those; or maybe they show something, but little things. Therefore I suspect the audience is starting to disaffected to the show.
The FiM staff joked about the "jump of the shark", but I fear that is not going to be a joke anymore very soon.
I will keep an eye on the next rating, and if they are still low, probably is true that the average viewners are tired and don't care too much for the show.
What happens if this is true? If the rating become low, is possible that Hasbro revise his plans for FiM, for example cancelling the film or the S7, becouse there isn't much returning for their investiments.
Oddly, the irony is that Funtasia launch next year, and if FiM going down this year, there will be less competition. I guess that would be an incredible stroke of luck for BRB launch the show right when FiM become weak.
