The Mole

When ABC initially attempted to launch The Mole in 2001, the series was a hit with critics but not with audiences.  Despite being labeled one of the smartest reality shows on television at the time, the competition never picked up a significant number of viewers.  After two years of low-rated scheming with average citizens, the network relaunched the franchise with a group of D-list celebrities.  Ratings ticked up for a while, and The Mole lasted two more seasons before being yanked off the air in 2004.

Four years later, ABC thought they'd finally be able to make The Mole into a hit.  The network launched the fifth season of the series a few weeks ago after The Bachelorette, but it's been hemorrhaging viewers since its low-rated debut.  Will the network decide to silence The Mole yet again?

When The Mole premiered on June 2 it pulled in about 4.7 million viewers.  This was nearly two million less than its struggling lead in, The Bachelorette.  A big premiere being seen by under five million people is bad enough, but The Mole found even more viewers jumping ship for its second episode, which was only watched by 3.9 million people.  Episode three aired two nights ago and was seen by 3.8 million viewers, officially making the series one of the lowest rated shows on ABC.  It's routinely getting its butt kicked in the ratings by reruns of CSI: Miami on CBS.

Fans who are worried that ABC might yank the series in the middle of its run shouldn't be concerned.  The remaining seven episodes are already in the can, and the network will likely burn them off throughout the summer.  However, unless some sort of ratings miracle happens I wouldn't bet on seeing a sixth season of The Mole anytime soon.  ABC was hoping for a summer reality smash, but instead it ended up with a spectacular bomb.

Considering that this is the second time The Mole has failed to entrance viewers, one has to wonder what the problem is.  After all, Americans have become addicted to many lesser reality shows, including dreck like FOX's The Moment of Truth.  What is it about The Mole that keeps people away?  My theory is that the show's 10pm time slot and incompatible lead in are working against it.  I'm not sure many people want to stay up until 11pm to watch players backstab one another.  Add that to the fact that The Bachelorette is also bombing in the ratings, and you can easily see why nobody is tuning in.

Of course, another possibility could be the fact that the new version of The Mole just isn't up to par.  I know many people who tuned in to the first episode and were less than impressed.  Back in 2001 when the series first aired, reality TV looked a lot different.  What was considered a groundbreaking show seven years ago looks a lot less impressive now that we've seen numerous seasons of Survivor and The Amazing Race.

Whatever the reason for people not tuning in, the fact remains that The Mole is going to need a massive surge in the ratings to survive another season.  Otherwise it's destined to be canceled yet again, and this time the ax is likely to fall permanently.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of ABC)