ChuckTV.net The CHUCK archive
The Hollywood Reporter persuaded torrent giant Pirate Bay to share stats on downloads for movies, music and TV, and the results give Chuck the dubious distinction of being the #1 pirated TV show. The timeframe for these stats wasn’t given, but whether it’s for the past week or the past year, that’s quite a headline. But what does it mean for Chuck?
On the plus side, it means Chuck is really popular with folks online. It also means Chuck will be in the news for the next week or 10 days as the reporter is dissected and analyzed and discussed ad nauseum (hey, let’s join the crowd!).
On the negative side, it means there are viewers who are opting for illegal methods of watching the show rather than legitimate methods that would help our constantly on the bubble ratings. Of course there are numerous fans outside the U.S. and Canada who don’t want to wait several months or a year to watch the show, nor do they have access to NBC.com or Hulu.com. But what about those who do have access to those methods of watching? The report didn’t give percentages of downloaders within the U.S. so we don’t know what the potential lost countable viewership is, but even if only 10% are from the U.S., that could be another point or two in the 18-49 demo, and Chuck needs every point.
The fact that season 4 has yet to land on iTunes must also be a contributing factor as many people (myself included) prefer to download to a device and watch rather than stream. If that’s a factor, we need to do a better job of letting people know that episodes are available for download on Amazon.com
I think that there would be a lot less people downloading these show if you could buy the shows right after it airs. I buy episodes of chuck on zune, but I have to wait two days to download them.
In addition to Amazon.com, another convenient option for downloading episodes of Chuck is Zune Marketplace, which is available both from www.zune.net and the XBox Live gaming service. The episodes could be downloaded either for a PC and/or Zune player, or for the XBox 360 if yours has a hard drive or if you have plenty of 16 GB USB flash drives on hand. Zune Marketplace downloads can be paid for either by credit card or if you have an XBox Live account, through Microsoft Points cards. Either way, you can get an HD Season Pass for each season of Chuck at a cost comparable to or better than a Blu-ray copy of the corresponding season.
The Zune Marketplace option may not be something NBC tracks, but at least it’s a legitimate and fairly convenient avenue for getting the show.
I also download check to my xbox 360 to watch it. Hopefull they will also be avaialbe soon on netflix (would really love it if that was the case). I would suggest that some of the people that are download it are just downloading it so they have a copy that they can play on their PVR/DVR. Lots of those people I suspect also saw it live. I know that I watch it live, download it on my xbox and also buy the Blueray copy when it comes out.
Rod
Hey, I’m a fan from Indonesia. Just like you know it, the only way for us to watch the show is by buying the episode. But unfortunately for me, I don’t have a credit card and my parents won’t let me borrow theirs to buy the episode. So, I download it illegally. But I tried to be responsible by buying all 3 seasons original DVDs when they’re available. Maybe those fans with problems like mine should continue supporting the show by at least buying the original DVDs. It’s kinda sad to see a lot of people buying the pirated DVDs when they proclaimed to be a fan of the show.
I really hope that someday international fans could watch the show on NBC’s site so we could watch the show early but legally.
I’m with you here! I lived in Singapore for a few years (and that’s actually where I got hooked on the show) and the only way for me to watch it without having to wait a year was going to websites and finding zshare files. I have bought all the DVDs now, so it’s all good!
Then there are those of us who both watch live and download it…
Just an “FYI” – Chuck S4 episodes are currently available at the Canada iTunes store, so I wonder why the current season is not yet in the US store?
They should charge more for product placement.
I am also waiting for Chuck to be available on itunes. Thanks for the information about the amazon to itunes conversion. I was not aware that this was possible but it seems difficult. I have my money waiting to buy Chuck on itunes if/when it becomes available.
I think our next fan campaign should be to convince iTunes, Warner Brothers, and NBC to become friends and post Chuck to iTunes. I agree with Mel, that the lack of iTunes has been a probable reason for the piracy.
I think it would also be cool if NBC would consider looking at the download numbers from XBox Live Zune Marketplace, though I know they don’t have a reason to since they don’t get revenue from it…
I won’t lie, I watch all my episodes via torrents because I can view it almost at the same time as East Coast folk and join in on the conversation. But I also leave the boob tube on while it airs to give it ratings since Hulu and NBC.com hardly count online viewers nor adapt methods to deliver content digitally as well as they could. To be fair no major media outlet has figured out how to use the Internet yet, if they aired it online at the same time as it airs on the East Coast instead of having to wait the next day on Hulu or NBC then you’d have a lot less people pirating and more people watching through NBC directly.
Eventually the big media will figure out how the Internet and new connected-everywhere generation works and profit, I hope or we are going to be screwed with good content in the future as losses are mounting on their side.
I’m in italy. They destroy the show with dubbing in italian. And we have to wait more than a year to watch at season 4. Also, no nbc streaming for us or amazon.com dl and so on. So how can i watch at the best show from here? Nbc is like our RAI. They don’t think to much.
I’m from Costa Rica, and here we have to wait for a year before The Warner Channel starts transmitting the show, i also don’t have any access to Hulu or NBC streaming, because its only for the U.S, so if i want to watch the show its only on online streaming, the should allow that other countries outside the U.S can also watch this episodes online.
But whenever I have the chance to buy the DVD or Blu-ray I definitively do it.
Just cannot wait that long to watch my favorite TV Show ever.
I’m in the UK and I’ve been a downloader since around the Christmas break for season two in the US – often waking up at/staying away until “silly” hours of the morning to make sure I watch Chuck before school/college…
However, I still try and do my part for Chuck – when they air in the UK (currently about three weeks behind – usually nine months or so with other seasons), I watch them live, and I still buy the DVDs when they are released (waiting until Christmas for season three).
Seems silly to stay up late just to download it. You know you can install AutoBoot software (I use MSI) and RSS and if you put it at like 05:00 to boot with uTorrent at startup you will wake up with a fully downloaded episode to watch.
This is quite pathetic if you think about it. The top 3 are all on national TV. That means most of these “pirates” are from foreign countries that do not get these shows.
I also feel slightly bad that the top 2 are from Josh Schwartz (Chuck and Gossip Girl).
Considering Chuck fans tend to be in the know about what to do to help the show, I’m pretty sure people who illegally download chuck are the people outside the region such as myself. If we had access to hulu or nbc.com I’m sure we’d use it.
I think these figures can only be seen as a positive as they show the extremely large fan base worldwide who are so into the show that they arent willing to wait those extra months
CHUCK is the most awesome show i’ve ever watch! the show is just so good to watch that’s why many wants to watch it online or pirate it especially those outside US, so they can be updated with the latest episodes.
I too have to download in order to keep my Chuck addiction and up-to-date. Like Andymnc said, it would probably be another year before they show season 4 here that is assuming that the network here buys the program. Actually they are showing 3.16 and 3.17 tonight and I will be watching it even though I have already got it and seen it, so that I can support NBC/WB and the ratings here.
Even though I have S3, I would still buy the DVD when it comes out here (but there isn’t a release date yet for Region 4). But I definitely be buying the DVD to support NBC/WB, I have S1 and S2 on DVD!
I think the other positive to take out of this, is that it shows NBC/WB there are lots of support for Chuck overseas (not just in North America)and perhaps push them to get the show on to iTunes (around the world) much faster.
For one, I would be quite happy to purchase each episode and not have to download it. Not only would I buy the digital format I would also buy the DVD when it comes out!
Because Chuck is just such an awesome show and I am such a ‘Die Hard’ Chuck fan!!!
I watch the show from torrent too because i cant wait for legally network in my country(Thailand). Well I still buy legal every seasons DVD.
I’m honestly not that surprised to hear this. I think this is a result of 2 things: the show’s horrible time slot, and the fact that season 4 still isn’t on iTunes. There is such a traffic jam on Mondays at 8 and Chuck is like the 5th wheel, and since it’s still not on iTunes, they don’t give some people much of a choice. This situation reminds me of another situation that absolutely annoys the hell out of me: when artists release bonus songs for albums and only make those songs available to the people who pre-order the album on iTunes. The bonus songs that get this treatment are often good songs. I’m an audiophile, and I don’t usually use iTunes because (please correct me on this if I’m wrong, as that would be very welcome news) the songs on the iTunes store are not encoded with LAME (highest quality mp3 encoder out there). They are encoded with 256 bitrate (which is good), but bitrates only do so much. But I can just buy the CD, right? Oh, wait. These songs are only available if you pre-order the album on iTunes. Crap. This situation usually leaves me no choice but to illegally download them. The whole entertainment industry (make a note of this, RIAA) needs to accept that the internet isn’t going away and it needs to learn how to use the internet effectively. Chuck does well internationally, but unfortunately those numbers don’t count. I also sometimes use an online site or 2 to take advantage of the time difference of the East Coast and watch it before 8. Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about the whole iTunes thing in this case because I have a full DVR on my computer (yes, Windows can do some pretty awesome things if you can find them, which isn’t too hard). I record the episodes and have unique ways of getting them onto my iPod.
all the non-US watchers out there, get an US proxy. that way you can watch Chuck on NBC and HULU, plus your streams should be counted in the ratings too.
i torrent too, but that’s because we don’t get Chuck over here. they showed only a few epps from S1 and then stopped. i guess with no promos, people didn’t know that it was something good/watchable.
spread the word. CHANGE PROXIES.
Thanks… will do – especially if it helps ratings!
Changing to US proxy is a great way to support the show if your not from the US (i’m swedish myself), still that would require me to stay up to 4 at night to watch the show and that just isn’t doable.
It’s annoying that only the american viewership counts, since chuck is from what i’ve gathered a very popular show worldwide.
Rob,
if you use a proxy you can watch it on Hulu or NBC.com any time day or night.
Hehe didn’t even think about that, feel kinda stupid now to be honest.
Streaming is usually very low quality though, but i can always play it in the background and i’ll do something to keep a great show going.
how do u change ur proxy?
Just a Note:
Any English Viewers out there who have Broadband with sky, Proxys wont work I don`t know how but they see right through them.
i also use torrents and do webcam through my friend in US..heheh wow. so that’s how it is to help the ratings? how is it done again please? i dont fully understand coz im not a good internet user.. bytheway im from Philippines! i guess Chuck fans are around the world!:))
I download the show because i cant wait for legally network in my country(Uruguay). Well I still buy legal seasons DVD 1 and 2.
Hey, I’m from Uruguay too!! Amazing coincidence. Anyway, I download the episodes via torrent because I don’t have any other way to watch them. I also bought the Dvd’s, just to ease my remorse
I completely understand the frustration with pirating if you live in the USA. I torrent it because I’m in Australia. Chuck is not on free to air tv here at all, and is not available on iTunes. I believe it has been on one of the pay tv channels, a year behind the USA. Please understand it is still quite rare for Australians to have pay tv, and would be difficult to justify for one show. By the time it aired I could buy the dvds from the USA. I excitedly clicked on the Amazon link, only to find out it is blocked to watch in Australia.
I do however buy merchandise and I just bought a stack of t-shirts from NBC.com, and some magnets, key chains etc. I also eat a lot of subway! I for one would be happy to see more product placement, and if only the show was on air here I would watch live every week, and ear bash everyone I know to do the same. It is my all time favourite show, and brings a smile to my face every week.
If Chuck gets renewed for a fifth season, perhaps we should think about doing some campaigning for itunes etc?
Hmmm…this is actually very good news in disguise I think. This shows that the total Chuck viewership is probably significantly higher than current estimates world-wide. I’m shocked really–I would have thought NCIS or something would have been the highest considering its higher total viewership.
I agree with Mel though, one of the things we need to focus on in the Season 5 campaign is getting people to actually buy the episodes as this could significantly boost our efforts and the overall value of the show to NBC (more viewers, more revenue, more happy NBC execs, more Chuck episodes, more happy us).
One problem is that mayb its not with Itunes maybe its NBC I mean c’mon didn”t anyone just find it a little fishy that last season we were almost through season 3 before Apple got it. Nbc owns MSNBC think about Zune gets it but not Apple yeah I sound paranoid but they NBC partnered with Microsoft. Just something to think about. Oh One more thing to think about Chucks numbers maybe the reason they are down is because people were downloading off of I tunes. I’m just saying something to think about
Warner Bros. is the entity that is negotiating with iTunes; they may have a deal with NBC to delay putting episodes up on iTunes, but more than likely it’s a WB/iTunes issue causing the delay.
What do pirates traditionally pirate? Jewels, treasure, precious items. “Chuck” is the jewel in NBC’s crown. No surprise here.
im from Sweden and im downloading Chuck every week.
People living on other places then North America has to.
In Sweden they´re airing season 3 now. But from some sites you
can already buy it imported with swe sub. So i download first then
buys it when its available. And i got me self Buy More mug
I’m french and live in Belgium and I too have to admit to illegally downloading Chuck in order to watch it. They are currently showing season 2 over here (episode 5 aired on sato) and I still watch it even though I have it on DVD just to give some support to the show. As many others have said, as soon as it comes out, I still buy the DVD’s, season 3 is going to be my xmas present!!!Had to convince my bro to get it for me as he didn’t understand… If there was any way for me to watch Chuck at the same time as you guys in the US and to do it legally (and supporting the show) I would do it!!!
And of course, I have to say that Chuck is the best show ever, I’ve never been so hooked before in my life!!!! I’m so glad it exists!!! Viva Chuck!!! Wish this show would never end…
The amount of In program product placement Chuck uses probably lessens the affects on advertisers when people pirate Chuck. More exposure can only be a good thing. I realize that somehow this escapes the studios and broadcast partners. But this is what the folks who have been downloading illegally have been preaching since the days of Napster. Exposure isn’t a bad thing, a lot of people who download still buy music and DVDs. Those that don’t are either cheapskates skirting the system (free riders) or our international friends who can’t.
Piracy in this case should be expected (target audience is nerds). And should be combated by embracing it and continuing to make it an hour long infomercial for Subway, Toyota and any other electronic gadgets want to place their products on the buymore floor…
I don’t pirate Chuck, I don’t have a need to, I have 3 different ways to watch it at my leisure in the rare event that I miss it live. But if those ways weren’t available to me I would either violate TOS and use a proxy or find a torrent. Its not that I don’t care about copy right. I would continue to buy the DVDs as they came out (if they were available in my area, if not I would import them) and I would support the show anyway I knew how. but honestly if you aren’t going to make the show available to the world audience you should expect it to be pirated.
I’ve literally missed one episode of chuck live, and I own all 3 seasons on DVD. And I wouldn’t download them if they were in iTunes, because I always buy my favorite ones from iTunes anyway. The fact is, that’s gotta be a key reason in downloading them.
Can we start a GET CHUCK SEASON 4 ON ITUNES campaign going?
You cannot count every download as a loss in viewership numbers. I watch the show religiously every week on TV. I also download each episode so I can watch it again until the DVD comes out. I then purchase the DVD for each season. I watch the show on tv (via DVR) so my viewership numbers are accounted for.
I know, that’s why I suggested maybe 10% of downloaders had the ability to watch legally and count toward ratings, whether live, DVR or legit online sources.
Since I got a DVR partway through S2, I keep all the current season episodes of Chuck on my DVR plus backup to DVD’RWs until the disc sets come out. Then I buy both the DVD and the Blu Ray sets when they ccome out, plus for others as Christmas/birthday gifts. I also reuse my DVD rws at that point.
I don’t have portable devices like Ipad/Iphone and I rarely lug my laptop around with me. When I do I just put a few dvd’s in the bag, so I have never bothered downloading in computer format.
I would stream if NBC gave access to Canadians as it would save me a lot of trouble, but since CITY TV did not pick up this season of Chuck, I have no where to stream from.
Season 4 is on the uk iTunes store! New episodes are released on there a day or two after they are showed in the US. They have 4.10 on there already!
I understand what your saying Mel. I try to mostly watch replays through tv on-demand or hulu, but sometimes it’s just nice to watch an episode nonstop with no breaks. The pirated versions are just easier to watch sometimes. I can’t watch Chuck live, but I try to leave my tv on so NBC gets my rating.
Unless you are a Neilsen household, NBC will not get your rating.
i live in australia and they stopped airing it after season 1 even though it was a really popular show, but hey did’nt advertise it enough, they are really slow to get shows up on tv, they only just found out that gossip girl had a season 4.
if NBC didnt have their stupid non-US = non-watch politics i would glady watch it online.
But since they rather block the connection from countries outside US, i’m happily downloading the episodes on torrent.
Legally, NBC cannot allow non-US access to any of the shows on their site (not just Chuck). Warner Bros. owns the international rights to Chuck, so it’s up to them to make deals with other outlets for distribution, including iTunes.
Irony: the ad on this page when I loaded it was for a site that says it will let me, “Download Free Music.”
Here in Australia I saw the first advertisement i was like wow, i was hooked by about halfway through season 1, however it only started to air on pay television(majority of people do not have pay tv) in 2009 after chuck season 2 had wrapped up the US, and I haven’t even seen Chuck on free to air. Being hooked on chuck there was no legal way of being able to watch the episodes without being 2+ years behind, and come on this is Chuck I’m talking about. Basically the only way to be able to keep up to date is to get from torrents as Chuck is not fast tracked from the US like other more popular shows.
Greetings from Germany
Chuck got cancelled in Germany by Pro7. It had a very bad time slot (Saturday 4 to 5 pm) and also the voices sucked.
we have this problem with nearly every movie/tv show. black people sound white and every time they sound like a teenager in puberty -.-
i watch every tv show in english and skip the german version.
Most of the times blogs are the same but i honestly enjoyed what i read. Bravo !