Abstract
TV series represent a growing sector of the entertainment industry. Being able to predict their performance allows a broadcasting network to better focus the high investment needed for their preparation. In this paper, we consider a well known TV series—The Big Bang Theory—to identify factors leading to its success. The factors considered are mostly related to the script, such as the characteristics of dialogues (e.g., length, language complexity, sentiment), while the performance is measured by the reviews submitted by viewers (namely the number of reviews as a measure of popularity and the viewers’ ratings as a measure of appreciation). Through correlation and regression analysis, two sets of predictors are identified respectively for appreciation and popularity. In particular the episode number, the percentage of male viewers, the language complexity and text length emerge as the best predictors for popularity, while again the percentage of male viewers and the language complexity plus the number of we-words and the concentration of dialogues are the best choice for appreciation.
Highlights
TV series represent a steadily growing business: the number of original scripted TV series in the U.S.A. rose from 210 in 2009 to 487 in 2017 (the data have been taken from the Statista website https://www.statista.com/statistics/444870/scripted-primetime-tv-series-number-usa/, resulting in a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 11.1%
We focus on a specific TV series: The Big Bang Theory
As a first step towards the identification of predictors for the performance of a TV series, we have considered the case of the Big Bang Theory, a TV series that has received a number of awards
Summary
TV series represent a steadily growing business: the number of original scripted TV series in the U.S.A. rose from 210 in 2009 to 487 in 2017 (the data have been taken from the Statista website https://www.statista.com/statistics/444870/scripted-primetime-tv-series-number-usa/, resulting in a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 11.1%.The associated growing economic importance of TV series and the size of investments needed to fuel them are a prime reason to try to predict their success [1]. While ratings express the audience appreciation for a TV series episode, the number of voters, on the other hand, can be considered as a proxy of its popularity. As potential predictors of performance, we employ a number of variables, borrowed from the textual analysis of the episode’s content and the analysis of the social network existing among the characters in the episode.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
