[JMT1985]

I’m well aware of the TV era but for a returning brand like Mrs Brown’s Boys over 2 million would have been expected. Not Going Out managed it a few months back. A new sitcom will get away with 1 to 2 million plus iPlayer and catch up as there’s room to build it and grow, but that’s not going to happen with MBB. Its audience is also extremely old and so less likely to go and stream it and more likely to watch the old fashioned way.

Suspect it’ll limp its way to about 3 million in total, which again for a new sitcom wouldn’t be bad but is not great for a returning ‘hit’. 

The whole thing is a bit odd really. Why make a new series now, all these years later? Perhaps the tour revenue has started to dry up.

The reason Mrs Brown's Boys is being made is down to the contract signed by the BBC and Brendan - the contract states that new episodes have to be made each year, and so they are simply fulfilling their contract commitments.

[Jon]

It’s not like they’ve been off air other than Christmas and New Year since series 3 though. They’ve had the chat show which they obviously got bored of and one run of that strange panel show where the cast appeared as themselves.

[chinamug]

I’m well aware of the TV era but for a returning brand like Mrs Brown’s Boys over 2 million would have been expected. Not Going Out managed it a few months back. A new sitcom will get away with 1 to 2 million plus iPlayer and catch up as there’s room to build it and grow, but that’s not going to happen with MBB. Its audience is also extremely old and so less likely to go and stream it and more likely to watch the old fashioned way.
Suspect it’ll limp its way to about 3 million in total, which again for a new sitcom wouldn’t be bad but is not great for a returning ‘hit’. 
The whole thing is a bit odd really. Why make a new series now, all these years later? Perhaps the tour revenue has started to dry up.

Brendan O'Carroll had some very tough times down over the years. Like many who are in the media (or self employed) you make money when you can and take everything you can get. Plus he's 67 now and probably thinking of some form of retirement. So doing a little more over the next few years to secure the following decades.

[all new phil]

Have to say I thought last night’s episode was better than I expected. I fall into the used-to-quite-like-it-but-got-bored camp. It felt a bit better written and produced than it was last time it was on.

[Andrew]

The reason Mrs Brown's Boys is being made is down to the contract signed by the BBC and Brendan - the contract states that new episodes have to be made each year, and so they are simply fulfilling their contract commitments.

Doesn’t explain why they’ve suddenly decided to do a non Christmas series

[JMT1985]

Doesn’t explain why they’ve suddenly decided to do a non Christmas series

BBC saw the Christmas specials were getting tired and strained, with ratings really bad for Christmas 2021 and 2022 - so since they are paying Brendan, they may as well make him work for his money, and pad out four weeks for them. 

It is a cheap show to make - no location work - produced in BBC Scotland television studios, which is a lot cheaper than having it produced in say Pinewood Studios or Elstree Studios

[Jon]

Doesn’t explain why they’ve suddenly decided to do a non Christmas series

They did 4 series of All Round to Mrs Brown’s before it was axed. So it’s not like they didn’t feel the need to make anything other than specials. You’d assume this mini series is taking up about the same sort of time in their year. I guess they may have had some ideas for new stories which weren’t seasonal they could do.

[AaronTV]

For context on the ratings, BBC One dropped to a meagre 980,000 viewers on Tuesday night at 9pm for a brand new drama, so it’s a tough time at the moment for live TV.

If it reaches 3 million with catchup added, I think that more than justifies its existence, even if I personally happen to agree that it’s a long way past its best.

It’s new content, it’s fairly cheap to make in comparison to drama and other comedy, and it probably serves a different audience to the kind of viewer BBC One normally reaches, so I don’t think the pile on is really valid beyond people just not liking it themselves.

[Kim Wexler’s Ponytail]

but that’s not going to happen with MBB. Its audience is also extremely old and so less likely to go and stream it and more likely to watch the old fashioned way.

Did a quick google image search to see who makes up the live audiances of the tv shows and tours and I think they'd be pretty offended to be snottily dismissed as ''extremely old''!

[James2001]

I'm not sure why you even need to google seeing as they're usually shown several times within an episode.