Something else occurred to me (to go with my cost versus benefit thought above) and this could be a complete stretch but I wonder if it isnt to ABC's benefit that the show doesnt totally skyrocket.  We know Nathan makes $100K per episode and I am sure Stana makes the same or close to it.  The women of Desperate Housewives make $400K per episode and right now are only a few million viewers above Castle (they have been declining since their heyday of 20+mil viewers and are now around 12mil) but the production costs are through the roof.  I wonder if you get to the point where production costs far outweigh ad revenue.

Castle seems (keyword) to be a relatively inexpensive show to produce so while it may not be blowing the ratings away, it is still profitable.  If they were to, say double the viewers, would their production costs triple?  Would the ad revenue triple too?

Again, it might be a stretch, but it was a thought.

m_hanh said:

DH makes $400k or so for a 30 second ad, Castle is$130k. DH may only have a few million more in total viewers, but is much higher in the all important 18-49 demo, more than 1.0 in demo point, much more important to ABC. ABC would most likely not raise Nathan or Stana's salary right away. This is a business, they're always interested in making more money….

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Joe, m_hanh:

The shows like Castle or DH are a revenue makers only in case if they reach the syndicate broadcast level, which is around 100 episode. There are exceptions of course, but that's how the MIB at the Accounting Dept. of the channels are planning. The original success of the show (on its parent channel) is important for two reasons: a) to make it able to survive the necessary 5-6 seasons and b) to raise the price what can be asked for the syndicate broadcasting. The low ratings predict a low selling price and that's what digs the grave. The additional loss what comes from the underachievement in the ratings (the channel has to give extra ad spots for free) is marginal comparing to the other. If I remember well, the TBBT was sold for 1 million dollar per episode to each buyer.

About the salaries: though it should look very unfair, I highly doubt that Stana's paycheck is anywhere near the 100k, more to the 35-40 ore even below. The contracts are for 5, or more often for 7 years and the per episode salary is fixed during this period. Not fixed in the initial amount but fixed how much raise the channel gives after each season, achieving certain rating averages, etc., but these depend on the fame and name of the individual actor. Three years ago Stana Katic was nobody in Hollywood, she was definitely not in the position to fight for more money – in fact she told in an interview last year that only now she is starting to be in a position where she can pick or not pick an offered role. It is a very rare occasion, like at the TBBT when it is such a success that the actors has the power to achieve a significant rise during the contractual period. Castle is not a show like that.

I'm very disappointed in ABC's promotion of Castle in the US.  We've gotten one promo, aired two times, and it's 16 seconds of the Knockdown kiss.  Yes, an amazing moment, but shouldn't they be airing promos of tomorrow's episode?