They were given dials and instructed to twist them in a positive direction when they were enjoying the show, and the other way when they weren't. We got to watch their graphs live on a giant screen behind the mirror.

If people had to do this with their sex lives, the human race would end.

Most writers dismiss focus groups as philistines who love sappy, unrealistically righteous characters and cheap jokes. They also think executives are nervous idiots who pick the safely mediocre. And most people outside the industry think that's indeed why television is so bad.