Are you being obtuse? Game of Thrones did not start off with great ratings. Or great reviews for that matter. But of course it has the potential to be something like Lost on regular TV. I never said it was impossible. All I said was that shows that are smart and intense and character driven are going to have a harder time than shows that are easy to watch. The shows you can pop into for gentle mental stimulation before going to bed. Shows like Elementary that are perfunctory in it's entertainment will appeal to people much more easily than shows with lots of depth or violence or too little violence or a host of other reasons.

Look at Friday Night Lights. Arguable one of the best television shows on network TV in recent years. To NBC's credit they really did try and push the hell out of the show. Aggressive promotion, huge favorite amongst critics AND TV execs which is kinda rare.

And every freakin' year, threat of cancelation. The numbers were terrible.

It also had a hugely loyal fanbase, even if it was a small one. But America just didn't want to tune in. It is an amaaaazing show.