Sunday, January 03, 2010
Week 15: How the Sitcoms Did In The TV Ratings
We are preempting our normal TV ratings and analysis again this week, due to the holidays...but we will cover how the sitcoms did. Our full reports return next week.
Week 15 How the Sitcoms Did
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 14 -- Dec. 21-27)
- Brothers (Fox) 2 episodes - Probably the two final episodes ever aired. Only 1.6 million tuned in for the 7pm episode, but not all of the country saw it due to NFL action. By 7:11pm the entire country got the episode and it only went up to 1.8 million. A second episode at 7:30pm only did 1.9 million.
- The Simpsons (Fox) - 4.1 million for a repeat, but no direct NFL lead-in, so down like four million from previous week's repeat.
- The Cleveland Show (Fox) - 4.2 million for a repeat, big drop from previous week, but built on the lead-in in viewers and 18-49 (1.8 to 2.0).
- Family Guy (Fox) - 5.1 million for a repeat, down from previous week's NFL boosted line-up.
- American Dad (Fox) - Only 4.1 million for a repeat, obviously down from previous week as the other animated comedies.
Monday Sitcoms
- How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat did 5.96 million, up some from previous week's repeat.
- Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) - 5.71 million for a repeat, up some from previous week's repeat and again decent retention at least from the lead-in. 1.6 18-49 rating was up some also from previous week, but it didn't hold 100% of its lead-in's 1.8 like previous week.
- Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 11.09 million for a repeat. Excellent and up some from previous week's rerun.
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A repeat did a nice 9.94 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, but both down a bit from previous week...while all the other CBS comedies went up a bit. Still good though for a repeat.
- Community (NBC) 4 episodes - A special four episode marathon of repeats didn't do much. I don't have final numbers yet for each episode, but NBC averaged 2.62 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating for the night in the finals, which includes Leno at 10 (that did 3.18 million and a 0.9 18-49).
Tuesday Sitcoms
- Scrubs (ABC) - A repeat only did a prelim 2.89 million. Don't have finals for this yet, sorry.
- Better off Ted (ABC) - Only 2.67 million tuned in for an all-new episode, a bit lower than previous week, however Scrubs was a repeat.
- Parks & Recreation (NBC) 4 episodes - A special four episode marathon did bad. I don't have final numbers yet for each episode, but NBC averaged 2.89 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating for the night in the finals, which includes Leno at 10 (that did 2.98 million and a 0.9 18-49).
- Old Christine (CBS) - 5.75 million tuned in for a repeat on one of the slowest weeks of the year.
- Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 5.33 million for a repeat and held 100% of the lead-in's 1.5 18-49 rating.
- The Middle (ABC) - For ABC, I only have prelim numbers for their comedies due to the holiday. A repeat did a prelim 4.33 million, down from previous week.
- Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did a prelim 4.46 million, down a million or so from previous week's repeat.
- Cougar Town (ABC) - A repeat did a prelim 3.82 million, up from previous week's repeats in the 10pm hour. Don't forget ABC Comedy Wednesday returns with all-new episodes on Wednesday with Lisa Kudrow on Cougar Town!
- The Office (NBC) 4 episodes - It was sitcoms galore on this night on the networks. 4 repeats aired on a special night. I don't have final numbers yet for each episode, but NBC averaged 3.75 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating for the night in the finals, which includes Leno at 10.
Thursday Sitcoms
- Community (NBC) - preempted.
- Parks & Recreation (NBC) - preempted.
- The Office (NBC) - preempted.
- 30 Rock (NBC) 4 episodes - Only prelim numbers are available for this night due to the holiday, but four repeats on New Year's Eve did only prelim 3.36 million, 2.93 million, 2.55 million, and 2.45 million...going down each half-hour.
Friday Sitcoms
- Better off Ted (ABC) 2 episodes - The show was all-new after the Rose Bowl in the east/central, but it followed local programming in mountain/pacific. The episode did a prelim 5.62 million and a 1.7 18-49, but this is not final. ABC was off by 10 minutes in the east/central due to the Rose Bowl, so Ted started at 8:40pm. A repeat at 9:40pm only did a prelim 2.74 million.
- Scrubs (ABC) - An all-new episode at 9:10pm did only a prelim 3.53 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating...but some of that is a Ted repeat, since the episode ended at 9:40pm in the east/central. Wait until the finals for a better report on these. Stay tuned for finals for this past week on our message board as usual.
Saturday Sitcoms
- None.
Airing tonight (Sunday) on Fox are new episodes of animated comedies from 8-10pm tonight following NFL action.
Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory repeats were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as How I Met Your Mother, Old Christine) or just plain old terrible (such as Better off Ted, Community, Parks & Recreation, Brothers).
SITCOMS AIRING TONIGHT (May 22)
The Middle - "The Graduation" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Season Finale)
As graduation day approaches, tension begins to build between Frankie and Axl when he ignores her requests for answers about the graduation party she's planning for his special day. Meanwhile, Sue hopes that the sixth time's the charm as she once again attempts to pass her driver's test; and during his final days of elementary school, a forgetful Brick is reminded by Vice Principal Dunlap (Marion Ross) that he's the class historian and is responsible for putting together a slideshow highlighting the last four years of school for the school assembly.
Modern Family - "Mistery Date" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Claire takes Manny and Luke along to Alex's academic decathlon for the weekend, Phil attempts to throw together a boys' night at the house, inviting a fellow Bulldog alum (guest star Matthew Broderick) he just met -- but their wires are definitely crossed. Meanwhile, the pressure is on for Alex at the decathlon, Manny and Luke bar mitzvah hop at the hotel trying to find a cute girl, and Cam and Mitch arrange for quite the surprise baby gift for Jay and Gloria.
Modern Family - "Goodnight, Gracie" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Season Finale)
Everyone flies down to Florida to be with Phil after his mom's passing. Claire helps Phil with Gracie's last wish for Frank, and the kids reflect on the gifts grandma left for them. Gloria has to contend with an outstanding arrest warrant in Florida, Cam finds himself fitting right into an elderly women's group at Frank's retirement community, and Jay runs into a pivotal person from his past. Read our review.
How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) - "How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Max stressing out over the opening of his second comedy club, and a lawsuit that comes with it, Max and Polly are butting heads - with Max eating anything in sight to calm his nerves. Meanwhile, Polly helps Julian figure out his feelings for his new girlfriend.


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