SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Fall 2005 Begins Tomorrow, SitcomsOnline.com Previews What We Think the Ratings Winners Will Be

After a long summer which saw a lot of repeats and few new shows such as Dancing with the Stars, the fall line-up officially starts tomorrow night with shows such as the sitcom Out of Practice. So as we have no idea what rookies will do well in the ratings yet, it should be fun determining which will do well. Personally, I think the ABC drama Invasion will be the highest rated new series, Everybody Hates Chris will probably break UPN records, and a few others could potentially do well. So, let's try to analyze the overall timeslot leader and the adults 18-49 slot leader for each hour.

SUNDAYS
7:00PM -
Overall: 60 Minutes (CBS)
18-49: America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
My Analysis: While NFL Overrun on FOX and/or CBS will probably dominate this slot until the end of December, look for these two winners if the NFL game doesn't go over the limit.
8:00PM -
Overall: Cold Case (CBS) and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
18-49: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
My Analysis: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will sometimes beat Cold Case in overall ratings, but look for the family reality series to score big in adults 18-49.
9:00PM -
Overall: Desperate Housewives (ABC)
18-49: Desperate Housewives (ABC)
My Analysis: Total domination from those Housewives. I think the ratings will be even bigger than last season--watch out CSI! Law & Order: CI and Family Guy will be a distant second place in total viewers and adults 18-49.
10:00PM -
Overall: Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
18-49: Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
My Analysis: Another dominating hour for ABC. Grey can hold much of DH's audience, expect 75% at least.
Easy and big win for ABC for the night. CBS and NBC will battle for second.

MONDAYS
8:00PM -
Overall: The King of Queens/How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
18-49: The King of Queens/How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
My Analysis: King of Queens is back on Monday joining newcomer How I Met Your Mother, who got a great review from us. Should be an easy win for CBS in the hour. Surface will die fast for NBC and no matter where FOX's Arrested Development will air, it won't be a hit ratings wise. 7th Heaven could even be second place in adults 18-49.
9:00PM -
Overall: Two and a Half Men (CBS)/Monday Night Football (ABC)
18-49: Monday Night Football (ABC)
My Analysis: It should be interesting how much of a drop, if any, will Two and a Half Men will have from last season's time slot occupant--Everybody Loves Raymond. I think it won't be too bad, but Out of Practice should drop a bit and below last season's average for Men for sure, so that is why I think MNF will either tie or even win the hour overall and for sure win in adults 18-49, especially tomorrow with the emotional game involving the New Orleans Saints.
10:00PM -
Overall: CSI: Miami (CBS)
18-49: CSI: Miami (CBS)
My Analysis: Miami will score well and will build on the sitcom hour, like it did last season. MNF will stay consistent or drop a bit from the 9 p.m. hour.
CBS and ABC will do very well on Mondays. NBC will do average with Las Vegas and Medium, Surface will probably score even below last year's fading Fear Factor.

TUESDAYS:
8:00PM -
Overall: Navy NCIS (CBS)
18-49: According to Jim (ABC)/Bones (FOX)
My Analysis: Easy win for Navy NCIS overall. It all depends on how Bones will do in its second airing, if it drops big, then I'd think According to Jim and Rodney could win the slot in viewers 18-49. Rodney has shown that it could hold most of Jim's audience.
9:00PM -
Overall: House, M.D. (FOX)
18-49: House, M.D. (FOX)
My Analysis: I'm still not going to totally confirm a sweep for House, until I see how it does this week against some tough competition in the season finale of Big Brother 6 and the much anticipated Dancing with the Stars: Dance-Off. The sleeper hit of the hour could be ABC's new series Commander in Chief which premieres a week from Tuesday. Watch out for that one House! NBC has seen great reviews for their ONLY new sitcom for the fall My Name is Earl, but it will be lost in the tough hour and will be dead on arrival, or somewhere close to that. Will NBC do what FOX has done with Arrested Development? I don't think so, NBC needs a hit FAST, especially in the comedy department.
10:00PM -
Overall: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
18-49: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
My Analysis: SVU will now be the highest rated L&O series this season. It should give NBC a big boost for their Tuesday average. What was CBS thinking canceling Judging Amy for new series Close to Home? Now just for that ABC's relocated Boston Legal should be second place in both measures.
CBS or FOX will probably win the night with ABC a wildcard since Chief could be a big hit. NBC will stay the same as last season or do even worse on Tuesdays.

WEDNESDAYS
8:00PM -
Overall: The Apprentice: Martha Stewart (NBC)
18-49: The Apprentice: Martha Stewart (NBC)
My Analysis: This should be a bunched up hour. Martha will not be a big hit and will not dominate but it will win the hour by a few points only in both measures. George Lopez/Freddie could have the Lost halo effect and win the hour in adults 18-49 even. ABC has scheduled a Lost special for this Wednesday, so let's see how Martha can handle it. CBS's Yes, Dear will probably build on Still Standing.
9:00PM -
Overall: Lost (ABC)
18-49: Lost (ABC)
My Analysis: Lost is the clear winner and now airing in a later time-slot, will even attract more viewers. The real question is, who will be second place? Will it be E-Ring or Criminal Minds? Both are rookies and will battle for second. UPN's Veronica Mars is also airing in this hour now.
10:00PM -
Overall: Invasion (ABC)
18-49: Invasion (ABC)
My Analysis: Last season we finally saw that the long running hit Law & Order could be dethroned. CSI: NY is no CSI or CSI: Miami and will probably tumble a bit this season due to ABC's newest series Invasion. All three series in the slot will battle, but I think Invasion, with the Lost lead-in, has the best chance of winning the hour. And the fact that the series is very entertaining. This is probably the best hour in terms of competition. Even more than 9 p.m.
Again ABC is the network to beat on Wednesdays. CBS and NBC will battle for second and it all depends on which rookies will do better in the 9 p.m. hour. Remember, I'm not even looking at mid-season when that little show called American Idol is in the picture.

THURSDAYS
8:00PM -
Overall: Survivor (CBS)
18-49: Survivor (CBS)
My Analysis: This is another bunched up hour. Survivor will win the hour but not as big as last season. Joey and Will & Grace are going to do worse than last season, if that is even possible. Look out for UPN's Everybody Hates Chris--can it beat NBC?? Alias & Smallville could steal a lot of The O.C.'s young audience, leaving a big dent to that show. This should be an interesting hour indeed.
9:00PM -
Overall: CSI (CBS)
18-49: CSI (CBS)
My Analysis: No stopping CSI. The only question is if CSI can beat ABC's Sunday sensation DH for overall lead for the fall? The Apprentice should be on par from last season and be second place. The Night Stalker and Reunion will battle for third.
10:00PM -
Overall: Without a Trace (CBS)
18-49: Without a Trace (CBS)
My Analysis: Trace wins the hour in both measures over NBC's aging ER.
CBS will win the night by big. NBC will do worse than last season. ABC will improve Thursdays and FOX will do better 9 p.m. Can UPN hold most of Chris' audience for the rest of the night?

FRIDAYS
8:00PM -
Overall: Dateline (NBC)
18-49: Supernanny (ABC)
My Analysis: Die Ghost Whisperer, die! That's for CBS since they canceled Joan of Arcadia! This boring hour goes to Dateline overall and Supernanny in adults 18-49. Twins on The WB will not be a ratings smash, but that's what I'll have on at 8:30.
9:00PM -
Overall: Big question mark.
18-49: Big question mark.
My Analysis: This is too close to call. CBS should be disappointed for Threshold's premiere numbers this past Friday. NBC's Three Wishes could actually win this hour, if that sounds crazy. Or it could even go to Hope & Faith and Hot Properties. Both should do well with women. What do I think will happen? Probably NBC overall and ABC in adults. CBS should have kept JAG or better yet move Joan of Arcadia to this slot.
10:00PM -
Overall: NUMB3RS (CBS)
18-49: 20/20 (ABC)
My Analysis: NUMB3RS and 20/20 will battle for this slot in both adults and total viewers. Inconceivable will die. NBC was better off with the fourth Law & Order.
NBC or CBS could take the night overall and ABC will or could take 18-49.

SATURDAYS
Read a book or watch DVDs.
ABC will start off with repeats of Lost, Invasion and Commander in Chief then will probably move on to movies and The Wonderful World of Disney.
NBC will air movies. FOX will air their usual Cops and America's Most Wanted. And CBS will go with crime drama repeats and 48 Hours. So it is anyone's night.
Whatever happened to actual first run programming on Saturdays? Remember The Golden Girls was so high rated on this night?

We hope you enjoyed this feature and will enjoy the fall line-up, too. Don't forget the Emmy Awards tonight at 8 p.m. on CBS.