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How Sitcoms Did This Week In The Ratings; Week 4 Numbers Thus Far

Week four saw some ups and some downs for the current sitcoms on the air. I will break it down once again:

Monday Sitcoms

• The King of Queens (CBS) - Up from last week's 10.31 to 10.5 million viewers this week. The move back to Mondays has helped this sitcom.
  
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - Last week we saw this sitcom build on its lead-in, this week it did not. Down to 9.84 million viewers this week. CBS gave it a full season order, so expect it to stick around.
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) -Up from last week's 4.8/11 A18-49 rating to a 5.0/12, but still not Raymond-like.
  
• Out of Practice (CBS) - Still lost three million viewers from its lead-in, but more viewers tuned in this week with 12.26 million from last week's 11.73. CBS ordered three extra scripts, but still not the back nine.
  
• One on One (UPN), All of Us (UPN), Girlfriends (UPN), Half and Half (UPN) - I put all four together, because all four are consistent each week. 3.5 to 4 million viewers for each.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• According to Jim (ABC) - Down to 7.84 million from last week's 8.03 million, with even that it is doing better than what My Wife & Kids did in early 2005.
  
• Rodney (ABC) - After bad season premiere numbers. Rodney built on Jim with 7.98 million viewers, up from the season premiere's 7.49 million. Don't count Rodney out just yet!
  
• My Name is Earl (NBC) - Highest rated sitcom for 18-49 again. Though down from last week's 6.0/15 in that measure to a 5.5/13 this week. 12.62 million total viewers tuned in, good for second place behind Commander in Chief.
  
• The Office (NBC) - Lowest rated sitcom on Tuesday this week. NBC has to get a better lead-out.
  

Wednesday Sitcoms

• George Lopez (ABC) - After ABC saw George score 9.13 for its one-hour season premiere, I knew that this hour would be ABC's until probably January, when that American Idol non-sense comes in for FOX. George scored 8.75 million this week.
  
• Still Standing (CBS) - Just 6.98 million tuned in last week. This week it improved, but not as much as they would want to. 7.48 tuned in.
  
• Yes, Dear (CBS) - Only 6.79 million tuned in last week, but this week it grew almost two million viewers with 8.76 million.
  
• Freddie (ABC) - Impressive debut, thanks to the Lost halo-effect. 9.38 million tuned in and built on George in that and A18-49 with a 4.2/11.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• Joey (NBC) - 5.2/9 in households this week, slightly up from last week's 5.0/8, but this is not what NBC had hoped.
  
• Will & Grace (NBC) - Built on lead-in by a lot. NBC should try this at 8 p.m. and move Joey to Tuesdays at 9:30 and then can it in January.
  
• Everybody Hates Chris (UPN) - 6.33 million viewers tuned in this week. Not too bad, only off about one million from Joey.
  
• Love, Inc. (UPN), Eve (UPN), Cuts (UPN) - UPN should rename 8:30-10pm to A.C. (After Chris). Freefall from 3.9 million at 8:30 to 2.88 by the end of the night.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• What I Like About You (The WB), Twins (The WB) - WB doesn't expect much but it is constantly getting below a 2 rating in this hour, though Twins is building on its lead-in. Like should be canned soon.
  
• Reba (The WB) - This might be the last season, thanks to WWE Smackdown.
  
• Living with Fran (The WB) - Not too good, same level as 8-9 p.m.
  
• Hope & Faith (ABC) - Last week was terrible, this week it did a bit better with a 4.3 rating.
  
• Hot Properties (ABC) - Down from last week's premiere and this week did not build on its lead-in. This is a good show everyone--watch it!
  

Summing it up, this week's winners: My Name is Earl, George Lopez, Yes Dear, Freddie, The King of Queens, Two and a Half Men were the impressive sitcoms this week. Of note, Yes Dear went from terrible last week to a winner this week. Everything else was OK (such as Rodney, Out of Practice) or just plain old terrible (such as The Office, WB Friday, UPN Thursday).


Week 4 numbers (first four nights):
Households: CBS: 9.8/15.1; FOX: 7.8/12.3; ABC: 7.2/11.2; NBC: 7.2/11.1; The WB: 2.8/4.3; UPN: 2.3/3.6
Total Viewers: CBS: 15.35 million; FOX: 11.6 million; ABC: 11.09 million; NBC: 10.69 million; The WB: 4.38 million; UPN: 3.6 million.
Adults 18-49: CBS: 5.1/13.0; ABC: 4.2/10.7; NBC: 4.1/10.4; FOX: 3.8/10.1; The WB: 1.8/4.7; UPN: 1.6/4.1.

Analysis: Thanks to MLB's League Championship Series, FOX made a slight dent to everyone's ratings. But still this is nothing like last year when the Yankees and Red Sox were involved. Even with baseball, expect FOX to finish 3rd in viewers and third or even fourth in 18-49 for the week. CBS continues to do well, but needs help on Wednesdays at 8 and the Monday 8:30-10 comedies could be better. ABC has improved Tuesdays by a lot this year but Thursdays is still a problem. Primetime Live has taken a big hit. If I were ABC, I'd play a drama in there, since NBC's ER is quickly fading. NBC still has the most problems out of the big three. Earl is a good start but they need a better companion with it at 9:30, so they can move that show to 9pm soon and Earl to Thursdays so AfterFriends errr Joey, could be put out of its misery. Look for CBS to win in total viewers again and ABC making a run (thanks to Sunday) in the key demos (A18-49, A18-34), but A25-54 will be a close race between CBS and ABC.