Sunday, May 14, 2006

Week 34 First Four Day Ratings; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 34 numbers (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

Households: CBS: 9.8/15.4; FOX 9.1/14.1; NBC: 7.1/11.1; ABC: 5.2/8.2; The WB: 2.4/3.8; UPN 1.9/3.0.
Total Viewers: CBS: 15.26 million; FOX: 15.17 million; NBC: 10.84 million; ABC: 7.98 million; The WB: 3.61 million; UPN: 2.77 million.
Adults 18-49: FOX 6.3/16.3; CBS: 4.7/12.2; NBC: 4.0/10.3; ABC: 3.1/8.1; The WB: 1.5/3.8; UPN: 1.3/3.3.

Analysis: It was more of the same for this week in May sweeps, but the real fun begins tonight with season finales, starting with the two-night Grey's Anatomy season finale! ABC and Fox will have the biggest season finals, ratings wise, but CBS could also have some. Meanwhile, NBC has probably had its strongest numbers for sweeps already, but Will & Grace's series finale might pull some numbers. But I am not expecting huge numbers like 25 million or something, but they will be lucky to get 15 million I think. Fox again had a strong first three days for the week. 24 was first in its 9 p.m. timeslot with 13.86 million viewers (Two and a Half Men won the 9 p.m. half hour for CBS with 14.87 million) and a strong 5.7 rating in A18-49. ABC's David Blaine special did well building on each half hour and peaking at 9:30 p.m. with a stunning 6.0 A18-49 rating. Prison Break on Fox at 8 p.m. starting the night with a second place finish in A18-49 and total viewers. CBS's comedies during the 8 p.m. hour needs a bit tweaking next fall, after a good run earlier this season, the shows were 5th place in A18-49, thanks to 7th Heaven's so-called series finale doing very well with a 3.0 A18-49 rating (and 7.56 million viewers). Monday's highest rated show, CSI: Miami, was just that with 19.96 million. ABC's What Abut Brian season finale was up again with 6.4 million viewers, and the series has been renewed. J.J. Abrams always strikes gold with his series. Tuesday was all Fox with American Idol & House, with 28.85 and 24.29 million viewers. House was up from last week's ratings by nearly 2 million viewers. CBS's dramas did well against them with NCIS and The Unit both scoring well but everything else was anemic, like usual. ABC's Bird Flu movie did about as good as the struggling comedies usually do--which is not good. A special The Unit episode at 10 p.m. was neck-and-beck with powerhouse Law & Order: SVU at 10 p.m.--12.33 to 12.88 million. Maybe SVU will be dethroned there next season? Wednesday it was again Fox, as Idol was too much for everyone with 27.88 million in the 9 p.m. half hour, though down nearly 2 million from last week. Lost on ABC did a decent 16.35 million opposite the AI juggernaut and an impressive 6.9 A18-49 rating, peaking at 9:30 p.m. with well over a 7 rating. CBS's Criminal Minds season finale was also in the game in the hour with 12.67 million. Deal or No Deal scored 15.54 million viewers for NBC to start the night, up more than 3 million from last week, which was affected by a special House airing. So that answers my question--House is more of a must see than that game show. Thursday it was all CBS in a big way. CBS's Survivor easily won in total viewers and adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. CBS won the 9 and 10 p.m. hours with new episodes of CSI and Without a Trace scoring 27.04 and 19.19 million, both slightly up from the previous week. NBC's comedies were all super-sized to 40 minutes and did decent, especially Will & Grace. Grace scored 9.36 million viewers. Friday saw NBC winning with Deal or No Deal winning the 8 p.m. hour and CBS bombing with a special in place of Ghost Whisperer. What were they thinking? Loser of the night was again NBC's Conviction, which was canceled this weekend. Saturday saw decent numbers for Fox's NASCAR coverage. NBC and CBS did decent with crime drama repeats. I think the networks will try to be more aggresive next season on Saturdays, with ABC leading the charge. FOX will win the week in adults 18-49, but CBS will win in total viewers. ABC will win tonight in a big way with the part one of the two-night season finale of the most talked about show, Grey's Anatomy. ABC's line-up of EM: Home Edition, DH, & GA are all-new and unstoppable!


Monday Sitcoms

  • The King of Queens (CBS) - 7.99 million for a new episode, up 500,000 from last week. Rumor has it the show will return at earliest mid-season 2007, if at all.
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.07 million...not bad.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 14.87 million for an all-new episode.
  • New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) - 11.87 million tuned in, down 500,000 from last week.
  • One on One (UPN), All of Us (UPN), Girlfriends (UPN) - Girlfriends had an hour long episode doing very well for them at 3.47 million


Tuesday Sitcoms

  • Scrubs (NBC) 2 episodes - New episodes did OK with 6.2 million at 9 p.m., repeat did 5.59 million right after it.
Wednesday Sitcoms
  • Girlfriends (UPN) - Special encore of Monday's finale did 2.28 million, down from last week's Chris repeats.

Thursday Sitcoms

  • Will & Grace (NBC) - Super-sized 40 minute episode comes through with 9.36 million
  • That's 70s Show (FOX) - 6.18 million for an episode at 8 p.m. followed by a clip-show/interview retrospective at 8:37 p.m. to 10 p.m. that did 7.8 million. Series finale next week. Fox is hoping for 10 million maybe.
  • My Name is Earl (NBC) - 9.35 million, up from last week, but down a bit from lead-in.
  • The Office (NBC) - 7.66 million for another super-sized comedy from NBC.
  • Everybody Hates Chris (UPN) - 3.31 million for a new episode.
  • Love, Inc. (UPN), Eve (UPN), Cuts (UPN) - Free-fall...series finales of all aired.

Friday Sitcoms

None.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, Will & Grace, My Name is Earl and The New Adventures of Old Christine were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Office, King of Queens, How I Met Your Mother) or just plain old terrible (such as UPN Thursday).


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 8

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Ladies Love Brunch" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie tries to juggle his mom, his mother-in-law and Mandy on Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, Audrey wants to meet Connor’s girlfriend.

Ghosts - "The Devil Went Down to Woodstone" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay host a big party for the launch of Sam and Isaac’s vampire book. Mary Holland (Patience), Punam Patel (Bela) and Matt Walsh (Elias Woodstone) return as guest stars.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)

Thursday, May 8

  • Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Netflix's Survival of the Thickest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) and Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Maria and Doug are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • John Benjamin Hickey (HouseBroken/The Big C/It's All Relative) - John stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
  • Patricia Clarkson (Davis Rules) - Patricia is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
  • Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - E! News has an interview with Kerry at 11pm on E!. Kerry and Omar Sy discuss their highly anticipated new film Shadow Force on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel chats about Juliet & Romeo on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/CafĂ© Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - In A Little Bit Extra Valerie and Ross Mathews are sharing more of their conversation with Al Roker in Charleston at the Food & Wine Classic on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) and Randall Park (Young Rock/Blockbuster/Fresh Off the Boat/Veep/Supah Ninjas) - Morris and Randall talk about Watson on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North
04/29 - Lifetime Adds New Ripped from the Headlines Movie; BET+ Orders Season 2 of Series
04/28 - Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season
04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)
04/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels Poppa's House; Final Season 50 Hosts for Saturday Night Live Set
04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2
04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
04/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Reboot in the Works at Peacock; King of the Hill Cast Reunion and Revival Preview at ATX TV Festival Next Month
04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
04/09 - Paramount+ Orders Season 3 of Colin from Accounts; FX's Adults Premieres May 28
04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May