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Week 1 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did

Week 1 numbers (first four nights of the season, Mon-Thu):

Households: ABC: 9.6/15.1; CBS: 8.5/13.4; NBC: 6.0/9.5; Fox: 5.1/7.8; The CW: 2.0/3.1; MNT: 0.7/1.1.
Total Viewers: ABC: 14.51 million; CBS: 13.49 million; NBC: 9.53 million; Fox: 8.17 million; The CW: 3.1 million; MNT: 1.01 million.
Adults 18-49: ABC: 4.6/12.1; CBS: 4.1/10.7; NBC: 3.9/10.4; Fox: 3.2/8.2; The CW: 1.4/3.5; MNT: 0.4/1.1.

Analysis: We're back with an all-new season! The 2007-08 season has begun and most of the shows debuted this past week. The season's top new shows both came on during Wednesday at 9pm, one winning in HH/viewers and one in 18-49. Through the first four days, ABC has the lead in all categories, with CBS second, NBC in third and Fox in fourth. NBC's numbers are a tad below because they haven't counted the Heroes premiere in the ratings yet, so I'm calling NBC in 2nd really in 18-49 or at least tied for second with CBS. It's still third in HH/viewers. NBC will count the Saturday encore of Heroes with the Monday premiere, in a new Nielsen option. I think that is cheating. Basically NBC is wiping out the Saturday encore and Nielsen is letting them just add on to the Monday numbers, making that higher than it really was. I wonder if any other networks will try that this season?
Monday was the first night of the 2007-08 season and it was all ABC thanks to the big return of Dancing with the Stars. The 90-minute season premiere, featuring the women dancers only, did an impressive 21.25 million and a 5.8/15 in 18-49. The season premiere of The Bachelor followed with its usual numbers, 9.23 million. Next up was CBS with its comedies and CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 9.52 million and built on How I Met Your Mother's 8.12 million for a decent debut, but it'll need to do this all the time to survive. Two and a Half Men and Rules of Engagement followed with decent numbers (13.58 and 12.23 million). While Men was down, Rules did hold much of that. The season premiere of CSI: Miami did 15.08 million, while that is down from usual numbers, it was still #1 at 10pm. NBC followed with two new dramas surrounding Heroes. Heroes' final numbers are not available because of what I mentioned earlier, but it was on par with last season's average (13-14 million and a 5.7 18-49). Chuck opened the night with a modest 9.21 million, building a bit in its second half - a good sign. Journeyman did 9.16 million, while similar to Chuck, it had some bleeding in the second half, so it might have a long journey in its future. Fox was a distant fourth with Prison Break continuing to fall (7.41 million) and the second episode of K-Ville was down big from its premiere, to just 6.13 million. The CW aired repeats of their Monday sitcoms.
Tuesday, again it was ABC and Dancing with the Stars foxtrotting for a win. It was the men's turn and they did 18.51 million for 90-minutes. Boston Legal's season premiere followed with 10.3 million, on par with the usual numbers it gets in viewers. Fox jumped to second on this night thanks to the return of House. 18.31 million tuned in for the season premiere, while that was down from last year's premiere (which was at 8pm compared to this year's 9pm), it did do a 7.8/19 18-49 rating. Bones opened the night off with a third place 8.4 million finish. CBS was a close third with its trio of dramas. The always reliable NCIS opened the night off with 13.89 million, followed by The Unit which disappointed to 10.7 million , and the series premiere of Cane did decent with 11.21 million, but saw some bleeding in the second half. NBC was fourth with The Biggest Loser 2-hour show doing 6.62 million, followed by the Law & Order: SVU premiere at 12.12 million, but that was off by a lot from last year. The CW got so-so numbers with Beauty & the Geek and series premiere of Reaper...2.98 and 3.28 million.
Wednesday again it was ABC with the special night and time of Dancing with the Stars, this time the Results. Bye bye to Josie, as 16.81 million tuned in for the hour results show at 8pm. The series premiere of Private Practice got off to a good start with a first place 14.41 million and a second place 5.2 18-49 rating, a bit disappointing, but it wasn't expected to be like Grey's Anatomy. The series premiere of Dirty Sexy Money did 10.44 million, for second place. CBS and NBC battled for second, but CBS edged the peacock for 2nd in HH/viewers. Week two of Kid Nation plummeted to just 7.62 million for third place, but veteran dramas Criminal Minds and CSI: NY did well and were consistent doing 12.66 and 12.72 million. NBC opened the night with Deal or No Deal doing a below average 9.05 million, followed by the series premiere of Bionic Woman at a second place 13.91 million and an impressive first place finish in 18-49 with a 5.7 rating. The battle between the two new dramas at 9pm will be something to watch this week...who will hold up and will CBS's veteran drama be a factor? At 10pm NBC aired Life's premiere and it did pretty good with 9.95 million, but it faltered quite a bit at 10:30. I see major bleeding this week. Fox was fourth with the disappointing numbers for Back to You and 'Til Death, both dropping over 20% from last week's premieres to 7.47 and 6.2 million. Kitchen Nightmares also dropped quite a bit in week 2 and only managed 5.42 million. The CW had its usual showing of Top Model at a decent 4.9 million, but the second week of Gossip Girl was terrible at just 2.48 million.
Thursday it was CBS on top, but the previous three nights' winner, ABC, was not far behind. CBS opened with Survivor: China at 14.14 million, while #1 still, but down from last season. The season premiere of CSI did 25.22 million for first place, thanks to the Sara cliffhanger. Without a Trace came back to its old slot and did 16.68 million, down from what it did before in this slot...by a lot too. Nevertheless, it won its slot. ABC opened the night with Ugly Betty doing a solid 11.16 million, for second place. Grey's Anatomy followed with 20.93 million, down about 4 million from last season's massive premiere, though it did win in 18-49 with a big 8.8/21 18-49 rating, for #1 for the week. The series premiere of Big Shots followed with a second place finish of 11.1 million...it needs to stay around this and not drop like Six Degrees did each week last year, or we could see the same goodbye. NBC was a distant third with the one-hour episodes of My Name is Earl and The Office doing 8.66 and 9.65 million, but The Office was EXCELLENT in 18-49 with a 5.1/12 rating, the best sitcom showing in that age group. ER closed the night with a tepid 9.92 million, down even a lot from last year. Fox had a forgetful Thursday with 5th Grader doing just 7.48 million, down a ton from last spring. Don't Forget the Lyrics forgot the ratings, with 5.32 million, down a lot from the previous week...the competition got to them. Smallville got a nice season premiere on The CW with 5.18 million, followed by an encore of Reaper at 2.58 million.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday, but it was down big from what it was doing last year. NBC was a close second, but it also was down big, especially Deal or No Deal. ABC was a distant third and Fox again fourth.
Saturday numbers are not available yet. But it should be all low.
Tonight are the season premieres for ABC Sunday and they should win the night, but CBS and NBC will be close, too. Fox will do well in young adults.
As for the week, ABC should hang on in HH, viewers and 18-49. Friday and Saturday numbers were all low for all, but the big three will rebound tonight. NBC will pass CBS for second in 18-49 thanks to the NFL game tonight. This week last year, CBS was first in HH, viewers, with ABC first in 18-49. Will it be a clean sweep for ABC? We'll find out.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of September 17-23)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - 9.5 million for the season premiere, but its strength was the 4.7 18-49 rating.
  
• King of the Hill (Fox) - 7.82 million for the season premiere, a kind of a big drop from the lead-in.
• Family Guy (Fox) - 1-hour star Wars episode impressed with 10.81 million, but an even more impressive 5.6 18-49 rating!
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - The season premiere did an OK 8.12 million, but the competition was stiff.
  
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 9.52 million is nothing major, but it built on everything from the lead-in, making it a great debut. 3.7 18-49 is decent.
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.58 million...but not as good as it usually did last season, but against Dancing and Heroes, that is not bad at all, still #1 in viewers for sitcoms.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 12.23 million for its season premiere, nice retention from the lead-in.
  
• CW Monday Comedies: Chris, Girfriends, The Game. All repeats with Chris the highest at 1.83 million. Season premieres tomorrow.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Back to You (fox) - 2nd episode did 7.47 million, drop of over 2 million from its premiere. Will it continue to drop or has it stabilized?
  
• 'Til Death (ABC) - 6.2 million, the lowest of the first-run sitcoms this week.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - The one-hour Free Earl season premiere did a decent 8.66 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, for third in its slot.
  
• The Office (NBC) - Building on the lead-in, the one-hour premiere did 9.65 million and an even more impressive 5.1 18-49 rating, building on the lead in by 1.3 points.
  

Friday Sitcoms
None.

Saturday Sitcoms
None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are new episodes of Fox's animated comedies.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Office, Big Bang Theory, My Name is Earl, and The Rules of Engagement were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Back to You) or just plain old terrible ('Til Death).