SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Week 22 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did

We don't have final ratings averages for Thursday yet, so we can't do our first four nights numbers, sorry. Just at a glance through Thursday, it seems of course Fox is #1, then NBC, CBS and ABC. We will confirm next week and on the boards. We have everything else today though.

Week 22 numbers (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

Households: N/A
Total Viewers: N/A
Adults 18-49: N/A

Analysis: Week 22 so far has seen Idol score big for Fox, with two-hour events on Tuesday & Wednesday and the special Thursday results show. Like I mentioned on the top, we don't have final averages through Thursday, but expect it to be Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC, in that order through Thursday. Last week, week 21, Fox was number one all categories. NBC was second in all categories. ABC was third in 18-49, while CBS was third in HH and viewers.
On Monday, NBC was on top. NBC has moved back Deal or No Deal to its old 8pm timeslot and did very well with 16.95 million, up from 13.15 million the previous week at 9pm. Then NBC aired the new reality series, My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad at a disappointing 9.81 million, and even more erosion at 9:30. Medium closed the night off with a below average 8.45 million. CBS was next with a mix of repeats and new episodes. Sitcom repeat of Two and a Half Men lead the night with 12.45 million (up from previous week), besting the new episodes of The Captain and Old Christine, a CSI: Miami repeat closed the night with 9.51 million, up from previous week (and #1 in its timeslot). ABC was next with the two-hour Dance War finale doing a solid 9.16 million, which was the same number from previous week, followed by the disappointing numbers for October Road at just 4.26 million, but up a bit from previous week. Fox aired its Prison Break (season finale) & Sarah Connor Chronicles block and did OK with 7.37 and 8.1 million...the latter dropped once more. The CW had a repeat of Gossip Girl doing 1.2 million, down from previous week a bit, and the season premiere of Pussycat Dolls at 1.77 million.
On Tuesday, Fox was on top thanks to a two-hour Idol at 29.01 million, slightly down from previous week's two-hour episode. NBC aired a two-hour Biggest Loser at 8.07 million, up from previous week and a Law & Order: SVU repeat followed with 9.28 million, also up from previous week. CBS was third with a repeat of NCIS at 10.85 million, down from previous week, followed by the Tuesday edition of the disappointing Big Brother 9 at just 5.39 million (down from previous week) and the show that should have never came back, Jericho at 5.86 million, down a lot from the season premiere previous week. ABC had two episodes (new/repeat) of Just for Laughs start the night off with 4.46 million (down from previous week), followed by a repeat with 4.63 million (down again from previous week)...a new According to Jim followed with 4.85 million (down a bit from previous week) and a new Carpoolers only managed 3.97 million, but that was up a bit from previous week. ABC closed the night off with Boston Legal at 7.43 million, up a bit from previous week. The CW aired a repeat of Reaper at just 1.77 million and all-new One Tree Hill did 2.85 million, both down from previous week.
On Wednesday, it was all Fox again. American Idol did 28.88 million for a two-hour episode. NBC started the night off with another Deal or No Deal at 9.03 million (down about 2 million from previous week), the NBC airing of USA Network's Law & Order: Criminal Intent did 7.71 million (down also from previous week), followed by the original Law & Order at 10.86 million, up a bit from previous week. ABC's Wife Swap did 5.42 (up a bit from previous week), followed by Supernanny at 5.88 million (down about 3 million from previous week, but it didn't face Idol previous week) and Cashmere Mafia closed the night off with 4.78 million for its final episode. CBS continues to struggle with Big Brother 9 at just 5.22 million, down from previous week, repeats of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY followed with 7.15 and 7.3 million, both down from previous week. The CW had premiered another season of Top Model at a decent 3.81 million (but Idol affected it for sure) a repeat of Pussycat Dolls' season premiere did 1.84 million, which was better than its Monday premiere!
On Thursday, Fox was on the map as American Idol aired its first results show on a special night and did 23.37 million followed by a series high for Don't Forget the Lyrics! at 12.43 million. Lost continues to do well for ABC, Lost enhanced repeat started the night off at 8pm (we don't have numbers for repeats on this night yet), followed by an all-new episode at 13.65 million and a 5.7 18-49 rating (both slightly down from previous week), and Eli Stone closed the night with 7.19 million, down from previous week. CBS started the night off with Survivor: Micronesia at 12.66 million, down from previous week thanks to Idol, followed by repeats of CSI and Without a Trace which we don't have final ratings for yet. NBC started the night with two repeats of My Name is Earl not doing much, Celebrity Apprentice followed with 8.07 million (down from previous week), followed by the bad Lipstick Jungle at just 5.72 million, down from previous week.
Like usual, no Friday finals yet. NBC's 1 vs. 100 season finale was bested at 8pm by a Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular special. CBS' Ghost Whisperer was moved to 9pm and a repeat was only 4th place, while a House repeat won the hour for Fox. NBC's premiere of new game show Amn$sia limped out of the gate and lost steam in its second half. The 10pm hour belonged to ABC's 20/20 which did the best in the demos for the night and second in viewers behind Price. On Saturday, Fox won with its usual line-up, while NBC got basically nothing for the encore of My Dad is Better Than Your Dad at 8pm.
Tonight will be ABC with the win, as the Oscars will rule and likely get over 40 million. I don't think it will be enough to win the week thanks to Fox having 5 hours of Idol this week. CBS's Big Brother is going to fall even further tonight...60 Minutes at 7 will do good, but repeats of Cold Case and Showtime's Dexter will likely do bad out of Brother. NBC has a Law & Order: Criminal Intent marathon, which could beat CBS from 8-11pm and Fox has repeats of its animated comedies following NASCAR coverage, so they should get a bump.
As for the week, Fox will win in HH, viewers and 18-49. ABC will be second, followed by NBC and CBS in 4th...wow!
This coming week...February sweeps closes on Wednesday, look for ABC to do well tomorrow for A Raisin in the Sun.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of February 11-17)

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) 2 episodes - Two repeats did 700,000 and 1.07 million...both down from previous week
  
• Aliens in America (The CW) - Repeat went below 1 million, 920,000.
  
• Girlfriends (The CW) - A repeat did 860,000 viewers...not good, but up a tick from previous week.
  
• The Game (The CW) - A repeat did 790,000 viewers...not good and down from previous week.
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A new episode did 7.77 million, seems below normal
  
• King of the Hill (Fox) 2 episodes - A repeat at 7:30 did just 5.06 million, and a new episode at 8:30 did 6.45 million, up a bit from previous week.
  
• Family Guy (Fox) - A new episode did 7.29 million, has to be below normal since a repeat at 9:30 previous week did the same.
• American Dad (Fox) - Ouch just 5.35 million for a new episode. New sitcom Unhitched takes over March 2 for a few weeks.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 6.02 million for a repeat...down a million from previous week.
• Welcome to The Captain (CBS) - 5.34 million for a new episode, down a lot from previous week, not good at all...
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 12.45 million tuned in for a repeat...up from previous week's repeat.
• Old Christine (CBS) - A new episode did 9.4 million, down from previous week.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• According to Jim (ABC) - A new episode did 4.85 million, down slightly from previous week. Whenever it faces Idol head-to-head it suffers it seems. With no Idol it does 6-7 million.
  
• Carpoolers (ABC) - Just 3.97 million, but up a bit from previous week.
  

Wednesday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) 2 episodes - Two repeats aired...no finals yet, but they were fourth in their timeslots.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) is sitcom repeats on The CW from 7:30-10, and Fox's animated comedies are also repeats from 8-10.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men repeat and a new Old Christine were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as How I Met Your Mother repeat) or just plain old terrible (Welcome to The Captain, Carpoolers).