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Week 30 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did

Week 30 numbers (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

Households: Fox 7.3/11.5, CBS 6.5/10.5, ABC 6.0/9.6, NBC 5.7/9.2, The CW 1.6/2.5, MyNetworkTV 0.7/1.0
Total Viewers: Fox 12.26 million, CBS 10.12 million, NBC 9.04 million, ABC 8.93 million, The CW 2.34 million, MyNetworkTV 980,000 thousand
Adults 18-49: Fox 4.4/11.7, NBC 3.2/8.6, CBS 3.0/8.1, ABC 2.4/6.4, The CW 1.0/2.8, MyNetworkTV 0.4/1.0

Analysis: Week 30 so far has Fox on top, but it is down a big number from week to week. Through the first four days of week 30, we have Fox on top in all categories, with CBS in second in HH/viewers, and third in 18-49. ABC is third in HH and a close fourth in viewers and fourth as of now in 18-49...NBC is 4th in HH, 3rd in viewers and actually 2nd in 18-49. Last week, week 29, CBS edged Fox for number one in HH but Fox had a slight edge in total viewers. Fox had a big lead in 18-49, with CBS in second. ABC was 3rd in all categories, with NBC fourth in everything.
On Monday, ABC was on top with Dancing with the Stars doing 17.2 million for 92 minutes, down from the week before by over 2 million...strange. The hit sitcom Samantha Who did 9.47 million, but it also was down week to week by a million. The Bachelor: London Calling followed with 6.6 million, down just a bit though from the previous week. CBS started with sitcoms and leading it off was The Big Bang Theory at 7.63 million, seems lower than usual, a new How I Met Your Mother followed and built on that and did 8.08 million, #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 13.94 million and a 5.3 18-49 rating. Closing the block was the return of Rules of Engagement at 10.4 million, not bad. A repeat of CSI: Miami, I know already...did 10.63 million. NBC was led by a special two-hour Deal or No Deal at doing 9.72 million, slightly down week-to-week, but that was just an hour. Medium closed the night off with 9.76 million, it was down week-to-week. Fox returned Bones with new episodes to start off the night and it did a solid 8.73 million and following at 9pm was a new New Amsterdam doing 6.58 million, down from previous week even though it had a new airing as its lead-in. The CW had a repeat of Gossip Girl doing 1.32 million and the return of One Tree Hill on a new night at 2.8 million.
On Tuesday, Fox was on top thanks to Idol at 23.65 million at 8pm, but down over a million from previous week once again. At 9pm Fox aired a new Hell's Kitchen and it did solid with 10.56 million...but it is going down a bit each week. NBC was surprisingly next, as it aired the two-hour Biggest Loser season finale at a solid 11.39 million, a season high and also a nice 4.4 18-49 rating, and the return of Law & Order: SVU drew 13.27 million and a solid 4.7 18-49 rating. ABC was next with two episodes of According to Jim (new and repeat) at 8pm doing 3.7 and 3.62 million...down over a million week to week when Just for Laughs was airing in that slot. Then at 9pm, Dancing with the Stars: The Results did a solid 15.42 million, down a million and a half from previous week as Priscilla Presley got the boot. ABC closed the night at 10pm with a new episode of Boston Legal at 8.84 million, down a bit from previous week. CBS was next with a new episode of NCIS at 15.13 million, up from previous week, followed by the Tuesday edition of the disappointing Big Brother 9 at just 6.2 million, on par with the previous week. At 10pm 48 Hours Mystery did just 5.16 million...but up from previous week when CBS aired that one episode wonder reality show. The CW aired a new Beauty & The Geek at just 1.56 million, down from previous week and a repeat of Reaper did 1.59 million, down a bit from previous week.
On Wednesday, it was Fox on top again. American Idol Results seemed to do lower that usual from 9-10pm at 23.34 million...great but not for this show. From 8-9pm the return of Fox sitcoms 'Til Death and Back to You did lower than expected at 5.89 and 7.11 million. CBS continues to struggle with Big Brother 9 at just 6.09 million, up a bit from previous week, but Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were new and did solid at 12.98 and 13.43 million...very good, as NY went up from previous week, but not Minds. ABC was next with the Democratic Presidential Debate between Obama and Clinton did a solid 10.69 million from 8-10pm, as Wife Swap and Supernanny were preempted this week. Closing the night was a new MEN IN TREES did 5.7 million. NBC was next with Deal or No Deal starting the night off with 9.74 million...down just a bit from previous week, followed by a repeat of Law & Order: Criminal Intent at 4.31 million, down from previous week, and the original Law & Order was a repeat as well and it did 6.17 million, up a tad from previous week's repeat. The CW had an all-new Top Model at 3.85 million and a new Pussycat Dolls on did just 1.85 million, down week to week. MyNetworkTV launched a sitcom actually called Under One Roof starring Flavor Flav and it didn't do too well at 1.21 million, down from what aired there the previous week.
On Thursday, CBS was number one for the night despite repeats from 9-11pm. Survivor: Micronesia started the night off with 12.01 million, up from previous week...a repeat of CSI followed with 10.48 million and a repeat of Without a Trace closed the night off with 9.24 million...not bad at all for repeats. Fox was next with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? doing 9.24 million and a new Don't Forget the Lyrics! followed at 9.29 million...nice solid block. NBC was next, with an all-new My Name is Earl doing 6.87 million, down from previous week again...30 Rock did 6.5 million, up from the return the previous week. The Office did a solid 9.86 million and a 5.0 18-49 rating...up a bit from previous week on both counts. A new Scrubs did 7.19 million, also up from previous week and a new ER did just 7.82 million, slightly up week to week. ABC was well behind as its top guns won't return until this week. ABC started the night off with two repeat episodes of Lost averaging 4.12 million and the season finale of the great Eli Stone closed the night with 6.23 million, up from previous week. Everyone should watch this show...what an inspirational show!
Like usual, no Friday finals yet. NBC was on top on Friday as CBS was in repeat mode with Ghost Whisperer, Moonlight, and NUMB3RS ... CBS think it can fool viewers? Repeats already on many of its shows this after just coming back form the strike hiatus. NBC was lead by a two-hour Dateline. Saturday ratings were not available to us.
Tonight will be all ABC thanks to Desperate Housewives! Oprah's Big Give finale is tonight as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will return next week..and at 10pm Brothers & Sisters returns with a great new episode. I have seen tonight's Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters already, and they are great...Housewives' episode is better than last week's return and B&S has a good return with lots of funny moments when the family is all together. Tune in! CBS will be second with Big Brother the weak spot, but 60 Minutes & a special Hallmark movie Sweet Nothings in My Ear will make it interesting. NBC has a new Dateline, which will do OK or average but repeats of USA Network's Monk and Psych will do terrible again from 8-10pm...especially the latter. Fox will have repeats of its animated comedies once again...too many repeats it seems.
As for the week, I believe it will be either CBS or Fox in HH & viewers with Fox in 18-49. HH/viewers will be very close and is too close to call. ABC could be third in all spots, but I think it can be #2 in 18-49 with a great night tonight. NBC will be 4th in HH/viewers but could be 3rd in 18-49.
This coming week sees more shows return from strike hiatus such as Grey's Anatomy, Lost and Ugly Betty. I have seen the latter's return already and it is very good. Gabrielle Union is wonderful in it! Thursday will be big for ABC.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of April 7-13)

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - All-new episode did 1.29 million, which is not good but sure beats the series low of 960,000 viewers the previous week.
  
• Aliens in America (The CW) - A repeat did just 1.15 million, beating the previous week's 830,000 viewers.
  
• The Game (The CW) - A new episode did 1.55 million, improving week to week...but it was doing much better on Mondays.
  
• Girlfriends (The CW) - A repeat did 1.19 million, slightly off from previous week.
  
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A new episode did 6.93 million as the slump since 2008 started continues.
  
• King of the Hill (Fox) 2 episodes - A repeat at 7pm did just 2.41 million, down from previous week again. A new episode at 8:30 did 6.07 million...improving from week to week, but previous week the lead-in was a repeat so this week it was of course going to do a bit better.
  
• Family Guy (Fox) - A repeat did just 6.41 million...it seems like this show is always in repeats now.
• American Dad (Fox) 2 episodes - A repeat at 7:30pm did just 3.12 million and a repeat at 9:30pm in its normal time did just 5.39 million.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 7.63 million tuned in for a new episode...seems below normal and just a 2.9 18-49 rating for a series low.
  
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.08 million, decent, but down from what it had been doing lately by a lot.
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.94 million for a new episode and a 5.3 18-49 rating. How does this show do it?
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 10.4 million for the return...solid.
  
• Samantha Who (ABC) - A new episode did 9.47 million...down from previous week, but still decent.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• According to Jim (ABC) 2 episodes - The return only did 3.7 million for a new episode and 3.62 million for a repeat. Fed to Idol again.
  

Wednesday Sitcoms

• 'Til Death (Fox) - Just 5.89 million for the return.
  
• Back to You (Fox) - 7.11 million is disappointing for pre-Idol tune-in...I expected a bigger tune in as Idol follows.
  
• Under One Roof (MyNetworkTV) - 1.21 million for MNT is not that bad, but it was down from the numbers in that slot the previous week making it a disappointing debut.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.87 million for its third episode back...down again from the previous episode.
  
• 30 Rock (NBC) - 6.5 million ... did better than the previous week...but now NBC will switch it to 9:30 this coming week. Will it work for the best?
  
• The Office (NBC) - 9.86 million, up from previous week but its strength was the 5.0 18-49 rating.
  
• Scrubs (NBC) - 7.19 million for a new episode, up from previous week but now NBC will move it to 8:30pm...wonder if it will help?
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) is a mix of new and repeats of sitcoms on The CW from 8-10, and Fox's animated comedies are repeats from 7-10.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, Samantha Who?, How I Met Your Mother & The Office were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (Scrubs, 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory) or just plain old terrible (According to Jim, Under One Roof).