SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Week 31 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did

We didn't get the averages for Wednesday and Thursday, so we will not give you the first four nights averages for this week...we will still have everything else though!

Week 31 numbers (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

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

Analysis: As stated, I don't have final network averages for the first four nights for this week, Week 31...but one can assume Fox is on top in HH/viewers, but CBS and ABC could be right behind. 18-49 is clearly Fox right now, but ABC should be a close second. So I can't comment more on this because of no averages...I apologize. Last week, week 30, CBS edged Fox for number one in HH once again but Fox also once again had a slight edge in total viewers. Fox had a big lead in 18-49. ABC was 3rd in all categories but it almost beat Fox for second in HH, with NBC fourth in HH/viewers but second in 18-49 (just ahead of ABC), as CBS was fourth in 18-49.
On Monday, ABC was on top with Dancing with the Stars doing 18.04 million for 92 minutes, up from the week before. The hit sitcom Samantha Who did 9.39 million, on par from the previous week. The Bachelor: London Calling followed with 7.3 million, up from the previous week. CBS started with sitcoms and leading it off was The Big Bang Theory at 7.39 million, seems lower than usual once again perhaps a series low, a new How I Met Your Mother followed and built on that and did 8.45 million...up from previous week, #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 13.36 million ... down a bit from previous week. Closing the sitcom block was Rules of Engagement at 10.57 million, up from previous week. A new CSI: Miami did 14.38 million...seems below normal, but then again all the scripted shows back seem lower than usual. NBC was led by another special two-hour Deal or No Deal at 10.11 million, up week-to-week and Medium closed the night off with 9.79 million, on par really from previous week. Fox aired a new Bones to start off the night and it did a solid 8.76 million, on par from the previous week and following at 9pm was a repeat of House doing 8.1 million, way up from New Amsterdam's finale the previous week. The CW had the return (OMFG!) of Gossip Girl doing 2.5 million and a new One Tree Hill at 2.92 million, up from previous week...it is sad when this show is one of their best shows now.
On Tuesday, Fox was on top thanks to Idol at 24.74 million at 8pm, up over a million from previous week. At 9pm Fox aired a new Hell's Kitchen and it did solid with 10.98 million...as it finally went up a bit after going down a bit each week. ABC was next with two episodes of According to Jim (new and repeat) at 8pm doing 4.05 and 3.96 million...both up a bit from previous week. Then at 9pm, Dancing with the Stars: The Results did a solid 17.97 million, up over 2 million from previous week as Marlee Matlin was the next to go. ABC closed the night at 10pm with a new episode of Boston Legal at 9.93 million, up over a million from previous week..the show moves to Wednesdays this week as Women's Murder Club returns this Tuesday at 10. CBS was next with a new episode of NCIS at 14.24 million, down from previous week, followed by the Tuesday edition of the disappointing Big Brother 9 at just 6.51 million, up a bit from the previous week. At 10pm a repeat of Shark did just 4.74 million...down from what aired in this timeslot the previous week. NBC was second last week, but this week it tumbled, as there was no two-hour Biggest Loser and the return of Most Outrageous Moments at 8pm did just 3.9 million and a repeat of SNL Primetime from 8:30-10 did a bad 3.92 million but a new Law & Order: SVU at 10pm drew 11.64 million ... but that was down considerably from the previous week. The CW aired a new Beauty & The Geek at just 1.54 million, down from previous week and a new Reaper did 2.25 million, not bad for the return episode.
On Wednesday, it was Fox on top again. American Idol Results seemed to do lower that usual from 9-10pm at 23.2 million...down from previous week a bit. From 8-9pm Fox aired sitcoms 'Til Death and Back to You doing better than the previous week but still a bit disappointing at 6.12 and 7.26 million. CBS continues to struggle with Big Brother 9 at just 6.6 million, thought it was up from previous week, and Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were repeats (yes all of CBS's dramas have had at least one repeat after coming back from the strike...so annoying) and they did 9.03 and 7.78 million...not that good for a repeat for the latter. NBC was next with Deal or No Deal starting the night off with 9.96 million for another two-hour episode...up just a bit from previous week when it was just one-hour and the original Law & Order returned with new episodes and did pretty good with 12.75 million..having CSI: NY as a repeat helps, too. ABC was next with new episodes of Wife Swap and Supernanny at a below normal 5.85 and 5.46 million...these would have been on Mondays I bet in December-February if not for the strike, with the best new dramas from the fall would probably be still on this night right now (Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money) if not for the strike. Closing the night for ABC was a new MEN IN TREES at 5.26 million, down from previous week...as the show goes on a hiatus for a month. The CW had an all-new Top Model at 4.35 million, probably a season high, and a new Pussycat Dolls on did just 2.3 million, up week to week but this was its season finale I believe. MyNetworkTV aired the second episode of Under One Roof starring Flavor Flav and it did better than the pilot it seems...1.27 million this week, up from the 1.21 million from the premiere.
On Thursday, May Sweeps has begun as CBS and ABC shared leadership. For CBS Survivor: Micronesia started the night off with 12.9 million, up from previous week...a new CSI followed with a below normal 17.02 million and a new Without a Trace closed the night off with 13.47 million...the latter two lost to ABC in 18-49 by a wide margin. ABC started the night off with the return of Ugly Betty at 8.52 million, a bit disappointing, the return of Grey's Anatomy did 16.37 million, lost to CSI in viewers but won in HH 10.7/16 to 10.6/16 and did much better in 18-49...6.5 to 4.7...with all that said both CSI and Grey's are down from the fall/winter. Both usually do over 20 million each. Lost was ABC's secret weapon for the night, as the show did 12.08 million, but a 5.3 18-49 rating, holding a large portion of its lead-in's ratings in that demo and beating Without a Trace by a wide margin 5.3 to 3.3. Fox was next with two episodes of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? doing 8.33 million and 8.92 million...nice solid block, but the two hours was down from Fox the previous week. NBC was next, with an all-new My Name is Earl doing 6.16 million, down from previous week again...Scrubs did just 5.39 million in its new slot, not a good move. The Office did 7.69 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating...down big on both counts from the previous week as Grey's/CSI aired. A new 30 Rock did just 5.52 million, down in its new slot and a new ER did just 7.53 million, down week to week...maybe a series low? 3.0 18-49 rating only as well. CW aired a new Smallville at 3.62 million and Supernatural was new too at 2.22 million.
Like usual, no Friday finals yet. CBS won though with new episodes of Ghost Whisperer, Moonlight, and NUMB3RS. NBC was led by a two-hour Dateline. Saturday ratings were not available to us.
Tonight will be all ABC thanks to Desperate Housewives and the return of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition after a few weeks off...a two-hour episode will air from 7-9pm. Closing the night at 10pm is Brothers & Sisters ... ABC could see its highest rated Sunday with regular shows since January. CBS will be second with Big Brother & Dexter the weak spots, but 60 Minutes & Cold Case will do solid. 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 new episodes actually of its animated comedies from 8-10pm, so they will beat NBC likely.
As for the week, I believe it will be either a toss-up in HH & viewers, as CBS, ABC or Fox can win it. Fox has a better shot of winning in 18-49, but ABC could make it close. NBC will be 4th in everything as its struggles continue.
This coming week sees the first full week of May sweeps, as we are on day four tonight, with Thursday so far the only big day...tonight will be big, too, though. What to watch this week is how Women's Murder Club will do on its new night and time and Boston Legal on its new night (Wednesday).

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of April 14-20)

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - All-new episode did 1.14 million, down from the previous week a bit...
  
• Aliens in America (The CW) - A repeat did just 1.09 million, down from the previous week, but a better retention of holding the numbers from the lead-in.
  
• The Game (The CW) - A new episode did 1.46 million, down also from the previous week.
  
• Girlfriends (The CW) - A repeat did 1.27 million, slightly up from previous week....the only CW sitcom to go up week to week....and this was a repeat.
  
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A repeat did 5.3 million...this show is going back and forth with new and repeat...Fox needs to schedule it better.
  
• King of the Hill (Fox) 2 episodes - A repeat at 7pm did just 2.6 million, up a bit from previous week. A repeat at its normal time of 8:30 did 4.54 million.
  
• Family Guy (Fox) - A repeat did just 5.45 million...down from the repeat the previous week. I think only 2 episodes are left this season, as Fox has showed so many repeats it seems for this show....strike affected this show maybe?
  
• American Dad (Fox) 2 episodes - A repeat at 7:30pm did just 3.04 million...down week to week and a repeat at 9:30pm in its normal time did just 4.98 million, also down week to week.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 7.39 million tuned in for a new episode...down from previous week and for the second week in a row a 2.9 18-49 rating for a series low.
  
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.45 million...up from previous week, but it should be doing better than this.
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.36 million for a new episode ... clearly the #1 sitcom, but down from previous week a bit.
  
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 10.57 million...built from last week's return despite its lead-in going down a bit.
  
• Samantha Who (ABC) - A new episode did 9.39 million...on par from previous week...tomorrow the show airs at 9:38pm instead of 9:32...so watch out.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• According to Jim (ABC) 2 episodes - 4.05 million for a new episode and 3.96 million for a repeat. Fed to Idol again...but both up a bit from previous week. Dana and Cheryl need to return ASAP.
  

Wednesday Sitcoms

• 'Til Death (Fox) - 6.12 million for a new episode, up a bit from previous week.
  
• Back to You (Fox) - 7.26 million for its second episode back, decent but still it is disappointing for a pre-Idol tune-in.
  
• Under One Roof (MyNetworkTV) - 1.27 million for its second episode...so it went up a bit actually from the premiere of 1.21 million. I give it props for that!
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.16 million for its fourth episode back...down again from the previous episode.
  
• Scrubs (NBC) - New time of 8:30pm. This slot did 6.5 million the previous week and the show itself did 7.19 million in its old slot...but this week only 5.39 million, so NBC lost on both counts.
  
• The Office (NBC) - 7.69 million...as the show was way down from previous week.
  
• 30 Rock (NBC) - New time of 9:30pm. This slot did 7.19 million the previous week and the show itself did 6.5 million in its old slot...but this week only 5.52 million...so NBC's shuffle of Scrubs/30 Rock so far didn't 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 new from 8-10 (repeats 7-8p).

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