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Week 33 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did; More Upfront Rumblings

Week 33 numbers (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

Households: CBS 7.7/12.4, Fox 7.4/11.8, ABC 7.3/11.7, NBC 4.8/7.7, The CW 1.8/2.8, MNT 0.8/2.2
Total Viewers: Fox 12.25 million, CBS 12.01 million, ABC 10.92 million, NBC 7.32 million, The CW 2.66 million, MNT 1.12 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox 4.4/12.0, CBS 3.3/9.0, ABC 3.3/8.8, NBC 2.4/6.0, The CW 1.2/3.2, MNT 0.4/1.2

Analysis: Week 33 is a three-way race so far, with CBS, Fox and ABC all neck-and-neck through Thursday. CBS leads in households by a slim margin over Fox and ABC, with Fox on top in viewers by a slim margin just nipping CBS and ABC. Fox has a wider lead in 18-49, with CBS and ABC battling for second. NBC is fourth in everything in a disastrous season. Last week, week 32, CBS edged ABC for number one in HH once again and CBS edged both ABC and Fox in total viewers as well. It was a very close race in HH/viewers between CBS, ABC and Fox once again. Fox had the lead in 18-49. ABC was second. CBS was third in 18-49, while NBC was an uncompetitive fourth in everything. 2.0 18-49 rating for NBC in sweeps?
On Monday, ABC was on top with Dancing with the Stars doing 18.11 million for 92 minutes, on par with the week before. The hit sitcom Samantha Who did 9.89 million, up a tad from the previous week. The Bachelor: London Calling followed with 6.57 million, down from the previous week. CBS started with sitcoms and leading it off was The Big Bang Theory at 7.38 million, down week to week, a new How I Met Your Mother followed and built on that and did 8.36 million...but also down from previous week, #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 13.61 million ... up from previous week as the CSI writers stunt worked. Closing the sitcom block was Rules of Engagement at 10.39 million, up a tad from previous week. A new CSI: Miami did 14.11 million...up a bit from previous week. Fox aired a new Bones to start off the night and it did a 8.23 million, down a lot from the previous week (seems up and down lately) and following at 9pm was House doing 13.48 million, down over a million week to week. Not as strong of a show without Idol. NBC was led by yet another special two-hour Deal or No Deal at 8.49million, down again week-to-week (this show is getting tiresome) and Medium closed the night off with 9.57 million, down a tad from previous week. The CW had a new episode of Gossip Girl doing 2.12 million, down from previous week and a new One Tree Hill at 2.29 million, down from previous week.
On Tuesday, Fox was on top thanks to Idol at 21.76 million at 8pm, but that was nearly down 4 million week to week...wow. At 9pm Fox aired a new Hell's Kitchen and it did solid with 11 million...down less than a million though from previous week. ABC was next with a special Dancing with the Stars: Judges' Top 10 Dances doing 10.58 million, so that is why Idol must have been down. Then at 9pm, the 100th episode of Dancing with the Stars: The Results did a solid 18.38 million, up from previous week as Mario shockingly got the book. ABC closed the night at 10pm with a new Women's Murder Club 8.02 million, up from previous week but still Boston Legal does better than this. CBS was next with a new episode of NCIS at 14.04 million, down from previous week, followed by on the bubble Shark with 10.05 million, but the 2.1 18-49 is not good...both down week to week a bit. A special CSI: Miami repeat followed at 10pm with 7.41 million. NBC was bad again from 8-10pm as a new Most Outrageous Moments at 8pm did just 4.01 million, down a bit from previous week and a repeat followed with 4.0 million. A repeat of Law & Order: SVU followed with just 3.86 million at 9pm, while a new Law & Order: SVU at 10pm drew 10.53 million ... down like 2 million from the previous week. The CW aired a new Beauty & The Geek at just 1.66 million, down a tad from previous week and a new Reaper did 2.51 million, also down just a tad week to week.
On Wednesday, it was Fox on top again. American Idol Results seemed to do lower that usual once again as maybe those sitcoms are the reason, anyway from 9-10pm it did 22.87 million...but up a bit from previous week. From 8-9pm Fox aired sitcoms 'Til Death and Back to You doing lower than the previous week at 6.03 (up from previous week) and 6.95 million (down from previous week). More concerning is the drop of Back to You's 18-49 at only a 2.1 rating...won't cut it, as Fox has canceled this show now. CBS started with Price is Right Primetime at 8pm and did 7.43 million and Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were all-new and they did 12.88 and 12.73 million...the latter went up week to week. NBC was next with Deal or No Deal starting the night off with just 7.27 million for another two-hour episode...down from previous week (too much of this show) and the original Law & Order followed 8.85 million, also down from previous week. ABC was next with new episodes of Wife Swap and Supernanny at 6.95 and 5.24 million...latter was down week to week. Closing the night for ABC was the special Audition: Barbara Walters' Journey at a so-so 7.47 million...this should have aired on another night. Boston Legal returns this week. The CW had an all-new Top Model at 4.02 million, down a tad week-to-week, and new series Farmer Wants a Wife did 2.13 million, downp from the previous week. MyNetworkTV aired a new Under One Roof starring Flavor Flav and it did 900,000 viewers...first time below 1 million.
On Thursday, CBS and ABC shared leadership. For CBS Survivor: Micronesia started the night off with 12.62 million and a new CSI followed with 18.07 million while Without a Trace closed the night off with an above average 14.67 million. ABC started the night off with a new Ugly Betty at 7.98 million, a new Grey's Anatomy did 16.03 million but won the 9pm hour with a 6.4 18-49 rating. Lost was next as the show did 10.78 million and a solid 4.7 18-49 rating. Fox was next with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? doing 7.82 million and Don't Forget the Lyrics! followed with 6.16 million, seems below normal. NBC was next, with an all-new My Name is Earl doing just 6.06 million and Scrubs finale on NBC did just 5.26 million. The Office did 7.16 million as it is now doing below normal numbers lately. A new 30 Rock did just 5.45 million as this show needs serious help and a new ER did just 7.55 million. CW aired a new Smallville at 3.99 million and Supernatural was new too at 2.54 million.
Like usual, no Friday finals yet. CBS won though with new episodes of Ghost Whisperer, Moonlight, and NUMB3RS. ABC was next as the special TV's All-Time Funniest helped ABC. NBC was led by a two-hour Dateline. Saturday ratings were not available to us.
Tonight will be a battle between ABC and CBS, but ABC's Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and the GREAT season finale of Brothers & Sisters (I saw it already...very good!) will probably be enough to beat CBS. CBS will be a solid second with 60 Minutes & the season finale of Survivor from 8-10pm on a special night. NBC has a Mother's Day Special at 7pm, which will likely do bad and four repeats of The Office will do terrible from 8-10pm...maybe worse than the USA Network stuff? Fox will have new episodes actually of its animated comedies from 8-10pm (except Family Guy), so they will beat NBC probably.
As for the week, I believe it will be like week 32... a toss-up in HH & viewers, as CBS, ABC or Fox can win it. CBS is my bet. Fox has 18-49 locked I think, with ABC second. NBC will be 4th in everything as its struggles continue.
This coming week sees quite a few series having its season finales such as CSI/Without a Trace on Thursday and Desperate Housewives next Sunday.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of April 28-May 4)

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - All-new episode did 1.25 million, down a bit from the previous week. The CW won't program Sundays next season as Media Rights Capital will program the Sunday 7-11pm block this fall with two sitcoms and two dramas.
  
• Aliens in America (The CW) - A new episode did 1.02 million, also down a bit from week to week.
  
• The Game (The CW) - A new episode did 1.45 million, downp a bit from the previous week.
  
• Girlfriends (The CW) - A repeat did 1.27 million, slightly down from previous week...all the CW sitcoms were down week to week.
  
• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 episodes - A new episode did just 6.28 million...what is up with this show lately? Earlier at 7:30 a repeat did only 3.58 million....down from previous week.
  
• King of the Hill (Fox) 2 episodes - A repeat at 7pm did just 2.3 million, down from previous week. A new episode at its normal time of 8:30 did 5.71 million...down from previous week.
  
• Family Guy (Fox) - Season finale did 7.69 million, down from previous week's 8.42 million...not too good.
• American Dad (Fox) - Just 6.28 million for a new episode...down about a 1/2 million week to week.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 7.38 million tuned in for a new episode...down from previous week, as it goes below 8 million again
  
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.36 million...down from previous week...will it see a rise when Britney comes again?
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.61 million for a new episode, as CSI writers cross-over helped.
  
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 10.39 million...up a bit from previous week.
  
• Samantha Who (ABC) - A new episode did 9.89 million...up a bit from previous week.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None
  

Wednesday Sitcoms

• 'Til Death (Fox) - 6.03 million for a new episode, up from previous week...and Fox has renewed it for next season.
  
• Back to You (Fox) - 6.95 million for a new episode...down a bit week to week, but the 2.1 18-49 rating was not good at all, down from the 2.6 the week before...doesn't matter I guess since Fox canceled it on Friday. Series finale this week.
  
• Under One Roof (MyNetworkTV) - Just 900,000 viewers...first time under 1 million. Should be doing better.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.06 million is not good at all.
  
• Scrubs (NBC) - Just 5.26 million for the NBC finale, down week to week. Not good.
  
• The Office (NBC) - 7.16 million, as CSI/Grey's is killing it.
  
• 30 Rock (NBC) - Just 5.45 million as this show can't even take advantage of The Office lead-in.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are 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 and 9p). NBC has a special The Office repeats from 8-10pm.

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 (Scrubs, 30 Rock).

Yesterday we reported our latest rumblings. We have more to add. Boston Legal has been picked-up for a fifth season on ABC and another David E. Kelley series, the new Life on Mars will be picked up (with or without Kelley). While Eli Stone and Miss Guided (from Ashton Kutcher) could also be picked-up for second seasons on ABC. I believe ABC will pick up the 8 episode reality/game series Opportunity Knocks from Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks. Sitcom wise Bad Mother's Handbook looks almost a firm go. While still no word on Alyssa Milano's comedy, but casting looks great as Beau Bridges and Annie Potts will play her dad & mom, while Amanda Detmer will play her friend. Eric Winter also stars. It is probably for mid-season if picked-up.
For CBS, it seems Exit 19 with Geena Davis is now out of contention, and they will pass on it, but things are looking good still for Eleventh Hour and The Mentalist. CBS could also pick up Mythological Ex, while that could be shared with Moonlight's slot for mid-season maybe. Still new CBS sitcoms are question marks, but the Jay Mohr comedy looks like it is the first to be picked-up.
As for Fox, since Fringe was picked-up for the fall, Dollhouse will be picked up for mid-season. Fox will likely pick up drama Inseparable likely for mid-season from Shaun Cassidy (Invasion), which is a surprise. However the Sara Rue single camera comedy Spaced, based on a British series, will be passed on. And no surprise, Cleveland joins animated comedy Sit Down Shutup for mid-season. So, The Pitts is dead.
And a no surprise here, The CW has picked up 90210 officially.

That's all as of now. Stay tuned tomorrow for any further rumblings and let's see what NBC will announce, since they already announced their 2008-09 schedules last month. They said they won't change it tomorrow, but we'll see.