Sunday, September 21, 2008

Summer Week 17 Sitcom Ratings; New Season Preview

Summer is now over after tonight! The 2008-09 TV season gets officially underway tomorrow and next Sunday we will be back with our normal weekly report with the first four nights numbers, analysis and how the sitcoms did! But first, here is week 17 for the summer for sitcoms:

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of September 8-14)


  • The Simpsons (Fox) 2 episodes - Fox only aired comedies from 7-8pm and two repeats did 2.68 and 4.07 million...which was up against Football on CBS for the most of the country.
  • King of the Hill (Fox) - preempted.
  • Family Guy (Fox) - preempted
  • American Dad! (Fox) - preempted

Summer Week 17 (September 15-21)

Monday Sitcoms


  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 5.94 million for a repeat...should have done a bit better, but the more important thing is how will it do tomorrow for its season premiere? Anything less than 8-8.5 million would be disappointing.
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 5.4 million for a repeat airing...not good, down week to week and did not build from the lead-in. It should be a different story tomorrow, as I'm predicting 9-9.5 million.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 9.97 million for a repeat, up from previous week...tomorrow's season premiere should do above 12 million, but it will battle Dancing with the Stars on ABC, which should do 20 million+.
  • Old Christine (CBS) - 7.42 million for a repeat but remember the series will move to Wednesdays at 8 this week. New sitcom Worst Week will air in this slot, and I expect at least 10 million for the premiere.
Tuesday Sitcoms


  • None, Tuesdays used to be a sitcom night...now nothing.
Wednesday Sitcoms


  • Old Christine (CBS) 2 episodes - Two repeats didn't muster much...just 4.38 and 4.59 million. This week it will be new and I really am not expecting much...look for 7 million or less. Gary Unmarried will follow and will likely build a bit for its premiere at least, but after this week, maybe not.
  • 'Til Death (Fox) - Just 4.89 million for week two of the new season, down from the season premiere's 6.06 million...it'll go down more this week and it is time for Brad Garrett and company to end.
  • Do Not Disturb (Fox) - Just 3.9 million for the second episode...down already from the series premiere's 4.65 million. This was my pick for the first cancelation of the season, and so far doesn't look good for Jerry O'Connell and gang.
Thursday Sitcoms


  • My Name is Earl (NBC) - A repeat at a special time of 8:30pm following a special America's Got Talent Results did 5.05 million, down a bit from previous week. Look for more erosion for Earl this year. It's no longer a must see comedy as the show will only do 7 million or less for its premiere.
  • The Office (NBC) 1 Hour - One-hour repeat did just 4.48 million. Look for the one-hour premiere this week to do close to 9 million and a good 18-49 number (NBC hopes for a 5 rating). It's no Grey's Anatomy but a solid hit that contends for #1 sitcom in 18-49, while Two and a Half Men and Samantha Who do better in viewers.

Friday Sitcoms

  • None.

Saturday Sitcoms


  • None.

Tonight you can catch encores of Fox's animated comedies from 7-10 tonight but everyone will be watching the Emmys on ABC from 8-11 (and ESPN's coverage of the last game at Yankee Stadium). Jimmy Kimmel's hilarious Emmy special will air at 7pm on ABC.

New Season Preview (Season Starts Tomorrow, Sept. 22):

The new season starts Monday and here is a preview what is airing on premiere week! On ABC, it's the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars from 8-10pm and the last season premiere of Boston Legal on a new night at 10pm. CBS will launch its comedy block with season premieres of The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men & the series premiere of Worst Week from 8-10pm, and the season premiere of drama CSI: Miami at 10pm. NBC will have a Heroes night with a countdown special at 8pm followed by the two-hour season premiere of 9-11pm. Fox and The CW already launched their Monday series a few weeks ago with Fox's dramas Sarah Connor Chronicles & Prison Break off to very slow starts and good starts for The CW's Gossip Girl & One Tree Hill.
On Tuesday, ABC will launch new game-reality show Opportunity Knocks at 8pm followed by a special Dancing with the Stars from 9-11pm where the couples do a second dance for the first time in premiere week, while one person goes home at the beginning of the show. CBS will launch a new season of the reliable NCIS followed by the series premiere The Mentalist, and the season premiere of Without a Trace, on yet another night. NBC launched The Biggest Loser last week to OK numbers will have another two-hour episode from 8-10pm followed by the season premiere of old faithful Law & Order: SVU. Again, Fox and The CW launched their Tuesday shows already with Fox airing House & Fringe and The CW airing 90210 & Privileged. Expect all four of those to be down a bit this week.
On Wednesday, the three night Dancing with the Stars premiere concludes with the Results Show on a special night and time of 8-9pm followed by the highly addicitive David Blaine Special from 9-11pm, this time he goes for the Dive of Death. On CBS, sitcom Old Christine moves to a new night and time of 8pm followed by the series premiere of Gary Unmarried...then the big guns of Criminal Minds & CSI: NY will have their season premieres. NBC will premiere Knight Rider, which hopefully got better after that awful TV movie, followed by one of the last episodes of the summer show America's Got Talent leading into the season premiere of Lipstick Jungle at 10pm. Fox and The CW will continue their line-ups, Fox with Bones and sitcoms 'Til Death & Do Not Disturb. The CW has Top Model and an encore of 90210.
On Thursday, ABC will have the season premiere of Ugly Betty at 8pm and the two-hour season premiere of Grey's Anatomy from 9-11pm. The clear winner of the night in ratings. CBS will have a two-hour premiere of Survivor: Gabon from 8-10pm, the first time ever the show will launch with a two-hour episode, followed by an encore of CSI's finale from last year at 10pm. CSI launches its new season on Oct. 9. NBC will have a two-episode premiere of My Name is Earl, followed by the one-hour The Office season premiere at 9pm, and ER at 10pm will have its season premiere. Fox will have two episodes this week of Kitchen Nightmares from 8-10pm. And The CW will have week two of Smallville and Supernatural.
On Friday, the first Presidential Debate takes over primetime from 9-11pm ET as Obama and McCain debate for the first of three times. At 8pm, ABC will air a special 20/20, CBS will encore the premiere of The Mentalist, NBC will have dud America's Toughest Jobs, and Fox will air a new Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? The CW will have its last airing of WWE Smackdown, as it moves to MyNetworkTV.
On Saturdays its slow as usual with ABC probably doing the best with College Football. Fox is new with Cops and AMW.
And next Sunday, its more premieres, as ABC will have the two-hour season premiere of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition from 7-9pm, followed by the anticipated season premiere of Desperate Housewives at 9pm and the family drama Brothers & Sisters at 10pm. CBS has an all-new night with 60 Minutes, Amazing Race 13, Cold Case and The Unit on its new night and time. NBC will turn it over once again to Sunday Night NFL. Fox will have the premieres of their animated series The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Family Guy and American Dad! from 8-10pm following NFL coverage. The CW still has repeats until the MRC block launches.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, May 10

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)

Friday, May 9

  • Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Watch Paul on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Matt Bomer (Mid-Century Modern) - Matt appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Asif Ali (Deli Boys) and Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys) - Asif and Saagar are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Busy Philipps (Girls5eva/Vice Principals/Cougar Town/Love, Inc.) - Busy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory/Happy Family/Welcome to New York/Cybill) - Christine talks about Nine Perfect Strangers on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Holly Robinson Peete (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/For Your Love/Like Family/Love, Inc.) - Holly swings by for a chat about her new film Hats Off to Love on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) and Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother/Free Spirit) - NBC's Today catches up with Sarah and Alyson in the 9am hour.
  • Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - In this a little bit extra episode Drew shares more of her conversation with Brooke at the news desk on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel joins Sherri to talk about starring in the new film Juliet & Romeo, so check your local listings.
  • Terri J. Vaughn (She the People/Mann & Wife/Meet the Browns/All of Us/The Steve Harvey Show) - Terri talks about starring in the new Netflix series She the People on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Julia Sweeney (Shrill/Work in Progress/Maybe It's Me/George and Leo) and Marsha Mason (Grace and Frankie/The Middle/Sibs) - Julia and Marsha talk about My First Ex-Husband on PIX11 Morinng News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

05/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Cancels Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez; ABC Renews Duo of Game Shows
05/09 - Peacock Orders Dig from Amy Poehler; Apple TV+ Comedy Stick Premieres June 4; Remembering Ruth Buzzi
05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North
04/29 - Lifetime Adds New Ripped from the Headlines Movie; BET+ Orders Season 2 of Series
04/28 - Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season
04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)
04/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels Poppa's House; Final Season 50 Hosts for Saturday Night Live Set
04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2
04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
04/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Reboot in the Works at Peacock; King of the Hill Cast Reunion and Revival Preview at ATX TV Festival Next Month
04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey