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

Friday, October 10

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Final" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Vee leaves Transylvania for boarding school to chase her musical dreams. As she keeps her vampire identity a secret, unexpected obstacles threaten to return her to the shadows.

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Holiday" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Vee leaves Transylvania for boarding school to chase her musical dreams. As she keeps her vampire identity a secret, unexpected obstacles threaten to return her to the shadows.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 6)

Friday, October 10

  • Seth Rogen (The Studio/Platonic/Undeclared) and Aziz Ansari (Master of None/Parks and Recreation) - Watch Seth and Aziz on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Carrie Preston (Crowded/Happyish/Emeril) - Carrie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also chats about If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Michael J. Fox (Family Ties/Spin City/The Michael J. Fox Show) - Michael discusses his new book Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Kenzi Richardson (Vampirina: Teenage Vampire) - Kenzi talks about Vampirina: Teenage Vampire on ABC's The View at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris sits down for a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE to chat about the Season 2 premiere of Watson on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya stops by the studio to discuss Loot on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Greta Lee (HouseBroken/Russian Doll) - Greta talks about Disney's Tron: Ares on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Dermot Mulroney (The Righteous Gemstones/Four Weddings and a Funeral) - Dermot is a guest on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Idris Elba (Turn Up Charlie) - Idris and Rebecca Ferguson talk about A House of Dynamite on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) - Aubrey talks about her new book Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl stops by to chat with Sherri about the new season of Abbott Elementary on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - TV legend Henry shares details about his 40th book, Detective Duck: The Mystery at Emerald Pond, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Teri Hatcher (The Odd Couple/Sunday Dinner/Karen's Song/The Love Boat) - Teri and her daughter Emerson Tenney talk about the Desperately Devoted podcast on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Jeremy Piven (Entourage/Ellen/Pride & Joy/The Larry Sanders Show) - Jeremy is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

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) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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

10/10 - Prime Video Releases Trailer for The Mighty Nein; Season 2 Premiere Date for Cross
10/09 - Rachel Sennott's I Love LA Comedy Series Trailer; Kaley Cuoco Heads to MGM+
10/08 - Prime Video's Kevin Details; Trailer for Crutch with Tracy Morgan
10/07 - The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer
10/06 - Dancing with the Stars Surging in Viewership, Especially Among Younger Viewers; Remembering Kimberly Hébert Gregory of Vice Principals
10/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 6, 2025)
10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025
09/29 - Netflix Renews Haunted Hotel for Season 2; Christmas Comedy Series Sicilia Express
09/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 29, 2025)
09/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Cast Comes Together for First Table Read for Reboot; Monopoly Game Show Moving Ahead
09/26 - Netflix Adds to Cast for Running Point Season 2; Stiller & Meara Apple TV+ Documentary
09/25 - Adam Pally HBO Comedy Special; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns with Huge Ratings
09/24 - Weigel's Newest Diginet WEST Launches Monday, September 29; New Baywatch Coming to Fox in 2026-27
09/23 - DMV Trailer for CBS; Mo Amer Returns to Netflix
09/22 - SNL Season 51 Guests for First Episodes; Prime Video's Bat-Fam Series
09/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 22, 2025)
09/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Paper to Get Linear Run on NBC; Saturday Night Live Announces New Hosts
09/19 - NBC Schedules The Paper and Stumble in November; Remembering Patricia (Pat) Crowley of Please Don't Eat the Daisies
09/18 - UPtv Acquires The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Camp Rock 3 Coming Soon to Disney
09/17 - FETV Acquires The Munsters Effective September 29; Apple TV+ The Morning Show Renewed for Season 5
09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29