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Week 2 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did

Households: CBS: 8.1/12.7; ABC: 6.8/10.7; NBC: 5.2/8.2; Fox: 4.5/6.9; The CW: 2.1/3.2; MNT: 0.9/1.4.
Total Viewers: CBS: 12.73 million; ABC: 10.27 million; NBC: 8.17 million; Fox: 7.26 million; The CW: 3.15 million; MNT: 1.4 million.
Adults 18-49: CBS: 3.6/9.4; NBC: 3.1/8.1; ABC: 2.8/7.5; Fox: 2.8/7.5; The CW: 1.5/3.9; MNT: 0.5/1.2.

Analysis: Week 2 has not been a typical week to say the least. The big guns on Thursday were preempted due to the Vice Presidential Debate, which did well, but of course not as much as the regular Thursday airings...and the debate itself doesn't count in the ratings. Through the first four days, CBS has the lead in all categories, with ABC second in HH/viewers (but tied for third in 18-49), NBC in third in HH/viewers (2nd in 18-49) and Fox in fourth in HH/viewers but tied for third in 18-49. ABC is down big from the first four nights of last week, as the People Magazine Special on Tuesday bombed, the Wednesday premieres disappointed, and no Grey's Anatomy. Last week, ABC won premiere week in all categories, with CBS second in HH/viewers (but third in 18-49), NBC was third in HH/viewers (but 2nd in 18-49), and Fox fourth across the board.
Monday was all ABC thanks to of course Dancing with the Stars. The two-hour episode did 18.88 million and a 4.4/11 in 18-49...down from previous week, but still #1. A new Boston Legal followed with 8.56 million, down a tad from the premiere. Next up was CBS with its comedies and CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 8.6 million, down a bit from previous week and How I Met Your Mother followed with 8.72 million, down a million from the premiere. Two and a Half Men and new single-camera sitcom Worst Week followed with 13.58 and 8.96 million. Men was down over a million from previous week, while Worst Week was down two million from its premiere. This show is on alert already. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did 14.34 million, down nearly three million from previous week...but still #1 by a landslide at 10. NBC followed with its drama line-up. Chuck launched its second season to a so-so 6.84 million, Heroes followed with 9.5 million...down a bit from the two-hour premiere the week before, but this time it built a bit in its second half-hour. A special preview and the second season premiere of Life aired at 10pm with just 6.94 million. Fox was a distant fourth with Sarah Connor continuing to fall with just 5.37 million and Prison Break did a similar 5.28 million...both shows need to me removed or moved. The CW is on its game this year on Mondays with Gossip Girl doing a solid 3.4 million and the resurgent One Tree Hill at 3.42 million...both up week-to-week.
Tuesday, it was all CBS. CBS had the always reliable NCIS opening the night off with 17.47 million, down just a 1/2 million from previous week, followed by The Mentalist which did a nice 15.48 million...down just a bit from the premiere. This show could be the real deal here for CBS. Clearly the new hit of the season so far. At 10pm Without a Trace did 12.61 million, up over a million from previous week's season premiere. Fox was next with House doing 12.98 million, up a 1/2 million or so week-to-week. Still way down from what it does. Fringe was next with 9.91 million...also up a 1/2 million or so from previous week. I still think Fringe is lead-in dependent, as it showed without House it was doing low 3s in the 18-49 demo. ABC was next with the family game show Opportunity Knocks at 5.96 million, down from the premiere...this week it will be preempted due to the Presidential Debate. Dancing with the Stars: The Results followed with 15.49 million...needs to do a bit better, as Kim Kardashian was voted off. ABC aired the People Magazine Half Their Size special at 10pm at just 4.88 million...this might cost ABC a chance to win the week. NBC was fourth with The Biggest Loser 2-hour show doing 7.39 million, on par from previous week, followed by the Law & Order: SVU at a below normal 10.39 million, but up from the season premiere. The CW aired a new 90210 with 3.25 million...up from previous week. A new Privileged did just 1.87 million...though up a bit week-to-week.
Wednesday again it was CBS with the win. CBS started with sitcoms, Old Christine did just 6.8 million, though that was a bit up from previous week, followed new sitcom Gary Unmarried at just 6.91 million, also up a bit from the premiere. Not good still. However veteran dramas Criminal Minds and CSI: NY followed doing 14.78 (down nearly three million from the premiere) and 14.88 million (up a bit from the premiere). NBC opened the night with the new cheesy Knight Rider doing just 7.77 million...but actually up a bit week to week, followed by the season finale of the summer hit America's Got Talent at 12.69 million, up from previous week by over 2 million. At 10pm NBC the dud Lipstick Jungle at just 5.34 million. Down nearly a million from its premiere the previous week. ABC had a disappointing night with its Wednesday premieres (though they still were #1 in 18-34 and second in 18-49)... Pushing Daisies did just 6.33 million for its second season premiere, the biggest disappointment of the night. Last fall it averaged over 9 million. If it can go up this week to over 7 million, it's a start. Private Practice followed with 8.16 million but the Talent finale might have affected it. Look for it go up this week...hopefully over 10 million, as last fall it averaged over 11 million. Dirty Sexy Money followed with 7.02 million, good retention and actually up from its December finale. The show was down though over a million from its average last fall. What an episode that was though! Certainly dirtier and sexier! Fox was fourth, but started well with Bones at a strong 10.03 million, up a bit week to week. Two 'Til Death episodes did just 4.24 and 3.61 million...another problem for Fox. The CW had its usual showing of Top Model at a decent 4.03 million, on par really from previous week...a repeat of 90210 followed with 1.66 million, down from previous week.
Thursday the Vice Presidential Debate took stage and preempted a lot of the big guns from 9-11pm. CBS opened with Survivor: Gabon at 13.08 million, on par with the two-hour premiere from previous week. CBS's coverage of the debate (ratings not counted) did 11.1 million, for third place. The analysis following the debate counts in the ratings and did 7.97 million. ABC opened the night with Ugly Betty doing 8.31 million, down from the premiere (but great episode!), it should go up this week with the regular Thursday line-up. In the mountain time zone, it didn't air until 9pm, when it usually airs at 7pm. As for the debate, ABC was #1 with 13.13 million (ratings don't count though), and the analysis did a solid 9.78 million. NBC was third with the one-hour episode of My Name is Earl doing 6.72, up a tad from previous week's premiere. NBC's coverage of the debate was second place with 12.82 million (ratings not counted) and the analysis did a solid 9.78 million. Fox had another terrible Thursday with Hole in the Wall doing just 3.4 and 3.73 million in the 8pm hour, followed by Fox's coverage of the debate at 4.5 million (doesn't count) and its analysis at 4.04 million. Smallville on The CW did 4.05 million, down a bit from previous week, followed by Supernatural at a decent 3.51 million...and up from previous week.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with their dramas, as Ghost Whisperer did very solid but the premiere of The Ex-List saw a lot of bleeding but still managed to win the 9pm hour with a weak rating. NUMB3RS at 10pm saw year-to-year declines, possibly thanks to the bad lead-in. Reality on ABC, NBC, and Fox from 8-10 saw bad numbers.
Saturday numbers saw ABC win in the preliminaries, and Fox in 18-49.
Tonight should be a victory for ABC Sunday (AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters) and they will win the night in viewers. CBS could get a bit of a boost from the NFL and NBC will do well in primetime with NFL, but seems like a weaker game. Fox will do well in young adults, as usual. I wonder how the new MRC shows will do for CW Sunday? Valentine with Christine Lakin looks good ;)
As for the week, CBS should win in HH, viewers and possibly 18-49. Maybe ABC or NBC can win 18-49 though. ABC will be a solid second in HH/viewers. This week it should be back to normal a bit, but the Tuesday shows will be affected this week with the third debate. How will The Mentalist, Fringe respond the following week? ABC won't mind though this Tuesday, as it will just air Dancing with the Stars: The Results at 8pm ET (still 9pm PT though) followed by the debate.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of September 22-28)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - Season premiere did an inflated 9.47 million after the NFL.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - 7.1 million for the season premiere...not great, but good.
• Family Guy (Fox) - 9.09 million for the season premiere, down from last year's premiere, which was an hour long episode. Still good.
• American Dad (Fox) - Only 6.89 million...will this show be on the chopping block if one of the two midseason animated series does well?
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 8.6 million is pretty solid...down from the season premiere, but it was expected. Now it needs to stay in the 8.6-9.3 million range.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.72 million is decent and it did build from the lead-in, but should be doing higher...it was down a million from the premiere.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.58 million...still #1 but down over a million from its premiere
• Worst Week (CBS) - Just 8.96 million...not good retention at all. I'm predicting this week it will do lower than the 8-9pm sitcoms and this sitcom has a great lead-in! If it does...it's curtains.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

• Old Christine (CBS) - Only 6.8 million for its second airing here. This time it didn't have the Dancing with the Stars excuse. Could we see this back to Monday soon?
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - Up a bit from the premiere to 6.91 million. I'm surprised it built still from the lead-in...but one of these weeks it will start not to. Will it be this week?
• 'Til Death (Fox) 2 episodes - Two episodes did a weak 4.24 and 3.61 million...Do Not Disturb style for the latter. This will be gone soon.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.72 million for another two episodes from 8-9pm. Up a bit from the premiere.
• The Office (NBC) - Preempted.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - Final numbers are not in yet...but the prelim numbers show just above 2 million for the season premiere...not good, but seems to be doing better than Sundays at 8 when some episodes did under one million actually.
• The Game (The CW) - No final numbers yet for Friday, but did just under 2 million in prelim numbers. I would have thought this show would build a bit. Maybe it will in the finals. Check our message board tomorrow for final Friday numbers.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are the Fox animated comedies from 7-10PM.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Old Christine, My Name is Earl) or just plain old terrible (such as 'Til Death).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 6:00 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings