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Week 3 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did

Households: CBS: 8.0/12.6; ABC: 7.4/11.7; NBC: 4.2/6.5; Fox: 4.0/6.2; The CW: 1.7/2.6; MNT: 0.9/1.4.
Total Viewers: CBS: 12.62 million; ABC: 11.32 million; NBC: 6.54 million; Fox: 6.41 million; The CW: 2.42 million; MNT: 1.33 million.
Adults 18-49: CBS: 3.7/9.6; ABC: 3.0/7.8; NBC: 2.6/6.8; Fox: 2.4/6.2; The CW: 1.2/3.0; MNT: 0.5/1.3.

Analysis: Week 3 saw the third Presidential Debate, but it was on Tuesday this week. Through the first four days, CBS has the lead in all categories, with ABC second in all categories, NBC in third in HH/viewers (2nd in 18-49) and Fox in fourth in all categories. Remember these are through Wednesday, but Thursday was the same as our rankings above basically with CBS first, then ABC, NBC and Fox. Last week, CBS won week 2 in all categories as ABC won the first week, ABC was second in HH/viewers (and tied for second in 18-49), NBC was third in HH/viewers (but tied for 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 18.59 million and a 4.3/11 in 18-49...down a tad from previous week. A new Boston Legal followed with 8.75 million, up a tad from the previous week. Next up was CBS with its comedies and CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 9.39 million, up from previous week and beat the season premier even and How I Met Your Mother followed with 8.98 million, up a bit from the previous week but the show didn't build on the lead-in in viewers. Two and a Half Men and new single-camera sitcom Worst Week followed with 14.07 and 8.85 million. Men was up from previous week, while Worst Week was down a tad from a week ago...not good. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did 13.88 million, down again from previous week...is that new sitcom before it, hurting it? NBC followed with its drama line-up. Chuck started it off with a weak 5.83 million, down a million from its premiere, Heroes followed with 8.2 million...down over a million from previous week and a series low. A second special preview of Friday night drama Life aired at 10pm with just 5.58 million, down over 1.5 million from previous week. Fox was a distant fourth with Sarah Connor continuing to fall with just 5.73 million, though up from previous week and nearly beat Chuck, and Prison Break did a similar 5.37 million...up a bit from previous week. The CW had repeats tonight with a repeat of Gossip Girl doing 1.82 million and a special repeat of Privileged on a special night did 1.55 million...did that help it for Tuesday? Find out.
Tuesday, the second Presidential debate and third overall took centerstage. ABC won with the debate coverage at 9pm with 13.2 million, but the ratings don't count. The analysis however did at 10:39pm and it did 9.92 million. Dancing with the Stars: The Results aired at a special time of 8pm ET and in its normal time out west at 9pm with 15.06 million...not bad since it aired all over the place. CBS had the always reliable NCIS opening the night off with 16.29 million, down over a million from previous week, new drama The Mentalist and Without a Trace were preempted due to the debate as CBS did 9.44 million, but that doesn't count in the ratings...the analysis at 10:39pm does and it did 7.95 million for third place. NBC was fourth with an abbreviated one-hour The Biggest Loser doing 7.27 million, down a tad from previous week, followed by coverage of the Presidential debate at a second place 10.86 million but that doesn't count in the final ratings, however the analysis following does with 8.35 million. Fox was fourth this week with a House repeat doing 6.36 million, followed by Fox's coverage of the debate at just 5.3 million, which doesn't count in the finals, but the analysis following did with 4.12 million. The CW aired a new 90210 with 3.12 million...down a bit from previous week. A new Privileged did 2.29 million...up week-to-week. Did the Monday repeat help? Or because of the debate it was the only show on?
Wednesday it was CBS with the win b a wide margin. CBS started with sitcoms, Old Christine did 7.53 million, up from previous week and a season high, followed by new sitcom Gary Unmarried at 7.36 million, also up from previous week and a series high despite not building in viewers from lead-in for the first time. However veteran dramas are not being tested by anyone and dominated big time with Criminal Minds and CSI: NY doing 16.19 (up over a million from previous week) and 15.87 million (up from previous week and has gone up on all episodes this season). Fox was next but a distant next, but started well with Bones at a strong 10.56 million, up from previous week. Two 'Til Death episodes did just 4.61 and 3.81 million...both up a bit from previous week, but this is costing Fox to be a closer second place. ABC was a disappointing third with its Wednesday dramas... Pushing Daisies did just 5.5 million for its second episode of the year, down from the premiere. This week its on its own before the debate out east and after the debate out west. Hopefully it helps rather than hurts. Private Practice followed with 7.4 million, very disappointing and down a bit from the premiere. Dirty Sexy Money followed with 5.85 million, down over a million from the premiere. People need to watch this addicting and well written show! The Dynasty of our generation. NBC opened the night with the new cheesy Knight Rider doing just 6.86 million...down over a million week to week, followed by part two of the Biggest Loser 6 from previous night doing just 6.56 million, down from its usual Tuesday airings. At 10pm NBC had the dud Lipstick Jungle at just 4.76 million, down from the previous week. The CW had its usual showing of Top Model at a decent 3.94 million, down a tad from previous week...a repeat of 90210 followed with 1.78 million, up a bit from previous week.
Thursday CBS won with a big premiere. CBS opened with Survivor: Gabon at 13.28 million, up a bit from previous week. The season premiere of CSI followed with a big 23.49 million, down a few million though from last fall's premiere...but still good. Series premiere of Eleventh Hour followed and dropped badly before it even started doing 12.29 million in the 10pm half-hour and 11.37 million overall for the hour. I think it will fall below 10 million either this week or next week...bad reception from viewers watching. ABC opened the night with Ugly Betty doing 8.52 million, up a bit from previous week when it aired on its own. Grey's Anatomy followed with 14.8 million and a 5.6 18-49 rating...both below average and should spike up next week. I think it will beat CSI in 18-49. Series premiere of Life on Mars got off to a decent start with 11.33 million and beat Eleventh Hour in households (7.5/13 to 7.2/12) and 18-49 (3.7/10 and 3.2/9)despite the bigger lead-in. NBC was third with a new My Name is Earl doing 7.17, up from previous week. Series premiere of new sitcom Kath & Kim followed with 7.52 million...not bad, but will it build on the lead-in this week? The Office followed with a solid 9.25 million, but the SNL Thursday Update special did better following it with 10.85 million and a surprising 5.1 18-49 rating. It was the surprise of the night. Two more specials left...let's see if it can keep it up before low rated but acclaimed 30 Rock returns. ER benefited from that higher lead-in and did a third place 9.41 million but a first place 3.9 18-49 rating. Fox had an above average Thursday with coverage of the MLB NLCS Game #1 doing 7.74 million...not great, but good enough. Smallville on The CW did 4.12 million, up a bit from previous week, followed by Supernatural at a decent 3.15 million...down from previous week...too much competition tonight.
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 Ex-List dropped more and fell out of the lead at 9. NUMB3RS at 10pm saw year-to-year declines, possibly thanks to the bad lead-in as 20/20 on ABC nearly beat it. Reality on ABC, NBC, and Fox from 8-10 saw bad numbers, but better than previous week.
Saturday numbers saw CBS win in the preliminaries overall and also in 18-49 with college football as ABC aired NASCAR.
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 will be solid, but has no NFL lead-in tonight, and NBC will do well in primetime with NFL, but can New England draw without Brady? Fox will air the NLCS Game #3 and it will get a boost from the NFL overrun and its the Cowboys.
As for the week, CBS should win in HH, viewers and even 18-49. ABC will be second across the board. Followed by NBC, Fox, CW and MNT. This week will see the final debate...this time on Wednesday. That will hurt CBS as they dominate the night, and now ABC could win the night as its debate coverage has won all three so far. Can Pushing Daisies gain some viewers back with Bones in a repeat this week? Can the debate out west help it? Tune in!

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of September 29-October 5)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - 7.41 million, down two million from the NFL driven premiere.
• King of the Hill (Fox) 3 episodes - 6.59 million for the normal episode, down a bit from the premiere. Two repeats in the 7pm hour did just 2.9 and 3.99 million.
• Family Guy (Fox) - 8.38 million for a new episode...down from the premiere.
• American Dad (Fox) - Only 6.85 million...but only down a tad from previous week.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 9.39 million for a new episode, up from previous week and it nipped the season premiere numbers. Excellent!
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.98 million for a new episode, up week-to-week, but it didn't build on the lead-in in viewers as it usually does...
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 14.07 million...up a nice 1/2 million or so from previous week.
• Worst Week (CBS) - Just 8.85 million...not good retention at all and down a bit from previous week. I said it would do lower than the 8-9pm sitcoms this week...and look it did. Not good news.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

• Old Christine (CBS) - 7.53 million for a new episode...up from previous week and season high. Not great, but good enough in this very weak slot.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - I said last week it will start not to build on the lead-in and that happened this past week as the show did 7.36 million, but a series high still. Has gone up on all three airings.
• 'Til Death (Fox) 2 episodes - Two episodes did a weak 4.61 and 3.81 million...both up a bit from previous week. But Fox can do better in this hour.
• Under One Roof (MNT) - Repeat airing did 820,000 viewers...after an all-new premiere of reality comedy series Tony Rock Project doing 1.0 million.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 7.17 million for a half-hour showing, up from previous week.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - 7.52 million for the premiere is OK, nice that it built from the lead-in. Will it this week, though?
• The Office (NBC) - New episode did 9.25 million and a solid 4.8 18-49 rating.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - Final numbers are not in yet...but the prelim numbers show just under 2 million. That's the best it will do I think.
• The Game (The CW) - No final numbers yet for Friday, but just under 2 million and it did build from the lead-in so far.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are no sitcoms.

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

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

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Labels: Weekly Ratings