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Week 7 Numbers (First Four Nights); How the Sitcoms Did

Households: ABC: 7.6/11.6; CBS: 6.8/10.4; NBC: 5.8/8.9; Fox: 3.5/5.3; The CW: 2.0/3.0; MNT: 0.7/1.1.
Total Viewers: ABC: 11.79 million; CBS: 10.73 million; NBC: 9.38 million; Fox: 5.73 million; The CW: 3.04 million; MNT: 1.06 million.
Adults 18-49: ABC: 3.5/8.5; NBC: 3.4/8.4; CBS: 3.2/7.9; Fox: 2.3/5.5; The CW: 1.5/3.5; MNT: 0.4/0.9.

Analysis: Week 7 saw the first full week of November Sweeps and the Presidential Election changes our normal Tuesday numbers. Hurray we got the final first four nights network averages for the first time in weeks! Through the first four days, ABC has the lead in all categories, as the Election coverage helped but primarily because CBS's coverage did nothing, with CBS in second in HH/viewers but third in 18-49. NBC is third in HH/viewers and 2nd in 18-49 thanks to the SNL special and their Election coverage. So an atypical week.
Last week, CBS won week 6 in HH/viewers, while Fox won in 18-49 for the second straight week. ABC was second across the board in all categories. Fox was third in HH/viewers, while CBS and NBC were tied for 3rd in 18-49. NBC was fourth in HH/viewers for the week.
Monday ABC was on top thanks to of course Dancing with the Stars. The 92-minute episode did a below normal 17.09 million...the reason probably was NBC's SNL Election special. The sitcom Samantha Who followed and also did a below normal 8.72 million, down from previous week. A new Boston Legal followed with just 6.72 million, down nearly two million from the previous week, as SNL hurt it. NBC was next but its regular line-up of Chuck , Heroes and My Worst Own Enemy were preempted for a special Monday Deal or No Deal at just 7.18 million (this series is no longer a force), but the surprise of the night was the two-hour SNL Presidential Bash at a solid 14.44 million and an impressive 5.6 18-49 rating. Next up was CBS, the usual second place network on Monday, with new episodes of its comedies and a new CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did a series best 9.67 million, this show continues to shine and How I Met Your Mother followed with 9.4 million. From there CBS went downhill as probably SNL hurt it, Two and a Half Men followed with 12.76 million, but seems lower than normal and a new Worst Week only mustered 8.28 million, losing to the 8-9pm comedies for the second time. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did a below normal 12.74 million. Fox was next with the should have not been renewed Sarah Connor at just 5.17 million and on its last legs Prison Break at 5.23 million. The CW had its usual decent numbers with Gossip Girl doing a solid 3.16 million, up a bit from previous week and the resurgent One Tree Hill did 3.02 million, but down week-to-week for the second straight week.
Tuesday it was an atypical night. We got Presidential Election coverage for the night on all nets but The CW. Congrats to President-Elect Barack Obama! ABC lead the election coverage with its ABC News Vote 2008 doing 13.23 million in primetime. Dancing with the Stars: The Results aired Wednesday at 8 this week and Eli Stone was preempted. NBC was second actually with its election coverage, as NBC News Decision '08 did 12.1 million in primetime (for 3rd, CNN was 2nd). But it beats the regular line-up of The Biggest Loser and Law & Order: SVU, as both shows were preempted. CBS suffered the most on this night, as their usual big three guns NCIS, new drama The Mentalist and Without a Trace were preempted for CBS's Campaign 2008 coverage doing only 7.41 million in primetime. Fox also missed its regular line-up of House and to a lesser extent Fringe, as Fox You Decide 2008 did just 4.73 million in primetime. The CW aired a new episode of 90210 doing 2.95 million, down a bit from previous week and a new episode of Privileged did 1.84 million, down a tad week-to-week.
Wednesday saw CBS edge ABC. CBS started with Old Christine at a below normal 6.5 million, down from previous week. Gary Unmarried was back after a week off and did just 6.33 million, as both comedies were down because of Dancing with the Stars. CBS aired Criminal Minds at 9pm and it did a solid 14.3 million, up from previous week and at 10pm CSI: NY was down two million doing 11.8 million, as it seems the return of Law & Order on NBC hurt it a bit. ABC was next as Dancing with the Stars: The Results had to air on Wednesday this week due to the Election, as the show did 15.85 million, below normal but still #1 by miles at 8pm and much better than usual Pushing Daisies. Private Practice followed with a solid gain doing 9.17 million, up from previous week and Dirty Sexy Money did 6.15 million...up a bit from previous week. What a show! Fox was next with a new Bones at a solid 10.17 million, but second place at 8pm this week, though it seems Dancing didn't affect it. A House repeat, just what we need, did 6.65 million...which is good. NBC opened the night with a series low for Knight Rider doing just 5.12 million, down nearly two million from its previous episode two weeks ago. I find it hard to believe Dancing affected this male-driven show. Next up was the Wednesday premiere of Life doing doing nothing with 5.94 million and the season premiere of Law & Order did 7.94 million, but it wasn't big like last season. The CW had a new Top Model doing 3.82 million, down a bit from previous week and Stylista followed with only 1.82 million, up a bit week-to-week.
Thursday CBS won the night but saw declines. CBS opened with Survivor: Gabon at 12.01 million, down a million from previous week. A new CSI followed with 18.18 million, also down a million from previous week. The new Eleventh Hour followed and did 10.9 million, down week to week as well. ABC opened the night with Ugly Betty doing 8.92 million, up from previous week. Grey's Anatomy followed with 15.74 million, up week to week again and #1 in 18-49 with a 6.0 rating. At 10pm a new Life on Mars did 8.71 million, up from previous week for the second straight week. Looks like it is going up now. We should be hearing a back nine renewal soon. NBC was fourth with a new My Name is Earl doing 6.7, up from previous week, new sitcom Kath & Kim followed with only 5.63 million, but up from the previous week a bit for the second straight week. The Office followed with 8.54 million, down a million from previous week. The Oprah episode of 30 Rock did 8.07 million, down from previous week. Jennifer Aniston and the Night Court cast guest star this week, but can 30 Rock go up or down? ER did a third place 8.61 million, down from previous week. Fox was off the map with two new episodes of Kitchen Nightmares at just 4.42 million, followed by its regular slot episode at just 4.7 million, but up week-to-week. Smallville on The CW did 4.46 million, up from previous week as this is the #1 show on The CW it seems, followed by Supernatural at 3.24 million...down some 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 as usual, and a repeat of NCIS at 9pm did over 11 million in prelim numbers again, giving NUMB3RS a season high at 10pm. NBC's disappointing Crusoe continues to do bad, as does Lipstick Jungle at 10pm.
Saturday numbers saw ABC win in the preliminaries overall and in 18-49 thanks to College Football.
Tonight should be a victory for either ABC, CBS or NBC. NFL football will come into play. ABC of course has the Sunday line-up of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters. CBS will be solid, and will have an NFL overrun to help them in the 7pm half-hour, and NBC will be solid with the SNF game, with the best game in weeks between the Giants and Eagles. Fox will be solid but not as good as last week with their animation.
As for the week, I believe ABC should hang on for the win in HH, viewers and 18-49 but it depends on how NFL overrun does for CBS tonight. NBC will beat CBS in 18-49 for the week I think because of the NFL game. NBC will be third overall though, with Fox in fourth across the board, followed by CW and MNT. What to watch for this week? We will have a normal week again, the only stunts are the CMA Awards this Wednesday on ABC and a Supernanny stunt on ABC Friday with a special episode at 8pm and the backdoor pilot Super-Manny at 9pm. Expect ABC to be in the lead for the first four nights again this time next week thanks to a strong CMA on Wednesday.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of October 27-Nov. 2)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - The annual Treehouse of Horror Halloween special did an impressive 12.4 million and an excellent 6.2 18-49 rating...too bad it cant do anything near this each week.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - 8.5 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating was above average thanks to the great lead-in.
• Family Guy (Fox) - 9.99 million and a 5.1 18-49 rating...this show does better than The Office but no one says a word.
• American Dad (Fox) - 7.09 million, a bit better than usual but still a weak link on this night.

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 9.67 million is a series best! This show surprises everyone and is very solid in the ratings and quality.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 9.4 million, didn't build on the lead-in but it did in 18-49 from a 3.7 to 4.1, making this also a winner for the week.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - Even a below normal 12.76 million makes this the highest rated sitcom of the week.
• Worst Week (CBS) - Only 8.28 million, as a repeat of Gary Unmarried did better than that the previous week.
• Samantha Who? (ABC) - Below normal 8.72 million this week, down nearly two million week-to-week, as viewers flocked away from ABC and CBS this week from 9-11pm for NBC's SNL Presidential Bash.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

• Old Christine (CBS) - 6.5 million only for a new showing, but it faced Dancing with the Stars: The Results at a special night and time. Can it go back to building each week again?
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - Only 6.33 million after being preempted on this night the previous week.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.7 million for a new episode, up from previous week's 6.27 million.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - 5.63 million for a new episode...up from the previous week and slowly going up a bit in viewers after the 4.99 million two weeks ago.
• The Office (NBC) - 8.54 million for a new episode...down a million week-to-week though. Maybe Thursday NFL hurt it?
• 30 Rock (NBC) - 8.07 million tuned in this week, down from the premiere's 8.66 million...but not bad still. Can it continue to stay solid?

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - Final numbers are not in yet...but the prelim numbers show 1.72 million. Bad yes, but up week to week so far.
• The Game (The CW) - Prelim numbers show just 1.68 million...same as above.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) is Fox's animated comedies from 7-10 (new from 8-10).

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, 30 Rock were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Samantha Who?, Old Christine) or just plain old terrible (such as Worst Week, The Game).

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

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Labels: Weekly Ratings