Sunday, November 23, 2008
Week 9 Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did
(Thursday final numbers were not released by Nielsen, so we don't have final Thursday network averages or final program numbers in time for today's story...sorry.)
Households: CBS: 8.6/13.4; ABC: 7.0/11.0; Fox: 5.1/7.7; NBC: 4.4/6.8; The CW: 1.9/3.0; MNT: 0.9/1.4.
Total Viewers: CBS: 13.56 million; ABC: 10.74 million; Fox: 8.3 million; NBC: 6.94 million; The CW: 2.85 million; MNT: 1.45 million.
Adults 18-49: CBS: 3.6/9.4; Fox: 3.2/8.1; ABC: 2.7/6.9; NBC: 2.6/6.8; The CW: 1.4/3.5; MNT: 0.5/1.3.
Analysis: Week 9 has seen CBS in contro through the first three nights (and four counting prelim numbers for Thursday). Nielsen didn't release final ratings for Thursday, so I cannot give you those averages and program ratings...but see above for final first three night averages. If you count the prelim Thursday averages, through the first four days, CBS is in the lead in all categories, while ABC should be second throughout (though Fox might have a say in 18-49, but ABC seems to have edged Fox through the first four days). Fox is 3rd across the board, while NBC is likely fourth across the board.
Last week, CBS won week 8 in all categories (HH, viewers, 18-49), while ABC was second in all categories. NBC was third across the board. Fox was fourth across the board as well.
Monday ABC was on top thanks to of course Dancing with the Stars. The 92-minute episode did a night best 19.63 million...up week-to-week. The sitcom Samantha Who followed and did 10.23 million, slightly off from the previous week. A new Boston Legal followed with 8.08 million, down some from the previous week. Next up was CBS, with new episodes of its comedies and a new CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did great again, but down a bit from the previous week's series high of 10.01 million to 9.76 million this week...still not bad! A new How I Met Your Mother followed with a season high 9.99 million, built on the lead-in for the first time in weeks! #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 15.18 million, up week-to-week as well, while Worst Week did 10.24 million, its best showing in weeks...good sign. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did 15.46 million, up nearly two million from previous week as the show celebrated a milestone episode. NBC was next and as its regular line-up continues to falter. Chuck did 6.89 million, up form previous week, followed by Heroes at once again another series low 7.65 million, down from previous week's series low. Recently canceled My Worst Own Enemy was next at just 3.91 million, a series low...NBC needs to remove this ASAP rather than wait it out. Fox was next with the weak Sarah Connor at just 5.09 million, slightly down from previous week, and on its last legs Prison Break at 5.52 million, though up a bit week-to-week once again. The CW had its teen girls line-up of Gossip Girl doing 2.89 million, on par really from previous week, followed by One Tree Hill at a season low 2.72 million. What is happening to The CW Monday? It used to do well over 3 million.
Tuesday it was CBS and ABC battling for first while Fox won in 18-49. CBS's quiet hit NCIS started it off with 17.99 million...down from the previous week's series high. New drama The Mentalist followed with 15.84 million, down from previous week. A new Without a Trace would did 11.85 million, also down week-to-week, but not as much as the other two. ABC was next with a special episode of Dancing with the Stars at 11.6 million up from previous week's special recap, followed by Dancing with the Stars: The Results at 17.59 million, up a million week-to-week as now we are down to the final three, and Eli Stone only did 6.36 million, a season low. Fox was next with House at 13.26 million and a 5.6 18-49 rating both up slightly week-to-week, followed by lead-in dependent Fringe with 9.18 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, up from previous week. NBC was next with another two-hour The Biggest Loser at 7.77 million, down a bit from previous week and Law & Order: SVU followed at 10.11 million, up from previous week. The CW aired a new episode of 90210 doing 2.92 million, up a bit from previous week and a new episode of Privileged did only 1.55 million, down week-to-week.
Wednesday saw CBS take back the night, as ABC took the previous week with a big win for the CMA Awards, but usual winner CBS was back in business tonight. CBS started with Old Christine at 7.85 million, up a million from previous week. Recently picked-up for a full season Gary Unmarried followed with 7.88 million, up over a million from previous week and built from the lead-in. Next was Criminal Minds at 9pm and it did a solid 16.33 million, up big from previous week and at 10pm CSI: NY did 14.12 million, up big from previous week, as this series it a milestone episode as well. Fox was next with a new Bones at a solid 10.82 million, down a tad from previous week but on par really. A House repeat, yes another, followed with 5.68 million...down from previous week. ABC's Pushing Daisies only managed 4.87 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating for a series low, as it seems the series will be done after its 13 episodes. Private Practice was next and also had a series low of 7.22 million, and will be heavily helped in January when it moves to Thursday. Dirty Sexy Money also did a series low with 5.58 million...it is too bad because this show is worth watching. Watch it! NBC opened the night with the falling Knight Rider doing just 5.2 million, down from previous week and a terrible 1.4 18-49 rating, and why was this picked-up for a full year? Next up was Life doing just 5.43 million, down week-to-week and a new Law & Order did 7.62 million, a series low for the veteran series. The CW had the finale of Top Model doing 4.84 million, its best numbers in a year but Stylista followed with only 2.16 million, and did not benefit, though it was up from previous week.
Thursday as we mentioned final numbers are not in yet...but we will give prelim numbers. CBS won the night overall and just edged ABC in 18-49. CBS opened with Survivor: Gabon at a prelim 12.62 million, putting it down a bit from previous week. A new CSI followed with a prelim 18.43 million, down from previous week. The new Eleventh Hour followed and did a prelim 10.67 million, also down from previous week. ABC was with Ugly Betty doing a prelim 8.29 million, up a bit from previous week. Grey's Anatomy followed with a prelim 15.74 million and a prelim 6.1 18-49 rating, up from previous week. At 10pm a new Life on Mars did a prelm 7.97 million, on par with the previous week. NBC was next with a new My Name is Earl doing a prelim 6.75 million, down from previous week, new sitcom Kath & Kim followed with only a prelim 5.47 million, but up from the previous week. The Office followed with a prelim 8.4 million, slightly up from previous week. 30 Rock did a prelim 7.29 million, down once again from previous week, as the show has gone down each airing this season after a fast start. ER was next with a prelim 9.15 million, down from previous week. Fox was off the map with two episodes of Kitchen Nightmares at just a prelim 4.46 million, down from previous week. Smallville on The CW did a prelim 4.77 million, but some of that is NFL action in Pittsburgh on their CW, followed by Supernatural at 4.03 million, and once again some of that is NFL action...so expect CW to go down a bit and same for NBC as there was NFL action on NBC in Cincy.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with their dramas, as Ghost Whisperer did a season high, repeat of The Mentalist at 9pm did the best of the night, while NUMB3RS also won its hour. ABC saw decent numbers for 20/20 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 Saturday Night College Football between two top 5 teams.
Tonight again NFL will be key. CBS will not have an over-run this week, so they will be at normal levels. ABC's regular Sunday line-up of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters, are preempted for the American Music Awards, so they will not be as high but will do solid still and great in 18-49. NBC will be solid with the SNF game. Fox will be the wildcard...it's 24 prequel movie could do decent or bomb..but the NFL overrun will help it at the start at least.
As for the week, I believe CBS will win the week in HH, viewers and 18-49, but it depends on how Fox does tonight in 18-49, but it won't be enough likely for even 2nd in 18-49. ABC will be second across the board likely, but 18-49 will be close. Fox will be third, with NBC in fourth across the board though in 18-49 they could compete, followed by CW and MNT. What to watch for this week? Sweeps ends on Wednesday and it seems CBS will win it overall with ABC in 18-49. But still three days to go...Dancing with the Stars two-night finale is the pick for the rest of sweep.
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Nov. 10-16)
- The Simpsons (Fox) 2 episodes - A new showing did 8.48 million, up week-to-week. A repeat at 7:30pm leading into to the new episode did 5.64 million, also up.
- King of the Hill (Fox) - 7.08 million for a new episode, up from previous week. A repeat at 7pm only mustered 3.62 million, but better than previous week.
- Family Guy (Fox) - 8.57 million for a new episode, but a bit week-to-week.
- American Dad (Fox) - 6.76 million for worst of the night, but up from previous week.
Monday Sitcoms
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 9.76 million...down from the series high the previous week, but still very good!
- How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 9.09 million up from previous week again and a season high, and it build on the lead-in...the biggest winner for CBS this week.
- Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 15.18 million, up from previous week and #1 sitcom as always.
- Worst Week (CBS) - 10.24 million...better than usual and beat CBS 8-9pm finally for the first time in weeks. Good sign.
- Samantha Who? (ABC) - 10.23 million...down slightly from previous week, solid but needs to do a bit better.
Tuesday Sitcoms
- None.
- Old Christine (CBS) - 7.85 million...up a million from previous week. Good news.
- Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 7.88 million this week, up well over a million from previous week and built from the lead-in! Great news.
Thursday Sitcoms
- My Name is Earl (NBC) - Final Thursday numbers were not released yet, but prelim 6.75 million for a new episode, down from previous week.
- Kath & Kim (NBC) - Prelim 5.47 million, not good, but from previous week a bit.
- The Office (NBC) - Prelim 8.4 million for a new episode...up slightly week-to-week...for now, since the prelim numbers count the Cincy ratings for the NFL game.
- 30 Rock (NBC) - Prelim 7.29 million tuned in this week, down again from previous week...and once again these numbers include the NFL game in Cincy, so likely it will go down a bit more.
Friday Sitcoms
- Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - Final numbers are not in yet...but the prelim numbers show 1.77 million. Bad yes, and down a bit week to week so far.
- The Game (The CW) - Prelim numbers show just 1.62 million...same as above.
Saturday Sitcoms
- None.
Airing tonight (Sunday) are no comedies, as Fox's animated comedies are preempted.
Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Worst Week were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as My Name is Earl, 30 Rock) or just plain old terrible (such as The Game, Kath & Kim).
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Friday, December 8
CBS announced the new entertainment special Norman Lear: A Life on Television, to air tonight - Friday, Dec. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs). Presented by Entertainment Tonight, this one-hour special features new interviews with stars of the long-running comedies Lear created, including Jimmie Walker from Good Times and Mackenzie Phillips from One Day at a Time, in addition to never-before-seen interviews from the ET vault. Also included with this new footage and interviews is an in-depth sit-down interview with Lear that ET host Kevin Frazier conducted when Lear celebrated his 100th birthday, in which he reflected on his lengthy, groundbreaking career.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 4)
Friday, December 8
- Eddie Murphy (The PJs) - Watch Eddie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building/High Fidelity/People of Earth/Selfie) - Da'Vine appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- John Caponera (The Good Life) - John is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
- Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Triumph the Insult Comic Dog aka Robert Smigel chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Noah Galvin (The Real O'Neals) and Molly Gordon (Ramy) - Noah and Molly talk about Theater Camp on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Eric Stonestreet (The Santa Clauses/Modern Family) - Eric talks about The Santa Clauses on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan sits down with Sherri to talk about his new book, When I Was Your Age, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-December)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
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