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Week 11 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Households: CBS: 7.6/12.1; ABC: 5.3/8.4; NBC: 5.2/8.3; Fox: 4.3/6.6; The CW: 1.2/1.9; MNT: 1.1/1.7.
Total Viewers: CBS: 12.33 million; ABC: 8.39 million; NBC: 8.21 million; Fox: 6.9 million; The CW: 1.77 million; MNT: 1.68 million.
Adults 18-49: CBS: 3.4/8.8; NBC: 2.9/7.7; ABC: 2.7/7.2; Fox: 2.7/7.0; The CW: 0.7/1.9; MNT: 0.5/1.3.

Analysis: Week 11 so far has seen a mix of new and repeats, with CBS on top thus far. Through the first four days, CBS has the lead in all categories, with ABC second in viewers and households but NBC is right behind and ha a slim lead for 2nd in 18-49, with Fox in fourth across the board, but is in the same still in 18-49.
Last week, CBS won week 10 in HH and viewers thanks to an NFL overrun, while ABC won the week in 18-49. ABC was second in HH/viewers, while CBS was second in 18-49 for the week. NBC was a distant third across the board and Fox was fourth across the board as well.
Monday ABC was without Dancing with the Stars, as the season ended the previous week, so of course so their ratings obviously were down. CBS was in repeats but yet still won the night beating 2nd place ABC. CBS started with repeats of their comedies with CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory doing 7.63 million for a repeat, not bad. A repeat of How I Met Your Mother followed 7.88 million, building a bit from is lead-in. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 13.63 million for a repeat, yet only down a million or so from the previous week when it was all-new, while Worst Week finally had an encore and it did only 7.79 million, but all things considered...it isn't too bad. At 10pm a repeat of CSI: Miami did 11.16 million, not bad at all. Don't know how these shows repeat so well. ABC started off the night very strong with the new holiday classic Shrek the Halls doing a solid 11.14 million followed by all-time classic special How the Grinch Stole Christmas building with a nice 11.41 million. Not bad, even though last year they did considerably better, but that was when Shrek the Halls first premiered and surprised everyone with over 20 million. ABC then aired back-to-back all-new episodes of Samantha Who and did not do as well as it does doing 6.04 and 6.51 million, but at least it built through the hour...maybe many fans didn't know of the special 9pm time? A new Boston Legal followed with 8.11 million, on par really from the previous week. The series finale is tomorrow night...ABC will go with a two-hour finale, so I'm guessing it will be double digits in viewers, maybe 10 and 13 million for the two-hours? NBC was next and as its regular line-up continues to falter. Chuck did 7.34 million, up from previous week though and was the bright spot for them, followed by Heroes at just 8 million, up a bit from previous week, but really should be doing much better than this. The burn-off My Worst Own Enemy was next at just 3.94 million, but actually up a bit from previous week. Fox was next with the very weak Sarah Connor at just 5.82 million, but actually up over a million from previous week's terrible ratings, and on its last legs Prison Break at 5.84 million, also up week-to-week. The CW was next with a new Gossip Girl doing a solid 3.11 million...there you go, it is back on track! One Tree Hill was preempted as CW aired a new episode of Privileged on a special night doing only 2.2 million. Privileged will be airing on this night tomorrow, too. If I were to guess, it's one season and done for this series.
Tuesday it was all CBS by miles. CBS's quiet hit NCIS started the night off with 18.52 million...up a bit from previous week. New drama The Mentalist followed with 18.74 million, up 3 million from previous week and a series high as there is no more Dancing to compete with. WOW! Breakout hit of the fall, but do you actually know anyone who watches? A new Without a Trace did 12.32 million, up two million week-to-week, as it was affected by Dancing the previous week. Fox was next with a new House at 12.52 million, down a bit week-to-week for a season low, followed by the fall finale for lead-in dependent Fringe with 8.54 million, up from previous week. NBC was next with another two-hour The Biggest Loser at a above normal 8.75 million, up two million from previous week, as again Dancing affected the previous week and Law & Order: SVU followed at 10.33 million, also loads better than the previous week. But still who would have thought 10.33 million for SVU would be a great number? For this year that is outstanding for it...in other years that would be pretty below normal. ABC was all the way to 4th on night this, but started off decently with the holiday classic Santa Claus is Comin' to Town at a solid 8.9 million, as this special is no where near the ratings hit of other specials, but still solid. No more Dancing with the Stars: The Results until March, so ABC is airing holiday themed episodes of According to Jim this month instead and two new episodes did OK with 6.13 million and 5.46 million, the concern is why the drop at 9:30? Jim lead into Eli Stone at 10pm at just 4.94 million. Just two more confirmed airings left unless ABC will unload the other remaining episodes in January on Saturdays? The CW aired a repeat of 90210 and only mustered 1.21 million but a repeat of the previous night's Privileged only did 850,000 viewers.
Wednesday was a strange night. NBC and CBS had something to cheer for while ABC and Fox didn't do so bad either. NBC opened the night with the annual special Christmas at Rockefeller Center doing a nice 10.32 million, boosting Life to a season high of 8.15 million, or is it because CBS's Criminal Minds was not on? Probably a bit of both. The above average night for NBC helped Law & Order at 10pm doing a season high 11.31 million, up over 4 million from previous week's SERIES low. Go figure. CBS also aired a holiday special to start the night off as sitcoms Old Christine and Gary Unmarried took a seat for the holiday classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer doing 11.81 million, but that was down a lot from last season, but that was on a Tuesday. Next was the Grammy Nomination Concert at just 6.99 million, costing CBS this night, as Criminal Minds would have doubled that. At 10pm CSI: NY was also preempted but CBS did decent with the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show doing 8.68 million but even better 3.6 18-49 rating...both up big from last season. Fox was next but Bones was preempted as Fox aired a two-hour premiere for new reality series Secret Millionaire and the series did decent doing 6.67 million at 8pm but rose to 8.05 million and won the hour in 18-49 actually. A nice series to air in December indeed. ABC was next but it started off slow with Pushing Daisies only managing 4.87 million, but up from previous week. Private Practice was next and did a solid 7.78 million, winning the hour in households Dirty Sexy Money was next and did an OK 5.64 million...I wished more people watched this show, it is amazing. The CW had a repeat of Stylista doing just 1.25 million, followed by an all-new Stylista doing the same 1.25 million, no Top Model lead-in, no good ratings.
Thursday saw CBS nip ABC in HH/viewers, but ABC took the night in 18-49 with a Barbara Walters special. CBS opened with Survivor: Gabon at 12.73 million, a new CSI followed with a a season low of 17.48 million, and a new Eleventh Hour followed with 10.86 million. ABC was next with a great episode of Ugly Betty doing 8.37 million, Grey's Anatomy was next and did a solid 15.28 million but won the hour in 18-49 with a 5.5 rating to CSI's 4.6. ABC closed the night very strong with the annual special Barbara Walter's 10 Most Fascinating People doing 13.19 million for first place at 10pm. NBC was next with My Name is Earldoing just 6.13 million, followed by Kath & Kim at just 4.91 million, while The Office perked up to 8.46 million, followed by 30 Rock at 7.18 million and a new ER closed the night with 8.2 million. Fox was fourth for the night with two repeats of Kitchen Nightmares at 3.62 and 4.06 million. Smallville repeat on The CW did a 2.29 million followed by a Supernatural repeat at 2.0 million.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with Ghost Whisperer and NUMB3RS, while the combo of the holiday movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas and 20/20 was 2nd for ABC. NBC again didn't do much even with a holiday countdown at 8pm.
Saturday numbers were not available but it is expected for ABC to win big thanks to the Big-12 championship game on the season finale of Saturday Night College Football.
Tonight NFL plays a big role to what will happen. CBS will probably have a below normal night as they will air a Hallmark movie from 9-11pm. ABC's regular Sunday line-up of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters, is all-new tonight, so they should be in the game. NBC will be solid with the SNF game, but not as high as usual with the Ravens/Red Skins. Fox will do big for the overrun of the Cowboys and Steelers leading into the BCS selection show at 8pm and an all-new Simpsons at 8:30, but the rest of Fox is repeats.
As for the week, CBS will win the week in HH and viewers and might hang on to 18-49, but it depends on low CBS does tonight and how high the NFL overrun is for Fox tonight. 18-49 rating can go anyway this week with Fox as high as 1st place or low as 4th place. Very tight. What to watch for this week? Boston Legal series finale airs tomorrow on ABC, with more holiday classics airing as well.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Nov. 24-30)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - a new episode did a below normal 7.8 million.
• King of the Hill (Fox) 3 episodes - A new episode at 8:30 did 6.33 million...the usual, while two repeats at 7pm only did 2.71 and 3.72 million.
• Family Guy (Fox) - A repeat did 6.99 million, not bad.
• American Dad (Fox) - A new episode only did 5.56 million without the support of a new Family Guy.

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 7.63 million for a repeat, not bad at all...but they should have aired a new one as it will be new tomorrow. Better for momentum.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 7.88 million for a repeat, and built from the lead-in's repeat numbers. Good.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.63 million, and that was for a repeat...wow.
• Worst Week (CBS) - 7.79 million for a repeat of the pilot...not great, but not too bad either.
• Samantha Who? (ABC) 2 episodes - Two new episodes did 6.04 and 6.51 million, down of course because it doesn't have Dancing as the lead-in..but at least it grew in the hour.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• According to Jim (ABC) 2 episodes - The return did 6.13 million and 5.46 million...not too bad but concerned for the drop in the second episode.

• Old Christine (CBS) - preempted for Rudolph.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - preempted for Rudolph.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - Only 6.13 million...the same as According to Jim this week...uh oh.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - 4.91 million only for a new episode makes this a big loser for the week for sitcoms.
• The Office (NBC) - 8.46 million for an all-new showing...decent.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - 7.18 million for a new episode, not bad, but could be & should be better.

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - preempted for holiday specials.
• The Game (The CW) - preempted for holiday specials.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are Fox's animated comedies from 8:30-10 but only Simpsons is new at 8:30.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men repeat , The Office, How I Met Your Mother repeat, and The Big Bang Theory repeat were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as 30 Rock, According to Jim 9pm) or just plain old terrible (such as Kath & Kim, According to Jim 9:30pm).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 5:45 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings