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Week 16 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Households: CBS: 7.4/11.6; Fox: 6.3/9.7; NBC: 5.7/9.0; ABC: 5.2/8.1; The CW: 1.5/2.3; MNT: 0.8/1.2.
Total Viewers: CBS: 11.76 million; Fox: 10.18 million; NBC: 9.2 million; ABC: 7.94 million; The CW: 2.26 million; MNT: 1.28 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox: 3.4/8.9; NBC: 3.0/7.8; CBS: 3.0/7.6; ABC: 2.7/6.9; The CW: 1.1/2.7; MNT: 0.4/1.1.

Analysis: We're back after the last two weeks off with our weekly report! Week 16 so far has seen regular programming return for the most part, but football--both pro and college, has dominated. We don't have final network averages through Thursday, but final ratings through Wednesday is above. Through the first four days I can project, Fox has the lead in all categories thanks to a huge BCS Championship Game on Thursday night, with CBS second, ABC third, and NBC fourth through the first four days.
Last week, NBC won a slow week 15 in HH, viewers, and 18-49, thanks to a huge NFL Playoff game on Saturday night that did over 27 million. CBS and Fox was battling for second, with CBS second in HH, while Fox was second in viewers/18-49. ABC was fourth in HH/viewers, but third in 18-49, leaving CBS in fourth.
Monday CBS was in repeats, as Fox aired a BCS football game and won the night. Fox aired the Fiesta Bowl between Texas and Ohio State and did a nice 17.06 million, as Fox averaged 16.31 million in primetime. CBS was in repeats and started with repeats of their comedies then ended with a repeat of CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 8.5million, not bad for a repeat. A repeat of How I Met Your Mother followed with 7.23 million, but a drop from the lead-in. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with a below normal 11.56 million for a repeat showing, while a Worst Week repeat did just 7.04 million. At 10pm a repeat of CSI: Miami did 10.4 million, seems a bit below repeat levels. ABC was next (but was second for the night in 18-49), with the season premiere of The Bachelor with a solid 8.74 million followed by the series premiere of True Beauty at 7.61 million, but it built from the lead-in in 18-49. Good start. NBC was next with the second night of the two-night, two-hour premiere of Superstars of Dance at 9.67 million, down a bit from previous night...but better than the normal Chuck and Heroes. Reality dud Momma's Boys was next at just 5.32 million, but still better than what NBC was doing here in the fall. The CW was next with the return of Gossip Girl doing 2.96 million and a new One Tree Hill did 2.66 million. Gossip Girl lost head-to-head with ABC Family's Secret Life of the American Teenager, as that did 4.44 million...ouch for The CW.
Tuesday CBS was all-new and won the night despite skewing old. CBS's NCIS started the night off with 19.1 million for a new episode. New drama The Mentalist followed with 19.62 million yet another series high. A new episode of Without a Trace did 13.13 million, down a lot from its previous new episode three weeks ago. NBC was next with the season premiere The Biggest Loser at 11.92 million, up from the last cycle's finale a bit and that was three weeks ago...how can this show come with a new season after just three weeks? NBC followed at 10pm with Law & Order: SVU at 10.82 million...solid, but should be better. ABC was 3rd on this night, the premiere of Homeland Security USA did 7.77 million, but skewed a bit older than thought. The ABC premiere of Scrubs followed with nice showings of 6.74 million and 6.61 million, up from its numbers from NBC last year. What was more impressive was it skewed very young, with 80% of its audience in 18-49 for the hour. Scrubs lead into the season premiere of the addicting hidden-camera series Primetime: What Would You Do at 10pm doing a solid 7.02 million, and skewing very young as well, in fact it tied CBS for the hour in 18-49 despite CBS doubling it in viewers. Fox was next with a repeat of House at 5.51 million and a repeat of Fringe with 3.64 million. The CW aired new 90210 and did 2.8 million, really should be doing better than this, and a new episode of Privileged only did 1.67 million, as this series is in danger of coming back next year.
Wednesday saw CBS and ABC battle. CBS started with sitcoms, but repeats of Old Christine did a decent 7.89 million and a repeat of Gary Unmarried did 7.13 million, though it didn't build from the lead-in like it usually does. Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were preempted, so CBS lost big ratings, but did OK with the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards at 9.41 million. ABC was next but it started off slow with two Scrubs repeats from the previous night doing 4.53 and 4.29 million, yet, still on par really with Pushing Daisies' latest airings. A Special Edition of 20/20 - Vanished: Missing in Milwaukee was next and did a solid 7.95 million, that really was an interesting special. ABC saw big ratings for Barbara Walters Special: Patrick Swayze - The Truth doing 12.55 million, but skewed older than thought. NBC opened the night with the dud Knight Rider doing only 5.74 million, yet it seems like it went up, a repeat of Law & Order: SVU did a solid 7.47 million much better than the usual Life episode. Law & Order followed at 10pm doing 10.26 million, better than usual...notice this show is one of those shows that is not a priority for viewers, because it only goes up when CSI: NY is not on. Without a Trace is another example of a show that is not a priority anymore. Fox was next with two Bones repeats at an OK 6.64 and 6.52 million. Fox can live with repeats on Tuesday and Wednesday this week thanks to two college football games and the huge NFL playoff game on Saturday night. The CW premiered new series 13: Fear is Real at just 2.4 million, wonder how it will do against Idol next week? A repeat of 90210 followed with 1.05 million.
Thursday saw Fox dominate with the BCS National Championship Game. The game did 26.78 million as Florida beat Oklahoma State. ABC was next with all-new episodes! An all-new Ugly Betty did 7.54 million, down from usual but not too bad airing against the BCS game, a new Grey's Anatomy was next and did 13.87 million, also slightly off from usual, followed by the Thursday premiere of Private Practice doing a solid 8.98 million at 10pm. CBS opened with a repeat of CSI: NY and did 8.57 million, not too bad, a repeat of CSI did a solid 11.0 million, and a repeat of Eleventh Hour followed with 7.65 million, a bit concerning as retention was not as good usual. NBC was fourth and they were primarily all-new. A new My Name is Earl did just 5.61 million, followed by a new Kath & Kim at just 4.13 million, a repeat of The Office did 4.67 million, followed by a new 30 Rock at 5.37 million. ER was next and all-new with 7.34 million, not too good. Smallville repeat on The CW did 2.24 million followed by a Supernatural repeat at 1.89 million.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with new episodes of Ghost Whisperer at 8, season premiere of Flashpoint, and a new NUMB3RS at 10pm. NBC saw OK numbers for the premiere of Howdie Do It at 8pm while 20/20 on ABC did good at 10pm.
Saturday was big because of the NFL. Fox won the night easily as the game between the Cardinals/Panthers scored big, as the Cardinals upset the Panthers to head to the NFC Championship Game next Sunday at 3pm.
Tonight the big four will all have something to tout about likely. CBS will have an overrun of the NFL playoff game spilling into primetime to boost their 8-11pm shows. NBC has the Golden Globes, which I don't think people will care too much to watch. Fox has the return of 24, but Fox doesn't have the luxury of an NFL lead-in. And ABC's outstanding regular Sunday line-up is all-new with AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters. The countdown is on for the Housewives' 100th episode next Sunday!
As for the week, Fox will easily win the week in HH, viewers and 18-49. Why wouldn't they? They had huge football games and didn't need any scripted (besides tonight) or even unscripted new programming. CBS will finish second, ABC should be third but NBC is in contention also, it depends on the Globes tonight. What to look for this week...oh god American Idol returns. Don't watch this year please, I beg you!

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Dec. 29-Jan. 4)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - preempted.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - preempted.
• Family Guy (Fox) - preempted.
• American Dad (Fox) - preempted.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 8.5 million for a repeat. So good!
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 7.23 million for a repeat...not bad, but doesn't repeat as well as its lead-in does.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 11.56 million for a repeat...yet still the #1 sitcom airing of the week.
• Worst Week (CBS) - 7.04 million only for a repeat. The show will likely be gone for good after Feb. 9...sad, though.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - 6.74 million and 6.61 million for the first two episodes on ABC, while that doesn't sound like much...it is an improvement from what it did on NBC the last few years. Also, the show did very well in 18-49, doing a 3.1 and a 3.2 rating.

• Old Christine (CBS) - 7.89 million for a repeat...not bad.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 7.13 million for a repeat...strange it didn't build from the lead-in like it normally was doing.
• Scrubs (ABC) - Two special encores from previous night did an OK 4.53 and 4.29 million.
• Under One Roof (MNT) - Only 740,000 viewers for its return. Why is this airing against House of Payne on TBS? That show does like 4 million every week on cable.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - A new episode only mustered 5.61 million...but still highest NBC sitcom of the night.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - 4.13 million for a new episode...ouch. Get rid of it!
• The Office (NBC) - 4.67 million for a repeat...the only repeat of the bunch.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode only did 5.37 million as the show got hurt with no Office as a new episode. Back to the old days of bad ratings again!

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - 1.41 prelim million for a new episode...should be better.
• The Game (The CW) - 1.39 prelim million for a new episode. This show would be better say on Wednesdays instead.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are repeat of Fox's animated comedies from 7-8 only.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Scrubs were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as repeats of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried) or just plain old terrible (such as Kath & Kim, Under One Roof).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 5:15 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings