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Week 17 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Households: Fox: 10.8/17.2; CBS: 9.2/14.2; ABC: 4.5/7.0; NBC: 4.5/7.0; The CW: 1.5/2.3; MNT: 0.8/1.2.
Total Viewers: Fox: 19.95 million; CBS: 14.81 million; NBC: 7.12 million; ABC: 6.92 million; The CW: 2.33 million; MNT: 1.2 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox: 7.6/18.5; CBS: 3.8/9.5; ABC: 2.6/6.6; NBC: 2.5/6.2; The CW: 1.0/2.5; MNT: 0.4/0.9.

Analysis: Can you believe we are halfway done with the TV season? It just felt like yesterday we were in week 1. Anyway, Week 17 has seen that show return to big ratings and dominate. You know...American Idol, though it was down a bit, it was still by far the best of the week at over 30 million in its four hours this week giving Fox a commanding lead so far. Through the first four day, Fox has the lead in all categories obviously, with CBS second, and ABC and NBC battling for third.
Last week, Fox won week 16 in HH, viewers, and 18-49, thanks to the BCS games and a huge NFL Playoff game on Saturday night. CBS was second in all categories while NBC and ABC battled for third, with ABC having an edge in 18-49 and NBC in HH/viewers.
Monday CBS was all new and won the night. CBS started with new episodes of their comedies then ended with a new CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 11.81 million, yet another series high. It is like osmosis now, it just happens. Things will get tougher a bit tomorrow, but I expect this show to remain consistent. A new How I Met Your Mother followed with 11.76 million, a season high. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 17.1 million, while a new Worst Week did just 10.36 million...look for this to leave on Feb. 9 At 10pm a new episode of CSI: Miami did 15.83 million. Fox was next actually with the second night of the four-hour premiere of 24, with the final two hours on this night doing a solid 12.31 million, while that is down from its 2007 premiere...it is still decent. Let's see if it can do that every week though. ABC was next with a two-hour episode of The Bachelor with a solid 9.06 million, up from its season premiere, followed by the new True Beauty at 6.46 million, down a bit from its premiere but it still built in its second half-hour...a good sign. NBC was next with a two-hour Superstars of Dance at only 7.19 million, down a lot from previous week as CBS and Fox returned with new programming. Reality dud Momma's Boys was next at just 4.64 million, down from previous week. Poor NBC. The CW was next with a new Gossip Girl doing 2.85 million, down a tad from a week ago and a new One Tree Hill did 3.06 million, up from a week ago.
Tuesday that show called American Idol returned and dominated the night, but CBS was not that affected as all the nets were up from usual when Idol premieres. Fox aired the two-hour premiere of Idol, doing 30.42 million, great but off from last season's premiere by a few million. CBS's NCIS started the night off with 18.62 million for a new episode, only down about a half million from previous week. New drama The Mentalist followed with 18.07 million, down about 1.5 million though from previous week...still not too shabby. A new episode of Without a Trace at 10pm did 12.42 million, down previous week. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser at 8.86 million, down over 3 million from previous week...but still respectable against Idol. NBC followed at 10pm with Law & Order: SVU at 9.77 million...down from previous week and it should be better. ABC was next, as Homeland Security USA did 6.04 million, down over 1.5 million from its premiere but better than what ABC did last year in this slot by miles against Idol. Two episodes of Scrubs followed with 4.61 million and 4.33 million, down over 2 million from previous week, but Idol affected it. It should go up this week with no direct Idol competition. It still skewed very young, with again near 80% of its audience in 18-49 for the hour. Scrubs lead into the addicting hidden-camera series Primetime: What Would You Do at 10pm doing a solid 7.3 million, and skewing very young as well, and it was up from previous week. The CW aired new 90210 and did 2.18 million, way below normal as Idol will dent this show now, and a new episode of Privileged only did 1.12 million, ouch.
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox aired another two-hour episode doing slightly better than the previous night in all categories except viewers. It did 30.32 million, but was up from Tuesday in HH and 18-49. CBS started with sitcoms, a new episode of Old Christine did 7.17 million and a new Gary Unmarried did 6.96 million, not great but not too bad vs. Idol. Criminal Minds and CSI: NY followed with new episodes at 13.78 and 12.67 million, a bit below normal. NBC opened the night with the dud Knight Rider doing only 5.38 million, down from previous week, a repeat of Law & Order: SVU did only 4.46 million, down over 3 million from previous week. Law & Order followed at 10pm doing only 8.26 million, down two million from previous week. ABC dedicated the entire night to Lost, with last season's three-hour season finale encore doing 4.5 million, yet tied NBC in 18-49 with a 1.7 rating. Lost returns this week! It should do big! The CW aired 13: Fear is Real at 8pm at just 1.44 million, down a million against Idol ... ouch. A repeat of 90210 followed with only 670,000 viewers, down from previous week.
Thursday saw CBS win the night thanks to the last episode of William Petersen on CSI. CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox all started the night off with President Bush's Farewell address for the first 15 minutes. CBS delayed their shows by 15 minutes (in the east and central) as a repeat of the last new CSI from December did a solid 15.57 million (with a bug jump in the 9-9:15 slot), then that special episode of CSI followed with 24.25 million, great bit still didn't beat the season premiere. A new episode of Eleventh Hour followed with 13.16 million, a bit concerning losing half that audience from the lead-in. ABC was next but Ugly Betty had to be preempted thanks to Bush. So two Scrubs repeats aired, the first one from 8:16-8:30 did 4.89 million, followed by another one at 8:30 doing 4.79 million. A new Grey's Anatomy was next and did 13.1 million, down from previous week a bit, but even with that CSI competition it went up from previous week in 18-49. The thrilling conclusion of this serial killer arc concludes this Thursday. I've seen it already...it is great. We also find out what this Denny thing is, as it seems Denny will be gone after this episode. Anyway, a new Private Practice followed and did a solid 8.49 million at 10pm, down a bit from previous week. NBC was fourth, as a repeat of My Name is Earl from 8:18-8:30 did 6.15 million, a new episode followed at 8:30 at a special time doing only 5.99 million, as Kath & Kim was preempted. A new showing of The Office did 8.49 million, followed by a new 30 Rock at 6.63 million, up from previous week but doing worse than it was in the fall. Has the Palin effect finished? ER was next and all-new with 6.95 million, a series low. Smallville was new on The CW and did 4.3 million followed by a new Supernatural at 2.98 million. And they want to end Smallville? It is their saving grace.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with new episodes of Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, and NUMB3RS as usual. NBC saw steady numbers for Howdie Do It at 8pm while 20/20 on ABC did decent at 10pm.
Saturday was very slow, as Fox won with its usual line-up. ABC's airing of The Pacifier did pretty solid also from 8-10pm.
Tonight CBS will rule with the AFC Championship Game and a special night and time of The Mentalist. Fox and NBC will take a back seat by airing repeats, but ABC's outstanding regular Sunday line-up is all-new with AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters. The Housewives' 100th episode is tonight...and it promises to be great!
As for the week, Fox will easily win the week in HH, viewers and 18-49. Why wouldn't they with Idol? CBS could make a late run for the AFC Championship Game, though but it won't be as huge as last season's NFC Championship Game in primetime, which was on Fox. CBS will finish second, ABC should be third, and NBC in fourth. What to look for this week...Barack Obama is sworn in on Tuesday as our next President, watch ABC's exclusive live coverage in primetime at 8pm, and Lost returns on ABC! And it is awesome! Fox also premieres new series Lie to Me on Wednesday.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Jan. 5-11)

• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 episodes - Two repeats in the 7pm hour only did 3.07 and 4.58 million.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - preempted.
• Family Guy (Fox) - preempted.
• American Dad (Fox) - preempted.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 11.81 million for a a new episode! A series high! What more can I say? Excellent.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 11.76 million for a new episode, for a season high. Skews very young for a CBS show too, building on the lead-in in 18-49.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 17.1 million for our sitcom leader. Just another day on the job.
• Worst Week (CBS) - 10.36 million only for a new episode. Need to hold more than that if it wants to return next year.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - 4.61 million and 4.33 million for two new episodes. Down over 2 million each, but affected by Idol. Still did better than According to Jim or anything ABC had on Tuesday vs. Idol last year. It won't face Idol this week.

• Old Christine (CBS) - 7.17 million against Idol is not bad at all. This show skews older, so it helps.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 6.96 million for a new episode is OK, but more of a concern than the lead-in.
• Under One Roof (MNT) - Only 530,000 viewers for its second episode back. Down even from previous week. Again...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) 2 episodes - Bush messed this night up, but an abbreviated repeat from 8:18-30 did a decent 6.15 million...but a new episode dropped to 5.99 million.
• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - ABC aired two encores of this show as Bush messed the plans up. 4.89 million for an abbreviated repeat from 8:16-30 and a repeat at 8:30 did 4.79 million. More than Tuesday at least.
• The Office (NBC) - 8.49 million for a new episode...not bad, but even better near 90% of viewers were in the 18-49 demo.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode only did 6.63 million but it was up from previous week when its lead-in was a repeat.

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - 1.55 prelim million for a new episode...up a bit previous week's prelim numbers.
• The Game (The CW) - 1.7 prelim million for a new episode, but up a bit from previous week's prelim numbers. This show would be better say on Wednesdays instead.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are repeat of Fox's animated comedies from 8-10pm.

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

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 5:30 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings