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Week 18 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Households: Fox: 8.4/12.7; CBS: 7.2/11.2; ABC: 6.5/10.0; NBC: 4.4/6.8; The CW: 1.4/2.2; MNT: 0.8/1.2.
Total Viewers: Fox: 14.78 million; CBS: 11.53 million; ABC: 10.26 million; NBC: 7.0 million; The CW: 2.22 million; MNT: 1.24 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox: 5.5/13.4; ABC: 3.8/9.4; CBS: 3.1/7.7; NBC: 2.5/6.3; The CW: 1.0/2.4; MNT: 0.4/1.0.

Analysis: Week 18 was a big week...we saw a new president for the U.S., we saw Idol go down big, and saw Lost return. Fox leads through the first four days in all categories, but the lead is no where near as big as the previous week. Through the first four day, Fox has the lead in all categories obviously, with CBS second in HH/viewers, but third in 18-49, with ABC third in HH/viewers vut 2nd in 18-49, and NBC was way back in fourth everywhere.
Last week, CBS won week 17 in HH, viewers, and 18-49, thanks to AFC Championship Game last Sunday, overtaking Fox's lead trough the first six days. Fox was second in all categories while ABC a distant third and NBC fourth.
Monday CBS and Fox's new Monday line-up battled. Fox moved House to a new night and it did about the same as it did on Tuesdays this year, a solid 15.03 million (and a night best of 5.5 rating in 18-49), Fox then followed with 24 doing a solid 12.1 million, down a bit from its two-night premiere the previous week. House will for sure help this show this year. CBS started with new episodes of their comedies then ended with a new CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 11.03 million, down form its series high the previous week...but still very good. A new How I Met Your Mother followed with 10.69 million, down a million or so from the previous week's season high. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 16.09 million, down a million from previous week, while a new Worst Week did just 9.6 million...a shame. At 10pm a new episode of CSI: Miami did 14.58 million, down over a million from previous week. ABC was next with a two-hour episode of The Bachelor with a solid 9.95 million, up once again as it has gone up in all three telecasts, followed by the new True Beauty at 5.84 million, down from previous week, but still doing very solid in 18-49, which is the strength of this show. NBC was next with a two-hour Superstars of Dance at only 6.51 million, down from previous week again. Reality dud Momma's Boys was next at just 4.85 million, but actually up a bit from previous week. Poor NBC. The CW was next with a new Gossip Girl doing only 2.22 million, down from a week ago and a new One Tree Hill did 2.6 million, also down from a week ago. Looks like ABC Family's The Secret Life and Kyle XY is hurting this night for The CW.
Tuesday that show called American Idol dominated but the series was down about 8 million from previous week. Fox started with Idol, doing 22.27 million, down from previous week's 30.42 million, but that was two hours. Fringe followed with 11.96 million, which sounds good but drops from the lead-in and the second half at 9:30pm make this show lead-in dependent. ABC was next, but the regular Tuesday line-up of Homeland Security USA, two Scrubs episodes and Primetime: What Would You Do was preempted for live exclusive coverage of Barack Obama's first ball, The Neighborhood Ball, doing a very solid 12.57 million from 8-10pm, peaking from 8:30-9:30, and affected Idol quite a bit. ABC closed the night with the ABC News Special about Obama doing a solid 9.48 million. CBS was in repeats as a repeat of NCIS started the night off with a below normal for a repeat of 11.73 million. New drama The Mentalist was preempted, but aired a repeat at 10pm doing a decent 10.58 million. Normal 10pm show Without a Trace was preempted totally, as at 9pm a CBS News Special about Obama only did 6.76 million, as ABC News killed it. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser at 10.27 million, up nearly 2 million from previous week...and built heavily in the 9pm hour when there was no Idol. NBC followed at 10pm with an NBC News special on Obama doing just 6.21 million, as normal 10pm series Law & Order: SVU was preempted, once again ABC News did much better. The CW aired a new 90210 and did 2.3 million, up slightly week-to-week and a new episode of Privileged only did 1.61 million, but up a half a million or so week-to-week.
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox started with American Idol at 8pm doing 25.9 million, down about 5 million from the previous week's 30.32 million premiere, but that was two-hours. At 9:03pm, Fox launched Lie to Me at only 12.37 million and lost to Lost head-to-head.Once again Idol was up on Wednesday from Tuesday, which is odd. CBS started with sitcoms, a new episode of Old Christine did 7.29 million, up slightly week-to-week and a new Gary Unmarried did 6.97 million, on par really from previous week. Criminal Minds and CSI: NY followed with new episodes at 13.82 and 11.58 million, a bit below normal for both. ABC dedicated the entire night to Lost, with a clip show special at 8pm doing a solid 8.51 million followed by the two-hour season premiere of Lost doing 11.35 million and a first place 5.0 18-49 rating. While that is below normal for a premiere, this is what Lost was doing last season. NBC opened the night with the dud Knight Rider doing only 4.93 million, down from previous week again, a repeat of Law & Order: SVU did only 5.2 million, actually up from previous week. Law & Order followed at 10pm doing only 8.27 million, but on par from previous week. The CW aired 13: Fear is Real at 8pm at just 1.36 million, down a bit from previous week. Now the show is pulled from Wednesdays and will air Fridays at 9pm. A repeat of 90210 followed with only 760,000 viewers, up slightly from previous week.
Thursday saw CBS win the in HH/viewers, but ABC retook the lead in 18-49. CBS started with a repeat of CSI doing 8.52 million, followed by an all-new CSI at 17.57 million, down nearly 7 million from the big send-off to Petersen the previous week. Let's see if this series will decline more now. A new episode of Eleventh Hour followed with 12.31 million, down nearly a million week-to-week, but it finished third in the hour in 18-49, not good. ABC was next with Ugly Betty doing 7.5 million...should be better. A new Grey's Anatomy was next and did 14.43 million, up over a million from previous week and won the hour in 18-49 with a solid 5.7 rating beating CSI's 4.9. What a thrilling conclusion of this serial killer arc! A new Private Practice followed and did a solid 9.49 million at 10pm, up a million from previous week and took the hour in 18-49. Fox launched Bones on the night with two episodes, as the first episode did very well doing 9.98 million but a new one at 9pm tumbled to 7.55 million...one of those series that is not a priority I guess. NBC was fourth, as a new My Name is Earl did 6.59 million, up some from previous week when it aired at 8:30, a new Kath & Kim followed with a terrible 4.93 million. A new showing of The Office did 8.76 million, up some from previous week, followed by a new 30 Rock at 6.41 million, down some from previous week ... Palin effect has sure worn off. Though this show was renewed for next season...but NBC could reverse it of course. ER was next and all-new with 7.65 million, up from previous week's series low. Smallville was new on The CW and did 3.85 million, down a bit week-to-week, followed by a new Supernatural at 3.06 million, up a bit week-to-week.
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 but saw drops for the third week.
Saturday numbers are not available yet, but Fox will probably win this slow night.
Tonight will be a slower than usual night. The battle of new TV movies on NBC and CBS could be the difference from 9-11pm, as ABC's regular Sunday line-up is all-new only from 8-10pm with AFV, and a two-hour Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, as last week's Desperate Housewiveswill encore at 10pm, and Brothers & Sisters is preempted. Fox will have a mix of new and repeats.
As for the week, Fox will win the week in HH, viewers and 18-49. CBS will finish second, ABC should be third (but 2nd in 18-49), and NBC in fourth. What to look for this week...we will have more repeats than usual, such as CBS Monday and ABC Thursday (but Private Practice will be new).

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Jan. 12-18)

• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 episodes - Two repeats in the 8pm hour only did 3.75 and 4.87 million.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - preempted.
• Family Guy (Fox) 2 episodes - Two repeats in the 9pm hour did an OK 4.82 and 4.98 million. Wonder when this show will be new again? Hasn't been new since early November!
• American Dad (Fox) - preempted.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 11.03 million for a new episode! Down some from a series high the previous week, but still very good. A repeat will air tomorrow...wonder if that will hurt the show when it is new the following week?
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 10.69 million for a new episode, for down from previous week's season high, but still very solid...especially with that 4.5 18-49 rating.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 16.09 million for our sitcom leader. Just another day on the job....what more to say?
• Worst Week (CBS) - 9.6 million only for a new episode. Amy Yasbeck guest starred for this episode, too.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Scrubs (ABC) - preempted...returns this week with special guest stars...The Sesame Street Muppets!

• Old Christine (CBS) - 7.29 million against Idol ... up a bit week-to-week.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 6.97 million for a new episode, on par from previous week really.
• Under One Roof (MNT) - Only 680,000 viewers..ouch. But better than previous week actually. Sad...

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.59 million for a new showing, up from previous week when it was new at a special time of 8:30pm.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - After a week off...we still get the same bad numbers. 4.93 million only.
• The Office (NBC) - 8.76 million for a new episode...up a bit from previous week. Over 90% of viewers were in the 18-49 demo. That is amazing. 4.6 18-49 rating out of its overall 4.9 rating. Only .3 were not in this demo. So this show is not a broad show though.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode only did 6.41 million, down from previous week. What happened?

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - 1.64 prelim million for a new episode.
• The Game (The CW) - 1.61 prelim million for a new episode, down a bit from previous week's prelim numbers. This show would be better say on Wednesdays at 9pm instead.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are a mix of new and 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 Gary Unmarried, 30 Rock) or just plain old terrible (such as Kath & Kim, Under One Roof).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 5:00 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings