Sunday, February 01, 2009

Week 19 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 19 numbers (first four nights final averages, Mon-Thurs):

Households: Fox: 9.9/14.8; CBS: 7.4/11.5; NBC: 4.7/7.2; ABC: 4.6/7.2; The CW: 1.2/1.8; MNT: 0.8/1.2.
Total Viewers: Fox: 17.57 million; CBS: 11.83 million; NBC: 7.37 million; ABC: 7.09 million; The CW: 1.82 million; MNT: 1.23 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox: 6.7/16.5; CBS: 2.9/7.3; ABC: 2.6/6.6; NBC: 2.4/5.9; The CW: 0.8/1.9; MNT: 0.4/1.0.

Analysis: Week 19 has Fox with a commanding lead thanks to three nights of Idol, but any other week that would be enough for a win but the Super Bowl is tonight and NBC will do 80 someodd million likely and of course win the week, otherwise they would be in 4th place. Fox leads through the first four days in all categories, with a bigger lead than the previous week thanks to extra Idol. Through the first four day, Fox has the lead in all categories obviously, with CBS second, NBC nipping ABC for third in HH/viewers but ABC is 3rd in 18-49.
Last week, CBS won week 18 in HH and viewers, but Fox took the 18-49 crown this week. Fox was second in HH/viewers, while ABC was third in HH/viewers but second in 18-49 leaving CBS in third for 18-49 and NBC was fourth in everything.
Monday Fox's new Monday line-up won the night. Fox started with House and it did 15.69 million (and a night best of 6.0 rating in 18-49), both up from previous week, Fox then followed with 24 doing a solid 12.22 million, up a bit from the previous week. ABC was next with a two-hour episode of The Bachelor with a solid 10.57 million for week four, it has gone up in all telecasts...this is a big player this season. Then the new True Beauty at 10pm did 6.95 million, up over a million from previous week, as this is doing very solid in 18-49, which is the strength of this show. CBS was in repeat mode and was stuck in third place and started with repeats of their comedies then ended with an encore of CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 9.21 million, very good for a repeat. A repeat of How I Met Your Mother followed with 8.08 million, but didn't do as well, but still solid as this show draws more 18-49 viewers percentage. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 12.78 million for a repeat, and that still is the best of any sitcom, while a repeat of Worst Week only did just 7.13 million...this was its last repeat, only two new episodes remain until it is gone effective Feb. 16. At 10pm a repeat of CSI: Miami did 9.19 million, seems way below normal for a repeat for this show. NBC was next with the first ever only one-hour episode of dud Superstars of Dance, and this was its finale, at only 6.8 million, but up a bit from previous week. Part 2 of the mini-series Last Templar was next from 9-11pm at 8.32 million, but skewing older. The CW was next with a repeat of Gossip Girl doing 1.61 million and a repeat of One Tree Hill did 1.41 million.
Tuesday that show called American Idol dominated. Fox started with Idol, doing 25.54 million, up over 3 from previous week, which was against the Obama ball coverage. Fringe followed with 11.62 million, down a bit from previous week and Idol was up 3 million this week...so even worse news for this show. CBS has two new episodes sandwiched by a repeat. NCIS started the night off with a new showing doing 19.2 million, wow. New drama The Mentalist was a repeat again and it did 15.23 million, but very good. At 10pm, Without a Trace was new and did 13.0 million, not bad but SVU was a repeat on NBC. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser at 11.08 million, up from previous week...and built heavily in the 9pm hour when there was no Idol once again. This series and The Bachelor are the biggest surprises this winter. NBC followed at 10pm with a repeat of Law & Order: SVU at just 7.14 million. ABC was next, as its regular line-up returned after Obama coverage last week lifted them to second for the night. A new Homeland Security USA started with 5.65 million, two all-new Scrubs episodes did 5.07 and 4.99 million, which was disappointing, and Primetime: What Would You Do closed the night at 10pm with a below normal 6.35 million at 10pm. The CW aired a repeat of 90210 and did 1.04 million and a repeat episode of Privileged only did 850,000 viewers.
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox started with American Idol at 8pm doing 27.36 million, up nearly 2 million from the previous week. At 9pm, new Fox drama Lie to Me did 12.21 million, down slightly from previous week and lost to Lost head-to-head in 18-49. Once again Idol was up on Wednesday from Tuesday for the third straight week, which is odd...historically Tuesday does better. CBS started with a special primetime special of The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric doing only 6.03 million and a worse 1.1 18-49 rating, next Old Christine aired a repeat at 8:30pm instead of Gary Unmarried and did just 4.52 million, ouch... blame Katie. Criminal Minds and CSI: NY followed with repeats as well at 10.23 and 9.35 million, a bit below normal for both for repeats I'd say. ABC was next with an enhanced encore of Lost at 8pm doing 5.19 million followed by an all-new Lost doing 11.23 million, basically on par with previous week and a first place 4.9 18-49 rating. The return of Life on Mars on a new night did 6.22 million, about 2 million off from its average. This was its eight airing but the producers played a switcharoo and aired the 11th episode instead so new fans can come on board as that was a stand-alone episode. Fans from the fall, you'll see the show where it left off in this fall this coming week, when the actual 8th episode airs, but it is the 9th one airing. NBC opened the night with Knight Rider doing 6.23 million, wow up over a million from previous as no CBS sitcoms helped, a repeat of Law & Order: SVU did 6.38 million, also up from previous week. Law & Order followed at 10pm doing only 8.96 million, up a bit from previous week but should have been better since NY was a repeat on CBS. The CW aired another repeat of Privileged at 8pm at just 1.05 million and a repeat of 90210 followed with only 830,000 viewers, but if you can believe that was up slightly from previous week.
Thursday saw Fox win as Idol migrated on the night for this week. Fox aired a special Thursday American Idol and did 24.61 million, lowest of the three airings this week, but still the third highest rated show so far this week. Bones returns this coming week, Idol lead into the season premiere of Hell's Kitchen at 10.86 million. Let's see how it does without Idol this coming week. CBS started with a repeat of Criminal Minds doing 8.84 million, followed by an all-new CSI at 20.15 million, up nearly 3 million from previous week, as there was no new Grey's on ABC. A new episode of Eleventh Hour followed with 12.74 million, up a bit week-to-week, but barely won the hour in 18-49, with that big lead-in. ABC was next with a repeat of Ugly Betty doing just 3.95 million against Idol. A repeat of Grey's Anatomy was next and did 5.59 million. A new Private Practice followed and did a solid 7.74 million at 10pm, down two million from previous week but it has no lead-in this week and did this on its own. NBC was fourth, as it had all repeats...My Name is Earl did 4.91 million, a repeat of Kath & Kim followed with a terrible 3.29 million. A repeat of The Office did 5.82 million, followed by a repeat of 30 Rock at 5.05 million. ER was next and was a repeat and did just 4.35 million. Smallville was new on The CW and did 4.21 million, up week-to-week, followed by a new Supernatural at 3.56 million, also up week-to-week.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with repeats of Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, and NUMB3RS as usual. ABC finished second thanks to a two-hour 20/20. NBC saw more declines for Howdie Do It at 8pm.
Saturday numbers are not available yet, but Fox will probably win this slow night again.
Tonight will be uh the Super Bowl with the win. Any idiot can tell you that. The question is, who will be 2nd? ABC is the only other network competing with some new programming as Wipeout will be new during halftime of the game and immediately following the game. So tune in for that for some fun! ABC's AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters return next week. CBS will likely be third and Fox in fourth tonight.
As for the week, NBC will win the week in HH, viewers and 18-49, and why wouldn't they with that Super Bowl? It'll be a boring game though and won't do record numbers like last year. Fox or CBS will finish second for the week, ABC should be fourth (but could be 3rd in 18-49). What to look for this week...let's see how Chuck and Heroes respond to their returns tomorrow on NBC. Medium and Life also return for NBC. But the biggest event of the week is the first of a three-week cross-over event on ABC Thursday with Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice! Looks good!

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Jan. 19-25)

  • The Simpsons (Fox) 2 episodes - 5.74 million tuned in for a new episode at 8, which is OK...but below normal. A special repeat at 8:30 did 5.45 million.
  • King of the Hill (Fox) - preempted.
  • Family Guy (Fox) - Yet another repeat of this show did 6.57 million...decent.
  • American Dad (Fox) - 5.72 million for a new episode..couldn't build on the lead-in and that was a repeat!

Monday Sitcoms

  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 9.21 million for a repeat...very solid.
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.08 million for a repeat is good, but not as good as its lead-in.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 12.78 million for our sitcom leader. And this was a repeat, too.
  • Worst Week (CBS) - 7.13 million only for a repeat. You're coming off 12.78 million and only get 7.13 million? Not good.

Tuesday Sitcoms

  • Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - Two all-new episodes did 5.07 and 4.99 million only and a 2.2 18-49 rating. While that 2.2 is better than last year for ABC on Tuesdays in January, it is below normal for this show.
Wednesday Sitcoms
  • Old Christine (CBS) - A repeat at 8:30 only did 4.52 million out of a Katie Couric news special.
  • Gary Unmarried (CBS) - preempted.
  • Under One Roof (MNT) - Only 670,000 viewers..ouch.

Thursday Sitcoms

  • My Name is Earl (NBC) - 4.91 million for a repeat, not too good...but against Idol.
  • Kath & Kim (NBC) - 3.29 million only for a repeat.
  • The Office (NBC) - 5.82 million for a repeat...not bad.
  • 30 Rock (NBC) - 5.05 million for a repeat.

Friday Sitcoms

  • Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - 1.9 prelim million for a new episode...up from usual a bit.
  • The Game (The CW) - 1.91 prelim million for a new episode, also up from usual a bit and built slightly from its lead-in.

Saturday Sitcoms

  • None.

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

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


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Friday, March 31

Lopez vs. Lopez - "Lopez vs Dog Quinces" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A once-estranged father and daughter navigate dysfunction, reconnection and all the headaches and joy in between as they make up for lost time like only they can -- with the rest of their unique, offbeat family by their side.

Grand Crew - "Wine & Children" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Nicky and Noah find out their dad has a new boo; Anthony and Fay look after Wyatt's plants while he's away; Sherm dates a mommy, and there's wine.

Saturdays - "Too Many Cooks" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Paris asks if Simone and Ari can work at her parents' baking business, but before long, Paris is working overtime to clean up her friends' messes.

Saturdays - "Why Are You So Meme?" (Disney Channel, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Paris and Sonia Little of 2-Cute-4-U show up at Saturdays with the same hairdo, touching off a "Who-Wore-It-Best" meme war.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 27)

Friday, March 31

  • Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about The Super Mario Bros. Movie on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
  • Ike Barinholtz (History of the World, Part II/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project) - Ike appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Jamie Lee Curtis (Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke appears on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Animal Practice/Better with You/Reba) and Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - JoAnna and Morris guest co-host The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Heather Graham (Californication/Emily's Reasons Why Not/Scrubs) - Heather appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
  • Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
  • Kyra Sedgwick (Call Your Mother) - Kyra talks about Space Oddity on NBC's Today in the 10am hour. She will also be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
  • John Owen Lowe (Unstable) - John is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
  • Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney talks about her new OnlyFans comedy roast series Whitney Cummings Presents on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym joins Sherri on the couch to talk about their NAACP Image Award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas and her sitcom Act Your Age on Bounce TV on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Leslie Odom Jr. (Love in the Time of Corona/Big Dady) and Nicolette Robinson (Love in the Time of Corona/Perfect Couples) - Leslie and Nicolette talk about I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Christina Milian (Grandfathered) and Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know spotlights Celia Cruz as first Afro-Latina on a U.S. quarter with family and celebrity guests Christina Milian, Amara La Negra and Judy Reyes at 1pm.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Ghosts - Season One Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Ten Growing Pains - The Complete Series

11/08 - Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/08 - Young Rock - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/15 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Seven / The Complete Season Eight
11/22 - That '70s Show - The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
11/29 - Ghosts - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/06 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Christmas Collection
12/13 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season
12/13 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

03/30 - Single Drunk Female Returns April 12; ABC's Not Dead Yet Premiere Scores Big in 35-Day Data
03/29 - Adult Swim Orders Season 2 of Royal Crackers; Game Show Network 2023 Upfront
03/28 - Platonic Gets Premiere Date on Apple TV+; SNL April Guest Hosts and Music Guests
03/27 - ABC Summer 2023 Schedule, Includes Return of The Wonder Years; HBO Max's Clone High Details
03/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 27, 2023)
03/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Arrested Development Staying on Netflix (and Leaving Hulu); Grey's Anatomy Gets Season 20 Renewal
03/24 - Rewind TV Celebrates Mork & Mindy's 45th Anniversary on Earth Day; Disney's 6th Season of Raven's Home on April 9
03/23 - Antenna TV's Earth Day My Favorite Martian Marathon; Neil Patrick Harris Returns on How I Met Your Father
03/22 - Game Show Network Orders Tom Cavanagh Hosted Game Show; A Black Lady Sketch Show Returns for Season 4
03/21 - All That Stars to Reunite for Good Burger 2; Jim Belushi Returns For Another Season of Growing Belushi
03/20 - 2023 90s Con Recap in Hartford; Bel-Air Gets Season 3 on Peacock
03/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 20, 2023)
03/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: New Sitcoms for Terry Crews and Wendi McLendon-Covey; Zachary Levi Holding Out Hope for Chuck Movie
03/17 - AXS TV Acquires The Monkees for Retro Night Block; HBO Max's The Other Two Returns in May
03/16 - Monk Returns with One Final Case on Peacock; John Mulaney Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
03/15 - Apple TV+ Orders Comedy with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey; CBS 2023 Season Finale Dates
03/14 - Disney+ Comedy American Born Chinese Premieres May 24; Tim Robinson Comedy to Return May 30 on Netflix
03/13 - New Girl Coming to Hulu and Peacock; Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 2
03/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 13, 2023)
03/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Beavis and Butt-Head Gets Second Season Renewal; Roles Cast in Bedrock Series
03/10 - Act Your Age Opens as Biggest Launch in Bounce History; Starz Comedy Blindspotting Returns April 14
03/09 - Mary Tyler Moore Film Premieres This May on HBO; Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head Returns for Season 2
03/08 - HBO's Barry Returns April 16; Schmigadoon! Trailer for Season 2
03/07 - American Dad! Season 18 Premieres March 27; Hulu's Tiny Beautiful Things Launches April 7
03/06 - Antenna TV Spring 2023 Schedule; Rewind TV Spring 2023 Schedule
03/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 6, 2023)
03/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rachael Ray to End After 17 Seasons; Fox Renews Krapopolis for Third Season
03/03 - The Thundermans Return; TMZ's New Game Show
03/02 - Fox Renews Krapopolis for Season 3; Disney Channel's New Comedy Saturdays
03/01 - HBO Max Chuck Lorre Comedy Sets Production; New Shonda Rhimes White House Series