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

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.

• 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).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 3:00 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings