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Week 20 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Households: Fox: 8.9/13.6; CBS: 6.8/10.7; ABC: 5.4/8.4; NBC: 5.1/8.0; The CW: 1.5/2.3; MNT: 0.8/1.3.
Total Viewers: Fox: 15.47 million; CBS: 10.73 million; ABC: 8.52 million; NBC: 8.1 million; The CW: 2.3 million; MNT: 1.27 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox: 5.7/14.3; ABC: 3.3/8.3; NBC: 3.0/7.6; CBS: 2.8/7.1; The CW: 1.0/2.6; MNT: 0.4/1.0.

Analysis: Week 20 has Fox in the clear lead thanks to Idol, but they are down a full point in HH/18-49 rating and 2 million viewers from the four nights the previous week because there was no third night of Idol this week. Through the first four day, Fox has the lead in all categories obviously, with CBS second in HH/viewers but 4th in 18-49, ABC nipping NBC for third in HH/viewers but ABC is 2nd in 18-49, while NBC is 3rd in 18-49 but fourth in HH/viewers.
Last week, NBC won week 19 in all categories obviously with the Super Bowl which did a record 98.73 million, even with all that NBC barely got a 10.0 HH rating for the week...ouch. Fox was second in everything, while CBS was third ABC was fourth in everything, though CBS barely nipped ABC in 18-49.
Monday Fox and CBS's Monday line-ups battled for overall spot. CBS started with new episodes of their comedies then ended with a new CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 10.84 million for a new showing, very good. A new episode of How I Met Your Mother followed with 10.3 million, but it did build from its lead in 18-49. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with 16.55 million for a new episode, while the penultimate episode of Worst Week did 9.92 million...season finale has been moved to Feb. 16 now thanks to Obama. At 10pm a new episode of CSI: Miami did 16.1 million, not bad but could be better for this show. Fox started with House and it did 14.87 million (and a night best of 5.6 rating in 18-49), but both down from previous week, Fox then followed with 24 doing a solid 11.34 million, but nearly dropping a million from the previous week. ABC was next with a two-hour episode of The Bachelor with a solid 11.02 million for week five, it has gone up in all telecasts...it is doing excellent. Then the new True Beauty at 10pm did 6.77 million, down a bit from previous week, but did a very solid 3.0 18-49 rating, which is its strength. NBC was next with the return of their Monday dramas...Chuck returned with a 3D episode that was heavily promoted the previous night on the Super Bowl but didn't get much of a bump as it did 8.45 million, a slight bump from its usual numbers. Heroes returned as well and still struggled and did 8.55 million and the season premiere of Medium followed with 8.56 million. Not great, but an OK night for NBC. They just have to continue that but knowing the trend of these dramas, they will go down some tomorrow. The CW was next with a new Gossip Girl doing 2.31 million, seems lower than usual, and a new One Tree Hill did 2.65 million.
Tuesday that show called American Idol dominated. Fox started with Idol, doing 26.6 million, up a million or so from previous week. Fringe followed with 12.78 million, also up a million from previous week, at least this show went up the same numbers as Idol. CBS was next as NCIS started the night off with a repeat doing 13.85 million, still good. New drama The Mentalist was a repeat again and it did 14.44 million, but very good again. At 10pm, Without a Trace was new and did 12.16 million, down nearly a million week-to-week. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser at 10.35 million, down some from previous week. NBC followed at 10pm with a new episode of Law & Order: SVU at just 10.34 million, which is good but this show has fallen from its usual numbers. ABC was next and started with a new Homeland Security USA doing 5.61 million, on par with previous week, two all-new Scrubs episodes did 4.82 and 4.68 million, which was down a bit from previous week, and Primetime: What Would You Do closed the night at 10pm with a below normal 5.86 million at 10pm. Look for True Beauty on a special night at 10pm this Tuesday due to Obama's speech tomorrow, while at 8pm ABC will air Be My Valentine Charlie Brown/A Charlie Brown Valentine. The CW aired a new 90210 and did 2.49 million and a new Privileged only did 1.65 million. Needs to do 2 million at least.
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox started with American Idol at 8pm doing 26.38 million, down a million from the previous week. At 9pm, new Fox drama Lie to Me did 12.99 million, but up a bit from previous week so bit of good news since its lead-in was down from previous week. CBS started with a repeat of Criminal Minds at special time doing 8.38 million, which is better than then usual sitcoms in this hour. CBS aired a Katie Couric Grammy Special and it only did 6.55 million, why CBS? CSI: NY followed with a repeat at a below normal 7.53 million, you can thank Ms. Couric. ABC was next with an enhanced encore of Lost at 8pm doing 4.7 million, down from previous week, followed by an all-new Lost doing 11.01 million, down a bit from previous week but a first place 4.7 18-49 rating. A new Life on Mars on a new night did 5.76 million, down some from previous week. This is the episode they should have aired the previous week since it was the conclusion from the last episode in the fall. NBC opened the night with Knight Rider doing 5.0 million, down over a million from previous, the return Life followed and limped to 6.73 million, just barely nipping Couric. Law & Order followed at 10pm doing only 8.64 million, down 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 960,000 viewers, down some from previous week, and a repeat of 90210 followed with only 990,000 viewers, but up slightly from previous week.
Thursday saw ABC win the night thanks to a crossover set-up. ABC started with a new Ugly Betty doing 7.26 million, which seems below normal, but a new Grey's Anatomy was next and did 15.27 million and a 5.8 18-49 rating. A new Private Practice followed and did a a great 12.91 million at 10pm, and a series high of 5.3 18-49 rating! The episode was a set-up to a crossover happening the next two weeks. So expect these shows to go even up from here. Fox was actually next with a new Bones doing 10.86 million, a quiet hit, and a new Hell's Kitchen was next and did 7.71 million, down three million from previous week when it had Idol as its lead-in, but the drop was expected. CBS started with repeats of Big Bang Theory/How I Met Your Mother doing 6.1 and 5.83 million, low for this hour, followed by a repeat of CSI at 11.78million and a repeat of Eleventh Hour followed with 8.14 million. NBC was fourth with an all-new line-up, too...My Name is Earl did 6.28 million, a new Kath & Kim followed with a terrible 4.75 million. A new The Office did a normal 8.48 million, so the post-Super Bowl airing gave it no such bump, followed by a new 30 Rock at 6.39 million, as this show is now no where near its ratings high in the fall. ER was next and did just 7.25 million. Smallville was new on The CW and did 3.93 million, down week-to-week, followed by a new Supernatural at 3.37 million, down a bit week-to-week.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with a new Ghost Whisperer, a repeat of Flashpoint, and a new NUMB3RS as usual. ABC finished second thanks to 20/20 and an above average Supernanny at 9pm. NBC saw more declines for Howdie Do It at 8pm.
Saturday numbers are not available yet, but Fox will probably win this slow night but thanks to NASCAR as its usual Saturday lineup aired on Friday and did not do as well as Saturday.
Tonight will be CBS and ABC battling for the win. CBS with the Grammy Awards and ABC with its Sunday combination of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters and sprinkled in with Dancing with the Stars season 8 contestants name dropping during commercials. NBC has the Pro Bowl conclusion, Dateline and the new mini-series XIII, which will conclude next Sunday. Fox has animation, but two of the bigger hits are repeats.
As for the week, Fox should hang on for the win in all categories, while CBS should be second in HH/viewers but ABC could be 2nd in 18-49. NBC should be fourth across the board. What to look for this week...the real crossover starts on ABC Thursday with Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice! Obama will mess up tomorrow in primetime, so be on the look out for that.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Jan. 26-Feb. 1)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - A repeat episode opposite the Super Bowl did just 2.48 million, but expected.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - preempted.
• Family Guy (Fox) - Yet another repeat of this show did 3.8 million...not too bad vs. the big game. This show is still NOT new tonight, too.
• American Dad (Fox) 2 episodes - Special repeat at 8:30 did just 2.29 million but a repeat in its normal time of 9:30 did 3.28 million.
• The Office (NBC) - The special post-Super Bowl episode clearly gave this series a series high but lagged historically from other post-Super Bowl shows. 22.91 million tuned in. Nothing compared to House, Criminal Minds and Grey's Anatomy the three previous years. NBC made a mistake airing this.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 10.84 million for a new episode...very solid.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 10.3 million for a new episode.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 16.55 million for our sitcom leader. Just another day on the job.
• Worst Week (CBS) - 9.92 million...needs better retention than that.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - Two all-new episodes did 4.82 and 4.68 million only and a 2.0/2.2 18-49 rating. Needs to pick it up.

• Old Christine (CBS) - preempted.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - preempted.
• Under One Roof (MNT) 2 episodes - Two repeats did 780,000 and 610,000 viewers..ouch.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.28 million for a new episode...not too good.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - 4.75 million, as we wind down to possibly the final episodes ever.
• The Office (NBC) - 8.48 million for a new episode and the Super Bowl did not help it go up at all. Same numbers!
• 30 Rock (NBC) - 6.39 million for a new episode...needs to do better. Does it have more awards than viewers?
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - Only 6.1 million for a special Thursday repeat, as this hour expects more.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - Special Thursday repeat did just 5.83 million.

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. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as 30 Rock, Worst Week) or just plain old terrible (such as repeats of Kath & Kim, Scrubs).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 6:00 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings