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Week 24 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 24 numbers (first four nights final averages, Mon-Thurs):

Households: Fox: 9.7/14.9; CBS: 7.6/12.0; ABC: 5.8/9.1; NBC: 4.4/6.9; The CW: 1.5/2.3; MNT: 0.8/1.2.
Total Viewers: Fox: 16.93 million; CBS: 12.15 million; ABC: 8.78 million; NBC: 6.91 million; The CW: 2.19 million; MNT: 1.25 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox: 6.0/15.3; CBS: 3.2/8.2; ABC: 3.1/8.1; NBC: 2.6/6.8; The CW: 0.9/2.4; MNT: 0.4/1.1

Analysis: Week 24 has Fox in the lead in all categories through the first four days again as Idol aired three times this week. Through the first four day, as mentioned Fox is on top, with CBS in second everywhere, while ABC is third in everything but is very close to CBS in 18-49. And NBC is fourth everywhere else.
Last week, Fox nipped by CBS in week 23 in viewers, but CBS won in households. Fox took 18-49 by a wide margin, over second place ABC and CBS, who tied. ABC was third in HH/viewers, while NBC was back in fourth of course.
Monday it was all ABC as The Bachelor went out with a bang. ABC aired the two-hour season finale of The Bachelor at an impressive 15.48 million, just as I expected. After that, ABC aired a shocking The Bachelor: After the Final Rose special doing 17.47 million and a stunning 6.7 18-49 rating as America was shocked that Jason changed his mind after 6 weeks. Now Melissa is bouncing back reportedly by joining Dancing with the Stars as an injury replacement for Nancy O'Dell! Go Melissa! Tune in tomorrow! CBS was finally new and did decent. A new episode of The Big Bang Theory did a respectable 10.83 million against stiff competition, while a new How I Met Your Mother did even better with 11.09 million. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men did 15.47 million, seems a bit below normal, but of course still solid. The season premiere of Rules of Engagement followed and did 11.82 million, which is solid, but could have been better given the lead-in. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did a below normal 13.42 million. Fox didn't have big Monday gun House this week but they had a special two-hour 24 at 11.14 million, down from previous week which was just an hour. The 3.3 18-49 rating for the two-hours is a series low. NBC was next with its so-so line-up. A new Chuck did 6.66 million, up a bit from previous week. Heroes still struggled and did 7.15 million, also up a bit from previous week and just a 3.3 18-49 rating for this show is not good. Medium followed with 7.26 million, down from previous week as it seems The Bachelor special affected it. The CW was next with a repeat of Gossip Girl doing 1.11 million, up some from previous week's repeat and a repeat of One Tree Hill did just 970,000 viewers, down from previous week's repeat. CW has done a terrible job scheduling new and repeats for this night.
Tuesday Fox had a two-hour American Idol and of course it doubled up the nearest network. Fox had that two-hour Idol doing 24.31 million. Excellent, but down year-to-year. CBS started with a repeat of NCIS at 13.67 million, I say this all the time...how? A repeat of The Mentalist also did a solid 12.63 million. Without a Trace was also a repeat and did 10.47 million. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser at 8.95 million, down from previous week when it was just an hour and did not face Idol. NBC followed with a repeat of Law & Order: SVU doing just 7.04 million...ouch. ABC was next and started with an all-new Homeland Security USA at 5.68 million, down some from previous week. ABC then aired two Scrubs repeats doing just 3.25 and 3.24 million. Don't know why this is repeating. Finally, ABC won the 10pm hour with The Bachelor: After the Final Rose, Part 2 doing a solid 10.9 million and a more impressive 4.1 18-49 rating, as looks like Jason and Molly are happy together despite everyone jeering over what he did to Melissa. The CW aired the season premiere of Reaper and did just 2.31 million, as the grim reaper is calling for it and an encore of 90210 only did 1.04 million.
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox aired a one-hour American Idol doing 22.78 million, down from the previous week but that was two hours. New Fox drama Lie to Me followed and lost much of that and did 10.2 million. CBS started with repeats of sitcom Old Christine at just 5.21 million, down a bit from previous week and a repeat of Gary Unmarried did 5.11 million, down from previous week. A repeat episode of Criminal Minds followed and did 10.15 million. CSI: NY followed with a repeat doing 10.83 million, as it built from the lead-in. ABC was next with an enhanced encore of Lost at 8pm doing 4.58 million, down some from previous week, followed by an all-new Lost doing 10.65 million, up from previous week. A new Life on Mars did 5.34 million, up from previous week. This week Lost is a repeat, so it will be bad for ABC. NBC opened the night with the finale (series I'm sure) of Knight Rider, doing 5.68 million, a repeat of dud Life followed and did just 4.24 million, Donal Logue is wasted on this show. Law & Order followed at 10pm but was a repeat and did 5.65 million, down a bit from previous week's repeat. The CW was on the map finally with the two-hour season premiere of America's Next Top Model doing a nice 3.92 million.
Thursday saw Fox win. Fox aired American Idol on a special night and did a solid 21.5 million...up some from previous week. So Bones was preempted again, but an all-new Hell's Kitchen at 9pm did 9.71 million, down a bit week-to-week. CBS started with Survivor: Tocantis doing 11.85 million, down a bit from previous week as Idol affected it a bit, followed by a new CSI at 20.87 million, up from previous week as Taylor Swift guest-starred, and a new Eleventh Hour followed with 12.05 million, up some from previous week. ABC started with a new Ugly Betty doing 6.34 million, down some from previous week as Idol affected it, a repeat of Grey's Anatomy was next and did 5.7 million, down from previous week's repeat. A repeat of Private Practice followed and did 4.41 million at 10pm, down from previous week's repeat. Both dramas return this week! NBC started with a new My Name is Earl doing just 5.46 million, a new Kath & Kim followed with only 4.09 million, but up from previous week when it had that Kung Fu Panda special as its lead-in. A new The Office did 8.54 million, someone should tell NBC that Valentine's Day occurs in mid-February. A new showing of 30 Rock followed with an improved 7.25 million. A new ER was next and did 8.71 million, on par really week-to-week. Smallville was a repeat on The CW and did 2.21 million, up from previous week's repeat, followed by a repeat of Supernatural at 2.02 million, also up from previous week's repeat.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with new episodes of Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, NUMBERS as usual. ABC finished second for the night helped by the regular 20/20 and a special 20/20 on Siegfried & Roy. NBC was way back and Fox was off the map with the should-be-pulled Sarah Connor Chronicles and the new Dollhouse...both keep going lower and lower. 5th Grader will be back soon I bet.
Saturday numbers were low with CBS winning a slow night in viewers (but better than normal) but Fox won by a wider margin in 18-49.
Tonight will be a battle between CBS and ABC. CBS has a new 60 Minutes and The Amazing Race, followed by Cold Case and The Unit. ABC will have new showings of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Desperate Housewives returns, and after the great two-hour movie last week Brothers & Sisters continues. ABC should win the night easily in 18-49 and maybe even viewers. NBC has a two-hour SNL special followed by a two hour Celebrity Apprentice which will likely suffer week-to-week. Fox has an all-new lineup finally of its animated comedies...yes even Family Guy.
As for the week, Fox or CBS could win the week. Fox for sure in 18-49, though. ABC will be third in HH/viewers, but 2nd likely in 18-49 and NBC fourth everywhere. As for the coming week...it's back, Dancing with the Stars returns tomorrow! NBC premieres Chopping Block on Wednesday, while swaps timeslots for Lie to Me and American Idol. And NBC premieres new drama Kings next Sunday, with a two-hour premiere...I don't think this show will hit big at all.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Feb. 23-March 1, Week 23)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - NASCAR delayed the start of an all-new episode in the east at least by 41 minutes, but the show did 6.53 million. Not too good though.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - A new episode did 5.74 million...could be better.
• Family Guy (Fox) - preempted.
• American Dad (Fox) - 5.66 million...held the lead-in better than usual....but it was King of the Hill instead of the normal Family Guy.

Week 24:
Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 10.83 million for a new episode. Great even with tough competition. I personally think it will go down some tomorrow with Dancing coming.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 11.09 million for a new showing and building from the lead-in...great.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 15.47 million for a new episode is great but it might be a big below normal from recent new showings.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 11.82 million for the season premiere, solid, but not as good as it could be.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - Two repeats did just 3.25 and 3.24 million. Please don't repeat this this week.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Old Christine (CBS) - 5.21 million for a repeat could be better, and down from previous week.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 5.11 million for a repeat ... same as above.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - Ouch only 5.46 million for a new episode. I don't think NBC will return this show next year. Sorry.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - 4.09 million for a new episode. And this one has no chance at all of coming back.
• The Office (NBC) - 8.54 million for a new episode about Valentine's Day...only a month late.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - 7.25 million for a new episode, up from recent airings.

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - preempted
• The Game (The CW) - preempted.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are all-new Fox animated comedies from 8-10pm!

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