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Week 25 Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did; Ugly Betty Returns May 7, ABC Season Finale Dates

Just to let you know, we have some news on this Sunday. See below our normal ratings for news on ABC's season finale dates. Also, stay tuned tomorrow for our review of the Better Off Ted sitcom that premieres Wednesday on ABC!

Week 25 numbers (first four nights final averages, Mon-Thurs):
(We don't have network averages through Thursday, but we do have final program numbers for Thursday in our analysis...)

Households: N/A.
Total Viewers: N/A.
Adults 18-49: N/A.

Analysis: Week 25 had the return of Dancing with the Stars for ABC, and the series had its best season premiere ever in the ratings! We don't have first four day averages, but I am "predicting" through the first four day, Fox is on top, with CBS in second everywhere, while ABC is third in everything but second in 18-49. And NBC is fourth everywhere else.
Last week, CBS won in week 24 in HH/viewers, but Fox took 18-49 by a wide margin, over second place CBS. ABC was third in all categories, while NBC was back in fourth of course.
Monday it was all ABC as Dancing with the Stars had its season eight premiere. ABC aired the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars at an impressive 22.83 million, 14.1 HH rating and a 6.1 18-49 rating...wow. After that, ABC aired the series premiere of crime-romance drama Castle doing a solid 10.76 million...could be better, but solid for ABC in this slot. It has a chance to grow since it is not serialized. CBS did decent but the comedies suffered thanks to the big Dance premiere. A new episode of The Big Bang Theory did 9.47 million which is down nearly 1.5 million week-to-week, while a new How I Met Your Mother did worse with 8.68 million, which was down well over two million from previous week. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men did 13.44 million, that also was down two million from previous week. A new Rules of Engagement followed and did 9.95 million, and yes that was down near two million week-to-week. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did 14.21 million, which was up from previous week by nearly a million...go figure. Fox started with House and did a below normal 12.38 million, but still solid, followed by 24 at 11.37 million, up a bit from previous week, but that was two-hours. NBC was next with its so-so line-up. A new Chuck did 5.8 million, down nearly a million from previous week. Heroes still struggled and did 6.7 million, down from previous week and just a 3.2 18-49 rating for a series low. Medium followed with 7.13 million, down just a bit from previous week. The CW was next with a repeat of Gossip Girl doing 1.0 million, down some from previous week's repeat and a repeat of One Tree Hill did 1.07 million, up some 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 25.77 million, up from previous week but still down year-to-year. CBS started with a repeat of NCIS at 13.52 million, down a bit week-to-week. A repeat of The Mentalist also did a solid 14.32 million, up nearly two million from previous week as looks like viewers thought it was new...you never can tell with shows like this. Without a Trace was also a repeat and did 10.22 million, and that was off a bit from previous week's repeat. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser at 9.38 million, up some from previous week. NBC followed with a new episode of Law & Order: SVU doing 11.07 million...not bad, but maybe because CBS was a repeat. ABC was next and started with the last scheduled Homeland Security USA at 5.14 million, down some from previous week...5 episodes remain and I can see this show returning on Fridays soon. ABC then aired two Scrubs repeats doing just 2.85 and 2.69 million. Don't know why this is repeating but Dancing with the Stars: The Results premieres this week to help ABC on this night. Finally, ABC ended with the addicting Primetime: What Would You Do? doing 5.25 million, the next two will get a big boost thanks to Dancing before it ends its season. The CW aired a new episode of Reaper and did just 2.17 million, down a bit from previous week's premiere and an encore of 90210 only did 990,000 viewers. How many times has The CW aired each episode so far? It is crazy. This isn't a crime drama.
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox moved American Idol results to 9pm and it did 25.55 million, up nearly three million from the previous week which was at 8pm. New Fox drama Lie to Me moved to 8pm and started the night off with 11.25 million, which was up a million from previous week when it aired at 9pm...could it be Idol pre-tune in? CBS started with a new episode of sitcom Old Christine at 7.46 million and a new Gary Unmarried did 7.63 million, growing from its lead-in. A new episode of Criminal Minds followed and did 14.34 million. CSI: NY followed with a new showing doing 13.63 million. NBC opened the night with the premiere of of Chopping Block doing a terrible 3.77 million...ouch, down over two million from the Knight Rider finale even, a new showing of dud Life followed and did just 5.21 million, Donal Logue is wasted on this show, too bad Knights of Prosperity didn't last on ABC...that was gold. Law & Order followed at 10pm with a new episode and did 7.64 million. ABC was next with two repeats of Scrubs (again?) at just 3.55 and 3.25 million...the show is finally new this Wednesday at least. An enhanced encore of Lost followed at 9pm doing 4.34 million, down some from previous week, but that was at 8pm... Lost is all-new this week at 9pm. A new Life on Mars did 4.49 million on its own..at least it built on the lead-in. For those who saw, Mark Linn-Baker guest starred...and was good. The CW was on the map with America's Next Top Model doing a nice 4.45 million, which is actually up from previous week's two-hour premiere...The CW followed with an encore of...what else...90210 at 900,000 viewers. What a waste.
Thursday saw CBS and ABC battle for the win. CBS started with Survivor: Tocantis doing 12.82 million, up a million from previous week as it was affected by Idol the past two weeks, followed by a new CSI at 17.13 million, down over three million from previous week, and a new Eleventh Hour followed with 11.61 million, down from previous week. ABC started with a new Ugly Betty doing 7.12 million, up from previous week as yes Idol affected it the past two weeks, a new episode of Grey's Anatomy was next and did 13.64 million and a night best 5.0 18-49 rating. A new episode of Private Practice followed and did 8.8 million at 10pm and a second place 3.3 18-49 rating, not bad against Clooney on ER. NBC started with a REPEAT of My Name is Earl doing just 4.17 million, the finale of Kath & Kim followed with only 3.89 million, down from previous week. A new episode of The Office did 7.87 million, down from previous week. A new showing of 30 Rock followed with just 6.43 million, down from previous week. A new ER was next and did 10.86 million, up two million week-to-week and best showing in two years, but really should have been better with Clooney and all those favorites returning. Fox finally aired Bones and did a solid 9.67 million and an all-new Hell's Kitchen at 9pm did 7.71 million, down two million from previous week when Idol was its lead-in. Smallville was all-new on The CW and did a solid 3.57 million, followed by a new Supernatural at 2.84 million.
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 Superanny and 20/20. NBC was way back and Fox was off the map with the should-be-pulled Sarah Connor Chronicles and the new Dollhouse.
Saturday numbers were low with CBS winning a slow night in viewers but Fox won by a wider margin in 18-49.
Tonight will be a battle between CBS and ABC again. 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, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters should be more than enough to win the night in 18-49. NBC has a Dateline special at 7pm, followed by the two-hour premiere of Kings which to me looks like will bomb big, followed by Celebrity Apprentice at a special time of 10pm...that will just confuse viewers. Fox has an all-new lineup finally of its animated comedies again...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...Dancing with the Stars: The Results returns Tuesday (with a new new Dance-Off feature at the end for the next few weeks), so that will help ABC. ABC premieres new sitcom Better Off Ted on Wednesday at 8:30pm (see our review tomorrow), and March Madness starts on CBS this Thursday, Friday and Saturday in primetime. Don't forget to make your brackets!

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of March 2-8, Week 24)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - 5.96 million for an all-new episode...seems way below normal.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - A new episode did 4.95 million...down from previous week.
• Family Guy (Fox) - Yes, a new episode! Did a below 7.09 million though...
• American Dad! (Fox) - 5.37 million...should be better.

Week 25:
Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 9.47 million for a new episode. I was right last week when I said with Dancing coming it'll go down some.
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.68 million for a new showing...wow didn't think it would go this down.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.44 million for a new episode...down two million from previous week.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 9.95 million for a new episode...imagine how low Worst Week could have been against Dancing.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - Two repeats did just 2.85 and 2.69 million. Thankfully no more of these repeats.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Old Christine (CBS) - 7.46 million for a new episode...not bad.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 7.63 million for a new episode...built on the lead-in.
• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - 2 repeats getting ready for FINALLY new episodes this week, did just 3.55 and 3.25 million.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 4.17 million for a repeat...the only repeat of the night.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - The finale only did 3.89 million...so yeah this one has no chance at all of coming back.
• The Office (NBC) - 7.87 million for a new episode...below normal.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - 6.43 million for a new episode...up and down pattern continues.

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - A new episode did a prelim 1.83 million.
• The Game (The CW) - A new episode did a prelim 2.07 million...wow seems higher than normal.

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, Gary Unmarried) or just plain old terrible (such as Kath & Kim, FOUR repeats of Scrubs).

We have some news! As many Ugly Betty fans know, Ugly Betty is taking a break after its airing this Thursday (March 19)...but not to fret, it is only a six week break. The show will return Thursday, May 7 at its normal time. ABC has announced the series will have a two-hour season finale on Thursday, May 21 from 8-10pm ET/PT. ABC will have five episodes left after this week, so one episode will probably have to air on another night? My guess is a two-night finale? So one episode on Wednesday, May 20 and the final two of the season on Thursday, May 21? We'll see, but we know the season finale is two-hours on May 21.
As for other ABC season finale dates: Better off Ted will conclude its 7-episode first season on April 29. In the Motherhood and Samantha Who will air 6 episodes a piece and will end the season on April 30. Yes, I know Samantha Who would still have 5 other episodes left, so I guess that will be held over for next season. Private Practice ends its 22 episode season on the same night, April 30 at 10pm. The following night, Friday, May 1, will be the season finales of Wife Swap & Supernanny. Then as previously known, the series finales of According to Jim and Scrubs will air for one-hour each on Tuesday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 6 in the 8pm hours. On Sunday, May 10, Brothers & Sisters has its season finale after 24 episodes at 10pm. The following night at 10pm will see the season finale of rookie Castle after 10 weeks. Then the next night, Tuesday, May 11, will see the season finale of another rookie, Cupid at 10pm, after 7 episodes. Then the big two-hour season finale of Lost is on the next night (Wednesday, May 13) from 9-11pm, as the show concludes its 17 episode season. Finale central continues with the two-hour season finale of Grey's Anatomy after 24 episodes this year on Thursday, May 12 from 9-11pm. And the next night is the season finale of America's Funniest Home Videos on a special night (Friday, May 15) from 8-10pm. Then on Sunday, May 17 we get two, two-hour season finales...Extreme Makeover: Home Edition from 7-9pm and Desperate Housewives from 9-11pm, closes its 24 episode season. Then Dancing with the Stars has its final performance show on May 18, from 8-9PM, followed by the two-hour grand finale the next night from 9-11PM. And finally, as mentioned earlier, ABC concludes their season finales with Ugly Betty on Thursday, May 21 from 8-10pm. ABC has not announced finale dates for two yet to premiere series: comedy Surviving Suburbia and comedic drama The Unusuals.
Check these finale dates in a list form.