Sunday, March 22, 2009

Week 26 Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 26 numbers (first four nights final averages, Mon-Thurs):

Households: Fox 8.7/13.7; CBS 7.4/12.0; ABC 7.2/11.7; NBC 4.1/6.6; TheCW 1.6/2.5; MNT 1.0/1.5.
Total Viewers: Fox 15.07 million; CBS 11.82 million; ABC 11.17 million; NBC 6.29 million; The CW 2.36 million; MNT 1.61 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox 5.4/14.5; CBS 3.4/9.3; ABC 3.3/8.9; NBC 2.3/6.2; The CW 1.1/2.9; MNT 0.5/1.4.

Analysis: Week 26 sees a three-way race and could be anyone's game in HH/viewers for the week. Through the first four days, Fox is on top in all categories, with CBS is second everywhere, while ABC is third in everything but very closely behind. And NBC is a distant fourth everywhere else.
Last week, CBS won in week 25 in HH/viewers, but Fox once again 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 continues to dominate. ABC aired a two-hour season Dancing with the Stars at an impressive 21.22 million, down from the previous week's season premiere, but expected. After that, ABC aired a new episode of crime-romance drama Castle doing a solid 10.97 million...up from previous week, as I said last week...it has a chance to grow since it is not serialized. CBS did decent but the comedies suffered again thanks to Dance. A new episode of The Big Bang Theory did 9.69 million, up some week-to-week, while a new How I Met Your Mother did 9.29 million, up from previous week. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men did 14.12 million, that also was up from previous week. A new Rules of Engagement followed and did 11.42 million, up week-to-week...decent showing. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did 13.61 million, which was down from previous week, yet all the comedies went up...go figure. Fox started with House and did 13.13 million, up from previous week, next Fox had 24 at 11.36 million, on par really from previous week. NBC was next with a repeat line-up. A repeat of Chuck did just 3.95 million. And if that wasn't bad, a repeat of Heroes did only 3.01 million, ouch. Medium followed with 4.38 million also a repeat. The CW was next with a finally new episode of Gossip Girl doing 2.33 million and a new episode of One Tree Hill did 2.41 million... both did decent but could have been better.
Tuesday Fox had a two-hour American Idol and of course it dominated. Fox had that two-hour Idol doing 21.89 million, but down nearly four million from previous week...you'll see why in a moment. CBS started with a new episode of NCIS at a below normal 15.84 million. A new episode of The Mentalist did 15.49 million, also below normal. Without a Trace was also new and did 11.87 million. ABC was next and started with a recap of the first two weeks of Dancing with the Stars at 7.99 million, bettering the time period average even though it was a recap. ABC then aired the first Dancing with the Stars: The Results at 12.74 million, which is below normal but it seems Idol, Dancing, Loser, Mentalist all were hurt big by each other. Finally, ABC ended with the addicting Primetime: What Would You Do? doing an improved 7.26 million. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser at 7.99 million, down a lot from previous week. NBC followed with a new episode of Law & Order: SVU doing 10.74 million, down some from previous week. The CW aired a new episode of Reaper and did just 1.96 million, going down again and an encore of 90210 only did 640,000 viewers. Stop encoring it CW!
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox's American Idol results to 9pm did 23.7 million, down two million from the previous week. New Fox drama Lie to Me started the night off with 10.26 million, which was down a million from previous week. CBS started with a new episode of sitcom Old Christine at 7.21 million and a new Gary Unmarried did 7.37 million, both down from previous week. A new episode of Criminal Minds followed and did 13.74 million, down week-to-week. CSI: NY followed with a new showing doing 12.79 million, also down from previous week. ABC was next with the time slot premiere of Scrubs and the series premiere of Better Off Ted doing 5.62 and 5.5 million...the news was better in 18-49 though. A new episode of Lost followed at 9pm doing a below normal 9.4 million as it went up with Idol. A new Life on Mars at 10pm did 4.97 million, which was good enough to improve from previous week. NBC opened the night with the about to be chopped Chopping Block doing a terrible 3.4 million...down from the premiere, a new showing of dud Life followed and did just 4.31 million, also down from previous week. Law & Order followed at 10pm with a new episode and did 7.14 million, down some week-to-week. The CW was on the map with America's Next Top Model doing a nice 3.79 million, but down from previous week...The CW followed with an encore of...what else...90210 at 880,000 viewers, down a bit from previous week.
Thursday saw ABC with the win, as CBS aired night one of March Madness. ABC started with a new Ugly Betty doing 7.42 million, up from previous week, a new episode of Grey's Anatomy was next and did 14.61 million and a night best 5.0 18-49 rating. A new episode of Private Practice followed and did 9.74 million at 10pm beating one of the last episodes of ER in HH, viewers and 18-49. CBS preempted the regular Survivor: Tocantis, CSI and Eleventh Hour with coverage of the NCAA Basketball tournament doing 9.64 million in primetime (8-11pm only). NBC started with a new episode of My Name is Earl doing just 6.43 million, a repeat of The Office did 4.58 million better than the Kath & Kim finale of 3.89 million the previous week. A new episode of The Office did 8.07 million, up a bit from previous week. A new showing of 30 Rock followed with 7.13 million, up from previous week. A new ER was next and did 9.47 million, down nearly 1.5 million week-to-week. Fox aired a new Bones and did a solid 10.52 million, up from previous week (maybe regular CBS audience migrated there?) and an all-new Hell's Kitchen at 9pm did 7.54 million, but down week-to-week. Smallville was all-new on The CW and did a solid 3.49 million, down a bit from previous week, followed by a new Supernatural at 3.37 million, up a good deal from previous week.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with NCAA Basketball Tournament night two instead of new episodes of Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, NUMBERS. ABC finished second for the night helped by Superanny and 20/20. Sarah Connor Chronicles and the new Dollhouse did a bit better but still not good for Fox.
Saturday numbers were above normal as CBS won with more NCAA March Madness.
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 dud Kings, and a two-hour Celebrity Apprentice. Fox has an all-new lineup finally of its animated comedies again...even Family Guy.
As for the week, CBS should win the week in HH/viewers. Fox for sure in 18-49 but CBS will be improved thanks to NCAA. ABC could be second in HH/viewers, but 3rd likely in 18-49 and NBC fourth everywhere. As for the coming week...ABC premieres new sitcom In the Motherhood on Thursday at 8:00pm, and March Madness continues on CBS this Thursday, Friday and Saturday in primetime. But before all that, Obama speaks in primetime on Tuesday messing up the schedules for the networks.



Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of March 9-15, Week 25)

  • The Simpsons (Fox) - 6.03 million for an all-new episode...seems way below normal, but up a tad from previous week.
  • King of the Hill (Fox) - A new episode did 5.48 million...up some from previous week.
  • Family Guy (Fox) - A new episode did 7.29 million, but should be better though...
  • American Dad! (Fox) - 5.88 million...at least it went up from previous week.

Week 26:
Monday Sitcoms

  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 9.69 million for a new episode. Up from previous week but below normal...and now tomorrow it is preempted...
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 9.29 million for a new showing...it rebounded a bit from previous week.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 14.12 million for a new episode...up from previous week.
  • Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 11.42 million for a new episode...that's better.

Tuesday Sitcoms

  • None.
Wednesday Sitcoms

  • Old Christine (CBS) - 7.21 million for a new episode...down a bit from previous week.
  • Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 7.37 million for a new episode...built on the lead-in, but also down week-to-week.
  • Scrubs (ABC) - The show finally returned, and did 5.62 million on its new night and time. Not bad, but could be better. 2nd in its half-hour in 18-49.
  • Better Off Ted (ABC) - 5.5 million for the premiere...not good, but not that bad either as it skewed young and helped ABC do better in this slot. It needs to continue to do these numbers or better to stick.

Thursday Sitcoms

  • My Name is Earl (NBC) - 6.43 million for a new episode, could be better.
  • The Office (NBC) 2 episodes - A repeat did 8:30 did an OK 4.58 million and a new episode did 8.07 million ...up a bit.
  • 30 Rock (NBC) - 7.13 million for a new episode...up and down pattern continues....up from previous week.

Friday Sitcoms

  • Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - A new episode did a prelim 1.59 million.
  • The Game (The CW) - A new episode did a prelim 1.66 million.

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, Rules of Engagement, The Office were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Better Off Ted, Scrubs) or just plain old terrible (such as Everybody Hates Chris, The Game).


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, August 12

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 11)

Tuesday, August 12

  • Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Timothy Olyphant (Stick/Santa Clarita Diet) - Catcy Timothy on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Austin Butler (Ruby & the Rockits/Zoey 101/Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide) - Austin appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • David Oyelowo (Government Cheese) - David is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan makes a special appearance on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Zoë Kravitz (High Fidelity) - Zoë drops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Seth Rogen (The Studio/Platonic/Undeclared), Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) and Luke Macfarlane (Platonic) - Seth, Rose and Luke are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
  • Danielle Brooks (Close Enough) - Danielle talks about Peacemaker on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • John Slattery (Maggie/Ed) - NBC's Today catches up with John in the 9am hour.
  • Kelsey Grammer (Frasier/Partners/Hank/Back to You/Cheers) - It’s a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Emmy®-winning TV icon Kelsey Grammer on a repeat on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. For the first time, Kelsey gets raw and honest about the effect his sister's murder had on him. He revisits it all in his powerful new book, Karen: A Brother Remembers.
  • Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Ana Gasteyer (American Auto/People of Earth/Lady Dynamite/Suburgatory) - Ana is sharing her hilarious take on the hottest news topics on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Wendell is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York 9:15am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

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07/24 - Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Premieres September 9; Apple TV+ Stick Renewed for Season 2
07/23 - Apple TV+ Ted Lasso Season 4 Details; NBC Orders Stumble to Series
07/22 - Remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner of The Cosby Show and Malcolm & Eddie; Futurama Season 13 Drops September 15
07/21 - Hallmark Channel Acquires Gilmore Girls; Freida Pinto to Star in Netflix Series
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