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Week 27 Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 27 numbers (first four nights final averages, Mon-Thurs):

Households: Fox 8.9/13.6; CBS 7.6/12.1; ABC 7.4/11.7; NBC 4.5/7.0; TheCW 1.6/2.4; MNT 0.9/1.4.
Total Viewers: Fox 15.4 million; CBS 12.04 million; ABC 11.56 million; NBC 6.99 million; The CW 2.36 million; MNT 1.37 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox 5.5/14.1; ABC 3.5/9.1; CBS 3.4/9.1; NBC 2.7/7.0; The CW 1.0/2.7; MNT 0.5/1.2.

Analysis: Week 27 again sees a three-way race and could be anyone's game in HH/viewers for the week, with CBS or Fox the likely winner. Through the first four days, Fox is on top in all categories, with CBS in second everywhere, but ABC is 2nd in 18-49, while ABC is a close third in everything else. And NBC is a distant fourth everywhere else.
Last week, CBS won in week 26 in HH/viewers, but Fox once again took 18-49 but by a closer margin, over NCAA-fueled second place CBS. ABC was third in all categories, while NBC was back in a distant fourth of course.
Monday it was all ABC as Dancing with the Stars continues to dominate. ABC aired a two-hour episode of Dancing with the Stars at an impressive 20.34 million, down from the previous week, but dominant. After that, ABC aired a new episode of crime-romance drama Castle doing 9.14 million...down nearly two million from previous week. Not to worry since it all depends o the plot. Tomorrow it should be better with a great story. CBS did decent but the comedies suffered again thanks to Dance. What was even worse was that The Big Bang Theory was preempted for a full-hour of How I Met Your Mother ... an all-new episode at 8pm did only 7.35 million, not good. A repeat followed with 7.01 million. I think this proves, it is not strong enough to anchor an hour. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men was a repeat this week and did 11.15 million, seems below repeat levels though. A new Rules of Engagement followed and did 9.37 million, down two million week-to-week...not bad since its lead-in was a repeat. At 10pm a new CSI: Miami did 13.67 million, which was up a tad from previous week. Fox started with a repeat of House and did 7.78 million...not bad, next Fox had an all-new 24 doing 10.37 million, down a million from previous week. NBC was next with its sluggish Monday. A new Chuck did 6.16 million. The downfall of Heroes continues as this show did just 6.47 million, it is actually on the bubble for next season now. Medium followed with 6.64 million for a new episode, which is not that great either. The CW was next with a new episode of Gossip Girl doing 2.25 million, down a tad from previous week as ABC Family's season finale of Secret Life nearly doubled it. A new episode of One Tree Hill did 2.40 million... on par really from previous week.
Tuesday all the networks scrambled their line-ups as President Obama had a news conference at 8pm ET. We don't have numbers for the Obama news conference, as they didn't count in the ratings. Fox had to preempt American Idol and went with a House repeat at 9pm instead doing just 4.02 million. CBS moved NCIS to 9pm and did 17.83 million, up two million from previous week at its regular 8pm slot. A new episode of The Mentalist was also moved and aired at 10pm and did a solid 17.62 million, also up over two million from previous week when it aired at its regular 9pm slot. Without a Trace was preempted thanks to Obama. ABC was next and started with Dancing with the Stars: The Results at 9pm doing 16.12 million, as it went up nearly four million from previous week! ABC ended with the season finale of the addicting Primetime: What Would You Do? doing a season high of 7.96 million. NBC was next and had to move the two-hour The Biggest Loser to 9-11pm and it did 9.83 million, up nearly two million from previous week. NBC had to preempt Law & Order: SVU at 10pm. You see, no Idol, and everyone goes up. The CW aired a new episode of Reaper and did a solid 2.7 million, that was a solid improvement from its first airings of the season as there was no Idol... and an encore of 90210 only did 1.0 million, but believe it or not, that was up from previous week. Stop encoring 90210 so much CW!
Wednesday saw you know who dominate. Fox had to air the performance show of American Idol on a special night doing 26.03 million for two-hours. New Fox drama Lie to Me was preempted. CBS started with a special recap episode of Survivor: Tocantins at just 8.07 million, as that was very low...sitcoms Old Christine and Gary Unmarried were preempted. A new episode of Criminal Minds followed and did 14.35 million, up week-to-week. CSI: NY followed with a new showing doing 12.64 million, down a bit from previous week. ABC was next with a new Scrubs and the second episode of Better Off Ted doing 5.27 and 4.6 million...both down from previous week, as they faced Idol this week. A new episode of Lost followed at 9pm doing a below normal 9.04 million as it went up with Idol. A new Life on Mars at 10pm did 5.52 million, which was good enough to improve from previous week once again. The action-packed series finale is this week! Tune in to see a real ending to a series! NBC opened the night with the about to be chopped Chopping Block doing a terrible 2.58 million...down nearly a million from previous week, a new showing of dud Life followed and did just 4.41 million, up actually up a bit from previous week. Law & Order followed at 10pm with a new episode and did 7.33 million, up some week-to-week. The CW was on the map with America's Next Top Model doing a nice 2.87 million, but down a million from previous week as Idol meddled...The CW followed with an encore of...what else...90210 at 750,000 viewers, down a bit from previous week. I wonder if some episodes have been seen 5 times already? This better make this week's episode well over 3 million, as the show finally returns Tuesday with new episodes.
Thursday saw Fox with the win as the results of American Idol aired on a special night. But first...ABC started with the series premiere of In the Motherhood doing 6.7 million, while that sounds not that great, not bad vs. Idol. No Idol this week, so hopefully it can go up. An all-new Samantha Who? on a new night and time did a decent 6.57 million. A new episode of Grey's Anatomy was next and did 16.1 million and a night best 5.6 18-49 rating...what an excellent episode that was! Too bad we have to wait until April 23 for the final batch of episodes of the season. A new episode of Private Practice followed and did 10.12 million at 10pm, up from previous week. CBS preempted the regular Survivor: Tocantis, CSI and Eleventh Hour again with coverage of the NCAA Basketball tournament doing 10.26 million in primetime (8-11pm only), up some from previous week. NBC started with a new episode of My Name is Earl doing just 5.89 million, down from previous week, a repeat of The Office did 4.75 million up a tad from the previous week. A new episode of The Office did 8.65 million, up from previous week and its best in a while. A new showing of 30 Rock followed with 7.17 million, on par really from previous week. A new ER was next and did 10.35 million, up a million week-to-week. Series finale is this week. How will it do? As I said earlier, Fox won this atypical Thursday with Idol results doing a solid 23.1 million, as Fox's Bones had to be preempted yet again. Is this the ugly step-sister for Fox? An all-new Hell's Kitchen followed at 9pm did 10.13 million, obviously up week-to-week with that huge lead-in. Smallville was all-new on The CW and did a solid 3.8 million, up some from previous week, followed by a new Supernatural at 3.13 million, down some from previous week.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with NCAA Basketball Tournament 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 terrible for Fox, and NBC was not much better with Friday Night Light. Why is that on the air?
Saturday numbers were above normal again as CBS won with some NCAA March Madness until about 9pm then NCIS repeat and 48 Hours did solid.
Tonight CBS also should win. 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, but not of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters, but they could still win in 18-49 as EM: HE is two-hours. NBC has Dateline at 7pm, followed by big-time dud Kings, and a two-hour Celebrity Apprentice. Fox has an all-new lineup finally of its animated comedies again...except King of the Hill is preempted. Is that show now done?
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 if Fox falters, but 3rd likely in 18-49 and NBC fourth everywhere. As for the coming week...ABC premieres new comedy-drama Cupid on Tuesday at 10:00pm and the first of the final 12 According to Jim episodes airs in the 8pm hour. Fox airs the variety special Osbournes: Reloaded from 9:20-10pm on Tuesday also. And that's not all for Tuesday, 90210 returns at 9pm with new episodes...and yes it will encore the next night at 9pm...that's the CW for ya! Wednesday will see CBS play April Fool's jokes on I Get That A Lot at 8pm and the series finale of Life on Mars on ABC at 10pm...no foolin'! Probably the pick of the week is the ER series finale on Thursday from 9-11pm, but CBS is not playing around and airing the 200th episode of CSI against it at 9pm & the season (or series?) finale of Eleventh Hour. On Saturday we will find out who the final two teams will be for the NCAA Tournament. And next Sunday its the 44th Annual CMA Awards on CBS.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of March 16-22, Week 26)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - 6.19 million for an all-new episode...seems way below normal again, but as with the previous, up a tad from the previous week.
• King of the Hill (Fox) 2 episodes - A new episode did 5.5 million...up a smidge from previous week...ad earlier in the night a repeat at 7:30 only did 2.39 million.
• Family Guy (Fox) - A new episode did 7.34 million, but should be better though...even though it followed the previous two shows by going up a bit week-to-week.
• American Dad! (Fox) 2 episodes - 5.84 million...down a tad from previous week...so the only one to go down. Earlier in the night a repeat at 7 did just 1.92 million.

Week 27:
Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - preempted...
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) 2 episodes - 7.35 million for a new showing at a special time of 8pm was down two million from previous week. This sitcom is no self-starter. A repeat followed in its normal time with 7.01 million.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 11.15 million for a repeat...below normal.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 9.37 million for a new episode...down from previous week obviously since its lead-in was a repeat.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Old Christine (CBS) - preempted.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - preempted.
• Scrubs (ABC) - New showing did 5.27 million, down some from previous week...thanks to Idol. But blame Obama I guess.
• Better Off Ted (ABC) - 4.6 million for a new episode...down nearly a million from the premiere. Not good, but hopefully it can rebound this Wednesday with no Idol. Also, the first two repeat this Tuesday from 8-9PM if anyone missed it or if you want to start watching! It's not too late!

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 5.89 million for a new episode is certainly not good as the wrath of Idol hit.
• In the Motherhood (ABC) - Series premiere did 6.7 million, which is decent but could have been better if there was no special Idol. Obama, mothers are upset at you!
• Samantha Who? (ABC) - 6.57 million for the return is decent. Loyal audience.
• The Office (NBC) 2 episodes - A repeat did 8:30 did an OK 4.75 million and a new episode did 8.65 million ...both up week-to-week.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - 7.17 million for a new episode...up a bit from previous week.

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - A new episode did a prelim 1.81 million...up from previous week's prelim numbers.
• The Game (The CW) - A new episode did a prelim 2.01 million. Not too bad, up from previous week's prelim numbers.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

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

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, The Office were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as In the Motherhood, How I Met Your Mother) or just plain old terrible (such as The Office repeat, Better Off Ted).