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Week 35 Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 35 numbers (final three nights of the season final averages, Mon-Wed):

NOTE: Thursday was the first night of the summer season, but we don't have final network averages, thus it is not counted below. However, we do have final program ratings in the analysis below.

Households: Fox 10.6/17.0; CBS 8.0/13.0; ABC 6.8/11.0; NBC 3.4/5.6; The CW 1.3/2.0; MNT 0.7/1.1.
Total Viewers: Fox 18.67 million; CBS 12.77 million; ABC 10.6 million; NBC 5.08 million; The CW 1.85 million; MNT 1.06 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox 6.5/18.1; CBS 3.3/9.2; ABC 2.9/8.0; NBC 1.5/4.1; The CW 0.8/2.4; MNT 0.4/1.1.

Analysis: Week 35 - the final week of the TV season - sees Fox with the lead for the first four nights in all categories. It will be a close finish from Thurs-Sun, but that is the start of the summer season. Fox should be able to prevail. CBS will hang on to second in HH/viewers likely, with ABC likely to take over in 18-49. Through the first three days of this week, Fox is first, CBS is second, ABC in third and NBC back in fourth. We will have final May 2009 Sweep (April 23-May 20) network averages for you next week, along with final 2008-2009 TV season (Sept. 22-May 20) network averages for you next week as well.
Last week, CBS won in week 34 in HH/viewers, but Fox once again took 18-49. However, Fox was third for the week in HH/viewers, with ABC second in those. ABC and CBS were tied for second in 18-49. NBC was fourth across the board.
Monday it was ABC with the victory as Dancing with the Stars had its performance finale. ABC aired an abbreviated one hour version of Dancing with the Stars at 19.17 million, up some from the previous week when it was two-hours. The two-hour season premiere of The Bachelorette followed doing a solid 8.69 million and a better 3.0 18-49 rating. That was on par with the premiere last season and look for it grow in coming weeks. CBS was all-new with comedies starting it off...a special Rules of Engagement at 8pm did only 7.5 million, down over 2 million from previous week when Big Bang Theory aired its finale. What will Rules do next season when it won't air after Men anymore? The season finale of How I Met Your Mother followed doing a decent 8.73 million, down just a tad from previous week. The season finale of Two and a Half Men followed with 16.18 million, up three million from previous week--wow, but it didn't face Dancing. Rules of Engagement followed with another new episode, this time its season finale and closed the sitcom block with a decent 12.87 million, up over two million from previous week. This sitcom will be back in midseason next season, but not in this slot. CBS closed the night with the season finale of CSI: Miami at 14.2 million, up from previous week. Fox aired the two-hour season finale of 24 doing 9.64 million, down from previous week. Season low it seems and a series low of 3.1 18-49. Looks like House did save this show. NBC was next with the sluggish Deal or No Deal doing only 4.36 million, though up a tad from previous week and a second episode at 9pm did a bit better with 5.39 million, but down from what aired in the slot the previous week. Medium followed with 6.56 million, down from previous week. Look for this show on CBS next fall! The CW was next with the season finale of Gossip Girl doing 2.23 million, down some from previous week and the season finale of One Tree Hill did 2.68 million, up from previous week.
Tuesday it was Fox on top but ABC won in HH but Fox had a bit more viewers and a big lead in 18-49. Fox started with a 63 minute performance finale of American Idol doing 23.82 million, up a million from previous week but it seems low for a performance finale. Fox then aired a special preview of Glee at 9.62 million, up a tad from previous week when Fringe aired its finale. Look for Glee to air Wednesdays at 9 in the fall, but not a promising start so far. ABC started with a repeat of the previous night's Dancing with the Stars doing 7.65 million improving a lot on According to Jim the previous week. Dancing with the Stars: The Results the grand finale was next from 9-11pm doing 20.31 million, up six million from previous week when it was one-hour. Congrats to Shawn Johnson for winning! CBS started with the season finale of NCIS doing 16.5 million which was up some from previous week, followed by the season finale of The Mentalist doing 16.82 million, up some from previous week..look for this Thursdays at 10 next season. Without a Trace had its series finale and did 11.21 million, down over two million from from previous week. NBC aired two repeats of Most Outrageous Moments doing just 3.0 and 2.99 million...NBC didn't compete. A repeat of Law & Order: SVU followed with 3.48 million, and a new episode followed at 10pm with only 6.93 million -- a series low. Terrible scheduling by NBC. The CW aired a new episode of Reaper and did just 1.71 million, down some from previous week again and the season finale of 90210 followed with 2.0 million, also down a tad from previous week.
Wednesday saw Fox with the win on the final night of the 2008-09 season. Fox was led by the two-hour finale of American Idol doing 28.84 million, up four million from previous week but these finales usually do 30 million+, so it was down some. CBS started with season finales of sitcoms Old Christine and Gary Unmarried doing only 5.55 and 5.52 million, as Idol must have affected them. The two-hour Criminal Minds season finale followed and did 13.99 million, up some from previous week when it was one-hour. CSI: NY was preempted as it had its season finale on a special night of Thursday the previous week. ABC took a backseat on the night with the network premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest from 8-11pm doing only 3.41 million. NBC did better with the NBC premiere of USA's Law & Order: Criminal Intent doing 5.04 million, down some from previous week, followed by a repeat of Law & Order: SVU doing only 4.32 million, also down a bit from previous week. Law & Order followed at 10pm with a new episode and did 6.67 million, down over a million from previous week. The CW was off the map with the movie Take the Lead doing only 1.24 million.
Thursday saw the start of the summer season. But we had some unfinished business with ABC as they had the two-hour season finale of Ugly Betty doing 6.27 million, down some from previous week when it was one-hour. That isn't that bad since it was on its own, if it does similar numbers to this on Fridays, ABC will be happy. A repeat of Grey's Anatomy followed at 10pm doing only 3.46 million. CBS won the night with summer repeats, starting it off with a special night repeat of NCIS doing 7.35 million. A repeat of CSI followed doing a solid 9.88 million and finale at 10pm a repeat of Flashpoint on a special night followed at 10pm and did 7.37 million. Fox's summer season started with the two-hour season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance at 8.85 million and a decent 3.4 18-49 rating. NBC was in repeat mode from 8-10pm with comedies, a repeat of canceled My Name is Earl did only 3.22 million at 8pm, a repeat of 30 Rock followed with another low of 2.77 million. The Office followed with a repeat doing 3.35 million and another repeat of 30 Rock followed with only 3.29 million. NBC closed the night with a new episode -- the season finale -- of Southland doing 6.45 million, up up two million week to week. Smallville was a repeat on The CW and did 1.37 million and a repeat of Supernatural followed with 1.28 million. Summer has begun.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with repeats of Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, NUMBERS. Everyone else was under 4 million.
Saturday numbers are not available yet, but expect ABC to win big with the NBA Western Conference Finals, as the Lakers came back and beat the Nuggets in game 3.
Tonight will be likely Fox with the win with NASCAR. CBS has a new 60 Minutes followed repeats of Million Dollar Password, Cold Case, The Unit from 8-11pm. ABC will start with repeats of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Then from 9-11pm they will air part one of the mini-series event Diamonds, so I expect this will do decent. NBC has a two-hour Dateline and a two-hour repeat of mini-series The Last Templar.
As for the week, Fox should win the week in HH, viewers, and 18-49. CBS will be second in HH/viewers, while ABC will take third in those categories. ABC will be second in 18-49, with CBS in third. NBC will be fourth everywhere. As for the coming week...summer has begun. Look for summer premieres of such series as Wipeout, Here Come the Newlyweds, The Goode Family, Mental, and more.

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of May 11-17, Week 34)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - Season finale did just 5.85 million but up from previous week's season low.
• King of the Hill (Fox) 2 episodes - Season finale at 8:30pm did only 5.21 million but up from previous week by a million. A repeat at 7pm mustered only 2.44 million.
• Family Guy (Fox) - 7.35 million for the season finale...up a million from previous week.
• American Dad! (Fox) 2 episodes - 2.77 million for a repeat at 7:30pm was a bit higher than previous week, and its regular 9:30pm slot had the season finale and did only 5.64 million...but up nearly a million from previous week.

Week 35 (May 18-24):
Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - preempted
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 8.73 million for the season finale...slightly off from previous week.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 16.18 million for the comedy leader's finale up 3 million from the previous week!
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 12.87 million for the season finale was great but a special 8pm all-new episode only did 7.5 million.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• According to Jim (ABC) - preempted...final two weeks coming (May 26 and June 2).

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Old Christine (CBS) - 5.55 million for the season finale is not good...season low.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 5.52 million for the season finale is also not good.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - 3.22 million for a repeat at 8pm.
• The Office (NBC) - 3.35 million for a repeat at 9pm.
• 30 Rock (NBC) 2 episodes - Only 2.77 million for a repeat at 8:30, but the regular slot repeat did 3.29 million at 9:30pm.

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) 2 episodes - Two repeats did a prelim 1.24 and 1.09 million at 8 and 9pm.
• The Game (The CW) 2 episodes - Two repeats did a prelim 1.24 and 1.10 million at 8:30 and 9:30pm.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are no comedies!

Summing it up. How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement-9:30 were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (Rules of Engagement-8:00, Old Christine) or just plain old terrible (such as repeats of 30 Rock, My Name is Earl).