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Week 2 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

Households: #1. CBS 8.6/14.0; #2. ABC 7.1/11.5; #3. Fox 4.8/7.5; #4. NBC 4.3/7.0; #5. The CW 1.6/2.5
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 13.8 million; #2. ABC 10.96 million; #3. Fox 7.99 million; #4. NBC 6.76 million; #5. The CW 2.37 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. CBS 3.8/10.3; #2. ABC 3.2/8.8; #3. Fox 3.2/8.5; #4. NBC 2.4/6.7; #5. The CW 1.1/3.1.

Analysis: For week two we had some new series debuts along with season premieres for this 2009-10 season. Through the first four days in week two, CBS has the lead in all categories, with ABC second, Fox in third and NBC is back in fourth. ABC was up through the first four days during premiere week, but CBS is on top so far this week. Last week, week 1, ABC took the crown in 18-49 nipping CBS, while CBS just edged ABC in HH/total viewers. NBC was third in HH/viewers (thanks to an NFL game), with Fox fourth. It was the opposite among 18-49 with Fox third, and NBC in fourth. Without the NFL, NBC is in terrible shape. Jay Leno might be cheap to make, but 8pm and 9pm are even weaker now for NBC.
On Monday ABC, Fox and CBS did well. A two-hour Dancing with the Stars won the total viewer race with 17.03 million for ABC, down a bit from the premiere the previous week. An all-new Castle followed with a solid 9.15 million, basically on par with its numbers the previous week. What a great and fun show this is! Next up was CBS with its comedies and CSI: Miami. How I Met Your Mother started it off with 8.71 million, down a bit from the premiere and Accidentally on Purpose followed doing 8.03 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, which could be better...both down from the premiere a bit. Two and a Half Men followed with 13.86 million which was up a bit from the season premiere, but The Big Bang Theory continues to impress and did a nice 13.27 million, up from the premiere. The show also did a mammoth 5.3 18-49 rating, for a series high. A new episode of CSI: Miami did 13.96 million, down a bit from the premiere. Fox had a regular edition of House and it did 14.71 million, which was down nearly three million from the two-hour premiere the previous week... the show did a 5.8 A18-49 rating, down from the 6.7 the previous week. NBC followed with the free-falling Heroes doing 5.72 million, down from the premiere previous week. The series premiere of Trauma followed and did an OK 6.68 million but just a 2.2 A18-49 rating. The Jay Leno Show followed with only 5.52 million, down from previous week. The CW on Mondays has been a struggle so far, with One Tree Hill doing only 2.51 million and Gossip Girl at an even worse 2.36 million...but both were up week-to-week.
On Tuesday, CBS was in control. CBS had the always reliable NCIS opening the night off with 21.37million, up from the season premiere even and this was another series high. Don't know how, though. A new episode of NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 17.4 million, down over a million from the series premiere. And finally CBS aired The Good Wife and did 13.69 million, also solid and on par with the premiere really. Good Tuesday for CBS overall. ABC was a distant second with the return of Shark Tank doing only 4.75 million...needs to do better. This show is perfect for summer. Then it was Dancing with the Stars: The Results on its normal night and time doing 13.02 million as we said goodbye to Kathy Ireland. ABC followed with a new episode of the forgotten doing 7.45 million, down two million from the series premiere. NBC was next with The Biggest Loser 2-hour show doing 9.18 million, up a lot from previous week, followed by the The Jay Leno Show at just 6.58 million (the best it can do), which was down from previous week. Fox aired Hell's Kitchen at 8 doing 6.64 million and a solid 3.1 18-49 rating. So You Think You Can Dance Tuesday was next and it bombed with only 5.18 million. The CW aired 90210 with just 2.21 million, followed by dud Melrose Place at an even worse 1.42 million. The latter was down a bit from previous week, while the former was up.
Wednesday again it was CBS with the overall win, but ABC and Fox had a lot doing well. CBS started slow with Old Christine doing 6.65 million, which was down from the season premiere, followed by Gary Unmarried at just 6.65 million as well, down a bit from its premiere. Veteran drama Criminal Minds did 14.24 million which was down well over a million from the season premiere, with CSI: NY doing 13.16 million, down two million from previous weeks' premiere. ABC started the 8pm hour on top with Hank & The Middle with their series premiere. Hank did a solid 8.34 million but the 2.2 18-49 rating was low. The Middle did a better 8.71 million and a better 2.6 18-49 rating. If ABC can keep those numbers or close to it, they'll take it in this weak hour. New episodes of the hilarious sitcoms Modern Family and Cougar Town both did very well in week two with 9.99 and 9.25 million, but the 3.8 A18-49 ratings for both were more telling giving ABC the win at 9pm. At 10pm Eastwick did an OK 6.57 million, down two million from the premiere. It's a surprisingly good show! NBC opened the night with Mercy doing 7.39 million, down a million from the premiere. Law & Order: SVU followed and only did 8.08 million...see you can't just move a 10pm hit and move it to 9pm where this is more competition. At 10pm NBC aired The Jay Leno Show of course at just 6.11 million, down week-to-week. Fox was fourth, with So You Think You Can Dance at 6.81 million...up from previous week since there was no Dancing on ABC, but then Glee followed to a decent 7.4 million and a 3.3 A18-49 rating, both were up from previous week. The CW had its usual showing of Top Model at 3.28 million, up a lot from previous week and a repeat of Melrose Place followed with just 1.02 million.
Thursday it was ABC on top in 18-49 and CBS overall. ABC opened the night with FLASHFORWARD doing 10.73 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, both very solid and competitive. A new Grey's Anatomy followed with 15.69 million and a great 6.1 A18-49 rating. And the season premiere of Private Practice impressed with 11.58 million and a great 4.6 A18-49 rating. What a premiere that was! CBS opened with Survivor: Gabon at 11.54 million and a 3.7 A18-49 rating. A new episode of CSI followed with 15.94 million, down a tad week-to-week, while The Mentalist was up week-to-week with 15.75 million. Fox started off well with Bones at a solid 9.43 million...up some from previous week, but Fringe followed and only did 6.03 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, on par from previous week. NBC was in the familiar fourth place with SNL Thursday Update doing only 5.02 million but it was up from previous week, followed by sitcom dud Parks & Recreation at only 4.67 million, though it was up week-to-week. At 9pm The Office only mustered 7.41 million but a solid 3.9 18-49 rating, but way down than last year. Community closed the comedy block with only 5.86 million, but up some from previous week. The Jay Leno Show closed the night with only 5.03 million, down a bit week-to-week. The CW's only consistent player so far is Vampire Diaries doing 3.53 million, off a bit week-to-week, followed by Supernatural at a could-be-better 2.6 million.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with their dramas but only mustered a prelim 1.7 18-49 rating average. Fox continues to stumble on Friday with Brothers, 'Til Death & Dollhouse and NBC was a disappointment.
Saturday numbers had ABC win with Saturday Night Football in all categories and Fox was solid in young adults with its crime reality.
Tonight the full ABC Sunday line-up is back (AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters). Some good stuff on Brothers and Sisters tonight...it is great. NBC should have something to tout about finally this week with the NFL game. CBS has the premiere of Three Rivers which could be slaughtered. Fox has its animation block from 8-10pm, including rookie The Cleveland Show.
As for week two, CBS will win in HH, viewers and 18-49. Though ABC could nip CBS in 18-49. Question is if NBC can move from 4th to 3rd thanks to NFL?

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of September 21-27)

• Brothers (Fox) 2 episodes - 1.79 million and 3.64 million for two repeats. Some of the country had NFL until 7:21, so the first repeat was joined in progress and it did 3.3 million after the game, which is terrible.
• The Simpsons (Fox) - The season premiere did an outstanding 8.31 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - The highly promoted series premiere did 9.51 million and an impressive 4.9 18-49 rating. If it can hold that, Fox will be more than pleased.
• Family Guy (Fox) - Wow the season premiere did 10.11 million and a huge 5.2 18-49 rating. It won't last, but that is a good start!
• American Dad (Fox) - The season premiere did 7.14 million and a solid but could be better (since the lead-in did excellent) 3.6 18-49 rating.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - New episode did 8.71 million, lower than the season premiere, but did retain the 3.6 A18-49 rating.
• Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) - 8.03 million for week two and a 3.1 18-49 rating, both down from the premiere. If it falls below 8 million and a 3 18-49 rating, then CBS will be concerned.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.86 million...up from the season premiere.
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 13.27 million...also up from the season premiere and built from the lead-in's 18-49 rating from a 4.8 to a 5.3...nicely done. That was a great episode, too. That insect professor was a riot!

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

• Old Christine (CBS) - New episode did 6.65 million, down from the season premiere. 18-49 rating of a 1.9 needs to be better and also down from the premiere.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - Like the lead-in, 6.65 million, not as much down from previous week, but built from the lead-in a bit in 18-49 to a 2.2 rating.
• Hank (ABC) - The series premiere was sampled...did a decent 8.34 million but the 2.2 18-49 rating could be better.
• The Middle (ABC) -8.71 million for the premiere was solid but thanks to the lead-in the 18-49 rating was a disappointing 2.6 rating. If it can hold that, then that is fine. Funny show!
• Modern Family (ABC) - Episode two did 9.99 million and a nice 3.8 18-49 rating. Looks like a solid hit that skews young!
• Cougar Town (ABC) - Episode two for this great sitcom did 9.25 million and also a 3.8 18-49 rating. If both of these can do a 3.6 or more every week, then ABC is in business and has a good comedy foundation.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• Parks & Recreation (NBC) - This show did terrible doing only 4.67 million and just a 2.0 A18-49 rating...sorry Amy Poehler, but you did go up from previous week a bit!
• The Office (NBC) - Building on the lead-in, the series did 7.41 million, but its strength is 18-49 and it did a 3.9 rating.
• Community (NBC) - A new episode did 5.86 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating ... both up some from previous week. Wonder if it can retain that when it moves to 8pm soon?
  

Friday Sitcoms

• Brothers (Fox) - Worse than the premiere! Prelim ratings show a terrible 2.42 million.
• 'Til Death (Fox) - The season premiere did only a prelim 2.29 million!
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are new episodes of Fox's animated comedies from 8-10PM.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, Cougar Town, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, & The Middle were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Hank, Gary Unmarried) or just plain old terrible (such as 'Til Death, Brothers).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 5:30 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings