Sunday, October 18, 2009

Week 4 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 4 numbers (first four nights, Mon-Wed):
(Network averages for Thursday were not available once again, thus here are final network averages for Mon-Wed. Final program numbers are available in the analysis, though.)


Households: #1. CBS 8.3/13.4; #2. ABC 6.6/10.5; #3. Fox 5.1/7.9; #4. NBC 4.4/7.1; #5. The CW 1.4/2.1
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 13.19 million; #2. ABC 10.06 million; #3. Fox 8.73 million; #4. NBC 6.95 million; #5. The CW 2.06 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox 3.6/9.6; #2. CBS 3.6/9.5; #3. ABC 2.6/6.9; #4. NBC 2.3/6.2; #5. The CW 1.0/2.6.

Week 4 Analysis: For week three we have CBS on top through the first four days in all categories (though they were tied with Fox in 18-49 through Wednesday). Fox will likely win the week in 18-49 thanks to MLB ALCS on Friday and Saturday. Through the first four days in week four I can project, CBS has the lead in all categories, with ABC second in HH/viewers but third in 18-49, with Fox in third in HH/viewers, but a close second in 18-49 and NBC is back in fourth everywhere. Last week, week 3, CBS won the week in HH/viewers and 18-49, while ABC was second in HH/total viewers, but fourth in 18-49 (though only .1 behind Fox for second). NBC was third in HH/viewers, with Fox fourth. NBC was tied for second in 18-49 with Fox.
On Monday ABC, Fox and CBS did well again. A two-hour Dancing with the Stars won the total viewer race with 16.79 million for ABC, up some from the previous week. An all-new Castle followed with a solid 9.77 million, up again from the previous week! Very consistent. Next up was CBS with its comedies and CSI: Miami. How I Met Your Mother started it off with 8.56 million, up some from the previous week and Accidentally on Purpose followed doing 7.73 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, both up a tad from the previous week. Two and a Half Men followed with 14.17 million which was also up from the previous week, and The Big Bang Theory followed and continues to impress and did a nice 13.07 million, up from the previous week. The show also did a 5.0 18-49 rating, its second highest ever. A new episode of CSI: Miami did 13.27 million, down a bit from the previous week...the only program on CBS to go down on the night. Fox had a new episode of House and it did 13.5 million, which was down a bit from previous week... the show did a 5.2 A18-49 rating, down from the 5.4 the previous week. NBC followed with the free-falling Heroes doing 5.55 million, up a tad from the previous week. A new episode of Trauma followed and did only 5.49 million and only a 1.8 A18-49 rating, both up a tick the previous week though. The Jay Leno Show followed with only 5.1 million, but actually up some from previous week. The CW on Mondays has been a struggle so far, with One Tree Hill doing only 2.55 million and Gossip Girl at an even worse 2.36 million...but up some week-to-week.
On Tuesday, CBS was in control. CBS had the always reliable NCIS opening the night off with 21.04 million, up from the previous week. Another series high. A new episode of NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 15.38 million, down a million again from the previous week despite the lead-in going up. And finally CBS aired The Good Wife and did 12.98 million, down from the previous week. ABC was a distant second with a new episode of Shark Tank doing only 5.24 million...but up a bit week-to-week again. At least it goes up, but this is perfect for summer. Then it was Dancing with the Stars: The Results doing 13.96 million, up a lot week-to-week as we said goodbye to Chuck Liddell. ABC followed with a new episode of the forgotten doing 7.43 million, down a bit week-to-week but up a tick in 18-49. NBC was next with The Biggest Loser 2-hour show doing 9.14 million, down a bit from previous week, followed by the The Jay Leno Show at just 5.77 million, which was down from previous week again. Fox aired the two-hour finale of Hell's Kitchen doing 8.04 million and a solid 3.8 18-49 rating, both of course up week-to-week. Fox will miss this show. So You Think You Can Dance can't do this well. The CW aired 90210 with just 2.25 million, followed by dud Melrose Place at an even worse 1.38 million. The latter was down from previous week, while the former was up.
Wednesday again it was CBS with the overall win. CBS started slow with Old Christine doing 6.99 million, which was up a tad from the previous week, followed by Gary Unmarried at 6.91 million, also up a bit from its previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds did 13.92 million which was down a bit from the previous week, with CSI: NY doing 13.4 million, up a million from previous week. ABC started the 8pm hour with Hank & The Middle and did OK. Hank did an OK 6.15 million but only a 1.6 18-49 rating again. The Middle did a better 6.77 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, nice builds from the lead-in in 18-49. New episodes of the hilarious sitcoms Modern Family and Cougar Town both did well again with 9.35 and 8.0 million, but up from previous week. The A18-49 ratings for both were more telling doing 3.6 and 3.3. Shelley Long and the entire Modern Family episode was SO funny this week! Loved the song! At 10pm Eastwick did only 5.08 million, on par really from previous week, wish it was doing better because it is a nice guilty pleasure. NBC opened the night with Mercy doing 7.37 million, down a tad from the previous week. Law & Order: SVU followed and did 8.77 million, up some from previous week. Slowly going up, while Criminal Minds is slowly going down. At 10pm NBC aired The Jay Leno Show of course at just 6.15 million, up week-to-week and best showing of the week. Fox was fourth, with So You Think You Can Dance at 7.21 million...up a million from previous week, and then Glee followed to a decent 7.65 million and a 3.4 A18-49 rating, both up from previous week. The CW had its usual showing of Top Model at 3.0 million, down a tad from previous week and a repeat of Melrose Place followed with just 800,000 viewers. This is a dud!
Thursday it was ABC on top in 18-49 and CBS overall again. ABC opened the night with FLASHFORWARD doing 9.07 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, both up some from previous week. Dominc Monaghan joins the cast officially this week. A new Grey's Anatomy followed with 13.79 million and a great 5.0 A18-49 rating, but both down from previous week. And a new episode of Private Practice did a solid 10.36 million and a first place at 10pm 3.8 A18-49 rating, both up week-to-week. Dr. Bailey was great, could we see Dr. Sam Bennett go to Seattle Grace as the "cardio god?" Hmm... CBS opened with Survivor: Samoa at 11.78 million and a 3. A18-49 rating, both up a tick week-to-week. A new episode of CSI followed with 15.38 million, up some week-to-week, while The Mentalist was also up week-to-week with 15.08 million. Fox started off well with Bones at a solid 9.59 million...down from previous week, and Fringe followed and only did 5.78 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, both basically the same as previous week. NBC was next with Community at 8pm doing 5.01 million up some from previous week, followed by sitcom dud Parks & Recreation at only 4.53 million, down week-to-week. At 9pm, The Office did 8.03 million and a solid 4.1 18-49 rating, both down week-to-week when the special one-hour episode aired. Season premiere of 30 Rock did only 6.39 million, down big from Palin infected last fall. The Jay Leno Show closed the night with only 5.37 million, but up week-to-week. The CW's only consistent player so far is Vampire Diaries doing 3.88 million, up week-to-week, followed by Supernatural at a could-be-better 2.58 million, but up some from previous week.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with their dramas overall but Fox won the 18-49 rating crown with MLB ALCS Game 1. Much better than the regular Brothers, 'Til Death & Dollhouse while ABC did OK with Ugly Betty's premiere.
Saturday numbers were not available, but look for Fox to win big with MLB ALCS Game 2, as the Yankees won a long thriller!
Tonight the full ABC Sunday line-up is airing (AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters), look for solid numbers as usual. NBC should have something to tout about with the NFL game, but could be down from previous week due to MLB Playoffs on TBS. CBS has its usual players, but Three Rivers will be slaughtered again, as the cancelation click is ticking. Fox has its animation block from 8-10pm, including rookie The Cleveland Show. A new Brothers also airs again tonight at 7 on a special night and time.
As for week three, CBS will win in HH, viewers and but Fox will win 18-49 thanks to MLB ALCS games. Look for ABC in second in HH/viewers, but likely third in 18-49. NBC will be fourth in all categories, as Fox will over take them in HH/viewers this week.

Week 4 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 3-- October 5-11)

  • Brothers (Fox) - A special new episode at 7pm did only 1.7 million, but it was preempted in 20% of the country for NFL. Everyone came on board at 7:23pm and still only did 2.47 million.
  • The Simpsons (Fox) - 7.6 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating...both down a lot from the previous week as no direct NFL lead-in this week.
  • The Cleveland Show (Fox) 2 episodes - 7.87 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating. Both down a lot from the week prior, but still very good to build on the lead-in. A special repeat of the pilot at 7:30pm did 3.7 million.
  • Family Guy (Fox) - 8.97 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating. Both down from the previous week, again no direct NFL lead-in this week.
  • American Dad (Fox) - 6.75 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating...both down just some from previous week.

Monday Sitcoms

  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - New episode did 8.56 million, higher than the previous week, and back to a 3.6 A18-49 rating after dropping a bit the previous week.
  • Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) - 7.73 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, both up from the previous week. Bleeding stopped a bit, as it went up some.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 14.17 million...up from the previous week. Sitcom leader overall.
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 13.07 million...up from the previous week and still built from the lead-in's 18-49 rating from a 4.8 to a 5.0, though not as high of a build than the past few weeks. Still sitcom leader in 18-49.


Tuesday Sitcoms

  • None.

Wednesday Sitcoms
  • Old Christine (CBS) - New episode did 6.99 million, up a bit from previous week. 18-49 rating of a 2.1 was also up.
  • Gary Unmarried (CBS) - Like the lead-in, 6.91 million, up a bit from previous week, but built from the lead-in a bit in 18-49 to a 2.3 rating.
  • Hank (ABC) - Down a bit from previous week's 6.45 million to 6.15 million...not good, but not totally bad either. 18-49 rating was even from previous week at 1.6...needs to do better.
  • The Middle (ABC) - 6.77 million, basically on par from previous week and it built nicely from the lead-in in 18-49 from a 1.6 to a 2.0.
  • Modern Family (ABC) - A hilarious episode did 9.35 million and a nice 3.6 18-49 rating, both up week-to-week. Shelley Long deserves an Emmy here. Single camera sitcom leader overall now.
  • Cougar Town (ABC) - A great episode did 8.0 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, both also up some from previous week.

Thursday Sitcoms

  • Community (NBC) - New episode did 5.01 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating ... both up a tad from previous week.
  • Parks & Recreation (NBC) - This show did terrible doing only 4.53 million and just a 2.0 A18-49 rating, down some from previous week.
  • The Office (NBC) - 8.03 million for a new episode, down from the special one-hour episode the previous week, but better than the previous weeks. In 18-49 it did a 4.1 rating.
  • 30 Rock (NBC) - Season premiere only mustered 6.39 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating. Dropped over a point in 18-49 from the lead-in...not good.

Friday Sitcoms

  • Brothers (Fox) - preempted for baseball.
  • 'Til Death (Fox) - preempted for baseball.

Saturday Sitcoms

  • None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are new episodes of Fox's animated comedies from 8-10PM, along with Brothers at 7.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, Cougar Town, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, The Office were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Middle, 30 Rock) or just plain old terrible (such as Hank, Parks & Recreation).


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, December 22

Bob's Burgers - "The Nightmare 2 Days Before Christmas" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When the power goes out two days before Christmas, The Belchers must spend the holiday at Mr. Fischoeder's family's old hunting lodge.

Krapopolis - "Krapocalypse" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tyrannis is stuck in a time loop trying to save the city.

The Simpsons - "The Man Who Flew Too Much" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The new and improved Pin Pals travel to Capital City for their first ever state bowling championship.

Universal Basic Guys - "The Devil You Know" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mark insists on teaching his son Darren how to throw a handmade boomerang that was gifted to Darren by his father; the two soon find themselves on a trek deep into the Jersey woods; David is the recipient of a sex doll that he swears he didn't order.

The Great North - "The Lies Aquatic Adventure" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
While Beef is away, the Tobin fishing boat goes missing; the Tobin siblings wildly speculate on what could have happened.

Krapopolis - "National Lampoon's The Odyssey!" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The family takes a vacation to Storgos for Shlub's mother's birthday.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Full-Frontal Dottie" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Excited by her physical therapy progress, Dottie insists she is ready to return to MaxDot, much to Bob, Douglas and Christina's dismay.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 16)

Sunday, December 22

  • Teyonah Parris (No Good Deed/Survivor's Remorse) - Catch Teyonah on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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

12/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 23, 2024)
12/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Creative Team Put in Place for Big Bang Theory Spinoff; Girls5eva Canceled at Netflix
12/20 - Netflix Announces You and Sweet Magnolias Details; Tell Me Lies Renewed for Season 3 on Hulu
12/19 - Apple TV+ Bad Monkey Renewed for Season 2; Norman Lear's Clean Slate Comedy to Premiere on Prime Video in February
12/18 - Netflix Renews A Man on the Inside; Silo Gets 2 Season Renewal for Apple TV+
12/17 - Paramount Adds The Big Bang Theory to Nick at Nite and MTV Lineups; The White Lotus Season 3 in February
12/16 - Malcolm in the Middle to Return for 25th Anniversary; Game Show Network Holiday Schedule
12/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 16, 2024)
12/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Malcolm in the Middle Limited Reboot Headed to Disney+; King of the Hill Reboot Episode Titles Released
12/13 - Antenna TV's Christmas and New Year's Holiday Schedule; Apple TV+ and Peanuts Holiday Specials
12/12 - Harley Quinn Returns in January; Night Court Holiday Episode on NBC
12/11 - Valerie Bertinelli Hosting Game Show; Whitney Cummings Finding Ultimate Friends Fans
12/10 - 82nd Golden Globe Nominations; Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall
12/09 - Jamie Foxx Returns on Tuesday on Netflix; Ilana Glazer Hulu Comedy Special
12/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 9, 2024)
12/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Reboot in the Works; Family Guy Returning to Adult Swim
12/06 - Apple TV+ New Comedy Government Cheese; Prime Video Sets Half-Hour Police Drama
12/05 - Marlon Wayans to Guest Star on Poppa's House on CBS; Mo Returning to Netflix
12/04 - STARZ Comedy Thriller Sweetpea Renewed for Season 2; Bel-Air to End After Next Season
12/03 - Pluto TV Holiday Schedule; SNL December Hosts and Musical Performers
12/02 - Scripps Networks (Laff, Bounce, ION) Holiday Schedule; First Look at Watson on CBS
12/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 2, 2024)
11/30 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Desperate Housewives Creator Has Prequel Idea; Finale Date Set for The Talk
11/29 - Abbott Elementary Aces the Test on Multi-Platform; Dancing with the Stars' Resurgence
11/28 - 2024 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/27 - Henry Danger The Movie Premieres in January; Dexter: Original Sin Trailer
11/26 - The Way Home Returns for Season 3; Matthew Broderick and Son to Guest Star on Elsbeth
11/25 - Peacock's Laid Premieres December 19; Jon Hamm Drama Gets Season 2 Before Series Premiere
11/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 25, 2024)
11/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Renews It's Florida, Man; Simpsons Voice Actor Announces Retirement
11/22 - NBC's Happy's Place Gets Full Season; HBO Renews It's Florida, Man for Another Zany Season