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Week 17 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

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Week 17 (Jan. 11-17) Analysis: For week 17, American Idol returned for Fox so here we go again. So far through the first four days of the week I can project (since network averages are not available above), Fox is obviously in the lead in HH/viewers and 18-49. CBS follows in a solid second in those categories, with ABC in third in every category, and NBC fourth in every category as usual. Last week, week 16, NBC battled thanks to NFL playoff coverage in HH/viewers as it tied CBS in HH, and won in viewers, while Fox prevailed in 18-49 over NBC. Fox was third in HH, but second in viewers, as CBS was third in viewers. ABC was fourth in HH/viewers, but very close behind. ABC was third in 18-49, with CBS way back in fourth. It was a very close week thanks to football.
On Monday it was CBS in the lead new episodes of their regulars. CBS started with new episodes of its comedies and ended with a new CSI: Miami. How I Met Your Mother started it off with 9.77 million, great but it was its 100th episode so it could have been a bit higher, while a new Accidentally on Purpose followed doing 8.44 million. Two and a Half Men followed with a new showing doing 17.27 million, that is very strong, and The Big Bang Theory followed with a new episode of its own doing a series high of 15.82 million. It also did a series best 5.7 18-49 rating, building on the lead-in's 5.4. A new CSI: Miami did 13.7 million, not bad but seems lower than usual. ABC got good mileage again out of The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love doing a solid 10.5 million, up a million from previous week, and a 3.6 18-49 rating for the two-hours. A new episode of Castle returned with guest star Alyssa Milano and did a solid 9.47 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating. Fox was on the map with House but it did a below normal 12.25 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating. A new episode of Fringe on a special night did 7.72 million, not bad. NBC started off with a new Chuck at a decent 7.35 million and 2.6 18-49 rating, but Heroes plummeted doing only 4.72 million and a 2.1 A18-49 rating., both series lows. Cancel this already. The Jay Leno Show followed with only 4.8 million, but it built a bit from the lead-in in total viewers at least. The CW aired repeats of One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl doing 1.16 million and 730,000 viewers, terrible.
On Tuesday, Fox and CBS had a lot to talk about. Fox of course started a new season of American Idol with 29.94 million, off a bit from last season's premiere in viewers but up 1% in 18-49 to a 11.8 rating. By far and away the highest rated series of course. CBS started with a new NCIS doing 20.85million, off a bit from previous week as it was a milestone episode. Then spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles was next with a new showing of its own doing 15.6 million, down nearly three million from previous week as it didn't handle Idol as well as its parent--but still good. And finally CBS aired a new The Good Wife doing a solid 13.87 million, basically on par from previous week. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser doing 8.11 million, down over 3 1/2 million from previous week, the 18-49 rating went from 4.6 to a 3.2. It is NBC's saving grace still though. Then The Jay Leno Show tanked as usual to 6.1 million, but down only a bit from previous week. ABC started off with a repeat of Scrubs [Med School] doing only 2.45 million only, followed by a new showing of Better off Ted doing only 2.17 million, down from previous week as its lead-in was a repeat this week. All-new episodes of each followed doing only 2.72 and 2.5 million, ouch. At 10pm, the forgotten was new and did only 4.32 million and just a 1.2 18-49 rating, but at least it was on par from previous week. The CW aired repeats of 90210 and Melrose Place doing only 700,000 and 660,000 viewers...worse than Monday repeats even overall and down from previous week's repeats.
Wednesday it was Fox on top again. Fox aired a 90-minute American Idol doing 26.39 million and a 10.1 18-49 rating, down a lot from previous night, but still far and away the highest rated series. A repeat of the 450th episode of The Simpsons followed with 8.06 million, not bad but lost a lot of the lead-in. CBS started with new episodes of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried at below level numbers thanks to Idol, doing 5.97 and 5.59 million. Next CBS aired a new Criminal Minds doing a solid 13.9 million, with big gains in the second half-hour as Idol ended. A new CSI: NY followed with a solid 14.03 million. ABC comedies were next with a repeat of Modern Family at 8pm doing a decent 5.12 million, followed by a new episode of The Middle doing 5.95 million and a 2.1 18-49 ratings, beating the competing CBS comedy in both measures both down two million from previous week thanks to Idol. Modern Family was also new and did 7.83 million, down over two million from previous week as it went head-to-head vs. Idol. It's 3.3 18-49 rating was still solid, but down from previous week's 4.1. It won't face Idol this week. Cougar Town was also new and did a solid 7.27 million and a solid 3.1 18-49 rating, both down a bit from previous week. Ugly Betty was next at 10pm and did an OK 4.4 million...down some from previous week. Needs to do better. NBC was next with a new episode of Mercy doing 5.85 million, down over a million from previous week, followed by a repeat of Law & Order: SVU doing 7.65 million. At 10pm NBC aired The Jay Leno Show of course at 5.31 million, which was actually up a bit from previous week. The CW aired more repeats as more One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl did only 817,000 and 535,000 viewers. Ouch, but both up a tad from previous week though.
Thursday it was a CBS and ABC battle. CBS opened with a repeat of The Mentalist at a solid 9.4 million, a new CSI followed with a solid 15.33 million. At 10pm The Mentalist was also new and did 15.38 million, but both dramas played second fiddle to ABC in 18-49. ABC started off with an ABC News Special on Haiti: Race to Save a Country that did 5.36 million, followed by the Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice crossover that did 12.78 and 10.96 million, not bad but could have been better. 18-49 for both was 4.8 and 4.2 rating. Fox had a new Bones doing a quiet 10.75 million and a new Fringe did 6.6 million, better than usual here. NBC had new episodes of its comedies with Community, doing the best of the bunch oddly at 5.42 million, Parks & Recreation, was next and did only 4.63 million, The Office was preempted for two new episodes of 30 Rock and that did not work as two episodes did only 5.12 and 4.98 million, ouch. The Jay Leno Show closed the night with only 4.41 million, its worst Thursday episode ever for the second week in a row. The CW aired more repeats as Vampire Diaries did 1.65 million and Supernatural did 1.33 million...their best night by far of the week, but both were off a bit from previous week.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available as usual, but CBS won Friday with their dramas. ABC saw good gains from Supernanny and Shark Tank, while NBC did decent with Dateline at 9pm.
Saturday numbers saw CBS dominate with coverage of the NFL Divisional Playoff game. Fox was a distant second with its regular shows but with solid Saturday numbers, as NBC and ABC were well back.
Tonight ABC has its guns of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters, that should do well. NBC has the Golden Globes that should help them nearly win the night. CBS has a new 60 Minutes at a special time of 8pm and Cold Case at 9 following an NFL playoff overrun that will have them win the night. Fox has the premiere of Human Target which might get lost in the shuffle tonight, and the two-hour season premiere of 24 from 9-11pm. All the networks tonight will have something good to tout I think. I think CBS could prevail in HH/viewers over Fox thanks to NFL. But Fox should hang on in 18-49. CBS will likely be second in 18-49, with ABC and NBC in third and fourth across the board. As for this coming week, look for the series premiere of Life UneXpected on The CW at 9pm tomorrow.

Week 17 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 16 -- Jan. 4-10)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - The 450th episode airing after a high rated NFL playoff game did 14.62 million and a strong 6.9 in 18-49. Big lead in certainly helps things. A weird 20th anniversary special of the series followed from 8:44-9:44 and did a solid 11.43 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - 8.14 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, at a special time of 9:44pm-10:13pm. Obviously up some from previous week with a big lead-in.
• Family Guy (Fox) - preempted.
• American Dad (Fox) - preempted.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 100th episode did a solid 9.77 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, season highs I think...but I was expecting more.
• Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) - 8.44 million for a new episode, decent, but could be better. Will be moving to Wednesdays at 8:30 late next month.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 17.27 million overall, what more can you say? 5.4 18-49 rating is also great.
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - Series highs again! 15.82 million and a 5.7 18-49 rating. Yes, the lead-in helps this show, but it still builds in 18-49.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• [scrubs] (ABC) 2 episodes - Two airings of the [Med School] edition did only 2.45 million for a repeat at 8pm and a new episode at 9pm only did 2.72 million. Idol bait.
• Better off Ted (ABC) 2 episodes - Only 2.17 million and 2.5 million for two all-new episodes. Both down obviously from previous week as it went face-to-face with Idol.

• Old Christine (CBS) - A below normal 5.97 million for a new showing.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 5.59 million for a new episode, but built from the lead-in's 1.8 18-49 rating to a 1.9 rating.
• The Middle (ABC) - A new episode at 8:30pm following a repeat of Modern Family did 5.95 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, both beating Gary on CBS.
• Modern Family (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm did 5.12 million. Not bad. A new episode at 9pm did 7.83 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, both down from previous week as it faced Idol.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - A new episode did a solid 7.27 million, good showing. 3.1 18-49 rating is decent, too.
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A special repeat of the 450th episode did 8.06 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating, but it had Idol as its lead-in...

Thursday Sitcoms

• Community (NBC) - A new episode did 5.42 million, actually the best of the night for NBC. Sad right?
• Parks & Recreation (NBC) - Only 4.63 million. A disappointment .
• The Office (NBC) - preempted.
• 30 Rock (NBC) 2 episodes - Two new episodes aired and without The Office as a lead-in, the show did bad. 5.12 million and 4.98 million...and what about 18-49? Both did only a 2.3 rating.

Friday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are no sitcoms.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Cougar Town & Accidentally on Purpose were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Community, The Middle) or just plain old terrible (such as Better off Ted, Scrubs).

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

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Labels: Weekly Ratings