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Week 20 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

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Week 20 (Feb. 1-7) Analysis: For week 20, American Idol is helping Fox with the lead but CBS will prevail obviously big this week thanks to the Super Bowl tonight. So far through the first four days of the week I can project, CBS and Fox are battling in HH/viewers but Fox has the lead in 18-49. ABC is in second in 18-49, followed by CBS. ABC is third in HH/viewers, with NBC fourth in every category as usual. Last week, week 19, CBS took home first place in HH/viewers, over second place Fox thanks to a high rated Grammy Awards showing. Fox did edge CBS in 18-49, though. ABC was in third in all categories and NBC of course in fourth.
On Monday it was a three-way race between CBS, ABC and Fox. CBS started with new episodes of its comedies and ended with a new CSI: Miami. How I Met Your Mother started it off with 9.28 million for a new episode but lower than its last new outing, while a new Accidentally on Purpose followed doing 8.43 million, but the question is will it be able to do anything close to this on Wednesdays? Two and a Half Men followed with a new episode as well doing 16.51 million, what more can you say, and The Big Bang Theory followed with a new episode of its own doing 15.51 million and it built from the lead-in in 18-49 from a 5.1 to a 5.4. A new CSI: Miami at 10pm did 13.44 million. ABC keeps on growing with the The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love doing a solid 11.73 million, up once again from previous week and has gone up every week, and it also did a 4.1 18-49 rating for the two-hours, also up a bit from previous week. A repeat of Castle was next and did a solid 7.97 million, its best ever repeat numbers. Castle is all-new tomorrow with a baseball-themed episode guest starring Joe Torre! Joe "Freaking Torre! Fox started off with an all-new House doing a 13.38 million and a 4.8 18-49 rating, both down from previous week when it had less competition. A new episode of 24 was next doing 9.96 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, both off from previous week and season lows. NBC started off with a new Chuck at a decent 6.73 million, off some from previous week and a 2.4 18-49 rating was also off a tad. Next Heroes did only 4.42 million and a 2.0 A18-49 rating, but both up a tick from the previous week. Series finale tomorrow? The Jay Leno Show followed with only 3.82 million, down from previous week. The CW aired an all-new One Tree Hill doing a decent but could be better 2.14 million, followed by an all-new episode of Life UneXpected at 2.07 million, both down a bit from previous week.
On Tuesday, Fox won but CBS and ABC did great as well. Fox of course started with an all-new American Idol with 24.71 million, up some from previous week. 9.0 18-49 rating is still great. Next a special new episode of Kitchen Nightmares on a special night did an OK 9.0 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, losing a ton of the lead-in's audience. CBS started with a new NCIS doing 19.23 million, down a million from previous week but 18-49 rating was actually up. Then spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles was next with a new showing of its own doing 16.42 million, off some from previous week. And finally CBS aired a new episode of The Good Wife doing a solid 12.81 million, but below normal a bit. ABC started off with a LOST recap narrated by Michael Emerson doing an excellent 9.96 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating. Then the final season premiere of LOST was next with a two-hour episode doing 12.09 million and an excellent 5.5 18-49 rating, better than any other scripted series this week. What a premiere it was! Cannot wait until this week! ABC will return the forgotten this Tuesday at 10pm as Elisha Cuthbert joins the cast. NBC was next with a repeat of The Biggest Loser doing 4.73 million, followed by the regular all-new episode at a special time of 9-11pm doing 9.48 million, off a bit from previous week when it aired 8-10pm. The Jay Leno Show was preempted, but NBC was down from previous week even with no Leno. The CW aired repeats of 90210 and Melrose Place doing only 810,000 and 610,000 viewers...down from previous week's repeats. Will they ever return with new episodes?
Wednesday it was Fox on top again but way lower than usual. Fox started with Human Target on its new time of 8pm at just 7.8 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating. American Idol is now at 9pm and it did 21.0 million, down about 5 million from previous week and its lowest viewership since 2005! It did a below normal 7.8 18-49 rating as well. CBS did much better than usual at 8pm as Old Christine and Gary Unmarried were preempted for the 2010 edition of Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials doing a first place 10.99 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating. Next CBS aired a new Criminal Minds at 14.75 million and a new CSI: NY at 10pm did 14.16 million..as this has become the highest rated CSI series of late. ABC comedies were next with a repeat of Modern Family at 8pm doing 6.84 million, its best repeat numbers yet, followed by an all-new episode of The Middle doing a solid 7.32 million and a series best 2.7 18-49 rating. Modern Family was all-new at 9pm and did a solid 9.19 million and an even more impressive 3.9 18-49 rating, even opposite Idol. Next Cougar Town was all-new and faced Idol for the very first time and suffered a bit doing 6.26 million but the 18-49 rating was just off a bit doing a 2.9 18-49 rating. Ugly Betty was all-new and did only 4.03 million. It should perk a bit up soon especially closer to the finale. NBC was next with a new Mercy 6.21 million and only a 1.6 18-49 rating. Law & Order: SVU was a repeat again and only managed 4.15 million and an embarrassing 0.9 18-49 rating. The Jay Leno Show was next and did only slightly better than that doing 4.18 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating. The CW aired more repeats as Life UneXpected went back to 8pm doing 1.34 million, on par from previous week when it aired at 9pm and then a repeat of Gossip Girl followed and only did 468,000 viewers, lower than previous week when it was at 8pm.
Thursday it was CBS and ABC starting sweeps on top, but Fox was not too bad. CBS opened with a Surviving Survivor special doing a decent 8.11 million and 2.4 18-49 rating. A new CSI followed with 14.49 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating. At 10pm The Mentalist was also new and did a better 14.68 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating. ABC started off with week three of The Deep End at 5.09 million, down a million from previous week again, and this time the 18-49 rating went down, too, from 1.8 to previous two weeks to a 1.3 for week three. That's not good. A new episode of Grey's Anatomy was next and perked up to 12.55 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, but below normal. A new Private Practice was next doing 9.25 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, also off a bit from normal. Fox had a new Bones doing a season high again at 12.37 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, though that was down some from previous week. A new Fringe did 7.4 million, down well over a million from previous week, as previous week there was nothing else new on in that hour on the big three. NBC had new showings of its comedies with Community doing an OK 5.23 million, Parks & Recreation was next and did a slightly improved 4.88 million, The Office was next with doing 7.37 million and a below normal 3.8 18-49 rating, and finally a new 30 Rock was next doing 5.79 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating. The Jay Leno Show closed the night with only 3.91 million, off some from previous week again as viewers keep tuning out as the show gets closer to ending. The CW aired a new Vampire Diaries at a solid 3.99 million, up some with previous week, and Supernatural was new and did 2.28 million, off again from previous week.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available as usual, but CBS won Friday with their dramas, while ABC did well with 20/20 at 10 again. A new Kitchen Nightmares at 9pm on Fox perked up sharply from previous week's season premiere.
Saturday numbers saw Fox win the night with NASCAR instead of its usual reality crime series.
Tonight it is Super Bowl Sunday, so look for CBS to easily win. The safest bet of the year. ABC's regular line-up of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters are obviously not new, and instead we get a special dose of Comedy Wednesday repeats on Super Comedy Sunday from 8-11pm. NBC has The Biggest Loser in repeats on all four hours. Fox has repeats of their animated comedies and new episodes of 'Til Death. CBS will win the week in all categories of course and why wouldn't they with something doing 100 million tonight? Fox will be second across the board likely, with ABC in third and NBC in fourth across the board. As for this coming week, look for the first full week of February 2010 sweep but then the Winter Olympics start on Friday and most programs will be in repeats...but not all!

Week 20 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 19-- Jan. 25-31)

• 'Til Death (Fox) 2 episodes - The series returned with all-new episodes at an anemic 2.09 and 2.43 million.
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A below normal 4.95 million opposite the Grammy's. 18-49 was only a 2.4 rating even.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - Just 4.5 million for an all-new episode.
• Family Guy (Fox) - 6.19 million is the best of the block, but below normal vs. the Grammy's.
• American Dad (Fox) - The second highest rated show of the block, but thanks to its lead-in of course. 5.06 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - An all-new episode did 9.28 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, decent... but down from its previous new outing two weeks back.
• Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) - 8.42 million for a new episode. The retention was getting better up until this night.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 16.51 million for a new episode and a great 5.1 18-49 rating.
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 15.51 million for a new episode and a sitcom best 5.4 18-49 rating. That 5.4 rating might be second best for the week in scripted series behind LOST.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

• Old Christine (CBS) - preempted.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - preempted.
• The Middle (ABC) - A new airing at 8:30pm following a repeat of Modern Family did a solid 7.23 million and a series best 2.7 18-49 rating. Keeps on growing!
• Modern Family (ABC) 2 episodes - A repeat at 8pm did 6.84 million, up from previous week's repeat and the best ever repeat numbers for this series! What a hit! Regular 9pm airing was opposite Idol for the second time ever thus far and it held up well doing way better than the first time at 9.19 million and a solid 3.9 18-49 rating.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - It faced Idol for the very first time and it did OK but below normal of course. It did 6.26 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating...and still better than 30 Rock on NBC on Thursdays.

Thursday Sitcoms

• Community (NBC) - A new episode did an improved 5.23 million and an OK 2.3 18-49 rating.
• Parks & Recreation (NBC) - Only 4.88 million for a new episode, but held 100% of its leas-in's 18-49 rating.
• The Office (NBC) - A new episode did 7.37 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating...both below normal, but solid.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode did a less than stellar 5.79 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating. Should be better.

Friday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are new episodes of 'Til Death at 7 on Fox followed by repeats of the Fox animated comedies starting at 8. Also tonight ABC will air a special edition of Comedy Wednesday on Super Comedy Sunday from 8-11pm with encores of its hit comedies!

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

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 4:00 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings