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Week 24 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

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Week 24 (March 1-7) Analysis: For week 24, thus far through the first four nights it is Fox on top thanks to three nights (5 hours worth) of Idol. So far through the first four days of the week I can project, Fox is first across the board, with CBS second in all categories, ABC in third and with the Olympics over, NBC is of course back in fourth. Last week, week 23, NBC took home first place in every category obviously thanks to the Olympics one last time. Fox was second across the board, while CBS was third and ABC was in fourth.
On Monday it was ABC with the win with a big finale for The Bachelor. ABC started it off with The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love finale from 8-10:05pm doing a great 15.15 million and a 5.3 18-49 rating, with a peak of 5.9 in the final half-hour. At 10:05pm, ABC aired The Bachelor: After the Final Rose and also won its timeslot with 13.91 million and a 5.3 18-49 rating. Bachelor mania is not done yet, last season's Bachelor will get a wedding tomorrow night! Also returning tomorrow is Castle and the promo looks very good! CBS was all-new with its comedies and CSI: Miami. How I Met Your Mother started it off with a solid 10.37 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating for an all-new episode, while the season premiere of Rules of Engagement did 9.72 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating as that seems similar to Accidentally on Purpose (that series will move to Wednesdays at 8:30 in a few weeks). Two and a Half Men followed with a new showing as well doing 16.86 million and a 5.7 18-49 rating and The Big Bang Theory followed with a new episode of its own doing 15.73 million and a 5.9 18-49 rating, the best scripted series of the week likely. A new CSI: Miami at 10pm did a below normal 12.07 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating. Fox started off with a repeat of House doing 6.64 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, viewers was up some from previous week. A new episode of 24 was next doing 8.63 million and a a series low 2.5 18-49 rating, in viewers it was down a bit from previous week also. NBC was back from the Olympics and back in fourth with a new Chuck doing a decent 6.7 million and the new night premiere of Law & Order as a 2-hour episode did 7.76 million but only as 2.0 18-49 rating. The CW aired a repeat of Life UneXpected doing 1.24 million, followed by an all-new episode of Life UneXpected at 1.78 million, down a bit from previous week.
On Tuesday, Fox won pretty easily. Fox of course aired an all-new two-hour American Idol with 23.53 million, but down some from previous week. It still did a mammoth 8.6 18-49 rating, but that was down from the 9.0 from the previous week. CBS started with a new NCIS doing 19.62 million, which is great but off from its recent new episodes. Then spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles was next with a new episode of its own doing 14.84 million. And finally CBS aired a new The Good Wife doing a solid 13.32 million but the 18-49 rating could be better than a 2.7. ABC started off with a LOST enhanced encore doing 4.32 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week. Then an all-new episode of the final season of LOST was next with 9.29 million, but that was off some from the previous week when it had stiffer competition from the Olympics. Go figure. I cannot wait to see what happens next on the show itself! ABC aired a 20/20 Before They Were Stars special featuring Oscar stars instead of the forgotten at 10pm and did a so-so 5.2 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating...on par really from previous week with the forgotten. NBC returned The Biggest Loser with a two-hour airing and did a solid 8.27 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, but they were both off from normal. The premiere of Parenthood was next and did a could be better 8.1 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating (that was first in its slot though). The verdict? We have to still see how it does the next few weeks. If it ca maintain, then NBC will have something to build on actually. The CW aired repeats of 90210 and Melrose Place doing only 615,000 and 587,000 viewers...watch when they come back with new episodes, no one will care or remember.
On Wednesday another two-hour Idol was the difference. Fox preempted Human Target once again and aired a two-hour American Idol doing 23.56 million, up some from previous week's two-hour show. 18-49 rating was down a bit though from a 8.7 to 8.5. CBS started at 8pm with new episodes of its comedies Old Christine and Gary Unmarried doing below normal 5.56 million and 5.57 million, 18-49 rating was not good as they did a 1.6 and 1.8. Next CBS aired a new Criminal Minds at 13.0 million and a new CSI: NY at 10pm did 12.35 million. ABC comedies were next with a repeat of Modern Family at 8pm doing 5.05 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, beating the CBS comedy which was new in 18-49, a new episode of The Middle was next doing a below normal 5.89 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, as Idol affected all the comedies on this night. Modern Family was all-new in its normal 9pm slot and did a below normal but solid 8.01 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating. Next Cougar Town was all-new and did 5.35 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. Ugly Betty was preempted, as the Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special aired and only did 4.34 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Not good. NBC returned Mercy but only managed 5.99 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating. A two-hour Law & Order: SVU was next and did 8.14 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating -- could be better. The CW aired more repeats as Life UneXpected did 994,000 viewers, down some from previous week, and then a repeat of Gossip Girl followed and only did 494,000 viewers, also down some from previous week.
Moving on to Thursday it was a battle with CBS and Fox because of a third night of Idol. CBS started with a new Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains doing 12.72 million and 3.8 18-49 rating, both up from previous week. CBS aired a new CSI with special guests Rascal Flatts doing an above average 15.59 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating and at 10pm a new The Mentalist aired doing 14.87 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating. ABC took a back seat a bit on this night as a repeat of Grey's Anatomy at 8pm did 5.0 million, which actually beat NBC's comedies, but the 1.2 18-49 rating was not good. A new episode of Grey's Anatomy was next and did 11.83 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, up from its recent new episode but still below normal thanks to the special episodes on CBS and NBC. A new Private Practice was also a bit below normal doing 7.57 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating. Both shows should be closer to normal this week. Fox preempted Bones but they were gladly to do so as the results show for American Idol aired instead! It did 19.42 million, up from previous week and a 6.5 18-49 rating was same as previous week. A new Kitchen Nightmares on a special night did 7.89 million, up some from previous week. NBC returned their comedies as Community did 5.02 million and Parks & Recreation did 4.61 million, not too good but both did do a 2.3 18-49 rating which is OK. A special one-hour The Office with Pam and Jim's wedding did an above average 9.02 million and a 4.7 18-49 rating. So, 30 Rock returns this week. At 10pm NBC launched The Marriage Ref with that big lead-in and did 7.71 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, but it dropped every 15 minutes. It will be interesting this week when it has a 30 Rock lead-in instead. The CW aired a repeat of Vampire Diaries doing 1.68 million and Supernatural was a repeat and did 1.54 million, both on par really from previous week.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available as usual, but CBS won Friday with their dramas but they were below normal.
Saturday numbers saw Fox and CBS win the night, as Fox did normal numbers with its crime reality series once again.
Tonight it will be all Oscars with the win as ABC's regular line-up of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters is preempted. CBS has a new The Amazing Race for some reason at 8pm but the fake Undercover Boss is a repeat at 9pm. NBC has 90-minutes of Dateline followed by the movie Bad Boys II for 90-minutes, what a combo. Fox has repeats of their animated comedies and new episodes of 'Til Death. Will ABC win the week in all categories because of the Oscars? Or will Fox prevail thanks to three nights of Idol? Could be close, but I think ABC will win as the Oscars should do 40 million+. CBS will be in third and NBC will likely have to settle for a familiar 4th. As for this coming week, how will Parenthood and Marriage Ref hold up from their OK premieres? My bet is the latter will stumble big, but the former should do OK.

Week 24 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 23-- Feb. 22-28)

• 'Til Death (Fox) - Two all-new episodes were barely on the map in the 7pm hour doing only 2.47 and 3.04 million...not good but that second episode was up slightly over previous week.
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A repeat did 5.29 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating...not too bad, as the total viewers was not too off from previous week when it was new.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - 5.04 million for a repeat and also a 2.3 18-49 rating, holding on its lead-in's rating.
• Family Guy (Fox) - A repeat did 5.83 million, off a bit from previous week's repeat. The 18-49 rating dropped from a 3.2 to 2.8.
• American Dad (Fox) - 4.74 million for a repeat and a 2.2 18-49 rating...both the lowest of the bunch.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A new episode did a good 10.37 million and a great 3.9 18-49 rating.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 9.73 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating for the season premiere. Seems like similar retention with the previous show in this slot.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 16.86 million and a 5.7 18-49 rating for a new episode. Pretty big opposite a high-rated finale on ABC.
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 15.73 million and a 5.9 18-49 rating for a new episode. This show quietly is now the number one show in 18-49 for scripted series.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

• Old Christine (CBS) - 5.56 million for a new episode is below normal and only a 1.6 18-49 rating. Idol hurt it.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 5.57 million for a new episode and a 1.8 18-49 rating. Below normal.
• The Middle (ABC) - A new episode following a repeat of Modern Family did 5.89 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, both below normal. Idol clearly hurt it.
• Modern Family (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm did a decent 5.05 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, both up from previous week. The regular 9pm airing was new and did a below normal 8.01 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating. Idol two-hour shows always hurt.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - A new episode suffered some doing 5.35 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating.

Thursday Sitcoms

• Community (NBC) - 5.02 million for a new episode but the 2.3 18-49 rating is more telling.
• Parks & Recreation (NBC) - 4.61 million for a new episode is not too good, but the 2.3 18-49 rating is better.
• The Office (NBC) - 9.02 million for the special one-hour episode is good and the 4.7 18-49 rating is even better.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - preempted.

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.

Summing it up. All repeats. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Rules of Engagement, Modern Family were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Community, The Middle) or just plain old terrible (such as 'Til Death, Old Christine).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 6:45 PM

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Labels: Weekly Ratings