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Final Week of 2009-2010 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did; 2009-2010 Final Network Averages

Final Week TV Ratings (final three nights of the season, Mon-Wed finals):

Households: 1. Fox 9.3/15.1 rating/share; 2. CBS 7.4/12.3; 3. ABC 7.1/11.7; 4. NBC 3.7/6.1; 5. The CW 0.6/0.9
Total Viewers: 1. Fox 16.44 million; 2. CBS 11.87 million; 3. ABC 10.91 million; 4. NBC 5.96 million; 5. The CW 830,000 viewers
Adults 18-49: 1. Fox 5.6/15.1 rating/share; 2. CBS 3.0/8.6; 3. ABC 2.7/7.7; 4. NBC 2.1/5.9; 5. The CW 0.4/1.0

Week 36 (May 24-30) Analysis: For the final week of the TV season, only the first three nights of the week count for the TV season, so this is only a 1/2 week. Summer season started on Thursday. For the final three nights of the season, Fox was in front thanks to two nights of Idol, followed by CBS and ABC who battled for second. Last week, week 35, CBS won the final full week in HH/viewers but ABC won the week in 18-49 thanks to a strong LOST finale. ABC was second in HH/viewers, while Fox was second in 18-49. Fox was third in HH/viewers, while CBS was third in 18-49. So that left NBC fourth across the board again.

On the final Monday of the season, it was ABC with the win in viewers but CBS in 18-49. ABC started with The Finals of Dancing with the Stars, as a 1-hour edition did 19.36 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week when it was 90-minutes. From 9-11pm, ABC launched an all-new season of The Bachelorette doing a respectable 9.08 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, up some from last season's premiere, as ABC will air this in the summer. CBS started off the night with the season finale of How I Met Your Mother doing 8.05 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, up from previous week. A new Rules of Engagement was next doing 8.1 million and 3.2 18-49, also up from the previous week. Then at 9pm the season finale of Two and a Half Men did 15.46 million and a 5.0 18-49 rating, up sharply from the previous week when it faced Dancing directly. Then the season finale of The Big Bang Theory was next and did 15.02 million and a 5.3 18-49 rating... excellent and on par really from previous week, as it didn't face Dancing directly for the second straight week. CBS closed the night with the season finale of CSI: Miami at 12.38 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, up from previous week as the series heads to Sundays next season. Fox devoted the night to the series finale of 24 and it did 8.94 million and a 2.8 18-49, both down a tad from previous week when it was only an hour. For a series finale it went out quietly. NBC was of course in fourth with a two-hour season finale of Chuck at 5.01 million and a 1.8 18-49, down week-to-week when it was only an hour. At 10pm, the series finale of Law & Order did 7.84 million and 1.9 18-49 rating, up some from previous week when it was two-hours. Over at The CW, they are in repeats now, with Gossip Girl at 8pm doing just 800,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating. Then at 9pm a repeat of One Tree Hill did an even worse 570,000 viewers and a 0.2 18-49 rating, needless to say these don't repeat well at all.

On the final Tuesday of the season, Fox has a slim lead in total viewers over ABC, Fox had a comfortable lead in 18-49. Fox aired the final Tuesday edition of American Idol doing 20.7 million and a 6.7 18-49 rating in the 8pm hour, up in viewers from previous week but 18-49 was the exact same. Then an all-new episode of Glee aired and did 11.37 million and a 4.8 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week again. The season isn't over yet, and will spill a bit into summer...I don't think the ratings will be this high this week. CBS was all-new and started with the season finale of NCIS doing 16.3 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, up a bit in viewers from previous week, but 18-49 rating remained the same. The spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles followed with its season finale doing 13.23 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, down from previous week and a series low in 18-49. And finally The Good Wife closed the night its season finale episode doing 10.6 million but only a 2.0 18-49 rating, for a series low. ABC started off the night with Dancing with the Stars repeat from Monday doing 9.4 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, not bad for a repeat of a reality competition series. Then two-hour season finale of Dancing with the Stars was next with 18.4 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, on a very competitive nigh. Congrats to Nicole Scherzinger taking home the trophy. NBC started with the two-hour season finale of The Biggest Loser doing a solid 9.96 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, up sharply from the previous week. The season finale of Parenthood was next doing 6.02 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, down a tad from previous week with the added competition this week. The CW aired more repeats as a repeat of Life UneXpected and a repeat of 90210 did only 770,000 viewers and 510,000 viewers. 18-49 rating was worse at 0.3 and 0.2.

On Wednesday, the final night of the season, Fox prevailed again with Idol. A new American Idol was crowned along with a send-off for Simon Cowell, which spiked the ratings a bit to 24.22 million and a 8.2 18-49 rating, up over 5 million from previous week and two full points in 18-49. The finale was from 8-10:07pm. CBS started with a special repeat of Undercover Boss doing 5.99 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. I think the show will be down a lot next fall when it returns. Next CBS aired the season finale of Criminal Minds and did 12.97 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, down only some week-to-week with the Idol finale even airing. CSI: NY closed the night with its season finale at 10pm with 11.96 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. The series will move to Fridays in the fall. ABC preempted its regular line-up of comedies for the network television premiere of the movie Transformers and did a decent 4.83 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, growing each half-hour. NBC gaveway to repeats for the entire night as a two-hour a repeat of Minute to Win It did just 2.96 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, ouch. At 10pm a repeat of Law & Order: SVU did 3.91 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, on par from previous week's repeat at 9pm. The CW aired a repeat of America's Next Top Model at 8 doing 1.18 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating. Best repeater for the network it seems and this is a reality series. At 9pm another repeat did 1.16 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating again.

Starting from Thursday on, the summer season started! So we won't do an analysis, but stay tuned all summer to see how your favorite network sitcoms are doing!

Week 36 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 35-- May 17-23)

• 'Til Death (Fox) - An all-new episode only mustered 2.16 million, down a bit from the previous week.
• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat episode at 7:30pm did 2.85 million, down some from previous week's repeat. The season finale at 8pm did 5.75 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating...down from previous week as competition from ABC's LOST finale was too much.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - The season finale did 4.94 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, like the lead-in down also from previous week in both measures.
• Family Guy (Fox) - The one-hour season finale did 6.31 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating. Down sharply from previous week like the rest of the night as the LOST finale got going.
• American Dad (Fox) - preempted.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - The season finale perked up to 8.05 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, up from previous week.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 8.1 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating for the season finale, up from previous week and still did build a bit in viewers from lead-in.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - The season finale did 15.46 million and a 5.0 18-49 rating, up sharply from previous week as it didn't face Dancing directly.
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - The season finale did 15.02 million and a 5.3 18-49 rating, Viewers was exactly the same as previous week, but 18-49 rating was down 2 tenths from previous week.
• Romantically Challenged (ABC) - preempted.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Old Christine (CBS) - preempted
• The Middle (ABC) - preempted.
• Modern Family (ABC) - preempted.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - preempted.

Thursday Sitcoms

• Community (NBC) - A repeat did only a prelim 2.98 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. It's going to be a long summer for the NBC comedies.
• 100 Questions (NBC) - The series premiere did only 2.48 million and 0.8 18-49 rating. Maybe the lowest rated sitcom premiere ever? These are final numbers.
• The Office (NBC) 2 airings - A repeat at 9 did a prelim 2.99 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, sharply going up in 18-49 from the lead-in. A repeat at 10pm did a prelim 2.63 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - At 9:30pm a repeat did a prelim 2.82 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, not too good.
• Parks & Recreation (NBC) - A repeat at 10:30pm only did a prelim 2.33 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating. This sitcom won't be back until mid-season 2011 with new episodes.

Friday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are no comedies.

Summing it up. The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, & How I Met Your Mother were impressive this week. Everything was OK (such as repeats of The Office) or just plain old terrible (such as 100 Questions, Community repeat).

Final 2009-2010 TV Season Ratings (9/21/09-5/26/10):

Households: 1. CBS 7.2/12 rating/share; 2. Fox 5.8/9; 3. ABC 5.5/9; 4. NBC 5.1/8.
Total Viewers: 1. CBS 11.78 million; 2. Fox 9.99 million; 3. ABC 8.64 million; 4. NBC 8.22 million; 5. The CW 2.0 million.
Adults 18-49: 1. Fox 3.7/10 rating/share; 2. CBS 3.2/9; 3. ABC 2.7/7; 4. NBC 2.7/7; 5. The CW 0.9/2.
Adults 25-54: 1. Fox 4.1/10 rating/share; 2. CBS 4.1/10; 3. ABC 3.2/8; 4. NBC 3.2/8.
Adults 18-34: 1. Fox 3.2/10 rating/share; 2. CBS 2.2/7; 3. ABC 2.2/7; 4. NBC 2.2/7; 5. The CW 1.1/2.
(Please note, NBC's ratings includes 17 nights of Winter Olympics and CBS's ratings includes the Super Bowl.)