Sunday, May 30, 2010

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.)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 22

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Diet Crap" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tensions rise when Georgie intrudes on Mandy’s new sales gig. Meanwhile, Audrey’s conflicted when Jim makes it a point not to coddle Connor.

Ghosts - "Sad Farnsby" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam accidentally creates a rift between Sam and Jay’s neighbors, the Farnsbys, Henry Farnsby moves into Woodstone B&B. Also, Isaac and Nigel battle over a belated wedding present.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 19)

Thursday, May 22

  • Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) - Catch Miley on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Chloe Fineman (Big Mouth/Search Party) - Chloe appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm. Featured host Vlad Duthiers sits down with Ronny on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock/Scrubs) and Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Elizabeth and Amanda are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10:15pm on Bravo.
  • Cynthia Nixon (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Cynthia talks about ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Hugh Jackman (Human Resources) - Hugh chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill brings the laughs to the third annual cookout on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Finola Hughes (Blossom) - Finola dishes on General Hospital on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Jason Schwartzman (Blunt Talk/Mozart in the Jungle/Bored to Death) - Jason talks about Mountainhead on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling is telling Drew all about playing a secret service agent in the thrilling new show Paradise on a repaet of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Midori Francis (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Midori is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - 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

05/21 - Remembering George Wendt of Cheers; Platonic Season 2 First Look
05/20 - The CW Renews Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble; Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life on Netflix May 26
05/19 - North to Shore Festival Returns This June in NJ; S.W.A.T. Sets Spinoff Series
05/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 19, 2025)
05/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Picks Up New Dan Levy Comedy; First Look at King of the Hill Reboot Artwork
05/16 - Michael J. Fox to Guest Star on Shrinking; The CW Picks Up Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent
05/15 - 2025 Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront; 2025 Netflix Upfront
05/14 - Chad Powers Premieres September 30 on Hulu; Upfront Premiere Dates for FX on Hulu
05/13 - ABC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Ted: The Animated Series Coming to Peacock
05/12 - NBC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Fox Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule
05/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 12, 2025)
05/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Cancels Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez; ABC Renews Duo of Game Shows
05/09 - Peacock Orders Dig from Amy Poehler; Apple TV+ Comedy Stick Premieres June 4; Remembering Ruth Buzzi
05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North
04/29 - Lifetime Adds New Ripped from the Headlines Movie; BET+ Orders Season 2 of Series
04/28 - Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season
04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)
04/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels Poppa's House; Final Season 50 Hosts for Saturday Night Live Set
04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2