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Week 35 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 35 TV Ratings (first four nights, Mon-Thurs finals):

Households: N/A
Total Viewers: N/A
Adults 18-49: N/A

Week 35 (May 17-23) Analysis: For week 35, like the previous few weeks, it's a three network race really but CBS has the edge in total viewers and Fox in 18-49.That will all change after tonight's LOST finale, though. ABC could potentially win the week in all categories. We don't have first four nights averages because Thursday final network averages weren't available to us. We have final program averages for Thursday, though, below. Last week, week 34, CBS won the week in HH/viewers, and Fox won the week in 18-49 once again. ABC was second in HH/viewers, while CBS was second in 18-49. Fox was third in HH/viewers. So that left NBC fourth across the board again.

On Monday it was ABC with the win in viewers but CBS and Fox in 18-49. ABC started with Dancing with the Stars, as a 90-minute edition did 19.04 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week when it was 2-hours. Romantically Challenged was next and didn't do much now that ABC announced it was canceled, doing 7.71 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating. Why cancel it before a new airing? At 10pm, ABC had the season finale of Castle doing 10.07 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, down some from previous week when it had the direct Dancing lead-in. CBS started off the night with a new How I Met Your Mother doing 7.63 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, down from previous week. A new Rules of Engagement was next doing 7.65 million and 2.9 18-49, also down from the previous week. Then at 9pm an all-new episode of Two and a Half Men did 13.28 million and a 4.4 18-49 rating, down some from the previous week. Then a new The Big Bang Theory was next and did 15.02 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating... excellent and up sharply from previous week, as it didn't face Dancing directly. CBS closed the night with a new CSI: Miami at 10.52 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Fox started the night with the season finale of House doing 11.06 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, both up from previous week after a season low. At 9pm a new 24 did 8.95 million and a 2.9 18-49, up some from previous week as the series finale airs tomorrow. NBC was of course in fourth with a new Chuck at 5.2 million and a 1.9 18-49, on par really week-to-week. A new two-hour Law & Order did only 6.12 million and 1.7 18-49 rating, down some from previous week when it was only an hour. Over at The CW, they started with the a new episode of One Tree Hill at 8pm and did 2.02 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, down a bit from previous week. Then at 9pm a new Gossip Girl did 1.96 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up slightly from previous week.

On Tuesday, Fox has a slim lead in total viewers but Fox had a comfortable lead in 18-49. CBS, ABC and NBC were neck-and-neck in 18-49 with only a .1 difference. Fox aired an all-new American Idol doing 18.68 million and a 6.7 18-49 rating in the 8pm hour, down some from previous week. Then Glee aired and did 11.47 million and a 4.8 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week. Can it sustain these numbers in the fall when it moves to 8pm? CBS was all-new and started with a new NCIS doing 15.96 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, down SHARPLY this time from previous week. The spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles followed with a new showing doing 15.32 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. And finally The Good Wife closed the night with a new episode doing 12.04 million but only a 2.2 18-49 rating, skewing very old, and down some from previous week. ABC started off the night with Dancing with the Stars: The Results doing 13.19 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, up some from previous week in viewers as Chad Ochocinco was sent home. The finale is tomorrow and Tuesday! Then an all-new episode of the final season of LOST was next with 10.47 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, up from previous week again. The series finale is TONIGHT at 9/8c following a clip show at 7/6c! Tune in!! V finished the night and its first season with 5.46 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. NBC started with a two-hour The Biggest Loser and did 8.31 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, down from the previous week. A new Parenthood was next doing 6.25 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week despite lead-in going down. NBC needs to air this earlier, like Wed at 8pm. The CW aired a new 90210 and a repeat of Life UneXpected as 90210 did only 1.61 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, up a bit from previous week, while Life UneXpected repeat did 940,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating...also up a bit from previous week.

On Wednesday Fox prevailed again with Idol. But Fox first started very slow again with the series premiere of drama The Good Guys doing just 4.93 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, that is no better than a REPEAT of Lie to Me. I am not lying. Not a good launch. Then Fox aired of course American Idol Results and did 19.0 million and a 6.1 18-49 rating, down from previous week in both categories. CBS started with the special I Get That A Lot doing 7.05 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, not nearly as good as its previous specials. Next CBS aired a new Criminal Minds and did 13.25 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, on par from week-to-week. CSI: NY closed the night with a new episode at 10pm with 11.3 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, on par also from previous week. ABC did solid with their comedies again. In the 8pm hour a repeat of The Middle did 5.25 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down some from previous week's repeat. At 8:30, an all-new episode, the season finale with Betty White, spiked up to 7.56 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, up week-to-week. In the 9pm hour, the season finale of Modern Family did an excellent 10.14 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week. Cougar Town was next at 9:30 and also had its season finale, which did 6.14 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, up from previous week. ABC aired a special Primetime: What Would You Do? on a special night and time and did a decent 5.23 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, nearly doubling happy town in the ratings from previous week, as I predicted last week. NBC started with a repeat of Minute to Win It doing 5.3 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. At 9pm a repeat of Law & Order: SVU did 4.02 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, nearly identical to the series finale of Mercy the previous week. A new Law & Order: SVU was next and jumped to 8.79 million and a first place 2.7 18-49 rating, on par from previous week. The CW aired a repeat of America's Next Top Model at 8 doing 1.98 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. Best repeater for the network it seems and this is a reality series. At 9pm a repeat of One Tree Hill did terrible with 650,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating.

Moving on to Thursday, ABC won the night easily in 18-49, but it was closer in total viewers. CBS started with a repeat of The Mentalist at a special time of 8pm doing 8.05 million and a 1.4 rating in 18-49. The season finale of CSI was at 9pm did 14.35 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, up from the previous week. The Mentalist season finale finished the night with a new showing doing 15.22 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, up in viewers and the same in 18-49 from previous week. ABC began the night with FLASHFORWARD at 8pm doing 5.22 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up from previous week as we saw April 29 hit. The finale is next week. ABC aired the intense two-hour Grey's Anatomy season finale doing a 15.24 million and a 5.4 18-49 rating, building in each half-hour. Best numbers in months. Private Practice had its season finale the previous week. Fox aired a new Bones and did 9.35 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. A new Fringe garnered 5.58 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down from previous week as its season finales were no match for the other season finales in the hour. NBC started off with the season finale of Community doing only 4.43 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week. Next Parks and Recreation season finale did 4.58 and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. At 9pm the season finale of The Office did 6.64 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week. The 30 Rock season finale was next doing 5.36 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. At 10pm the falling The Marriage Ref was next doing only 4.47 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up from previous week's series lows. The CW aired a repeat of a two-hour Smallville at 1.33 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating. Vampire Diaries was preempted.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available as usual, but CBS won Friday in viewers and in 18-49. ABC had the highest rated show of the night again in 18-49 with Primetime: What Would You Do? doing a prelim 1.8 18-49 rating. On Saturday, Fox won a quiet night with its reality crime series.
Tonight ABC preempts its regular line-up of America's Funniest Home Videos, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters -- for the LOST series finale event from 7-11:30pm! It's going to do BIG! CBS airs a Brooks & Dunn special from 8-10. NBC has A Minute to Win It at 8 followed by a the finale of Celebrity Apprentice starting at 9pm. Fox has season finales of Animation Domination and another burn-off episode of 'Til Death. As for the coming week, look for a lot of big season finales, including Dancing with the Stars and American Idol, and the season premiere of The Bachelorette.

Week 35 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 34-- May 10-16)

• 'Til Death (Fox) - An all-new episode only mustered 2.32 million, but up from the previous week which was a Blossom reunion.
• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat episode at 7:30pm did 3.05 million, up some again from previous week's repeat. A new episode at 8pm did 6.24 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating...up from previous week in both measures.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A new episode did 5.86 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, like the lead-in down also up from previous week in both measures.
• Family Guy (Fox) - An all-new episode did 7.71 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating. Up from previous week like the rest of the night thus far.
• American Dad (Fox) - New episode did 5.89 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, up some in viewers but down week-to-week in 18-49.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A new episode did 7.63 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, but down from previous week.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 7.65 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating for a new episode, down from previous week but still did build a bit in viewers from lead-in.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A new episode did 13.28 million and a 4.4 18-49 rating, down a tad from previous week and below normal.
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A new episode did 15.02 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, that is a nice climb from the lead-in again. But it didn't have to face Dancing like its lead-in. Will the show's move to Thursday transfer these same ratings over? It is unlikely given an earlier slot (8pm), but possible.
• Romantically Challenged (ABC) - ABC canceled the series day or two before this airing aired so the ratings were not what they could have been. 7.71 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating only. This show deserved a shot next season, but they canceled it after 3 episodes and decided to air this 4th one after it was already canceled.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Old Christine (CBS) - preempted
• The Middle (ABC) 2 airings - ABC aired a repeat and a new episode. A repeat at 8 did 5.25 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down some from previous week's repeat. A new episode followed and did 7.56 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating...up week-to-week for its season finale with Betty White.
• Modern Family (ABC) - A new episode at 9pm of the hilarious comedy did 10.14 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating. Excellent. Great season finale and I wonder how high it will go in the fall after summer repeats and not airing against Idol.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - A new episode did 6.14 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. A good season finale.

Thursday Sitcoms

• Community (NBC) - A new episode did only 4.43 million, on par really from previous week. 2.0 18-49 rating was the exact same from previous week again.
• Parks & Recreation (NBC) - 4.58 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up from the previous week. Maybe because of Rob Lowe?
• The Office (NBC) - A new episode at 9 did 6.64 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, on par from previous week. This was the season finale, too...
• 30 Rock (NBC) - At 9:30pm the season finale did 5.36 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up from previous week.

Friday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are new episodes of Animation Domination and 'Til Death starting at 7.

Summing it up. The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, Rules of Engagement, & How I Met Your Mother were impressive this week. Everything was OK (such as 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation) or just plain old terrible (such as a new Community, Romantically Challenged).