SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. CBS 8.0/13.2 rating/share; #2. ABC 6.9/11.4; #3. Fox 4.5/7.2; #4. NBC 3.9/6.5; #5. The CW 1.5/2.4.
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 13.01 million; #2. ABC 10.87 million; #3. Fox 7.58 million; #4. NBC 6.27 million; #5. The CW 2.33 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. CBS 3.3/9.3 rating/share; #2. Fox 3.0/8.3; #3. ABC 2.9/8.2; #4. NBC 2.1/6.0; #5. The CW 1.1/3.0.

Week 3 (Oct. 4-10) Analysis: We are already nearing the end of week three and the first four nights have the big three bit down again. Fox and The CW stayed flat or up some from previous week's first four nights. Through the first four days, CBS has the lead in all categories still, with ABC in second in HH/viewers but .1 behind Fox in 18-49, Fox is in third in HH/viewers while NBC is back in the familiar fourth. This could change after tonight, due to NFL again, but I still expect CBS to take the week and ABC to remain second overall with possibly NBC overtaking Fox overall thanks to NFL. Last week, week 2, had CBS in first in all categories once again. ABC was second in HH/viewers, but fourth in 18-49 thanks to NFL action on NBC/Fox. NBC was third in all categories, with Fox in fourth in HH/viewers, but 2nd in 18-49. The 18-49 rating was very close from first to fourth, with only a half point difference from first to fourth.

Monday still has ABC on top, just like the previous week. A two-hour Dancing with the Stars won the total viewer race with 19.89 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, down from previous week, though it was preempted in Boston and Manchester, NH for Monday Night Football simulcast. The same for an all-new Castle which still did a solid 10.83 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, both down some from the previous week. Next up was CBS with its comedies and the new Hawaii Five-0. How I Met Your Mother started it off with 8.6 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, down from previous week's numbers and Rules of Engagement followed with 8.43 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, up in viewers but down some in 18-49 from the previous week. Two and a Half Men followed with 14.37 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, up some in viewers but down from previous week in 18-49. Week three of Mike & Molly did 12.21 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, up from previous week and tied or surpassed the pilot's numbers already. A new Hawaii Five-0 was next doing 12.24 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, again down some from previous week and CSI: Miami last season. Fox was next with House doing 10.78 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. The season premiere of Lie To Me followed and dropped to 5.86 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, but doubled what the canceled Lone Star was doing. NBC followed with the should have been canceled Chuck doing only at 5.38 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. The new series The Event was next and dropped again and did only 7.56 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, it is getting closer to Heroes numbers from last year sooner than I thought it would. It's already there! A new Chase was next and did only 5.78 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, down again from previous week. The CW on Mondays is bad, with 90210 doing only 1.79 million, down some week-to-week and Gossip Girl at 2.0 million, which is actually up from previous week.

Tuesday, Fox, CBS and ABC battled again. CBS had the always reliable NCIS opening the night off with 19.81 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, up some in viewers a bit from previous week but down some in 18-49. Another old skew for CBS. A new episode of NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 16.15 million and 3.4 18-49 rating, both off from previous week. And finally CBS had a new The Good Wife and did 12.76 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week. As I said before, DVR is hurting 10pm on Tuesdays with all the shows from 8-10pm on the networks being watched after 10pm and these 10pm shows saved for the next day or later in the week. ABC was next week two of No Ordinary Family leading the night off doing 8.99 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating. That is still solid and down only 16% from the premiere, which is typical for a second episode drop for a new series. It just needs to stay here now and no more drops. The live Dancing with the Stars Results Show followed at 9pm and did 16.7 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, down from previous week as we said goodbye to Margaret Cho. A new episode of the gritty Detroit 1-8-7 followed and did a decent 7.83 million and only a 1.7 18-49 rating, both off from previous week. That was an EXCELLENT episode that people will see on their DVR I guess since the 10pm shows are all down in live+same day ratings on this night. Fox started off huge with a new showing of Glee doing 11.2 million but an even better 4.6 18-49 rating..this was down a lot from previous week's hyped Britney Spears episode. Next were the two sitcoms Raising Hope and Running Wilde doing 6.18 million and 3.86 million and also a 2.5 and 1.7 18-49 rating. Both did bad this week, not just the latter, yet the former was picked up for a full season already. NBC was next with The Biggest Loser 2-hour episode doing 6.84 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down again and I never seen it this low, followed by an all-new Parenthood at just 5.16 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up some week-to-week. There are just too many options on Tuesdays, and people are watching the DVRed shows at 10pm, as I keep saying. The CW aired One Tree Hill with just 1.97 million, but that was up actually, followed by an even worse Life UneXpected at just 1.51 million, maintaining its numbers week-to-week. CW needs help on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Wednesday again it was CBS on top, with Fox close by in 18-49. CBS started the night off on top with week two of Survivor: Nicaragua at 12.05 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, down some in viewers but up in 18-49 from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds did 13.87 million and a 3.5 A18-49 rating, both down some from previous week. At 10pm, The Defenders aired and did 9.37 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, down again from previous week. CBS needs help in this slot. ABC started off with its Laugh On comedy block with The Middle doing a solid 8.03 million and 2.5 18-49 rating, on par from previous week. The new sitcom Better With You was next and did a decent 6.87 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, going up a tenth from previous week. The mammoth Modern Family was next and did 11.44 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. A new episode of Cougar Town did 7.1 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, both up from previous week. At 10pm The Whole Truth did just 4.4 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, actually up a tenth from previous week. It will only last I think through the end of this month, so watch while you can. NBC opened the night with disappointing Undercovers doing 6.38 million and only a 1.5 18-49 rating, down again from previous week. Will it ever be stable? Law & Order: SVU was next doing 8.69 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating. Decent again, but down some from previous week. A new episode of Law & Order: Los Angeles was next and did 8.26 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, down a lot from the premiere. I was right, it dropped a lot but remains first place. Fox quietly did solid with Hell's Kitchen at 6.32 million and 7.0 million and a 3.0 and 3.3 A18-49 rating. Up again from previous week. The CW had its usual showing of Top Model at only 2.85 million, and a new episode of Hellcats followed with 2.13 million. Not too bad but both down some from previous week.

Thursday it was CBS on top again, but ABC had the top show again and closed the gap. ABC opened the night with a previous week repeat of Grey's Anatomy doing a bit better than previous week's My Generation at 4.15 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating. Then the all-new Grey's Anatomy followed with 12.75 million and a 4.6 A18-49 rating, up some in viewers from previous week and maintained the 18-49 rating. A new episode of Private Practice was next doing 7.9 million and a 2.9 18-48 rating, up a tenth from previous week. CBS opened with The Big Bang Theory at 12.58 million and a 4.1 A18-49 rating, down again from previous week. Still great, but this show could do better. The new comedy (or lack of comedy) $!*# My Dad Says followed with 9.77 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating. Dropping again from previous week, it lost its 8:30pm lead now. A new CSI followed and showed its age with 12.5 million and a series low of 2.7 18-49 rating, while a new episode of The Mentalist did 14.39 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, winning its hour and on par with from previous week. Fox started off well with Bones at a solid 9.24 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, on par from previous week, but Fringe followed and only did 5.19 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, on par really though from previous week. NBC was in the familiar fourth place with Community doing just 4.19 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating only, followed by 30 Rock at series lows of 4.9 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, what happened? At 9pm The Office jumped to 6.95 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, but down again from previous week. This show is no longer a force. A new Outsourced closed the comedy block with 5.22 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down again from previous week. A lot of new shows have gone down each week besides just a few have gone up (Mike & Molly/Better With You). The Apprentice closed the night with only 3.71 million and a 1.3 18-49...just plain bad. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries did 3.47 million, and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up from previous week, followed by a new Nikita at 2.9 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, up some week-to-week.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won a quiet Friday with their dramas with CSI: NY on top of the night. Fox's Good Guys and NBC's Outlaw continue to bomb and do terrible, and could be pulled soon. ABC had a good showing from 20/20 at 10.
Saturday numbers had Fox win with their crime reality beating ABC's Saturday Night Football. Everything else was repeats and low.

Tonight are new episodes for ABC Sunday (AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters). Look for more Teri Hatcher in lingerie on Desperate Housewives tonight! It is very good! NBC should do well with the NFL as usual. CBS has an NFL overrun that will boost its line-up. Fox has its animation block from 7-10pm, including new episodes from 8-10.

As for the week (week 3), CBS will win in HH, viewers and 18-49, as NFL overrun will seal that. ABC will remain second in HH/viewers, but NBC could take second in 18-49 with a good NFL game tonight. NBC should be third in HH/viewers, with Fox likely fourth in everything (no NFL this week for them to help). As for the coming week (week 4), will more than just Better With You and Mike & Molly go up this week? Maybe No Ordinary Family, will remain stable? Can The Event stop dropping? Will more drops occur for Chase, Shat My Dad Says, Undercovers and Whole Truth? We shall see!

Week 3 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 2 -- Sept. 27-Oct. 3)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - An all-new episode at 8pm following NFL overrun did solid with 8.63 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, up from the season premiere thanks ti NFL.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A new showing did 6.7 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, on par with previous week but this week the lead-in was larger...so a bit disappointing.
• Family Guy (Fox) - Fox aired a new episode doing 7.98 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, great but down from previous week's season's premiere, though that was one-hour.
• American Dad! (Fox) - The season premiere did 6.16 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, good showing.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A new episode did 8.6 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating. Great but down from the previous week.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 8.43 million for a new episode is a it above previous week, but the 3.0 18-49 rating is up a down some from previous week. Disappointing.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 14.37 million for a new episode is up some from week-to-week but its 4.5 18-49 rating was down from previous week. Skewed older than previous week.
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - 12.21 million for a new episode is up from the previous week, so that's a good sign. 18-49 rating of 3.9 was up some from previous week. We thought it would go up and it did!

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Raising Hope (Fox) - An all-new episode aired after Glee, which did a 4.6 18-49 rating, so this show should be better. But it isn't and yet Fox ordered a full season after this. It did a 6.18 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Needs to do better.
• Running Wilde (Fox) - This show is not doing well. A new episode did 3.86 million, down again from previous week and a 1.7 18-49 rating, is not good either. Not good folks!
  

• The Middle (ABC) - A new episode at 8pm did good with 8.03 million and a solid 2.5 18-49 rating. Nice numbers, and on par with previous week.
• Better with You (ABC) - The new comedy did 6.87 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. Up slightly in 18-49, as I expected.
• Modern Family (ABC) - A new episode did a great 11.44 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating. On par really with the previous week.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - A new episode did 7.1 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, up from previous week and solid. This show would help ABC win Wednesdays at 10 in 18-49, I think.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A new episode did a solid 12.58 million, off some again from previous week and a 4.1 18-49 rating, down a bit from previous week. Modern Family was the top sitcom again this week in 18-49, as a result. I predicted this show would be 3.8-4.3 in general, so it was in that range this week.
• S#*! My Dad Says (CBS) - Following the big lead-in again, a new episode did 9.77 million, down again and a 2.9 18-49 rating. Bones is going to kill it soon in the 8:30pm half-hour.
• Community (NBC) - A new episode only did 4.19 million and 1.8 A18-49 rating. Down from previous week again.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode at 8:30 did 4.9 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down a half point in 18-49 from previous two weeks. What happened?
• The Office (NBC) - A new episode did 6.95 million, down again from previous week and a 3.5 18-49 rating, the lowest fall numbers for this show.
• Outsourced (NBC) - A new episode dropped to 5.22 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating. Hasn't gone down as much as I thought it would, but still not too good.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• Modern Family (ABC) - A special encore of this week's episode did OK for a repeat with a prelim 3.89 million and a prelim 1.0 18-49 rating in a weak 8pm slot. This was the last Friday encore. So watch it on Wednesdays now if you watched these!
• The Middle (ABC) - A special encore of this week's episode did prelim 3.03 million and a prelim 0.9 A18-49 rating at 8:30. As with the lead-in, this was the last Friday encore. Be alert to watch it on Wednesdays only now.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are Fox's animated comedies from 8-10PM.

Summing it up. Modern Family, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly, How I Met Your Mother were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Middle, Better With You, Outsourced) or just plain old terrible (such as Running Wilde, Community, 30 Rock).