SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. ABC 8.2/13.4 rating/share; #2. CBS 7.6/12.4; #3. Fox 4.1/6.5; #4. NBC 3.7/6.1; #5. The CW 1.4/2.1
Total Viewers: #1. ABC 13.02 million; #2. CBS 12.45 million; #3. Fox 6.97 million; #4. NBC 5.82 million; #5. The CW 2.16 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. ABC 3.3/9.2 rating/share; #2. CBS 3.1/8.5; #3. Fox 2.7/7.3; #4. NBC 1.9/5.4; #5. The CW 1.0/2.7.

Week 8 (Nov. 8-14) Analysis: Week 8 has ABC on top through the first four nights thanks to a good showing from the CMA's on Wednesday. So, through the first four days, ABC has the lead in all categories, as CBS has to settle for second. Fox is third across the board and NBC is back in the familiar fourth across the board with no NFL until tonight. This could change like usual after tonight, due to NFL overrun on Fox, so expect Fox to possibly take the week in 18-49. Last week, week 7, had CBS back in first in all categories after Fox had taken the previous week. ABC was second in all categories, while NBC was up to third across the board, leaving Fox in fourth.

Monday still has ABC on top, like all season. They started with a two-hour Dancing with the Stars winning the total viewer race with 19.95 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Next an all-new Castle did a solid 10.83 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, but down some from the previous week despite the lead-in remaining on par. Next up was CBS with its comedies and Hawaii Five-0. At 8pm, How I Met Your Mother started it off with 8.87 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, down a bit from previous week. At 8:30, Rules of Engagement did 8.19 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, down the most from the previous week in this block. Two and a Half Men followed with 13.63 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, on par in viewers but down in 18-49 from previous week. At 9:30, Mike & Molly did 10.8 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, basically the same as previous week. A new Hawaii Five-0 was next and did 10.23 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, both off some from previous week. Both ABC and CBS had one preemption each due to NFL simulcast in Pittsburgh and Cincy. Fox started off with the falling House at 9.63 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, followed by a new Lie To Me doing 5.23 million and a third place 1.8 18-49 rating (beating NBC). NBC followed with Chuck being preempted by an interview with former President George W. Bush by Matt Lauer 7.04 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up from normal in viewers but down in 18-49. NBC would have been better off airing this at 10pm instead. At 9pm, The Event returned after a week off and came back to series lows, doing 5.54 million and a fourth place 1.7 18-49 rating. Ouch. Then at 10pm, Chase did just 4.55 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, for more series lows. NBC needs to reverse the full season orders of both, especially the latter. The CW was next, with 90210 doing 1.89 million & a 0.9 18-49 rating and Gossip Girl at 1.78 million & a 0.9 18-49 rating...both are under performing and down a bit from previous week again.

Tuesday had CBS win in viewers but Fox nipping by CBS in 18-49. CBS had a new NCIS opening the night off with 19.87 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, which is very good. A new NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 15.62 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, which seems below normal. And finally CBS aired a new episode of The Good Wife with guest star Michael J. Fox doing 12.33 million and only a 2.2 18-49 rating, for a season low. ABC started off with No Ordinary Family doing a solid 7.87 million and a could-be better 2.2 18-49 rating, but it did go up from its previous episode two weeks ago. Dancing with the Stars Results Show was next and did 16.96 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, both up from previous week's 90-minute show, as we said goodbye to Kurt Warner. We need Bristol Palin to go this week. At 10pm, Detroit 1-8-7 returned after a week off doing 7.55 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, down from its previous episode and the climbs it was doing. Fox had a new Glee doing 10.99 million but a better 4.6 18-49 rating. Next Raising Hope did only 5.77 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, which could be better but consistent. Running Wilde at 9:31pm only did 2.83 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, as Fox has pulled it now for the rest of November sweep. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser episode doing 6.75 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, on par with previous few week's season lows. At 10pm was Parenthood doing 5.0 million only but a bit better 2.1 18-49 rating. Sadly this was the top NBC 10pm show from Mon-Sat. The CW was all-new One Tree Hill doing only 1.7 million & 0.8 18-49 rating, followed by an even worse Life UneXpected at just 1.48 million & a 0.7 18-49 rating, both off a bit in viewers from previous week.

Wednesday it was ABC on top thanks to the 44th Annual CMA Awards. The awards did 16.49 million and a 4.7 18-49 rating, off some last year but still well on top for the night and also won the night by more than last year. CBS started the night off with Survivor: Nicaragua at 11.29 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, both season lows. Veteran drama Criminal Minds did 12.56 million and a 3.1 A18-49 rating, sharply down from previous week for season lows as well. At 10pm, The Defenders aired and did 8.4 million and only a 1.8 18-49 rating, both series lows. CBS was down big from previous week. ABC had to preempt its Laugh On comedy block as The Middle, Better With You, Modern Family and Cougar Town will return this week, as well as specials at 10pm. NBC opened the night with the recently canceled Undercovers doing 5.13 million and only a 1.2 18-49 rating, for more series lows. At 9, Law & Order: SVU was next doing 7.18 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, for, you guessed it, season lows. That 18-49 rating could be a series low, but I haven't checked. A new Law & Order: Los Angeles was next and did 6.8 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, for series lows. We'll see if CBS and NBC can recover this Wednesday. Fox aired two new episodes of Hell's Kitchen after a few weeks off doing 5.47 million/5.93 million and a 2.5/2.8 18-49 rating, as these numbers are also season lows. The CW had its usual showing of Top Model at 2.69 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, both off some from previous week, and a new episode of Hellcats followed with a could-be better 1.92 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating.

Thursday it was a battle between CBS and ABC, with CBS on top. ABC opened the night with a previous week encore of Grey's Anatomy doing its below normal at 4.0 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating. Then an all-new Grey's Anatomy followed with 11.13 million and a 4.0 A18-49 rating, both off some from previous week. A new episode of Private Practice was next doing 8.21 million and a 2.9 18-48 rating, down sharply from previous week's special episode, but still winning the hour in 18-49. CBS opened with The Big Bang Theory at 13.11 million and a 4.2 A18-49 rating, down from previous week to similar levels from two weeks ago. Then $#*! My Dad Says followed with 9.72 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, also down big from previous week. A new CSI followed and did 12.99 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, down from previous week. A new episode of The Mentalist did 13.84 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, down a bit from previous week and not as much down as the other CBS shows on this night. Fox started with a new Bones doing 9.2 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, solid and consistent from previous week, but Fringe dropped the ball with only 4.82 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49. NBC was in the familiar fourth place in viewers, as Community did 4.53 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, similar to previous week, but still low. At 8:30, 30 Rock did an OK 5.09 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, off a bit in viewers week-to-week. At 9pm The Office jumped to 7.15 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating, but both down a bit from previous week. A new Outsourced closed the comedy block with 5.47 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. At 10, The Apprentice closed the night with only 4.0 million and a 1.4 18-49...just plain bad, but on par with the previous week. NBC was preempted in Baltimore for NFL action. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries did great with 3.5 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, followed by Nikita at 2.33 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. Both did the same 18-49 as previous week, but lower in viewers. The latter series still could be better.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS nipped by ABC again in 18-49 on Friday with their dramas. Fox's Good Guys and NBC's School Pride did terrible again with under a 1 rating? ABC had a great showing again from Primetime: What Would You Do again at 9pm growing again and was #1 for the night in 18-49, spanking NBC's Dateline in the 9pm hour.
Saturday numbers had Fox win its normal crime reality line-up, besting ABC's Saturday Night College Football coverage which was below normal for the second straight week. Everything else was repeats or burn-offs (Outlaw finale).

Tonight are new episodes for ABC Sunday (AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters). ABC has Thanksgiving themed shows tonight for some of the block as next week they are preempted from 8-11 for the 2010 AMA's. NBC has the Pats/Steelers NFL game which should be high in the ratings. CBS has its normal Sunday line-up, which includes Undercover Boss at 9 (its no longer a big hit) and CSI: Miami will air tonight at 10 after being preempted due to a long NFL overrun last week. Fox's animation block is new from 8-10pm, following an NFL overrun at 7. Look for all four nets to do well again on Sunday. Fox or NBC will win the night, thanks to NFL being a factor, ABC and CBS will follow.

As for the week (week 8), CBS will win likely in HH/viewers, but with the NFL overrun tonight in the 7pm ET hour Fox could nip both CBS and ABC in 18-49. ABC will be second in HH/viewers, though. Fox and NBC will battle for third in HH/viewers, but I think Fox will take that. NBC will be fourth across the board it seems even with SNF tonight. As for the coming week (week 9), my pick of the week is A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on Thursday at 8 on ABC. You never can go wrong with Charlie Brown specials. We also will see if NBC and CBS will go up on Wednesday and Thursday, as everything seemed lower than usual. NBC had a brutal week with Parenthood their top performing drama with a 2.1 18-49 rating, ouch, even SVU was lower!

Week 8 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 7 -- Nov. 1-7)

• The Simpsons (Fox) 3 episodes - An all-new episode at 8pm, the annual Halloween episode, did solid with 8.03 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, but that seems below normal for the Halloween show. Two repeats leading in at 7pm & 7:30 did 3.15 & 4.41 million and a 1.2 and 1.9 18-49 rating opposite the NFL overrun on CBS.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A new episode did 6.68 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating...as this show is not doing as well as last season.
• Family Guy (Fox) - A new episode did 8.0 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, the best of the block in 18-49.
• American Dad! (Fox) - Following the big lead-in, a new episode did 6.3 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating. Could be better, but could be worse.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A new episode did 8.87 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, off a bit from the previous week.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 8.19 million for a new episode is down some from previous week, as is the 3.0 18-49 rating, down from previous week's season high.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 13.63 million for a new episode is on par week-to-week but its 4.3 18-49 rating was down more from previous week.
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - 10.8 million for a new episode is up a bit from the previous week again. 18-49 rating of 3.5 was down a tenth from previous week again.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Raising Hope (Fox) - After a week off, the new sitcom returned with 5.77 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating. It needs to do better than this following Glee, which did a 4.6 18-49 rating. Maybe a 3.0 18-49 rating would be better.
• Running Wilde (Fox) - A few weeks off certainly didn't help this show, as the series did more series lows of 2.83 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Fox has pulled it for the next two weeks and it won't return until Nov. 30 (if it even returns).
  

• The Middle (ABC) - preempted for the CMA's.
• Better with You (ABC) - preempted for the CMA's.
• Modern Family (ABC) - preempted for the CMA's.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - preempted for the CMA's.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A new episode did a solid 13.11 million, down nearly a million from previous week and a 4.2 18-49 rating, down five tenths from previous week's climb.
• S#*! My Dad Says (CBS) - Following the big lead-in again, a new episode did 9.72 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, down sharply week-to-week. A bit concerning, but still OK.
• Community (NBC) - A new episode at 8pm time did only 4.53 million and a 2.0 A18-49 rating, basically on par with previous week, which isn't too good.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode did only 5.09 million but a better 2.4 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 rating but down some in viewers from previous week.
• The Office (NBC) - A new episode did 7.15 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating, both off some from previous week again.
• Outsourced (NBC) - A new episode dropped to 5.47 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, both were off a bit week-to-week.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

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

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, The Office, Mike & Molly, How I Met Your Mother were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as $#*! My Dad Says, Rules of Engagement) or just plain old terrible (such as Running Wilde, Community).