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Week 14 (Dec. 20-26) Analysis: Week 14 is Christmas week and there were only some originals this week. We don't have final ratings for Thursday this week due to the Christmas holiday. Repeats galore, so we'll skip the first four night averages as it doesn't really matter this week. Last week, week 13, had CBS again take first in HH/viewers but they were second again in 18-49. NBC took home a rare first place 18-49 finish for the second straight week with limited competition and they were second in HH/viewers as well. ABC was third in HH/viewers fourth in in 18-49, while Fox was fourth in HH/viewers and third in 18-49.

Monday it was a very slow night with very few originals, but with mixed results. ABC aired the Skating with the Stars: The Finals episode and did terrible with 3.37 million and an even worse 0.5 18-49 rating, for series lows. Keep in mind though ABC was preempted in many markets such as Chicago and Minneapolis for NFL simulcast. At 9pm ABC aired a two-hour Castle repeat and it built each half-hour doing did 4.08 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, with many preemptions due to NFL simulcast. CBS was in repeats with its comedies and Hawaii Five-0. At 8pm, a repeat of How I Met Your Mother started it off with 6.35 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is good for a repeat. At 8:30, a repeat of Rules of Engagement did 6.08 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, as it gets ready for a move to Thursdays in late February. Two and a Half Men followed with a repeat of its own doing 9.22 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is solid for a repeat. At 9:30, Mike & Molly was a repeat and did 7.35 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, good but maybe should have been a little higher. A repeat of Hawaii Five-0 at 10pm did 7.67 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is OK. Fox preempted House and Lie To Me and went with two episodes of new game show Million Dollar Money Drop, as 8pm did 5.31 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating and 9pm did 5.33 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. Decent showings, as Fox would have been lower for repeats. NBC had a lower Monday than the previous week. Yes, Chuck, The Event were still preempted but the finals of The Sing Off was a bit disappointing as it was going up but the finale dropped to 8.61 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, off from previous week. Then at 10pm, NBC preempted Chase for a special preview episode of upcoming sitcom Perfect Couples and only mustered 3.56 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Could that be a bad omen for the series premiere on Jan. 20? I think so, as the episode on this night was brutal. A repeat of The Office followed and did only 2.22 million and a 0.9 18-40 rating. The CW was next with a repeat of 90210 doing 1.03 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating. Gossip Girl followed with a repeat registering just 770,00 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating.

Tuesday had CBS and NBC on top with low ratings. Starting with CBS, they had a repeat of NCIS open the night off with 12.25 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, total viewers is amazing for a repeat but the 2.2 18-49 is low compared to that. At 9pm, NCIS: Los Angeles was a repeat and did 11.28 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is a good retention. And finally CBS aired a repeat of The Good Wife and did 6.72 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Not your normal CBS style repeat. For ABC, the finale of Skating with the Stars aired and did 3.41 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, which is bad. I don't think you'll see this again next year, unless they get top notched stars, which I doubt during the holidays. At 9pm, a repeat of No Ordinary Family at a special extraordinary time did 3.15 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, which was off some from previous week. At 10, Detroit 1-8-7 was a repeat too and did 4.6 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, as this was up some from previous week. Good sign? Fox had a repeat of Glee do 4.07 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which was down a lot from previous week's repeat. Next Raising Hope and Running Wilde were preempted for the second straight week, as Fox aired night two of Million Dollar Money Drop and did 5.57 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which was on par with night one and on par with a Glee repeat from previous week. NBC started off well with a holiday episode of Minute to Win It doing 7.04 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, down a bit from previous week. Then from 9-11pm NBC aired a repeat of last year's SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas and did decent with 6.02 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, enough for them to win the night in 18-49. Slow night! NBC's Parenthood was preempted again. The CW was in repeats with One Tree Hill below a million at 960,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating, but Life UneXpected was worse at just 730,000 viewers and a 0.2 18-49 rating. Ouch.

Wednesday it was the slowest night yet, with just Fox in new mode. Well actually CBS was new a 8pm and started the night off with the annual special 12th Annual Home for the Holidays at only 3.83 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, off quite a bit from last season. Veteran drama Criminal Minds was next with a repeat and did 6.89 million and a 1.5 A18-49 rating, seems lower than usual but it was 2 days before Christmas Eve. At 10pm, The Defenders was a repeat and did 5.58 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which I thought would have been worse. ABC was in repeats with its Laugh On comedy block and had The Middle open the night with 5.99 million and 1.5 18-49 rating, up some from previous week's repeat. Better With You was next with a repeat of its own doing 4.96 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, great retention and up some from previous week's repeat. ABC seems to be patient with this show and it is paying off, I think, as the episodes are even better now. At 9pm, ABC has Modern Family of course with a repeat doing 5.86 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, which is good but off a tick from previous week. Still solid. Cougar Town was preempted for a repeat of CMA Country Christmas from 9:30-11 only doing 4.15 million and a 1.0 rating. NBC aired a burn off episode of Undercovers at 8pm doing 4.21 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, for new lows but they beat CBS in the slot. Then NBC aired two repeats of Law & Order: SVU, as 9pm did 5.02 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, while 10pm repeat did 6.57 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, but off a bit from previous week at 10. As a reminder, Law & Order: Los Angeles will not return until February on NBC, but on Tuesdays at 10 now. Fox started off with a new episode of Human Target at 5.75 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Then at 9pm, night three of Million Dollar Money Drop did 4.79 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, for its lowest showing, but it still built from the lead-in in 18-49, which isn't good news for Human Target. The CW had more repeats, this time with Hellcats, with 8pm doing 1.38 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, while 9pm did 1.22 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating. Both airings beat all of the Monday and Tuesday series repeats.

Thursday was the night before Christmas Eve and final ratings are not available yet so we will use prelim ratings. ABC opened the night with the second airing of the classic special Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas doing solid for a second run at a prelim 6.19 million and a prelim 1.7 18-49 rating. Then from 8:30-11pm ABC aired the big screen movie of the same name starring Jim Carey and did decently with a prelim 6.56 million and a prelim 2.1 18-49 rating. Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice were preempted. CBS opened with a repeat of The Big Bang Theory doing a prelim 8.37 million and a prelim 1.9 A18-49 rating, which is good for a repeat. Then a repeat of $#*! My Dad Says followed with a prelim 6.94 million and a prelim 1.6 18-49 rating, which is actually decent retention. Next, CSI was a repeat and did a prelim 7.8 million and a prelim 1.4 18-49 rating, off from previous week. A repeat of The Mentalist did a prelim 8.84 million and a prelim 1.5 18-49 rating, also off some from previous week. Fox preempted Bones and Fringe for the week-long finale of Million Dollar Money Drop doing a prelim 4.54 million and a prelim 1.3 18-49 rating at 8pm. 9pm was a bit better at a prelim 5.2 million and a prelim 1.7 18-49 rating. For the only original of the night, it wasn't top of the night either. NBC was in repeats as Community did just a prelim 2.39 million and a prelim 0.7 18-49 rating, then a repeat of 30 Rock did a prelim 2.64 million and a prelim 0.8 18-49 rating, both terrible. At 9pm The Office was also a repeat and did a prelim 2.79 million and a prelim 1.0 18-49 rating, which is below average. Outsourced was next and a repeat as well doing a prelim 2.39 million and a prelim 0.8 18-49 rating. At 10, NBC went with two more repeats of The Office to close the night doing a prelim 2.39 million and a prelim 0.9 18-49 then at 10:30pm it did a prelim 2.53 million and a prelim 1.0 18-49 rating. The CW was next with a repeat of Vampire Diaries doing a prelim 1.1 million and a prelim 0.4 18-49 rating, followed by a repeat of Nikita doing a prelim 1.4 million and a prelim 0.5 18-49 rating, interesting that it built from the lead-in.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available as usual, but Christmas Eve (Friday) was so low rated, with NBC winning in 18-49 thanks to It's a Wonderful Life. Saturday was Christmas Day and ABC easily won the night with the movie Transformers doing very well.

Tonight ABC's regular Sunday of AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters is preempted for the classic The Sound of Music from 7-11pm! It should do decent, as this is the fourth straight night of movies on ABC. NBC will not have the NFL tonight as the Eagles/Vikings game from Philly has been canceled and will now air on NBC on Tuesday night. NBC has not yet announced as of this writing, what will air from 8-11pm tonight. CBS has repeats following 60 Minutes. Fox has the NFL overrun leading into animation repeats from 8-10pm. With no NFL tonight, NBC will not win the night. Fox should win the night with the NFL overrun, with CBS in second likely. ABC and NBC will follow.

As for the week (week 14), since NBC didn't have the NFL tonight, not sure who will win the low-rated week. It is anyone's game this week. And for the coming week (week 15), we have another slow week coming as we approach 2011. More repeats and specials!

Week 14 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week 13 -- Dec. 13-19)

• The Simpsons (Fox) 3 episodes - A repeat at its normal time of 8pm did 5.02 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating. The latter rating was good. There were also repeats leading into the regular repeat. A 7pm repeat did only 2.66 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, but that was missing some of the country due to a NFL overrun. America was fully on board by 7:24pm and the show jumped to 4.14 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating. A repeat at 7:30pm only 4.24 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up some from its previous week airing in this slot.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A repeat did 4.36 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating.
• Family Guy (Fox) - A repeat at 9pm did 4.94 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, which seems below normal.
• American Dad! (Fox) - preempted.
• Running Wilde (Fox) - preempted.

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat did 6.35 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is decent for a repeat but lower than a repeat from two weeks ago.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - 6.08 million for a repeat and a 1.9 18-49 rating was good retention.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 9.22 million is great as is its 2.4 18-49 rating, but seems lower than normal.
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - 7.35 million for a repeat and a 18-49 rating of 1.9, is good but could have been better.
• Perfect Couples (NBC) - NBC decided to preview the upcoming sitcom with an airing after the finale of The Sing-Off at 10pm, however this backfired big time. The episode, which wasn't even the pilot episode, did only 3.56 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Not good at all!
• The Office (NBC) - Following the embarrassing premiere of the new sitcom, a repeat of this sitcom only did 2.22 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Raising Hope (Fox) - preempted.
• Running Wilde (Fox) - preempted.

• The Middle (ABC) - ABC Laugh on Wednesday was in repeats. A repeat did 5.99 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, which was up some from previous week's repeat.
• Better with You (ABC) - A repeat did 4.96 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, 100% retention and also up some from previous week.
• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did 5.86 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating at 9pm, off a tenth week-to-week but good for a repeat.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - preempted.

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - No final Thursday ratings are available yet. A repeat at 8pm did a prelim 8.37 million and a prelim 1.9 18-49 rating, which is good for a repeat especially on the night before Christmas Eve.
• S#*! My Dad Says (CBS) - A repeat did a prelim 6.94 million and a prelim 1.6 18-49 rating, also decent for repeat.
• Community (NBC) - A repeat only mustered a prelim 2.39 million and a prelim 0.7 18-49 rating. Kind of expected though.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A repeat did just a prelim 2.64 million and a prelim 0.8 18-49 rating.
• The Office (NBC) 3 episodes - A repeat of this show at 9pm did a prelim 2.79 million and a prelim 1.0 18-49 rating, not too good. Two more repeats aired in the 10pm hour, with the first one doing a prelim 2.39 million and a prelim 0.9 18-49 rating and the 10:30pm repeat doing a prelim 2.53 million and a prelim 1.0 18-49 rating.
• Outsourced (NBC) - A repeat in its 9:30 slot did a prelim 2.39 million and a prelim 0.8 18-49 rating...down a bit from previous week's repeat.

Friday Sitcoms

• None.

Saturday Sitcoms

• Community/30 Rock (NBC) - Two more repeats aired and both did bad. Prelim ratings have 1.48 million and a 0.3 18-49, followed by 1.46 million and a 0.3 18-49 for the latter. Not good even for Christmas.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are Fox's animated comedies from 7-10 with repeats.

Summing it up. Repeats of Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Mike & Molly, Modern Family, Rules of Engagement were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as repeats of Better With You, The Middle) or just plain old terrible (such as Perfect Couples, Community).