SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: 1. CBS 7.9 rating/12.4 share; 2. ABC 6.9/10.8; 3. Fox 5.8/8.9; 4. NBC 3.5/6.4; 5. The CW 1.1/1.8
Total Viewers: 1. CBS 12.91 million; 2. ABC 10.54 million; 3. Fox 9.84 million; 4. NBC 5.4 million; 5. The CW 1.66 million.
Adults 18-49: 1. Fox 3.7 rating/9.6 share; 2. CBS 3.5/9.1; 3. ABC 2.6/6.8; 4. NBC 1.8/4.8; 5. The CW 0.7/2.0

Week 3 (Oct. 3-9) Analysis: Cancelations are coming fast in week three with four new series (The Playboy Club, Free Agents, H8R, and How To Be A Gentleman) getting the boot so far. Through the first four nights, CBS is first in HH/viewers, followed by ABC and Fox, and NBC still way behind in fourth. Among 18-49, Fox is in first place with CBS right behind. ABC is in third and NBC is way back there in fourth waiting for the NFL to save it tonight. I expect CBS to take the week in HH/viewers but Fox should win the week in 18-49, however if the MLB ALCS is lower than their normal Animation Domination line-up tonight, CBS could prevail with the NFL overrun. As for last week, week 2, CBS took the 18-49 crown over Fox thanks to the NFL overrun on Sunday night, as the overrun helped Fox in week one. CBS also prevailed in HH/total viewers. ABC was second in HH/viewers, with Fox in third in total viewers. ABC was tied for third in 18-49 with NBC, as the NFL Sunday night game came to NBC's rescue. NBC was still fourth in total viewers, though.

Monday has CBS on top again in 18-49, with Fox competitive and ABC winning in total viewers again. Starting with ABC, Dancing with the Stars won the total viewer race with 16.56 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, up some in viewers but down a tad in 18-49 from previous week. A new Castle at 10pm was first place with 11.18 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down three tenths from previous week. ABC was preempted however in Tampa for Monday Night Football. For CBS, How I Met Your Mother started it off with 10.39 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week and one of the surprises of the season so far. 2 Broke Girls followed with 11.42 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Then it was a new Two and a Half Men, with new star Ashton Kutcher, doing 17.71 million and a 6.2 18-49 rating, down another 3 million from previous week but still very good. It should go down more tomorrow and it will be interesting if it can stabilize by next week. A new Mike & Molly followed the huge lead-in and did 13.2 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, down from the previous week. It could have been a bit higher given the lead-in, as it was the lowest rated comedy in 18-49 of the block. An all-new Hawaii Five-0 was next doing 11.07 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, down a tad again from previous week. Fox was next with the time period debut of Terra Nova doing 8.73 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, which is on par with its premiere the previous week. Good sign, but it needs to do this every week as it expensive to produce and it needs high ratings to survive. House had its season premiere at a new time of 9pm and did a solid 9.78 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating. It will go down tomorrow but if it can stay close to this, Fox is ecstatic as this series really suffered last season. NBC followed with another two-hour The Sing-Off doing only 4.89 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, but up some from previous week. It's not December, so it is not doing well. The final airing of the first series canceled series of the new season is The Playboy Club and was lost again doing only 3.47 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. It's 3 airings and out, with repeats of Prime Suspect airing the next few weeks until news magazine Rock Center with Brian Williams (which is not going to be a big improvement I think) launches on Oct. 31 The CW had a new Gossip Girl doing just 1.34 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, but on par with its premiere the previous week. At 9pm, Hart of Dixie did only 1.75 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, also on par with previous week.

On Tuesday, once again Fox nipped by CBS in 18-49, while CBS took care of total viewers. CBS had the quiet leader NCIS opening the night off with 19.35 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Then spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 14.78 million and 3.4 18-49 rating, down from previous week. And a new Unforgettable did 11.58 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. ABC was next with the special Dancing with the Stars: The Encore Performance leading the night off doing 9.13 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, off some from previous week. The regular live Results Show followed at 9pm and did 15.28 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, on par with previous week again (but up a lot in viewers) as we shockingly said goodbye Kristin Cavallari. That was a historic shocker. An all-new Body of Proof followed and did a decent 9.95 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up some from the previous week. Fox started off with Glee doing 8.42 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. At 9pm, new comedy New Girl built again from its lead-in with 8.65 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, down some from previous week but this is still a great showing. It is not airing on Tuesday next week, but it will air on a Wednesday. An all-new Raising Hope did 6.36 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser doing 5.72 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down some from the previous week and its lowest rating probably ever for the fall, followed by an all-new Parenthood at just 5.05 million but a better 2.0 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. The CW aired a new 90210 with just 1.29 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Then an all-new episode of the Sarah Michelle Gellar drama Ringer did 1.5 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, down big from the previous week. Not good news for this new drama.

Wednesday again it was a face-off between Fox and ABC, with CBS in the total viewers race. CBS started the night off on top with Survivor: South Pacific at 10.72 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds did 13.43 million and a solid 3.8 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. At 10pm, CSI did a decent 11.98 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, down some from the previous week. ABC started off with its Laugh On comedy block with The Middle doing 9.13 million and solid 2.8 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. The new sitcom Suburgatory followed with a great 9.11 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, virtually on par with previous week as it only went down two tenths. Great sign. At 9pm, the mega hit Modern Family did 13.24 million and a 5.7 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. A new Happy Endings was next with 6.7 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, off some from the season premiere the previous week. At 10pm week three of my favorite fall series Revenge did a solid 7.68 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, down some again from previous week but still a vast improvement over The Whole Truth and anything in recent years. I predict some growth this week. Addicting and payback has never been prettier! Fox aired a 90-minute The X Factor with Simon Cowell to solid numbers doing 11.93 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, on par with previous week's two-hour airing. A special airing of Raising Hope on a special night did only 5.85 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, lower than its normal airing on Tuesday. NBC opened the night with week four of Up All Night at 5.6 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, its first climb ever. Good news for NBC. At 8:30pm, the news wasn't as good, with the now-canceled new comedy Free Agents doing only 3.25 million and an embarrassing 1.0 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Look for repeats of Whitney the next few weeks. At 9pm, Harry's Law did nothing, doing just a 1.2 18-49 rating again but 8.45 million viewers is up again from previous week. This is Friday material yet they are launching new series Grimm on Friday nights? An all-new Law & Order: SVU at 10pm did 7.98 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating for last place, on par with previous week. The CW had a new H8R at 1.07 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, down from previous week so The CW canceled the series. Look or repeats of Ringer now. The declining fast America's Next Top Model was next at 9pm with 1.74 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, on par with previous week.

Thursday it was Fox with the win, on a night of slaughtering on broadcast opposite Game 5 of the ALDS between the Yankees and Tigers on TBS, which did a cable high for the ALDS. Anyway, ABC opened the night with Charlie's Angels doing 5.93 million but only a 1.2 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Was baseball the reason for the drop? We will see this week as Brewers/Cardinals on TBS won't do as much. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy followed with 8.7 million and a 3.1 A18-49 rating, down from previous week and a low for the series. At 10pm, Private Practice, with Benjamin Bratt joining the cast, did 6.06 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down a lot from the season premiere the previous week. Really strange how nearly everything went down on this Thursday. Slaughtering continues, as CBS opened with The Big Bang Theory at 13.92 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Week two of How To Be A Gentleman did 7.58 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. I was expecting a bigger drop, but CBS still pulled it and will now air it on Saturdays starting next week. They also canceled the series, but they will air the remaining episodes. Talk about a quick leash. Rules of Engagement will take over starting Oct. 20. Week three of Person of Interest followed with 11.57 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, down some from the previous week. A new episode of The Mentalist followed and did 13.15 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week, one of the few series to go up on this Thursday. Fox aired another two-hour The X Factor doing a solid 11.67 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, down in viewers but up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. NBC was in the familiar fourth place with the should-be-not leading-off Community getting slaughtered with 3.35 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating only, down from previous week, followed by Parks and Recreation at only 4.15 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. At 9pm The Office jumped to 5.82 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, but down from previous week and its lowest rating since season one when it did low ratings. Week three of Whitney closed the comedy block with only 4.89 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, this looks like it is headed towards being a bust yet NBC renewed it. It makes no sense. This will be another Outsourced. One season and done. NBC has another drama bust with a new episode Prime Suspect closing the night with only 5.04 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries did 2.63 million, and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down some from previous week, followed by a new The Secret Circle at 1.96 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, also down some from previous week. It was generally a very disappointing Thursday on broadcast as MLB action on cable (TBS) certainly was the winner of the night.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with their dramas but the new A Gifted Man was low but steady and Blue Bloods still was the highest rated series of the night. ABC was in repeats again from 8-10pm and NBC's Dateline again did solid from 9-11pm. Fox had a good showing from Kitchen Nightmares but Fringe dropped the ball (but up some from previous week). Look for Friday to have more new programming later this month, as NBC and ABC will premiere series.
Saturday numbers were not available at the time of this writing. Look for a battle between Fox and ABC with sports -- MLB ALCS Game 1 and Saturday Night Football.

Tonight ABC Sunday is all-new (with AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Pan Am). Pan Am should be steady. NBC will win the night with the NFL with the Packers at Falcons. CBS has its normal line-up of 60 Minutes, Amazing Race, The Good Wife and CSI: Miami, with delays expected again due to an NFL overrun. Fox has the MLB ALCS Game #2 as the animated comedies are preempted.

As for the week (week 3), CBS will win in HH, viewers but Fox could hang on for a 18-49 win. They had MLB ALCS action on Saturday (though with a big rain delay) and tonight. Fox will give ABC a run for second in HH/viewers. ABC will be third in 18-49, but NBC could tie or come close. NBC will likely be fourth in HH/viewers and the NFL can carry them to tie for third in 18-49 like in week two. As for the coming week (week 4), we have the series premiere of new comedy Last Man Standing on Tuesday night starring Tim Allen on ABC. Look for a good launch.

Week 3 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 2 -- Sept. 26-Oct. 2)

• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 airings - An all-new episode at 8pm delivered 6.19 million viewers and a 3.0 18-49 rating, down a lot from previous week where it was following NFL action. A repeat leading in at 7:30pm did 3.99 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, which is not too bad.
  
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) 2 airings - 5.56 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating for a new episode at 8:30pm is also down from previous week. A repeat at 7pm did nothing with 1.63 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating.
  
• Family Guy (Fox) - 6.99 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, for best of the block again, but down a good number from the season premiere the previous week.
• American Dad! (Fox) - A new airing did 5.8 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, down the least of the block from the previous week.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - An all-new episode did 10.39 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Three weeks in and it has really benefited this season. Still a long way to go, but it looks like it will have its best ratings in a few seasons.
  
• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A new airing did 11.42 million a 4.5 18-49 rating, down slightly from the previous week.
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 17.71 million and a 6.2 18-49 rating is excellent, but down big again from previous week. It shedded 1.2 rating points from previous week. I'm guessing low to mid-5's for tomorrow night, which is still very good and about what it has done in recent seasons. Question will be if it can stay in that area this season or go down more?
  
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - With the strong lead-in, a new episode did 13.2 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, down from previous week and the lowest rating in 18-49 of the block going down 31% from the lead-in.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• New Girl (Fox) - An all-new episode did 8.65 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, building on its lead-in again but down some from previous week. This week it will air on a Wednesday night at 9:30pm due to the ALCS on Tuesday night. Will viewers come on over?
  
• Raising Hope (Fox) - A new episode of this comedy did 6.36 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. It will be preempted the next two weeks due to baseball, but another new episode aired on a Wednesday this week. Look below.
  

• The Middle (ABC) - A new episode did 9.13 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Good numbers.
  
• Suburgatory (ABC) - The second week did a very good 9.11 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, building from its lead-in again. Down only 6% from its premiere, as it looks like ABC has a new hit comedy. My fave fall comedy!
• Up All Night (NBC) - A new episode did 5.6 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, up for the first time. Solid numbers for NBC.
  
• Free Agents (NBC) - Final airing of this comedy did a terrible 3.25 million and an anemic 1.0 18-49 rating, on par with previous week.
  
• Modern Family (ABC) - An all-new episode did 13.24 million and second all-time best 5.7 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. As Men keeps going down, Modern will eventually be the sitcom leader again.
• Happy Endings (ABC) - A new episode did 6.7 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, down some from the season premiere the previous week. Should be better but I think ABC will be patient as 8-9:30pm comedies are very solid, plus this series has a lot of buzz.
  
• Raising Hope (Fox) - A special all-new episode on a special night didn't deliver after The X Factor doing only 5.85 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, losing to its ABC comedy competition.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A new episode did 13.92 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, down from previous week, as just about everything got slaughtered on Thursday opposite MLB ALDS (decisive game 5 between the Yankees vs. Tigers) on TBS.
  
• How To Be A Gentleman (CBS) - The second episode did 7.58 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. I thought it would be down more, but CBS still pulled the series and will now air Rules of Engagement in this slot starting 10/20. Quick leash.
  
• Community (NBC) - A new showing did just 3.35 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Not good.
  
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) - A new episode did 4.15 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down a tad from previous week.
• The Office (NBC) - A new episode did 5.82 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Pattern for this show is dropping each week.
  
• Whitney (NBC) - A new episode did 4.89 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Why was this picked-up for a full season so quickly is beyond me. I am guessing NBC had to because they didn't want to cancel all of its new fall series except Up All Night.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did OK with a prelim 3.43 million and a prelim 0.9 18-49 rating, but lower than previous week.
• Suburgatory (ABC) - A repeat did a prelim 2.93 million and a prelim 0.9 18-49 rating, down a tad from previous week. It was a great second episode.
  
• Up All Night (NBC) - A repeat did a prelim 3.15 million and a prelim 0.9 A18-49 rating, actually up some from previous week.
  
• Whitney (NBC) - An instant repeat of the episode from the night before did a prelim 2.93 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Look for another repeat on Wednesday at 8:30, as this is its last Friday repeat.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are no comedies, as Fox's animated comedies are preempted for MLB ALCS.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, New Girl, 2 Broke Girls, How I Met Your Mother, Mike & Molly, Suburgatory, The Office, The Middle were impressive for the week again. Everything else was OK (such as Raising Hope Tues, Happy Endings) or just plain old terrible (such as Free Agents, Community, Whitney).