SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. CBS 6.5 rating/10.2 share; #2. Fox 6.1/9.4; #3. ABC 4.2/6.6; #4. NBC 2.9/4.6; #5. The CW 1.0/1.6
Total Viewers: #1. Fox 10.38 million; #2. CBS 10.28 million; #3. ABC 6.33 million; #4. NBC 4.5 million; #5. The CW 1.55 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox 3.6 rating/9.6 share; #2. CBS 2.4/6.3; #3. ABC 1.9/5.2; #4. NBC 1.5/4.0, #5. The CW 0.7/1.8

Week 20 (Jan. 30-Feb. 5) Analysis: Week 20 (already?) had lots of repeats Mon-Wed, but Thursday was the start of February sweeps and everyone was new again. The first four night network averages has CBS and Fox sharing top honors, with CBS on top in HH, but Fox on top in total viewers/18-49. But it's very close. And it doesn't matter since NBC has the Super Bowl tonight and will come back and win the week, even though NBC is way back in fourth place right now. ABC follows in third everywhere. And then like mentioned, NBC is back in fourth place but the Super Bowl awaits tonight. More on the prediction of week 20 below. As for last week, week 19, Fox won the week in 18-49, while CBS took home the honors for HH/viewers. Fox was second in HH/viewers, while CBS was second in 18-49. NBC edged out ABC for third across the board in all categories with a boost from the NFL Pro Bowl.

On Monday, it was a Fox victory as usual Monday leader CBS was in repeats repeats again. First, on ABC, The Bachelor started it off from 8-10pm with 8.17 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, just of a tenth from previous week's season high. Added competition tomorrow might hurt the show a bit, but I don't think it will be down much, if at all. At 10pm, Castle was a repeat and did 6.71 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating. New episode tomorrow looks very good and the ending is supposed to be really good. Tune in. For CBS, How I Met Your Mother was a repeat doing 7.23 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, which is a solid and up some from previous week's encore. Then a repeat of the breakout hit 2 Broke Girls followed doing a better 7.82 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, with nice builds from the lead-in like usual and up a tenth week-to-week. At 9pm, a repeat of Two and a Half Men did 10.13 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, which is great and also up a tenth week-to-week. A repeat of Mike & Molly followed and did 8.45 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, which is solid but down a tenth from previous week. A repeat of Hawaii Five-0 was next doing 7.45 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Fox started with a new House at its new time of 8pm with 8.73 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, which is solid but down some from previous week's timeslot premiere. New drama Alcatraz was next at 9pm and did 8.44 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, off some from previous week. It has held up well, but now new episodes will air against it for the next four weeks at least. Can it remain here? NBC started it off with the finale of game show Who's Still Standing? and did 6.48 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week. Fear Factor was supposed to be new at 9pm, but they aired a repeat instead due to the content of one segment, and did just 3.98 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. Few episodes remain and will air as specials later this month on a Sunday. Rock Center with Brian Williams was next at 10 and did a terrible 3.29 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, down 100% from previous week's debate themed episode. Why is this show airing? Leno did better even. The CW was all-new, at 8pm the 100th episode of the why-is-it-still-on Gossip Girl did 1.39 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, which is only up a tenth from previous week. At 9pm a new Hart of Dixie did 1.54 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, also up a tenth from previous week.

On Tuesday, Fox took home the crown again over repeats. At CBS, they had a repeat of NCIS do 13.04 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which was off a tenth from previous week. Then they aired a repeat of NCIS: Los Angeles at 9pm and did 11.13 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. At 10pm, a repeat of Unforgettable did 7.85 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which was good enough to win its time period over other repeats. ABC started with a repeat of comedy Last Man Standing with Tim Allen leading the night off doing 5.52 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. At 8:30pm another repeat followed, doing 5.68 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Not bad, and both half-hours are new this Tuesday, so make a note. Kim Kardashian guests. Then Celebrity Wife Swap had its season finale and did 5.43 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, which was a season low. I think they might have one episode left to air still at some point. At 10pm Body of Proof was a repeat and did 5.19 million but just a 1.0 18-49 rating. The River premieres with a two-hour premiere this Tuesday (Feb. 7)--and I saw it already and it is amazing. The second hour will spook you out! Fox started with a new Michael Jackson-themed Glee and did 9.07 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, which was above average and the best ratings for this show since its season premiere. Then at 9pm, new comedy New Girl was new and did a solid 7.29 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, as it didn't build from its lead-in for I believe the first time. Maybe because the lead-in was above normal? Still good. Then Raising Hope was new and low like usual with just 4.62 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. It will be moving to 8pm for 7 weeks after February sweeps is over, which will probably break the series. NBC was next with The Biggest Loser from 8-10pm doing 6.11 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week when it was one-hour only. Parenthood was a repeat and did just 2.34 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, as this is one show that should never repeat. The CW started it off with a new 90210 and did 1.38 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, not good but on par with previous week. Then at 9pm, Ringer returned with a new episode and did 1.4 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, not good.

Wednesday it was Fox with the win again with Idol leading the way over repeats. First, CBS started the night off with the annual Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials doing 8.58 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is solid. Then at 9pm, a repeat of Criminal Minds did 8.18 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating. And at 10pm a repeat of CSI did 7.44 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. ABC was in repeats again for its Laugh On comedy block with The Middle doing 4.9 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Suburgatory followed at 8:30pm with 4.23 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which was also down from previous week. The mega hit Modern Family was next at 9pm and it did 7.64 million and 2.7 18-49 rating for a repeat, which is good and up some from previous week as Idol viewers fled here. At 9:30pm, Happy Endings was a repeat and did 5.14 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, up some from previous week for a classic season one episode repeat. New Valentine's themed episodes of the comedies air this Wednesday! Should do very well! At 10pm a repeat of the addicting Revenge did 3.31 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week and the next weeks are new episodes (Feb. 8 and 15) and they will be big, especially the 15th. Fox aired American Idol in the 8pm hour doing 18.48 million and a 6.0 18-49 rating, down another half a point from previous week and it hasn't stopped dropping yet. Still by far the best of the night. Fox then aired another Mobbed special and did only 7.87 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating out of the big lead-in, as looks like viewers fled to Modern Family. Look for them to do the same this Wednesday, so perhaps Modern Family will be close to season highs? Greg Kinnear guests. NBC opened the night with a new episode of the terrible series Whitney doing 4.33 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week's series low, but this is still not good. Week four of Are You There, Chelsea followed with only 4.04 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week but as with the lead-in still low and it will be facing new episodes of ABC comedies this week. At 9pm, Harry's Law was preempted for a repeat of Law & Order: SVU doing 4.76 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth from previous week but just as good as a new Harry's Law. Ouch Kathy Bates. And at 10pm, Law & Order: SVU was a repeat at its normal time and did 5.84 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up some from previous week and won its timeslot against other repeats. The CW had a new One Tree Hill at 8pm doing 1.52 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Then at 9pm a new Remodeled did only 690,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating, only up a tenth from previous week's encore in this slot. Eeck.

Thursday it was Fox over CBS once again on the first night of February sweep. Starting with ABC, they opened the night with a a new episode of Winter Wipeout doing 5.96 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. At 9pm, a new Grey's Anatomy aired doing 9.71 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating, up some from its last new episode a few weeks back. At 10pm, Private Practice was next and did 6.55 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. CBS opened with a new The Big Bang Theory at 16.54 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, great and on par with the previous week even with Idol airing opposite it again. In fact, it beat that show in its first half-hour for the third straight week and did a series high in total viewers! Wow. Then week four of Rob was next doing 11.06 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Still decent, but it could be better. A new episode of Person of Interest did 15.1 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, which is solid and a series best. A new episode of The Mentalist followed and did 13.78 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, good for first place on broadcast. Fox aired American Idol at 8pm doing 17.41 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, great and on par with previous week. It's just not a juggernaut anymore. Then a new episode of The Finder at 9pm did 6.87 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, down some from previous week as ABC, CBS were new and NBC aired The Office. NBC was all-new with a new 30 Rock up first doing just 3.23 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, for another series low. Then Parks and Recreation was next doing only 3.6 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from its series low. The Office was next and did just 5.31 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, for a season low at least and possibly a series low. At 9:30pm Up All Night was new and did just 3.7 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, as its not better than even Whitney. What a mess NBC is into. At 10pm, a new episode of new drama The Firm did only 2.97 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, for a series low and now it is moving to Saturdays at 9pm starting this week. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries was new and did 2.74 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, still below normal. Then at 9pm, drama The Secret Circle did just 1.74 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, The CW usual it seems.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but ABC and CBS tied for the Friday night win. ABC was solid with Shark Tank, while Kitchen Nightmares was solid for Fox at 8pm. At 9pm What Would You Do? was down, but not out. And 20/20 won the hour at 10pm and the best of the night with CBS' Blue Bloods. NBC's premiere of Who Do You Think You Are was low while Grimm was down. Fox had Fringe do terrible at 9pm and it doesn't look like another season is coming.
Saturday numbers have had a three-way tie for first with very low ratings for CBS, ABC and Fox. Cops on Fox lead the way for the night. NBC was dead last, as the NFL Honors special did nothing.

Tonight ABC's regular Sunday of AFV, Once Upon a Time, Desperate Housewives and Pan Am is preempted for repeats of AFV and The Middle & Modern Family. NBC has the Super Bowl which should do historic ratings followed by the post-Super Bowl airing of The Voice. Should do better than last year's Glee, but likely not better than Undercover Boss from two years ago. But that depends on how well the game does, I guess. CBS has repeats of 60 Minutes, Undercover Boss, NCIS and CSI: Miami. CBS will likely be fourth place though. Fox has repeats of Animation Domination all night.

As for the week (week 20), it will be NBC with the come from behind win thanks 100% to the Super Bowl. Without it, it would be way back in fourth for the week as it had some historic lows. CBS will be second in HH/viewers, with Fox likely second in 18-49... vice versa for third. ABC will have to settle for fourth place. As for the coming week (week 21), NBC has The Voice coming back starting tonight and then part two tomorrow night from 8-10pm leading into new drama Smash, which is a critical darling already, but can it deliver ratings? I think it will premiere decently, but it won't be a big hit after that. ABC will premiere new drama The River on Tuesday with a two-hour premiere from 9-11pm, and I have seen it and think it is great. Hopefully horror works on broadcast TV. Should open well. First full week of February sweep, probably the most exciting week since the middle of November! Enjoy!

Week 20 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 19 -- Jan. 23-29)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - An all-new episode did 5.03 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is OK. No direct NFL lead-in to help anymore.
  
• Napoleon Dynamite (Fox) - An all-new episode was way down from its two-episode premiere and did 4.42 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating. Needs to do better than that.
  
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - An all-new episode at 7:30pm did just 2.75 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Too early for this series to air, especially following a horrendous repeat lead-in.
  
• Bob's Burgers (Fox) - A repeat at 7pm did only 1.72 million and as 0.7 18-49 rating. Horrible.
  
• Family Guy (Fox) - A new episode was the best of the animated block doing 5.92 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, which seems to be the normal ratings of late when NFL doesn't boost it.
• American Dad! (Fox) - A new episode at 9:30pm did 4.77 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, not great but not terrible either.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat did 7.23 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, which is solid and up from previous week's repeat.
  
• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat did 7.82 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which is good and up a tenth from previous week.
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 10.13 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating for a repeat is great and also up a tenth from previous week.
  
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - A repeat did 8.45 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, solid but down a tenth from previous week. The only show from CBS Monday comedies to go down.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Last Man Standing (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat in its 8pm half-hour did 5.52 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. A second repeat at 8:30pm did 5.68 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Two all-new episodes this week, including one with special guest Kim Kardashian!
  
• Cougar Town (ABC) - Returns Feb. 14 at 8:30/7:30c! Tune in and spread the word. Penny Can!
  
• New Girl (Fox) - A new episode did 7.29 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, similar to what it has done recently but the lead-in was higher this week.
  
• Raising Hope (Fox) - A new episode did just 4.62 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. Not good and it will be leading off the new Fox comedy block in March at 8pm, so that's not going to be pretty.
  

• The Middle (ABC) - A repeat did 4.9 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which is below normal for a repeat.
  
• Suburgatory (ABC) - A repeat did 4.23 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down some from previous week.
  
• Whitney (NBC) - A new episode did just 4.33 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is at least better than its series low the previous week.
  
• Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC) - Week four did only 4.04 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up for the first time...but still not good.
  
• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did 7.64 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up from previous week and very solid for a repeat.
  
• Happy Endings (ABC) - A repeat did 5.14 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, up some from previous week and not bad at all for a repeat.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A new episode did 16.54 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week and it beat Idol head-to-head again. It was a series high in total viewers, too. Wow.
  
• Rob (CBS) - Week four did 11.06 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, which is solid against Idol but down some from previous week. I think Rules of Engagement would have done a bit better.
  
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode at 8pm did just 3.23 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, for another series low. NBC is saying that the ratings were low because of a listings error for DVR users.
  
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) - A new episode at 8:30pm did only 3.6 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up from its series low.
  
• The Office (NBC) - A new episode did just 5.31 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, as I believe that 18-49 rating is a series low, too.
  
• Up All Night (NBC) - A new episode did just 3.7 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, which isn't good and Whitney style in this time period.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A Saturday repeat did a prelim 3.34 million and a prelim 0.8 18-49 rating, better than previous week's comedy encore.
• Rob (CBS) - A Saturday repeat did a prelim 2.92 million and a prelim 0.7 18-49 rating, on par really with previous week's comedy encore.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are Fox's animated comedies from 7-10pm but animated encores. ABC has repeats of The Middle and Modern Family from 9-11pm on a special night/time.

Summing it up. Mix of new and repeat of The Big Bang Theory, New Girl, Rob, Two and a Half Men, 2 Broke Girls, Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, Happy Endings were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Office, Mike & Molly) or just plain old terrible (such as 30 Rock, Raising Hope).