SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. CBS 6.6 rating/10.6 share; #2. Fox 6.1/9.6; #3. NBC 4.0/6.5; #4. ABC 3.6/5.7; #5. The CW 0.7/1.2
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 10.42 million; #2. Fox 10.28 million; #3. NBC 6.59 million; #4. ABC 5.38 million; #5. The CW 1.09 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox 3.3 rating/8.9 share; #2. CBS 2.4/6.5; #3. NBC 2.4/6.5; #4. ABC 1.6/4.4; #5. The CW 0.5/1.3

Week 25 (March 5-11) Analysis: Week 25 saw a lot of repeats for some of the networks. Fox didn't have six-hours of Idol to boost their average this week. Through the first four nights, CBS has the slight edge in HH/viewers over Fox, but Fox has a bigger lead in 18-49 over CBS (and NBC is tied for second with CBS). For third, NBC is third in HH/viewers while being tied with CBS for second in 18-49. ABC, which had a lot of repeats, is in fourth across the board. When the week is over by tonight, ABC could overtake NBC in HH/viewers maybe. More on the prediction of week 25 below. As for last week, week 24, Fox took the crown in 18-49 and also total viewers (CBS had the slight HH edge). CBS was a close second in total viewers and a distant second in 18-49. ABC was third in HH/viewers, while ABC was tied with NBC for third in 18-49. NBC was fourth in HH/viewers.

On Monday, it was NBC with an easy win over mostly repeats. First, on ABC, The Bachelor Women Tell All Special started it off from 8-10pm with 8.19 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down just a tenth from the previous week's regular episode. The season finale is tomorrow night. At 10pm, Castle was a repeat and did 6.63 million and a 1,4 18-49 rating, a solid repeat number for it...it returns with new episodes starting March 19. For CBS, How I Met Your Mother was a repeat doing 6.14 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, a solid repeat performance. Then a repeat of breakout hit 2 Broke Girls followed doing a better 7.0 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, but seems below normal for a repeat. At 9pm, a repeat of Two and a Half Men did a below normal 7.94 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating. A repeat of Mike & Molly followed and did 6.89 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, which is also below normal. A repeat of Hawaii Five-0 was next doing 6.67 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. Fox preempted House for two new episodes of the struggling new drama Alcatraz and it did 5.82 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating at 8pm and a second episode at 9pm did 5.47 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. NBC was in first place (gasp!) and started it off with a two-hour The Voice and did 16.85 million and a 6.2 18-49 rating, which up a good eight tenths from previous week. Yes, against mainly repeats, but still great. Then at 10pm week five of critical darling Smash was next at 10 and benefited with limited competition doing 7.76 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which was up four tenths from the previous week. The real test begins March 19 and it will likely be third place in 18-49. The CW was in repeats, at 8pm a special repeat of America's Next Top Model aired and did 920,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating. At 9pm a repeat of Hart of Dixie did just 630,000 viewers and a 0.2 18-49 rating. Yes, repeats, but wow...bad.

On Tuesday, it was Fox with a low-rated win as the competition was mainly in repeats. First at CBS, a repeat of NCIS at 8 started it off with 14.49 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is solid for a repeat. Then a repeat of NCIS: Los Angeles at 9pm did 12.1 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating. At 10pm, a repeat of Unforgettable did 8.33 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating. ABC started with a repeat of Last Man Standing with Tim Allen leading the night off doing 5.5 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which could have been better but I think there were some Super Tyuesday preempts. At 8:30pm, a new episode of the awesome Cougar Town did 4.33 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, which is down again a tenth from previous week. There were definitely preempts for this show (i.e. Atlanta and Detroit). The episode this week is HILARIOUS--a must see with a Scrubs reunion. Sarah Chalke continues her four-episode arc. At 9pm, new horror/adventure series The River did 4.21 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Should be better than this. Body of Proof was a repeat at 10 and did 4.72 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. Fox will bring back Glee in early April, but for now a four-show comedy block! At 8pm, Raising Hope moved to a new time doing 4.74 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating. On par with what it usually does at 9:30pm...one reason for that is repeats on competition. At 8:30pm the return of I Hate My Teenage Daughter did only 3.74 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating. New Girl was new at 9 too and did 6.0 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, yes below normal but solid. At 9:30pm Breaking In had its second season premiere and did just 3.6 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating. Wish it did better. NBC was next with The Biggest Loser from 8-10pm doing 6.03 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week for a series low. At 10pm, NBC News had a Super Tuesday special, as Fashion Star premieres this week, doing just 2.56 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, though it aired at different times on NBC stations. The CW was new with 90210 doing 1.26 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, a little better. Then at 9pm, Ringer was new and did 1.25 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating, up a tenth week-to-week.

Wednesday it was Fox with the easy win again with a two-hour expanded Idol leading the way of course. First, CBS started the night off with a new Survivor: One World doing 10.78 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, which is up three tenths from the previous week. Then at 9pm, a repeat of Criminal Minds did 7.15 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, as it could do better. And at 10pm a repeat of CSI did 8.34 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, building from its lead-in actually. ABC was almost all repeats for its Laugh On comedy block with a repeat of The Middle doing 5.22 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. Suburgatory followed with a repeat at 8:30pm doing 4.55 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, which held on to 100% of its lead-in. The mega hit Modern Family was next at 9pm with a repeat and it did 6.14 million and 2,4 18-49 rating, which was #1 for the week in repeats so far. At 9:30pm, Happy Endings was new and did 4.49 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down seven tenths from the previous week when its lead-in was new. Not bad. At 10pm the addicting Revenge will return in April, but the ABC News series Revenge for Real aired and did 5.03 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, not bad but I wish ABC aired Cougar Town back-to-back in this hour for six weeks until Revenge returns. Fox aired American Idol from 8-10pm doing 18.69 million and a 5.7 18-49 rating, up seven tenths from previous week. NBC opened the night with a new episode of the terrible series Whitney doing 4.23 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth from the previous week. Week nine of Are You There, Chelsea followed with only 3.62 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, but up two tenths from previous week's series low. At 9pm, a Law & Order: SVU repeat did only 3.46 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating at a special time. And at 10pm, Rock Center with Brian Williams was new in its temporary new time period and did 3.53 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, not good. The CW had a new One Tree Hill at 8pm doing 1.47 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. This show is ending and its one of their best performing series. Sad. Then at 9pm, week two of America's Next Top Model did 1.32 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth from its season premiere actually.

Thursday it was Fox edging CBS. Starting with ABC, they opened the night with a repeat of Winter Wipeout doing 4.47 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. At 9pm, a repeat of Grey's Anatomy aired doing 4.09 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, up three tenths from previous week. At 10pm, Private Practice was preempted for an encore of GCB pilot doing 3.78 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, nit bad and nearly beat a new NBC airing at 10. CBS opened with a new The Big Bang Theory at 15.04 million and a 5.1 18-49 rating, the best of the (repeat driven) week in scripted series. Then a special repeat was next doing 12.41 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating. That's the second best repeat performance of the season for any show. A new Person of Interest did 15.67 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, for a series high. All of a sudden this show is hot. A new The Mentalist followed and did 13.84 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, great for 10pm. Fox aired American Idol at 8 doing 17.27 million and a 4.9 18-49 rating, down five tenths from previous week when it was two hours. Fox aired the Thursday finale of The Finder as it moves to Fridays at 8pm next month, doing 7.08 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. NBC was all-new with a new 30 Rock up first doing just 3.42 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. At 8:30pm, Parks and Recreation did just 3.66 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. The Office was next and did just 4.89 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Maybe one final season and that's it? At 9:30pm Up All Night was new and did just 3.44 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating. At 10pm, week two of Awake did not do much with 4.33 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, down four tenths from the premiere. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries was a repeat and did 1.0 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, on par week-to-week. Then at 9pm, drama The Secret Circle was preempted for a repeat of Supernatural and did just 830,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating, which was on par with previous week.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS this time beat ABC, as both networks are going back and forth for wins each week. ABC was solid with Shark Tank at 8pm but CBS was on top at 8 with Undercover Boss. At 9pm What Would You Do? dropped for ABC as a special Friday all-new episode of The Mentalist took the hour for CBS, leaving NBC's Grimm in second. CBS' Blue Bloods was solid at 10 and won the hour. Fox's Fringe is on hiatus until April.
Saturday numbers have ABC winning the night for a second straight week as Fox continued to struggle with Q'Viva. ABC was led once again by the 9-11pm limited news series 20/20: My Extreme Affliction which did well for a Saturday once again.

Tonight ABC's line-up is all-new with AFV, Once Upon a Time, Desperate Housewives and GCB. Look for a first place finish once again, as Desperate Housewives has a HUGE episode tonight. You won't want to miss this! NBC has Dateline at 7 followed by the new night and time of old skewing Harry's Law, then a two-hour Celebrity Apprentice, from 9-11pm. CBS has new airing of 60 Minutes then a new Amazing Race, followed by new episodes of The Good Wife and CSI: Miami. I think that is a fourth place finish for CBS, though. Fox has all-new episodes of Animation Domination starting at 7:30pm, including the season premiere of Bob's Burgers.

As for the week (week 25), Fox will likely win the week in 18-49, but I think CBS will hang on to HH/viewers. ABC will likely overtake NBC for third in HH/viewers, but I think NBC will hand on to third in 18-49 as ABC was in repeats most nights this week. As for the coming week (week 26), ABC launches new drama Missing at 8pm on Thursday. They are primarily all-new this week except for a show or two, so look for them to be back on the ratings game. The comedy pick of Tuesday goes to Cougar Town again as a Scrubs mini-reunion is on this week's episode. I've seen it already and it is FANTASTIC. If you don't laugh on this episode then you need psychiatric help. Seriously.

Week 25 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 24 -- Feb. 27-Mar. 4)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - A new episode did 5.09 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, which is decent.
  
• Napoleon Dynamite (Fox) - The season finale did 4.05 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, as it is on the fence to come back next season.
  
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A new episode at 7:30pm did just 3.11 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. This show needs to be airing at 8:30.
  
• Bob's Burgers (Fox) - A repeat at 7pm did 1.97 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Season premiere is tonight at 8:30pm.
  
• Family Guy (Fox) - A new showing at 9 did 5.33 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, the best of the block like usual but this show is doing lower ratings this season it seems.
• American Dad! (Fox) - A new airing at 9:30pm did 4.29 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, its normal showing and retention.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat did 6.14 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. It seems above normal a bit for a repeat.
  
• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat did 7.0 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is good but this show has done better than this in repeats.
  
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 7.94 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating is not that great for this show. Still overall in the sitcom world, this is a good repeat performance.
  
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - A repeat did 6.89 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. Below a 2 is below normal for this show.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Last Man Standing (ABC) - A repeat in its 8pm half-hour did 5.5 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which is OK.
  
• Cougar Town (ABC) - A new episode did 4.33 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down a tenth again from previous week. There were some unfortunate preemptions due to Super Tuesday and its highest rated market Detroit preempted it for a special (why?). A great episode is airing this Tuesday with Scrubs stars all over the play--a must see. It is a BRILLIANT episode, as I saw it already! I highly recommend!
• Raising Hope (Fox) - The new time period was off to an OK start against repeats doing 4.74 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating. That's just what it does at 9:30pm, so good enough for this slot. Question is when new episodes of series airs against it, will it be pretty?
  
• I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox) - The series returned on a new night and time to just 3.74 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating.
  
• New Girl (Fox) - A new episode at 9pm did 6.0 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating. Who needs a Glee lead-in?
  
• Breaking In (Fox) - The second season premiere was off to a slow start doing just 3.6 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating.
  

• The Middle (ABC) - A repeat did 5.22 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, which is OK but seems below normal a bit.
  
• Suburgatory (ABC) - A repeat did 4.55 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, holding on to 100% of its lead-in.
  
• Whitney (NBC) - A new episode did just 4.23 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, which was up a tenth from previous week.
  
• Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC) - Week nine did only 3.62 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, but up two tenths from previous week's series low.
  
• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did 6.14 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, the best repeat performance thus far for a sitcom.
  
• Happy Endings (ABC) - A new episode following a repeat did 4.44 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down seven tenths from previous week when its lead-in was new. The entire comedy block is ALL-NEW this week so it will go up big this week.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) 2 airings - A new episode at 8 did 15.04 million and a 5.1 18-49 rating, which is great of course. A repeat followed with a great 12.41 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, but that followed a new episode so it was inflated from normal.
  
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - Returns March 29!
  
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode at 8 did just 3.42 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Time to go.
  
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) - A new episode did just 3.66 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week.
  
• The Office (NBC) - A new episode did just 4.89 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Still low for this show.
  
• Up All Night (NBC) - A new episode did just 3.44 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. One season and done?
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are Fox's animated comedies from 7-10pm with new episodes starting at 7:30pm.

Summing it up. Airings of The Big Bang Theory, New Girl, Modern Family, 2 Broke Girls, Two and a Half Men, 2 Broke Girls were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as Raising Hope, The Office) or just plain old terrible (such as Breaking In, 30 Rock).