Sunday, May 27, 2012

Final Week of 2011-12 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

2011-12 Week 36 TV Ratings (final three nights of the season average, Mon-Wed): 

Households: #1. Fox 7.9 rating/12.6 share; #2. ABC 7.2/11.6; #3. CBS 4.5/7.2; #4. NBC 3.9/6.3; #5. The CW 0.4/0.7
Total Viewers: #1. Fox 13.51 million; #2. ABC 10.94 million; #3. CBS 6.75 million; #4. NBC 6.43 million; #5. The CW 0.64 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox. 4.2 rating/12.0 share; #2. ABC 2.6/7.3; #3. NBC 2.1/5.9; #4. CBS 1.5/4.3; #5 . The CW 0.3/0.8

Week 36 (May 21-27) Analysis: Week 36 is the final week of the season but it is only the first three days of the week, so really there is only 35 1/2 weeks during a TV season. For the final three nights of the season, Fox had the commanding lead thanks to American Idol. ABC was in second place across the board lead by its finales of Dancing and Modern Family. CBS was mainly in repeats , with only one hour of new programming only, so it had to settle for a distant third in HH/viewers but fourth in adults 18-49. NBC was fourth in HH/viewers, even losing to repeats on CBS, but they did beat them in adults 18-49. As for last week, week 35, Fox beat CBS by a tenth for the 18-49 crown again, while CBS again took home HH/total viewers. ABC was second in HH/viewers, but third in 18-49 (only a tenth behind CBS for second), while Fox was third in HH/viewers. And that left NBC fourth across the board again. NBC did finish the 2011-12 season in third place in 18-49 thanks to the Super Bowl. Without it, they would be down two tenths and back in fourth. Thanks to that bonus they were in third, but in all likelihood, barring a huge hit, they will be back in fourth next season. Fox won the season in adults 18-49, followed by CBS, NBC and ABC.

On Monday, it was NBC edging ABC by a tenth and Fox by two tenths. First, on ABC, Dancing with the Stars: The Finals started it off from 8-9pm doing a first place 16.84 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, up three tenths from previous week when it aired 8-9:30pm. From 9-11pm, The Bachelorette did a solid 7.53 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, off just two tenths from previous week's 90-minute premiere. For CBS, How I Met Your Mother was a repeat for some reason (the second year in a row CBS has done repeats the last week of the season) and did 4.06 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. A repeat of 2 Broke Girls followed doing 4.62 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, building from its lead-in. A repeat of Two and a Half Men followed at 9 with 7.23 million and a 2.0 rating, the best of the block as usual even though it seems below normal for a repeat. A repeat of Mike & Molly was next and did 6.29 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, which is serviceable. At 10, Hawaii Five-0 was preempted for a new Clash of the Commercials special doing 5.96 million and only a 1.3 18-49 rating, which is down from last season's special. Fox started off the night with a House retrospective special doing 6.27 million and a 2.1 rating, up two tenths from the season finale of Bones the previous week. Then at 9, it was the series finale of House doing 8.72 million and a 2.9 rating, up seven tenths from previous week. Not bad, but no where near what the series has done in the past. NBC started it off with America's Got Talent at 8 and did 9.66 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, which was down four tenths from previous week's two-hour premiere. Then from 9-11pm, NBC premiered the summer series America Ninja Warrior doing a solid 6.2 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating. It did better than the way more expensive Smash finale. The CW aired a repeat of One Tree Hill and did just 0.57 million and a 0.3 18-49 rating. Another repeat airing followed with 0.53 million and a 0.2 rating. Probably one of the last network airings of this series ever, if not the last one.

On Tuesday, it was Fox with the win. NCIS: LA at 8 started it off at a special time with a repeat doing 7.51 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating. Then two hour of repeats of NCIS at a special time did 9.17 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating at 9 and 9.34 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating at 10. ABC aired an encore of the previous night's Dancing with the Stars: The Finals at 8 and did 8.83 million and a 1.3 18-49, which beat the one-hour of Cougar Town the previous week. From 9-11pm, the live Dancing with the Stars: The Finale did 17.75 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, up eleven tenths from previous week, as we crowned Donald Driver the season 14 champion. The lowest rated finale for this show, but still solid enough. Fox aired part one of the American Idol finale and it did 14.85 million and a 4.4 18-49 rating, great numbers but no where near what it was doing in the past. It's almost back to earth. At 9, the season finale of Glee did 7.46 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, up four tenths from previous week. This show is no longer a big hit already. NBC was next with the an encore of America's Got Talent at 8 doing 5.24 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating in an hour of many repeats except for Idol. An all-new episode followed at 9 and did 9.44 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week's two-hour Tuesday premiere. At 10, a 20th Anniversary of Dateline special did 4.98 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, on par with previous week's Fashion Star finale. Yet NBC is bringing that reality series back? The CW had a repeat of of Hart of Dixie doing only 730,000 viewers and a 0.2 18-49 rating, in its new time period next fall. Then at 9pm, a new episode of LA Complex did just 450,000 viewers and a 0.2 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. What a disaster!

Wednesday it was all Fox with the Idol finale.  First, CBS started the night off with two comedy repeats. The Big Bang Theory aired at 8 doing 5.63 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up five tenths from previous week's comedy encore. At 8:30, a repeat of Two and a Half Men did 4.38 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, only up a tenth from previous week's comedy encore despite a higher lead-in. Then at 9, a repeat of Criminal Minds did 6.41 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating. Another repeat followed at 10 doing a similar 6.25 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating. ABC was all-new for its Laugh On comedy block, as the season finale of The Middle started it off doing 6.52 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week as it could be better but spring has hampered it a bit. A Modern Family encore at 8:30pm did 6.0 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up three tenths from previous week's Suburgatory season finale. The mega hit Modern Family was next at 9pm with its season finale and it did 10.07 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, which was up two tenths from previous week. At 9:30pm, the season finale of the hilarious Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 did 5.6 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up a solid five tenths from previous week.  At 10pm the addicting Revenge season finale did 7.85 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up four tenths from previous week. WOW! What a finale! The series moves to Sundays at 9 next fall and I expect a solid upswing for this promising series. Fox aired American Idol season finale from 8-10:06pm doing 21.49 million and a 6.4 18-49 rating, of course up from previous week by a large amount but its lowest rated finale since season one. NBC opened the night with a new Betty White's Off Their Rockers doing 5.39 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Another all-new episode followed at 8:30pm and did a similar 5.28 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week. Will return next season in mid-season again. At 9pm, a repeat of Law & Order: SVU at 9pm did 3.66 million and a 0.9 18-49, up a tenth from previous week. And at 10pm, the season finale of Law & Order: SVU did 7.16 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up three tenths from previous week. The CW had a repeat of Top Model start it off at 8pm doing 740,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating, down a tenth week-to-week. A new America's Next Top Model followed at 9 and did just 830,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week.

Starting from Thursday on, the summer season started! So we won't do an analysis, but stay tuned all summer to see how your favorite network sitcoms are doing--repeat or not!

Week 36 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 35 -- May 14-20)
  • The Simpsons (Fox) - The season finale at 8pm did 4.82 million and just a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is below normal but up two tenths from previous week. Not good. Lowest rated finale ever it seems for this show. At 7pm, a repeat did 2.36 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, which was up a tenth from previous week.
  • The Cleveland Show (Fox) - The season finale at 7:30pm did 3.01 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Way too low.
  • Bob's Burgers (Fox) - The season finale at 8:30pm did 3.57 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is not too good and down a tenth from previous week despite its lead-in going up.  This show really should not be back.
  • Family Guy (Fox) - The one-hour season finale did 5.35 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, for the best of the block and up two tenths from previous week. Lowest rated finale for this show ever.
  • American Dad! (Fox) - preempted.
Monday Sitcoms
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat (yes in sweeps) did 4.06 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Seems low.
  • 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat of this comedy did 4.62 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, growing from its lead-in. Will it be ready at 9pm to anchor the night? I don't think total viewers will be as strong as Men.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A repeat did 7.23 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. This show usually repeats better. We shall see how it does this summer.
  • Mike & Molly (CBS) - 6.29 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating for a repeat is OK.
Tuesday Sitcoms
  • Last Man Standing (ABC) - preempted.
  • Cougar Town (ABC) - preempted, one-hour finale this Tuesday.
  • New Girl (Fox) - preempted.
Wednesday Sitcoms
  • The Middle (ABC) - The season finale did 6.52 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Should bounce back to high 2's/low 3's in fall.
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A special repeat did 5.63 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating at 8. Solid!
  • Suburgatory (ABC) - preempted.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A special repeat at 8:30pm did just 4.38 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating. Losing steam from its lead-in. Weird.
  • Modern Family (ABC) - The season finale of this mega hit did 10.07 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths from previous week's season low.
  • Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 (ABC) - The season finale did 5.6 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up five tenths from previous week. Pretty impressive against the final half-hour of Idol finale.
Thursday Sitcoms
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A repeat at 8 did 8.27 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, off two tenths from previous week. Should stay above a 2 all summer.
  • Rules of Engagement (CBS) - A repeat did 6.12 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating.
  • Community (NBC) - preempted.
  • 30 Rock (NBC) - preempted
  • The Office (NBC) 2 airings - A repeat at 8 did just 2.26 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating.  Another repeat followed at 8:30 doing an embarrassing 1.86 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating.
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) - preempted.
Friday Sitcoms
  • None.
Saturday Sitcoms
  • How to Be a Gentleman (CBS) 2 episodes - Two burn-off airings did nothing.
Airing tonight (Sunday) are no comedies.

Summing it up. Airings of Modern Family, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Middle, Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23) or just plain old terrible (such as The Office).


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, December 14

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 9)

Friday, December 13

  • Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Watch Kerry on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Space Force/Silicon Valley) - Jimmy appears on repeats of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC and on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Milana Vayntrub (Other Space), Jessica Lowe (Wrecked) and Jason Ritter (Another Period/The Class) - Milana, Jessica and Jason are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Spin City/Mad About You) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - NBC's Today catches up with Richard and Fred in the 9am hour.
  • Zosia Mamet (Laid/Girls) - Zosia talks about Laid on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Christian Slater (Breaking In) and Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Christian and Sarah are sitting down with Drew to talk all about working together on Dexter: Original Sin on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Lisa Kudrow (No Good Deed/HouseBroken/Web Therapy/The Comeback/Friends/Mad About You) - Lisa talks about chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Tom Selleck (The Closer) and Donnie Wahlberg (Return of the Mac) - Tom and Donnie discuss the series finale of Blue Bloods on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Nancy McKeon (The Facts of Life/Can't Hurry Love) - Nancy will be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

12/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Malcolm in the Middle Limited Reboot Headed to Disney+; King of the Hill Reboot Episode Titles Released
12/13 - Antenna TV's Christmas and New Year's Holiday Schedule; Apple TV+ and Peanuts Holiday Specials
12/12 - Harley Quinn Returns in January; Night Court Holiday Episode on NBC
12/11 - Valerie Bertinelli Hosting Game Show; Whitney Cummings Finding Ultimate Friends Fans
12/10 - 82nd Golden Globe Nominations; Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall
12/09 - Jamie Foxx Returns on Tuesday on Netflix; Ilana Glazer Hulu Comedy Special
12/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 9, 2024)
12/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Reboot in the Works; Family Guy Returning to Adult Swim
12/06 - Apple TV+ New Comedy Government Cheese; Prime Video Sets Half-Hour Police Drama
12/05 - Marlon Wayans to Guest Star on Poppa's House on CBS; Mo Returning to Netflix
12/04 - STARZ Comedy Thriller Sweetpea Renewed for Season 2; Bel-Air to End After Next Season
12/03 - Pluto TV Holiday Schedule; SNL December Hosts and Musical Performers
12/02 - Scripps Networks (Laff, Bounce, ION) Holiday Schedule; First Look at Watson on CBS
12/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 2, 2024)
11/30 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Desperate Housewives Creator Has Prequel Idea; Finale Date Set for The Talk
11/29 - Abbott Elementary Aces the Test on Multi-Platform; Dancing with the Stars' Resurgence
11/28 - 2024 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/27 - Henry Danger The Movie Premieres in January; Dexter: Original Sin Trailer
11/26 - The Way Home Returns for Season 3; Matthew Broderick and Son to Guest Star on Elsbeth
11/25 - Peacock's Laid Premieres December 19; Jon Hamm Drama Gets Season 2 Before Series Premiere
11/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 25, 2024)
11/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Renews It's Florida, Man; Simpsons Voice Actor Announces Retirement
11/22 - NBC's Happy's Place Gets Full Season; HBO Renews It's Florida, Man for Another Zany Season
11/21 - The CW Midseason 2025 Schedule; Voice of Milhouse Leaving The Simpsons
11/20 - NBC Midseason 2025 Schedule; Apple TV+ Announces The Studio
11/19 - Antenna TV's Thanksgiving on the Eastside: The Jeffersons Marathon; Fox Midseason 2025 Schedule
11/18 - Conan O'Brien to Host Oscars for First Time; Celebs for Season 3 of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test
11/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 18, 2024)
11/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Orders Kaley Cuoco Comedy from Hacks Creators; Reboot of Friday Night Lights in the Works
11/15 - Bookie Season 2 Premieres December 12 on Max; Apple TV+ Mythic Quest Is Back in January
11/14 - CBS Midseason 2025 Schedule; Reasonable Doubt Renewed for Season 3 on Hulu