SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. CBS 7.2/11.0 (rating/share); #2. ABC 6.5/10.0; #3. NBC 4.7/7.3; #4. Fox 3.9/6.0; #5. The CW 1.3/1.9
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 11.21 million; #2. ABC 9.88 million; #3. NBC 7.64 million; #4. Fox 6.53 million; #5. The CW 2.0 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. CBS 2.8/7.5 (rating/share); #2. NBC 2.7/7.4; #3. Fox 2.4/6.4; #4. ABC 2.3/6.1; #5. The CW 0.8/2.2

Week 3 (Oct. 8-14) Analysis: This week saw another debate cause primetime to be messed up on Thursday. Through the first four nights, CBS has the lead in all categories but it is very close, especially in 18-49. ABC is in second in HH/viewers but fourth in 18-49, but only a half a point behind CBS who is #1. NBC is third in HH/viewers, but second in 18-49, but that will change after tonight's NFL game and they could take the week again. They were actually helped out on Thursday as two-hours of the low rated Thursday line-up was preempted for the debate. Fox is in fourth in HH/total viewers and third in 18-49, but it could challenge NBC for the week with an NFL overrun tonight and MLB NLCS Game 1. I expect CBS to take the week in HH/viewers for sure. ABC will likely remain second in HH/viewers, with NBC third and Fox in fourth. Among adults 18-49, we can see some big changes after tonight once again, especially if Fox has a huge NFL overrun tonight. More on that later. As for last week, week 2, NBC won the week again among adults 18-49 thanks to the NFL game. CBS was second, while Fox and ABC trailed. Among total viewers, CBS took that crown again followed by ABC in second.  NBC was a close third again, followed by Fox.

Monday started off week three and it was the same as previous two weeks...NBC on top in 18-49 and ABC in total viewers. Starting with ABC, a two-hour Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars did 13.55 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Hopefully it will continue to go up and Paula Abdul will be a guest fourth judge tomorrow night. Competing against The Voice has hurt it. A new episode of Castle followed with a first place 10.61 million and a second place 2.2 18-49 rating, up three tenths in 18-49 from the previous week. Solid. For NBC, a two-hour The Voice, which is in week five actually, did 12.89 million and a night best 4.8 18-49 rating, up again two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, week four of Revolution did well for NBC with a third place 8.01 million but a first place 3.0 18-49 rating, but again down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It's been picked up for a full season, though. Next up was CBS with its comedies and the slumping Hawaii Five-0. How I Met Your Mother started it off with 7.82 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, down two tenths from previous week. Week three of Partners followed with just 5.71 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, also down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Not good for a CBS Monday comedy! If it goes any lower, it will be gone I think. Then it was 2 Broke Girls at 9pm doing 9.42 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Not as strong as the previous CBS Monday 9pm anchors, is it? A new Mike & Molly followed with 8.67 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, also down a tenth in 18-49 week-to-week. A new Hawaii Five-0 was next doing a second place 8.39 million but a third place 1.9 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Fox was next with week four of Bones doing 7.2 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating at 8pm, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Is this show quietly dying? Then the fourth episode of The Mob Doctor did only 3.36 million and 0.9 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from premiere week. Fox says they will air all 13 episodes, which is very strange. It will not get any more than those 13 episodes obviously. The CW aired season premieres, with 90120 starting it off with just 940,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating. Ouch! And Gossip Girl followed with just 780,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating. Time for these to go already! Horrible.

On Tuesday, it was CBS with the victory in total viewers but NBC sneaked by for an 18-49 win. CBS had the always reliable NCIS opening the night off with 18.51 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It has gone down seven tenths though since its season premiere, concerning, but still solid. A new NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 15.18 million and 3.0 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. And finally CBS aired week three of new series Vegas and did 11.78 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 from previous week, but had to settle for a tie for first place at 10. ABC was next with a special Dancing with the Stars All-Stars recap episode doing 8.25 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week's episode. The live Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars: The Results followed with 13.33 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. That was an action packed results show (loved the stars picking the dances for others)...one of the best ones ever. We sadly said goodbye to Drew Lachey and Helio Castroneves in a double elimination. A new episode of Private Practice followed and did 6.0 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, which was on par in 18-49 from previous week.  NBC started off solidly with week 5 of The Voice in the 8pm hour doing 12.19 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, up 1.5 18-49 ratings point from previous week's recap episode. New comedy Go On followed with 6.65 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, up five tenths in 18-49 from previous week but it still lost to the competing Fox comedy again despite a larger lead-in. Concerning, but it was picked up for a full season. And week five of The New Normal did 4.86 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which was up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. And it beat the new Fox comedy. A new Parenthood at 10pm did 4.95 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up a solid four tenths in 18-49 week-to-week. Seems like this show goes up and down a lot. Fox started it off with a new Raising Hope at 8pm doing 4.03 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, which was actually up a tenth in 18-49 from the previous week's season premiere. Then week three of Ben & Kate followed doing only 3.23 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. No matter how you spin it, that's not good news...but Fox picked-up six more episodes. That's So Fox. At 9pm, we had a new New Girl doing 4.94 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Low total viewers but still a solid 18-49 rating. Week three of the big disappointment The Mindy Project at 9:30pm did 3.55 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, but on par in 18-49 from previous week. Once again, That's So Fox, cause they picked-up nine more episodes. The CW aired a new Hart of Dixie at 8pm and did 1.19 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating, which was down two tenths in 18-49 from the season premiere the previous week. New series Emily Owens MD launches this Tuesday at 9pm.

Wednesday it was CBS with the total viewers win, but Fox in 18-49, though ABC was close by. First, CBS started the night off with week four of Survivor: Philippines at 9.82 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds followed at 9 with 11.49 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, which is below normal. A new CSI at 10 did 10.7 million and a second place 2.6 18-49 rating, solid. ABC started off with its Comedy Wednesday comedy block with a new episode of The Middle doing 7.9 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up two tenths from previous week. Not bad, but it could do better. At 8:30pm, The Neighbors was new at 8:30pm and did 6.39 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Honestly, that was a very funny episode. This show is surprising everyone and doing OK even. At 9pm, Modern Family was all-new and did 12.08 million and a very good 4.8 18-49 rating. But wait, there's more! A second all-new episode followed with an even better 12.31 million and a 4.9 18-49 rating, building from its first airing. The season premiere of Suburgatory will premiere this Wednesday at 9:30pm. It's a great one! The series premiere of Nashville was next at 10pm and was off to a solid start with 8.93 million and a first place 2.8 18-49 rating. Can it stay in this range now? If it stays 2.4-2.8 (or more), it will be fine.  Fox aired week five of The X Factor doing 9.56 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, on par with from previous week's one hour episode. NBC opened the night with a new Animal Practice, which is awful by the way, dropping to 3.8 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week and a series low. At 8:30pm, the news wasn't good either but a tad better with new comedy Guys with Kids doing only 4.19 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, also down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Law & Order: SVU was next at 9pm and did just 6.24 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. Time for this show to end. The series premiere of Chicago Fire followed at 10 and did 6.61 million and a just a 1.9 18-49 rating. Not good to premiere below a 2. The CW had the series premiere of Arrow and they did well with 4.14 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, wow! These are the types of shows The CW needs! Week two of Supernatural at 9pm followed and did 2.51 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's season premiere thanks to a nice lead-in. Good job CW!

Thursday it was CBS with the win for the third straight week, but it was atypical with the Vice Presidential Debate coverage airing from 9-11pm ET. ABC opened the night with week three of Last Resort doing 6.89 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, again down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Hopefully it goes up this Thursday with the whole line-up back. Grey's Anatomy and Scandal were preempted for ABC News Your Voice Your Vote 2012: Vice Presidential Debate. The debate doesn't count in the ratings, but the analysis from 10:33-11pm ET did and posted 6.06 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which is lower than what ABC would normally do in the half-hour. CBS opened with a new The Big Bang Theory at 14.23 million and a 4. A18-49 rating, down four tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Second to Modern Family for #2 comedy in 18-49 for the week. Week three of Two and a Half Men on a new night and time followed with 11.35 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Solid, but no better than Rules of Engagement in the time period. Then Person of Interest and Elementary were preempted for CBS Campaign 2012: Vice Presidential Debate. The debate doesn't count in the ratings, but the analysis from 10:33pm-11pm ET did and posted 5.93 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, also lower than what CBS would normally do in the half-hour. Fox aired week five of The X Factor and did 8.43 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Then Glee was preempted for the Fox Vice Presidential Debate. The debate doesn't count in the ratings, but the analysis from 10:33-11pm ET did and posted 4.14 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. NBC was in the familiar fourth place with a new 30 Rock doing 3.4 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating only, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Ouch. A new Up All Night followed and did only 2.88 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 week-to-week. Not good at all. Then The Office, Parks  Recreation and Rock Center with Brian Williams were preempted for NBC News Decision 2012: Vice Presidential Debate. The debate doesn't count in the ratings, but the analysis from 10:33-11pm ET did and posted 6.7 million and a 2.0 18-49, much higher than what NBC would normally do in the half-hour. NBC is the only one who benefited. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries had its season premiere and did 3.18 million and a very good (for CW) 1.6 18-49 rating.  New series Beauty & the Beast premiered at 9pm and did 2.78 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which is decent. If it stays here, CW has a solid option..

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but ABC took the top spot on Friday. ABC won the 8pm hour and the night with week five of Shark Tank tying a series high, while CBS did a bit better without Made In Jersey as CSI: NY moved back to 9pm. NBC won 9pm just barely with Grimm, as ABC's WWYD dropped a bit, while CBS tied ABC at 10pm with Blue Bloods. Fox had a poor night with a new Fringe trailing NBC, CBS and ABC.
Saturday numbers had ABC win the night with NASCAR, as Fox's college football game did nothing.

Tonight are new episodes for ABC Sunday (AFV, Once Upon a Time, Revenge and 666 Park Avenue). Look for a solid night and Once will be the top series on the night excluding NFL. NBC should do well with the NFL with Packers and Texans, which will win them the night and maybe come close to winning the week again (unless Fox does big with the overrun tonight). CBS has a new Amazing Race following 60 Minutes, and The Good Wife at 9pm leading into The Mentalist at 10pm. Looks like a fourth place finish with no NFL overrun. Fox preempts its animation block for MLB NLCS Game #1 following a NFL overrun. Should be good for #2 for the night?

As for the week (week 3), CBS will win in HH, viewers but 18-49 is anyone's game again depending on tonight. Can Fox make a push for a win? Or will NBC make it three weeks in a row thanks to the NFL? For sure they will be first or second in 18-49. ABC will finish second likely in HH/viewers, followed by NBC and Fox. In 18-49, Fox and NBC will battle for first, then ABC and CBS will battle for third. As for the coming week (week 4), look for another debate on Tuesday,  series premiere of Emily Owens M.D. and ABC's season premiere of Suburgatory!

Week 3 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 2 -- Oct. 1-7)

Monday Sitcoms

Tuesday Sitcoms

Thursday Sitcoms