SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. CBS 7.6/11.9 (rating/share); #2. Fox 5.9/9.2; #3. ABC 5.4/8.4; #4. NBC 3.9/6.1; #5. The CW 1.2/1.8
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 12.04 million; #2. Fox 9.59 million; #3. ABC 8.17 million; #4. NBC 6.23 million; #5. The CW 1.8 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox 2.9/8.0 (rating/share); #2. CBS 2.7/7.4; #3. ABC 2.2/6.1; #4. NBC 2.2/6.0; #5. The CW 0.7/1.8

Week 5 (Oct. 22-28) Analysis: For the fourth straight week, we saw another debate cause primetime to be messed up, this time on Monday. And oh, November sweeps started on Thursday. Through the first four nights, CBS has the lead in in HH/viewers, but Fox has sneaked up on top in 18-49 thanks to baseball, even though the games are way down. Fox is second in HH/viewers, followed closely by ABC. NBC is back in fourth. In 18-49, Fox and CBS are battling for first, while ABC and NBC are tied for third. I expect CBS to take the week in HH/viewers. Fox will likely remain second in HH/viewers, with ABC in third and NBC a close fourth thanks to NFL. Among adults 18-49, NBC will likely come back and take it again, unless Fox's NFL overrun tonight is too much to overcome. CBS and ABC will battle for third. More on that later. As for last week, week 4, NBC won the week again among adults 18-49 thanks to the NFL game, just sneaking by CBS by a tenth.  ABC was third and a few tenths behind, while Fox was a distant fourth. Among total viewers, CBS took that crown again followed by ABC this time in second.  NBC was a close third, followed by Fox way behind.

Monday started off week five and it was affected by the fourth debate. Starting with ABC, a one-hour Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars did 13.27 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week when it was two-hours. Tomorrow it will be back to two hours. ABC News' coverage of the final presidential debate followed at 9pm ET and did not count in the ratings. Castle was preempted and ABC aired the debate analysis from 10:35-11pm ET and did 8.05 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down from usual in the time slot. For NBC, a one-hour The Voice, which is in week seven actually, did 12.02 million and a night best 4.3 18-49 rating, but down five tenths in 18-49 from previous week when it was two-hours. NBC News' coverage of the final presidential debate followed at 9pm ET and did not count in the ratings. Revolution was preempted and NBC aired the debate analysis from 10:35pm-11pm ET and did 9.33 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, right about what it does with normal programming in the time period. Next up was CBS. At 8, How I Met Your Mother was preempted for a rerun of Big Bang Theory and it did 7.72 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, solid for a repeat, but seems a little older skewing. Then Partners was preempted for a rerun of 2 Broke Girls that did 6.76 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, right on par with a NEW Partners, wow...not good for that new series. Then the regular 2 Broke Girls and Mike & Molly were preempted. CBS News' coverage of the final presidential debate followed at 9pm ET and did not count in the ratings. Hawaii Five-0 was preempted and CBS aired the debate analysis from 10:35-11pm ET and it did 6.17 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, down from what CBS normally does with normal programming. Fox was next but Bones and The Mob Doctor were preempted for MLB NLCS Game #7 doing 8.13 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating in primetime, but up eight tenths from game 2 the previous week. Still pretty low for a Game 7. The CW aired their Monday slumping dramas, with 90120 starting it off with just 910,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating, back down two tenths from its previous week. This has got to be the last season. And Gossip Girl followed with just 950,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating, on par with its previous again, as this show is going out with a whimper.

On Tuesday, it NBC prevailing in 18-49, just getting by CBS. Starting with CBS, NCIS was new and posted 17.78 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, which is below normal. At 9, a new NCIS: Los Angeles did 16.53 million and 2.8 18-49 rating, almost coming close to its parent show...wow. At 10pm a new Vegas did only 10.8 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating for a series low and down four tenths from its last new episode two weeks prior. But it's been picked up for a full season. ABC had part two of  Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars at 8pm and did 12.9 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week when it was a Results show. No Results on this week due to the debate. Then at 9pm, it was the season premiere of the very funny Happy Endings and that did 5.57 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, skewing older than normal thanks to its lead-in. This show usually skews very young. At 9:30pm, it was the season premiere of Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 and that did skew very young with 4.2 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, tying the competing NBC comedy. At 10pm, it was a new Private Practice and it did 4.58 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which is a series low. This is the final season.  NBC started off solidly with week 7 of The Voice in the 8pm hour doing 11.22 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, but down three tenths in18-49 from previous week. New comedy Go On followed with 6.12 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, but it still lost to the competing Fox comedy. At 9:30pm, fellow new comedy The New Normal didn't do that well with 4.33 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, tying the ABC comedy despite a higher lead-in. At 10pm a new Parenthood did 4.85 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, actually good enough for it to win the hour, ouch. Fox started it off with a new Raising Hope at 8pm doing 4.1 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which was on par in 18-49 from the previous week. Then week five of Ben & Kate followed doing only 2.99 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, but up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Still a horrible decision to quickly pick up six more episodes. At 9pm,  New Girl was all-new and did 5.16 million and 2.7 18-49 rating, third in viewers among the 9p comedies but first in 18-49. The new comedy The Mindy Project was preempted for Fox's special X Factor episode that aired from 9:30-10:30pm and did only 5.71 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. Should have just went with Mindy. The CW aired a new Hart of Dixie at 8pm and did 1.32 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating, which was down a tenth in 18-49 from the previous week. New series Emily Owens MD had its second episode at 9pm and did 1.11 million and a disappointing 0.3 18-49 rating, down two tenths from its series premiere. Not good.

Wednesday it was Fox with the win with game 1 of the World Series, but it was not big. First, CBS started the night off with week six of Survivor: Philippines at 10.23 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, again on par in 18-49 from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds followed at 9 with 11.61 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, also again on par in 18-49 week-to-week. A new CSI at 10 did 9.95 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. ABC started off with its Comedy Wednesday comedy block with a new Halloween episode of The Middle doing 8.8 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week again. Great episode again! At 8:30pm, The Neighbors was new at 8:30pm with its Halloween episode and did 6.96 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. It is doing decent, I think. At 9pm, Modern Family was all-new for Halloween as well and did 12.52 million and a very good 4.9 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 week-to-week. At 9:30, a new Halloween episode of Suburgatory posted 7.37 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, down a tenth from its season premiere. The third episode of Nashville was next at 10pm, and it was outstanding, posting 6.54 million and 2.0 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 from previous week. Not too bad, just a little higher and it will win the time period.  Fox had to preempt The X Factor for Game 1 of the World Series that did 12.65 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating in primetime and 12.24 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating overall, that is below average. NBC opened the night with a new Animal Practice, which is awful by the way, dropping to 3.68 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, but up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's series low. It will be pulled after this week's episode. At 8:30pm, the news wasn't good either but a tad better with new comedy Guys with Kids doing only 3.84 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 from previous week one again. Law & Order: SVU was next at 9pm and did just 6.77 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, but up three tenths in 18-49 week-to-week. Week three of Chicago Fire followed at 10 and did 6.42 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up three tenths from the previous week, so it stopped the bleeding a bit. The CW had week three of Arrow and it did well with 3.51 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from the previous week. Week four of Supernatural at 9pm followed and did 1.86 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, but down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a season low. Wednesday are still looking solid for The CW!

Thursday it was Fox with a sneak by win because of the World Series. But first, ABC opened the night with week five of Last Resort doing 6.53 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, down four tenths in 18-49 from previous week, as it seems it was affected by World Series?. Grey's Anatomy was new at 9pm and did 8.76 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, which is down four tenths from previous week...very strange. At 10pm, Scandal was all-new as well and did 6.11 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Another very good episode! CBS opened with a new The Big Bang Theory at 15.82 million and a 5.0 A18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Bested Modern Family by a tenth again this week for #1 comedy in 18-49. A new episode of Two and a Half Men followed with 12.94 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week's season high. Then Person of Interest was new at 9pm and did 14.03 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, which was up a tenth in 18-49 week-to-week but still second to the ABC drama. At 10pm, a new Elementary posted 10.31 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, down a tenth week-to-week and could be better. Fox had to preempt The X Factor and Glee for MLB World Series Game #2 and posted 12.05 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating in primetime and 12.34 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating overall. NBC was still in the familiar fourth place with a new 30 Rock doing 3.13 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating only, on par in 18-49 from previous week's series low. A new Up All Night followed and did only 3.21 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 week-to-week. Still not good at all. Then The Office was new at 9pm and did just 4.0 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week and another series low. At 9:30pm Parks & Recreation did just 3.34 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, but up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, Rock Center with Brian Williams posted 3.72 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous as we still continue to wonder why is this still on the air. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries had a new airing and did 2.87 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 from the previous week.  New series Beauty & the Beast was next at 9pm and did 1.88 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week...disappointing.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but ABC took the top spot again on Friday. ABC won the 8pm hour with week seven of Shark Tank but down a tad from its series high the previous week, while CBS was very low with its dramas like CSI: NY at 9pm. NBC jumped to first at 9pm with Grimm, as ABC's WWYD was preempted, while CBS' Blue Bloods took 10pm.  Fox was very low with Kitchen Nightmars & Fringe and NBC did OK with the busted pilot Mockingbird Lane at 8.
Saturday numbers had ABC win the night with College Football, as Fox's World Series was a close second.  CBS and NBC's encores 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 again the top series on the night excluding NFL. ABC should be third tonight again. NBC will do well with the NFL with Saints and Broncos, which will win them the night and maybe 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. Fox preempts its animation block for MLB World Series Game #4, should be good for #2 for the night, though.

As for the week (week 5), CBS will win in HH, viewers but 18-49 is going to be a battle with NFL on Fox and NBC. Can Fox make the push for a win to dethrone NBC? Or will NBC make it five weeks in a row thanks to the NFL? For sure they will be first or second in 18-49, though. Fox will finish second likely in HH/viewers, followed by ABC and NBC. In 18-49, Fox and NBC will battle for first, then ABC should be third in 18-49, while CBS could be close by too. As for the coming week (week 6), look for more November sweep action, but the east cost could be affected by the hurricane Monday and Tuesday...so watch out for low ratings. End of the week has the season premiere of Last Man Standing on Friday at 8 followed by the series premiere of Malibu Country at 8:30pm on ABC, as Friday's #1 show Shark Tank moves to 9 to grow even more.

Week 5 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 4 -- Oct. 15-21)

Monday Sitcoms

Tuesday Sitcoms

Thursday Sitcoms