SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. CBS 7.6/12.0 (rating/share); #2. ABC 3.8/6.0; #3. NBC 3.8/6.0; #4. Fox 3.5/5.3; #5. The CW 1.1/1.7
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 12.07 million; #2. NBC 5.95 million; #3. ABC 5.85 million; #4. Fox 5.68 million; #5. The CW 1.71 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. CBS 2.9/7.9 (rating/share); #2. Fox 2.0/5.3; #3. NBC 1.8/5.0; #4. ABC 1.7/4.8; #5. 0.7/1.9

Week 12 (Dec. 10-16) Analysis: We're in the holiday season and this week has had many fall finales, but some holiday specials and repeats as well. Through the final first four night averages CBS has the lead in 18-49 and total viewers. NBC, ABC, Fox are very close to each other in HH/viewers. Fox has the edge for second place in 18-49, with NBC and ABC right behind. When the week is done, NBC could come back and take the week in 18-49 once again thanks to the NFL tonight over CBS. But not so fast, as CBS has the NFL overrun tonight, so they could hang on to first place in 18-49. More on that later. As for last week, week 11, NBC took home first in adults 18-49, three tenths higher than second place, which was CBS and Fox. ABC was well back in fourth. Among total viewers, CBS took that crown, while NBC was second. Fox and ABC battled for third, but Fox had the edge in viewers (they were tied in HH).

Monday had CBS on top in adults 18-49 and total viewers, as NBC cut The Voice to an hour and suffered. But starting with ABC, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - Holidays is airing 8-10pm this December and the 8pm hour did 4.52 million but just a 1.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week, though. Part two followed at 9 with 4.68 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, also up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. A repeat of Castle followed at 10pm and did 5.09 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating.  For NBC, they only had an one-hour The Voice doing 12.33 million and a night best 3.8 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week when it was two-hours. At 9pm, the premiere of new game show Take It All didn't do great with 7.12 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating. The holiday special Michael Buble Christmas followed with 5.66 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down 1.3 points in 18-49 from previous week's Blake Shelton Christmas Special. CBS won the night with new episodes, as How I Met Your Mother did 8.82 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from the previous week. A repeat of The Big Bang Theory followed and did 9.76 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, up eight tenths in 18-49 from previous week's repeat of 2 Broke Girls in the same time period. A new 2 Broke Girls followed with 11.04 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, which is up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Next, another new episode of 2 Broke Girts followed, preempting Mike & Molly, and did 10.78 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, which is up seven tenths in 18-49 from  previous week's new Mike & Molly. A new Hawaii Five-0 at 10pm did 9.84 million and a 2.5 18-49, up two tenths in 18-49 week-to-week and the best it has done in a long time. Fox preempted Bones and dud The Mob Doctor for the American Country Music Awards and did 5.07 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which is not too good. The CW aired a new 90210 at 8 with 1.11 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. And a new Gossip Girl followed with 1.06 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, which is actually up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Both did their best in awhile. 

On Tuesday, it was CBS with the win in total viewers, but NBC with the slight edge in 18-49. A new NCIS aired at 8 and did 17.65 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, which is way below normal for this show. Next a new NCIS: Los Angeles at 9 did 15.12 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, also below normal but not as much as the lead-in. And finally at 10pm, a new episode of freshman Vegas did 10.33 million and only a 1.5 18-49 rating. This will not make it into a second season at this rate. Onto ABC, at 8pm the annual holiday special Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town did a solid 5.61 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, but down from last season. At 9pm a new Happy Endings did 3.22 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from from previous week. Wish it was doing a 1.5+ at least. At 9:30pm a new Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 did only 2.49 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating. Too much comedy in the Tuesday 9-10pm hour. At 10, Private Practice did 4.42 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. I don't see promos anymore now, so not a good sign. NBC started off with The Voice doing 11.52 million and a 3.6 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9pm, new comedy Go On and new comedy The New Normal were preempted for night two of Take It All doing just 7.18 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, though on par in 18-49 with previous night. A new Parenthood at 10pm did 5.73 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Quietly winning its hour these days. Fox had its comedies with a new Raising Hope doing 4.03 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week's season low. A repeat (yikes) of Ben and Kate followed with only 2.19 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating. Why repeat this? A new New Girl was up next with 4.18 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week. Needs to do better as the NBC competing comedy wasn't even airing. And finally a new The Mindy Project did just 3.07 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, back up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. This show should not be back for a second season. The CW had a new Hart of Dixie at 8pm and did 1.41 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. New series Emily Owens MD was preempted for the holiday special Muppets Christmas Letters to Santa doing 1.06 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week's Emily Owens, ouch.

Wednesday had Fox and CBS tie in 18-49, with ABC right behind. First, CBS started the night off with a new episode of Survivor: Philippines at 10.37 million and a 2.8 18-49, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds followed at 9 with a new episode doing 12.01 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 10, a new CSI did 9.59 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, which is below normal. ABC kicked off the night with a new episode  of The Middle doing 7.29 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a season low. At 8:30pm a new The Neighbors did 5.4 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 for a series low. I guess some did not know these were new. At 9pm, a new Modern Family did 10.94 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, which is below normal as well.  Suburgatory and Nashville were preempted for the annual Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012 and did 7.63 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down slightly from last year. On Fox, a new two-hour The X Factor did 7.79 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week and still good enough to tie for the on this night. Onto NBC, Whitney was all-new at 8 and did just 3.77 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, but up a tenth in 18-49 week-to-week. At 8:30, Guys with Kids was a repeat and did 2.73 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, which is not good. At 9, Law & Order: SVU was preempted for night three of Take It All and it bombed with 3.4 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, 100% lower than previous two nights. At 10pm, a new Chicago Fire did 4.87 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down five tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a series low. The CW aired a new episode of Arrow and did great with 3.11 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, but down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9, Supernatural was preempted for the CW airing of Victoria Secret Fashion Show and did 1.52 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, which is solid.

On Thursday, CBS took the night in both 18-49 and total viewers. Starting with ABC, a new Last Resort did 4.94 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, back down  two tenths in 18-49 from previous week, tying a series low. A new Grey's Anatomy followed at 9pm and did 8.17 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week but solid as usual and great for a show in season nine. At 10pm, another electrifying episode of Scandal did 7.14 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's season high. #WhattheHuck is going on? What an episode! CBS had a night of new episodes. They opened with a new Christmas episode of The Big Bang Theory doing 16.74 million and a 5.4 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week and a clear #1 for entertainment series for the week. A new Two and a Half Men was up next with 13.34 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 for a season high. At 9pm, a new Person of Interest followed with 14.08 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, which is again on par in 18-49 with previous week. At 10pm, a new Elementary closed the night with 10.46 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week but still had to settle for second place. Fox had The X Factor start the night with 7.69 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Then at 9 a new Glee did 5.26 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a new low. NBC had another dreadful Thursday. 30 Rock was preempted for two all-new episodes of struggling Up All Night as the 8pm airing only did 2.87 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. A second airing did only 2.68 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is off a tenth in 18-49 from previous week in the time period. Switching to multi-camera will make this show do even lower, I think.  At 9, The Office and Parks & Recreation were preempted for night four of Take It All and it did only 3.93 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, but up a tenth in 18-49 from the previous night. Still awful. And it got worse at 10pm with a new Rock Center with Brian Williams doing just 3.42 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries was new and did 2.81 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. New series Beauty and the Beast also was new and did 1.59 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS and ABC were tied for first in 18-49. A new Last Man Standing was second in its half hour with adults 18-49 at 8pm on ABC and Malibu Country was solid again, but CBS took the hour in 18-49 with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. More holiday specials lifted CBS in first at 9pm, over a repeat of Shark Tank as NBC struggled with night five of Take It All. At 10pm, Dateline beat ABC's 20/20 among coverage of the Newtown school shooting, as CBS' coverage was a distant third.
Saturday belonged to CBS with Elf and 48 Hours, and the ABC movie was behind. Fox had the season premiere of Cops at 8 that did OK at best. NBC encores of Chicago Fire were no match.