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Week 17 (Jan. 14-20) Analysis: Top series The Big Bang Theory was a repeat as American Idol returned down from last season but still solid (and better than The Voice). We don't have final network average for Thursday, so we we can't bring you the network first four night averages above. But we can project through the first four nights, CBS has the lead in HH/total viewers, while Fox is on top in adults 18-49 thanks to the two-night/four hour Idol premiere. CBS is probably a few tenths behind for second place in 18-49, followed by ABC, then NBC a very distant fourth. Fox is second in HH/viewers, followed by ABC. Then NBC is a distant fourth and it could be a long winter for them. When the week is done, CBS will likely come back and take the week in 18-49 since they have the NFL AFC Championship Game in primetime tonight from 6:30-10pm. Fox will have to settle for second. More on that later. As for last week, week 16, CBS took home first in adults 18-49 helped by two NFL Playoff overruns on Saturday and Sunday nights, just getting by second place Fox, which had the primetime Saturday night NFL playoff game. Then NBC and ABC were well back. Among total viewers, CBS took that crown as well thanks to the overruns, while Fox was a distant second. NBC and ABC was behind Fox, but not by much

Monday saw CBS take the night as NBC and ABC battled with reality. Starting with ABC, a two-hour The Bachelor from 8-10pm did 7.49 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's season premiere. Nice. At 10pm, Castle was all-new and did 9.14 million and a solid 1.9 18-49 rating, on par with previous week in 18-49.  For NBC, they had a two-hour The Biggest Loser from 8-10pm doing 6.32 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week's season premiere. At 10pm, week two of new drama Deception didn't do much with 4.14 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, down four tenths in 18-49 from its series premiere the previous week. Not good news. CBS was in all-new  with its comedies, as a new How I Met Your Mother did 10.51 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, which is great and above normal for this season. A repeat of The Big Bang Theory at 8:30pm did 11.7 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, which is amazing.  At 9pm, a new 2 Broke Girls followed with 12.45 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, as no Dancing/Voice helps, I guess. Next, a new Mike & Molly did 11.46 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, which solid but this series could do better. A new episode of Hawaii Five-0 at 10pm did 9.59 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is a good number for this season. Fox aired two all-new episodes of Bones, as at 8 it did 8.04 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, while a second episode did 7.79 million and the same 2.1 18-49 rating. Look for new series The Following in the 9pm hour tomorrow night. The CW premiered new drama The Carrie Diaries at 8 and did 1.61 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, which is OK but could have been better.  At 9, an instant encore did 0.9 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, for some additional sampling. Look for 90210 to take over the 9pm hour tomorrow night.

On Tuesday, it was CBS with another easy win as the other networks aired comedies against each other. First for CBS, a new episode of NCIS aired at 8 did 22.86 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, near a series high in total viewers and up four tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It had been quiet this fall, but without much competition, it is striving this winter. Next a new NCIS: Los Angeles at 9 did 17.63 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, but this was down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. And finally at 10pm, a new airing of freshman Vegas did 11.27 million and only a 1.6 18-49 rating, which is on par in 18-49 week-to-week. Onto ABC, at 8pm a special repeat of Modern Family did a solid 5.13 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, beating the competing new Fox comedy in total viewers and tying it in 18-49 despite being down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A repeat of Suburgatory at 8:30pm beat the new Fox comedy in total viewers with 3.17 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, but that was down a half a point in 18-49 from previous week's repeat of The Middle in the same time period. A new Happy Endings got a bit of a bump thanks to the lead-in of comedies and did 3.05 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which still could be better and down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9:30pm, a new Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 didn't do well with just 2.73 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week in 18-49. Private Practice was new for its penultimate episode doing only 4.1 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, up only a tenth in 18-49 week-to-week. It should go up this week for sure for the series finale. I don't think ABC expects a 2, but close to it should be good. NBC aired new episodes of Betty White's Off Their Rockers from 8-9pm. At 8pm it did 5.41 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, losing to an ABC comedy repeat and down a tenth in 18-49from previous week. At 8:30pm it did better with 5.96 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, but that also was down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9pm, a new Go On did only 4.45 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's series low. At 9:30pm, The New Normal was new and did 3.33 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's series low. Without The Voice as a lead-in, they are tanking, but at least they went up some this week. At 10pm, the penultimate episode of Parenthood did 4.96 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, which is on par in 18-49 with previous week. It quietly won its timeslot this fall, opposite low rated series. Fox aired comedies as well as a new Raising Hope at 8pm did 3.63 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, which was down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A new Ben and Kate did horrible with 2.2 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating at 8:30pm, and also down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A new episode of New Girl followed at 9 with 3.65 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, which is the best of the block but but good and down two tenths in 18-49 with previous week. At 9:30pm, a new The Mindy Project did 2.76 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par week-to-week in 18-49 but this is still a disappointment. The CW aired a new Hart of Dixie at 8 and did 1.37 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating. A new episode of new series Emily Owens MD at 9 did 1.02 million and only a 0.3 18-49 rating, which is on par in 18-49 with previous week. 

Wednesday had the return of American Idol, while down, it was certainly not out. But first,  CBS started the night off with a repeat of NCIS at 8pm doing 8.35 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating. At 9pm, a new Criminal Minds did a solid 12.64 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, which is below normal in 18-49. At 10pm, a new CSI did 11.14 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, just barely winning the time period.  ABC kicked off the night with a new episode of The Middle doing 8.21 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, which is only down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week despite facing Idol. At 8:30pm a new episode of The Neighbors did 6.09 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, down about three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Such a good show now. At 9pm, a new episode of Modern Family did the best of the block with 11.0 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, which is great but down four tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It was the best episode of the season! Surprises galore! Suburgatory followed at 9:30pm with 6.06 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, which is solid but down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, Nashville was all-new and did 6.54 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, which once again is the best it has done since the second episode and up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. On Fox, the two-hour season premiere of American Idol did a solid 17.93 million and a 6.0 18-49 rating, which is down from last season's premiere but still higher than any episode of The Voice this fall. Onto NBC a repeat (oh boy) of Whitney started it off at 8pm with 2.5 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating. At 8:30pm, a repeat of Guys with Kids did 2.26 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating.  Law & Order: SVU followed at 9pm with a repeat as well that did 2.66 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, which is terrible for a repeat for this series. At 10pm, a repeat of Chicago Fire did 3.45 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, which is OK. The CW aired a new airing of its new hit Arrow and did 3.06 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which beat the NBC comedy repeats and tied the CBS repeat. At 9pm, a new Supernatural did 1.99 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, getting by NBC's repeat. Yep, NBC was in repeats, but still lost to The CW on this night.

On Thursday, Fox easily took the night in both 18-49 and total viewers with Idol. Starting with ABC, a new episode of Last Resort did 5.07 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week as this Thursday is the finale. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was new and did a solid 8.8 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, also down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week...but not bad at all vs. Idol. The surging Scandal at 10pm did 7.93 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating,  down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's series high but still the best 10pm ratings of the week on any network! CBS had a night of repeats and opened with a repeat of The Big Bang Theory doing 11.64 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, which is amazing for a repeat and most series wishes these days they can get that for a new episode.  A repeat of Two and a Half Men was up next and benefited with 9.03 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. At 9pm, a repeat of older-skewing Person of Interest followed with 9.4 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating. Should CBS opt for younger-skewing comedies next season, this series would be perfect on Tuesdays at 9 or 10. At 10pm, a repeat of freshman Elementary closed the night with 7.10 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, as I don't think a post-Super Bowl episode will give this show much of a bump. Fox had a two-hour American Idol from 8-10pm do 16.28 million and a 5.6 18-49 rating, which was down four tenths in 18-49 from the previous night but down just slightly from the Thursday premiere from last season. Glee returns this week at 9. NBC aired new episodes of its comedies, as a new 30 Rock did just 3.44 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week as there are just two weeks left for this series. At 8:30pm, the new time of  Parks & Recreation was off to a decent start with 3.92 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating. It's only one week, so don't get excited yet.  At 9, The Office was new and did 4.15 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week despite a higher lead-in. A new episode of 1600 Penn followed with only 3.04 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, as it was down four tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Not good at all. And it got worse at 10pm with a new Rock Center with Brian Williams doing 4.41 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, but  on par in 18-49 with previous week. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries aired at 8 and did 2.95 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which is great. At 9, Beauty and the Beast was preempted for an encore of the premiere of The Carrie Diaries that did 1.14 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS took first in 18-49. New episodes of Last Man Standing and Malibu Country were down for ABC, as CBS took the hour with Undercover Boss. ABC was back to first at 9pm with a repeat of Shark Tank tying CSI: NY at 9. From 9-11pm Dateline did OK on NBC, growing at 10pm.  CBS took 10pm with Blue Bloods and ABC 20/20 was down. The Fringe two-hour series finale was a distant fourth for Fox as it only got a prelim 1.0 18-49 rating...ouch.
Saturday was very low rated with no network averaging over 1. Fox's two episodes of Cops took the night from 8-9pm, while CBS took 10pm with 48 Hours. ABC did OK for Saturday edition of 20/20 at 8. NBC didn't do much with repeats of Deception, Chicago Fire and SVU.

Week 17 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 16 -- Jan. 7-13)

Monday Sitcoms

Tuesday Sitcoms

Thursday Sitcoms