Sunday, April 21, 2013
Week 30 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did; Episodic Review: Bob's Burgers - "The Kids Run The Restaurant" Airing Tonight on Fox
2012-13 Week 30 TV Ratings (first four nights, Mon-Thu):
Tonight ABC Sunday is all-new from 7-11pm. The regular AFV and Once Upon a Time, but Revenge and Red Widow are preempted for the new Hallmark Hall of Fame: Remember Sunday starring Zachary Levi and Alexis Bleidel. Once should do well. I think it will be a third place finish for ABC. NBC devotes the night to The Voice repeats from 7-9pm, which will struggle a bit then a new Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars from 9-11. NBC will likely finish in second. CBS has 60 Minutes at 7, followed by new episodes of Amazing Race, The Good Wife & The Mentalist, which will likely be a fourth place finish since it skews old. Fox's animation block is half all-new from 7:30-10pm, and still could take this slow night.
As for the week (week 30), Fox will take the week in 18-49 over NBC I think because of the consistent performance on Saturday and tonight. NBC will likely be in second in 18-49, followed by CBS and ABC. For total viewers, CBS will remain first. ABC could be second over Fox, followed by NBC in a competitive fourth. As for the coming week (week 31), May sweeps starts on Thursday and we are down to the final four weeks of the season. How fast was that? Upfronts are just around the corner!
Summing it up. The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, How To Live With Your Parents, were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as 2 Broke Girls, Suburgatoryl) or just plain terrible (such as Mindy Project, Community).
On the next...Bob's Burgers:
By: Vincent
Fox's Sunday Animation Domination comedy with the Belcher family airs Sunday nights at 8:30|7:30c and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (April 21). Things get dicey (and bloody, and semi-illegal, and Kevin Kline shows up) tonight! In the episode airing tonight, "The Kids Run The Restaurant," Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) realizes that giving Linda (John Roberts) a heart-shaped pancake for the moBob (H. Jon Benjamin) cuts his finger and faints at the sight of his own blood. So, Linda (John Roberts) brings him to the hospital and leaves the kids home alone. Not ones to waste a golden opportunity, Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene (Eugene Mirman) and Louise (Kristen Schaal) transform the basement of the restaurant into a makeshift casino. But they get more than they bargained for when landlord Mr. Fischoeder (guest voice Kevin Kline) stops by and catches them in action.
Over the past year, Bob's Burgers has become a true breath of fresh air on Fox's Animation Domination line-up. While the majority of the shows on the line-up have a somewhat mean-spirited tendency to them, Bob's takes a completely different approach - it's a loving, joyful celebration of its characters and their strange quirks. And when I say strange quirks, I mean really strange quirks - the Belchers, particularly the kids, are some of the most off-beat characters on television right now. Each of them has a completely unique persona that's really unlike any other character you'll find on TV, but instead of turning their oddball tendencies into the butt of jokes like...say, Family Guy would, the show totally embraces its characters' weirdness, which makes for a really warm and just all-around fun viewing experience.
Tonight's episode, "The Kids Run the Restaurant," is a great showcase for all of this. While Bob's a great straight man character and Linda's an excellent foil for him, most of the show's energy comes from their three insane children, and this episode sets them loose and allows all of their persona's to really shine. We get to see Louise's hyper-precociousness, Tina's all-around weirdness, and Gene's...well, we just get to see Gene being Gene, which always promises to be a weird and wonderful time. We get to watch them take over a restaurant and eventually open a (literally) underground casino, which would probably be a funny plot with just about any half-decent sitcom - but with the oddballs that are the Belcher children, it's a seriously hysterical time. Coupled with an equally funny subplot about Linda and Bob taking a trip to the emergency room that brings out the best in those characters, and you have a really entertaining outing from a show that's quietly become one of the best comedies on TV. A-
Households: #1. CBS 5.4/8.6 (rating/share); #2. ABC 4.9/7.8; #3. Fox 4.9/7.6; #4. NBC 4.2/6.7; #5. The CW 0.8/1.3
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 8.59 million; #2. Fox 7.98 million; #3. ABC 7.54 million; #4. NBC 6.75 million; #5. The CW 1.26 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox 2.4/6.7 (rating/share); #2. NBC 2.3/6.6; #3. CBS 2.0/5.6; #4. ABC 1.6/4.5; #5. The CW 0.5/1.3
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 8.59 million; #2. Fox 7.98 million; #3. ABC 7.54 million; #4. NBC 6.75 million; #5. The CW 1.26 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox 2.4/6.7 (rating/share); #2. NBC 2.3/6.6; #3. CBS 2.0/5.6; #4. ABC 1.6/4.5; #5. The CW 0.5/1.3
Week 30 (April 15-21) Analysis: In a bit of a slow week, with many repeats, Fox has the edge right now in 18-49. Through the final first four night network averages, CBS is in first in HH/total viewers but Fox in on top by a hare in adults 18-49. For second place in 18-49, NBC has the advantage over CBS, with ABC trailing. In HH/viewers, CBS has the lead over ABC and Fox, while NBC trails in fourth. When the week is done, it could be Fox or NBC with the 18-49 win, but it will be close since CBS is not that far behind either. ABC will be fourth still with repeats airing primarily. CBS will take total viewers for sure. More on that later. As for the previous week, week 29, CBS was first in adults 18-49 with a 2.4 rating, compared to a 1.9 for second place Fox, with NBC right behind with a 1.7. ABC was in repeats for many of their big hits and had to settle for a 1.3. Among total viewers, it was of course CBS on top easily over second place Fox. ABC was right behind and NBC had to settle for a close fourth.
Monday had NBC win easily over ABC and CBS. But first, ABC started with a two-hour Dancing with the Stars from 8-10pm and did 13.4 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, which is back up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Then Castle was all-new at 10 and did 10.18 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, good for second place. For NBC, they had the two-hour The Voice from 8-10pm that did 14.45 million and a 5.2 18-49 rating, which is up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for another season high. It has done very well so far. At 10pm, NBC preempted Revolution for an NBC News Special on "Terror in Boston" and did 8.83 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, eight tenths better in 18-49 than previous week's Revolution. CBS returned its regular line-up, with a new How I Met Your Mother starting it off with 6.58 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which is below normal. At 8:30pm, Rules of Engagement was all-new too and did 6.11 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, as it has struggled a bit this season. At 9, a new episode of the falling 2 Broke Girls did 7.54 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, for a series low. Not good news and to make it worse, it's another repeat tomorrow. At 9:30pm, a new Mike & Molly also was lower than normal with 7.76 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, also a series low. At 10pm, Hawaii Five-0 was new and did 7.65 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, for a third place in its slot. Fox aired a new episode of Bones at 8 and it did 6.65 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating. At 9pm, week thirteen of new drama The Following at 9pm did 6.36 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week for a new series low. A little concerning, but still OK even with all of this live competition. The CW aired the season premiere of Oh Sit! at 8 and did 0.94 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, which is on par in 18-49 with previous week's The Carrie Diaries finale. Still not good. At 9, 90210 returned and did 0.55 million and a 0.2 18-49 rating, horrible and on par in 18-49 with previous week's repeat in the slot. Ouch!
On Tuesday, CBS big dramas were in repeats, so Voice-fueled NBC took the night again despite a new series tanking more. On CBS, NCIS: Los Angeles aired at a special time for a repeat and did 9.39 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which is lower than what the parent series would have done. At 9pm, a repeat of NCIS aired at a special time and did 12.61 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, good showing for a repeat. At 10pm, week eight of Golden Boy in this slot did 8.07 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week and good enough to win the hour. On ABC, at 8pm the fifth week of Splash did 5.22 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A bit concerning, as the NBC and Fox reality series are taking its audience. At 9pm, Dancing with the Stars: The Results did 12.73 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week and tying the previous night's performance show. A new Body of Proof aired at 10pm and did 8.94 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which was on par in 18-49 with previous week once again. This show does decent in total viewers, so it has a chance of returning, but on a lower viewed night like Friday or Saturday. NBC aired the Tuesday The Voice from 8-9pm and did 14.15 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating, easily #1 in the time period and up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Unbelievable. At 9pm, a two-hour showing of Eva Longoria-produced reality show Ready for Love only did 3.2 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which is horrible and down three tenths in 18-49 from its premiere the previous week. After this Tuesday it has been pulled, ouch. Fox started with Hell's Kitchen at 8 and did 4.77 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week as this is a good option against the NBC juggernaut. At 9pm, New Girl was a repeat and did 2.27 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is OK. At 9:30pm, a repeat of The Mindy Project did 1.82 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. The CW aired a new Hart of Dixie and did 1.3 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A repeat of America's Next Top Model at 9 did 0.59 million and a 0.2 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week.
Wednesday it was Fox with the win over CBS and ABC again thanks to American Idol, as it airs two-hours every Wednesday and Fox only programs 2 hours a night. But first, CBS started the night off with a new Survivor: Caramoan at 8 doing 9.99 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week for season high. Criminal Minds was a repeat at 9 and did 6.88 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, which is below what it usually can do. At 10pm, CSI was preempted for a repeat of Elementary and did 6.41 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, as that is below what CSI would do in repeats. ABC kicked off the night with the two-episode finale of Suburgatory, as The Middle was preempted. The first half hour did doing 5.33 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down five tenths in 18-49 from previous week's The Middle, but that is expected. At 8:30pm the Suburgatory season finale did 5.45 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Great episodes. At 9pm, a repeat of Modern Family did the best of the block with 6.43 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, as that is good for repeats. The third (and best) episode of How To Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) followed at 9:30pm with a solid 6.06 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down five tenths in 18-49 from previous week but that was with a new lead-in. Holding on 100% to its lead-in is great news. At 10pm, Nashville was a repeat and did 2.89 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating. New episodes return May 1! On Fox, a two-hour American Idol did a solid 12.71 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week thanks to many repeats in competition. Onto NBC a new Dateline started it off at 8pm with 5.01 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which was on par in 18-49 with previous week. Law & Order: SVU followed at 9pm with a repeat that did 4.49 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was a repeat and did 3.54 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's Hannibal encore. The CW aired a repeat of new hit Arrow and did 1.58 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week. At 9pm, a repeat of Supernatural did 1.42 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week.
On Thursday, it was Fox with the win as CBS and ABC were in repeats again (primarily). Starting with ABC, a new Wife Swap aired and did 4.63 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, again up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was a repeat and did 4.02 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, ABC aired a repeat of TV's #1 show at 10pm Scandal doing 3.31 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. New episodes return this Thursday for both ABC dramas! CBS aired repeats, as at 8pm The Big Bang Theory repeat did the best of course with 11.43 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Amazing. Two and a Half Men followed with a repeat at 8:30pm with a good outing with 8.79 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up a solid four tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 9, Person of Interest was preempted at 9pm for more comedy repeats. A repeat of The Big Bang Theory at 9pm did 10.89 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, skewing younger than it did at 8pm. Hmm, tempting to move here next season? At 9:30, a repeat of 2 Broke Girls did 7.71 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, nearly beating its Monday performance, which was new. At 10pm, Elementary was preempted for a repeat of Person of Interest that did 8.63 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's Elementary in the slot but down two tenths in 18-49 from its own repeat the previous week at 9pm. So perhaps it should be a 9pm show next season, maybe Tuesdays? Fox had American Idol from 8-9pm and did 12.42 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, which was down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Glee was new at 9 and did 6.14 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. NBC mostly aired new episodes of its comedies, as a new Community did 3.13 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which is up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Look for our review of this week's episode on Thursday at noon. A special rerun of The Office at 8:30pm did 2.24 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating. At 9pm, a special all-new Parks & Recreation aired instead of The Office and did only 3.35 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is down two tenths in 18-49 to that series. At 9:30pm, another new episode of Parks & Recreation aired and did a similar 3.34 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, not bad. At 10pm, NBC aired week three of new drama Hannibal doing 3.51 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Already dropping against repeats and could be worse this week against two of the top 10pm shows. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries aired at 8 and was all-new doing 2.14 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, as that is below average for this series. At 9, Beauty and the Beast was also new and did 1.59 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but Friday ratings were washed out due to breaking news coverage of the manhunt for the Boston marathon bombers. NBC lead the way in the preliminaries, followed by ABC. Regular programming resumed in the 10pm hour for NBC and ABC, but that was news coverage (20/20 and Rock Center with Brian Williams).
Saturday had Fox win the night with UFC coverage. ABC, NBC, and CBS were all low. Fox preempted Cops and a repeat of The Following. NBC settled for a new Smash at 8pm that was dead last. At 9pm, a repeat of The Voice was tied for second and a repeat of SNL at 10 grew from it for second place. ABC aired week two of new game show Bet On Your Baby which was in second place at 8pm, while a two-hour repeat of Castle was tied for second at 9 and third at 10. CBS took the 10pm hour with 48 Hours, but struggled with Vegas earlier in the night at 8 for third place and The Mentalist was tied for second at 9 with ABC and NBC.
Monday had NBC win easily over ABC and CBS. But first, ABC started with a two-hour Dancing with the Stars from 8-10pm and did 13.4 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, which is back up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Then Castle was all-new at 10 and did 10.18 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, good for second place. For NBC, they had the two-hour The Voice from 8-10pm that did 14.45 million and a 5.2 18-49 rating, which is up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for another season high. It has done very well so far. At 10pm, NBC preempted Revolution for an NBC News Special on "Terror in Boston" and did 8.83 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, eight tenths better in 18-49 than previous week's Revolution. CBS returned its regular line-up, with a new How I Met Your Mother starting it off with 6.58 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which is below normal. At 8:30pm, Rules of Engagement was all-new too and did 6.11 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, as it has struggled a bit this season. At 9, a new episode of the falling 2 Broke Girls did 7.54 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, for a series low. Not good news and to make it worse, it's another repeat tomorrow. At 9:30pm, a new Mike & Molly also was lower than normal with 7.76 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, also a series low. At 10pm, Hawaii Five-0 was new and did 7.65 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, for a third place in its slot. Fox aired a new episode of Bones at 8 and it did 6.65 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating. At 9pm, week thirteen of new drama The Following at 9pm did 6.36 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week for a new series low. A little concerning, but still OK even with all of this live competition. The CW aired the season premiere of Oh Sit! at 8 and did 0.94 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, which is on par in 18-49 with previous week's The Carrie Diaries finale. Still not good. At 9, 90210 returned and did 0.55 million and a 0.2 18-49 rating, horrible and on par in 18-49 with previous week's repeat in the slot. Ouch!
On Tuesday, CBS big dramas were in repeats, so Voice-fueled NBC took the night again despite a new series tanking more. On CBS, NCIS: Los Angeles aired at a special time for a repeat and did 9.39 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which is lower than what the parent series would have done. At 9pm, a repeat of NCIS aired at a special time and did 12.61 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, good showing for a repeat. At 10pm, week eight of Golden Boy in this slot did 8.07 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week and good enough to win the hour. On ABC, at 8pm the fifth week of Splash did 5.22 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A bit concerning, as the NBC and Fox reality series are taking its audience. At 9pm, Dancing with the Stars: The Results did 12.73 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week and tying the previous night's performance show. A new Body of Proof aired at 10pm and did 8.94 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which was on par in 18-49 with previous week once again. This show does decent in total viewers, so it has a chance of returning, but on a lower viewed night like Friday or Saturday. NBC aired the Tuesday The Voice from 8-9pm and did 14.15 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating, easily #1 in the time period and up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Unbelievable. At 9pm, a two-hour showing of Eva Longoria-produced reality show Ready for Love only did 3.2 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which is horrible and down three tenths in 18-49 from its premiere the previous week. After this Tuesday it has been pulled, ouch. Fox started with Hell's Kitchen at 8 and did 4.77 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week as this is a good option against the NBC juggernaut. At 9pm, New Girl was a repeat and did 2.27 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is OK. At 9:30pm, a repeat of The Mindy Project did 1.82 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. The CW aired a new Hart of Dixie and did 1.3 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A repeat of America's Next Top Model at 9 did 0.59 million and a 0.2 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week.
Wednesday it was Fox with the win over CBS and ABC again thanks to American Idol, as it airs two-hours every Wednesday and Fox only programs 2 hours a night. But first, CBS started the night off with a new Survivor: Caramoan at 8 doing 9.99 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week for season high. Criminal Minds was a repeat at 9 and did 6.88 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, which is below what it usually can do. At 10pm, CSI was preempted for a repeat of Elementary and did 6.41 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, as that is below what CSI would do in repeats. ABC kicked off the night with the two-episode finale of Suburgatory, as The Middle was preempted. The first half hour did doing 5.33 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down five tenths in 18-49 from previous week's The Middle, but that is expected. At 8:30pm the Suburgatory season finale did 5.45 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Great episodes. At 9pm, a repeat of Modern Family did the best of the block with 6.43 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, as that is good for repeats. The third (and best) episode of How To Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) followed at 9:30pm with a solid 6.06 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down five tenths in 18-49 from previous week but that was with a new lead-in. Holding on 100% to its lead-in is great news. At 10pm, Nashville was a repeat and did 2.89 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating. New episodes return May 1! On Fox, a two-hour American Idol did a solid 12.71 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week thanks to many repeats in competition. Onto NBC a new Dateline started it off at 8pm with 5.01 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which was on par in 18-49 with previous week. Law & Order: SVU followed at 9pm with a repeat that did 4.49 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was a repeat and did 3.54 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's Hannibal encore. The CW aired a repeat of new hit Arrow and did 1.58 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week. At 9pm, a repeat of Supernatural did 1.42 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week.
On Thursday, it was Fox with the win as CBS and ABC were in repeats again (primarily). Starting with ABC, a new Wife Swap aired and did 4.63 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, again up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was a repeat and did 4.02 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, ABC aired a repeat of TV's #1 show at 10pm Scandal doing 3.31 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. New episodes return this Thursday for both ABC dramas! CBS aired repeats, as at 8pm The Big Bang Theory repeat did the best of course with 11.43 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Amazing. Two and a Half Men followed with a repeat at 8:30pm with a good outing with 8.79 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up a solid four tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 9, Person of Interest was preempted at 9pm for more comedy repeats. A repeat of The Big Bang Theory at 9pm did 10.89 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, skewing younger than it did at 8pm. Hmm, tempting to move here next season? At 9:30, a repeat of 2 Broke Girls did 7.71 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, nearly beating its Monday performance, which was new. At 10pm, Elementary was preempted for a repeat of Person of Interest that did 8.63 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's Elementary in the slot but down two tenths in 18-49 from its own repeat the previous week at 9pm. So perhaps it should be a 9pm show next season, maybe Tuesdays? Fox had American Idol from 8-9pm and did 12.42 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, which was down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Glee was new at 9 and did 6.14 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. NBC mostly aired new episodes of its comedies, as a new Community did 3.13 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which is up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Look for our review of this week's episode on Thursday at noon. A special rerun of The Office at 8:30pm did 2.24 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating. At 9pm, a special all-new Parks & Recreation aired instead of The Office and did only 3.35 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is down two tenths in 18-49 to that series. At 9:30pm, another new episode of Parks & Recreation aired and did a similar 3.34 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, not bad. At 10pm, NBC aired week three of new drama Hannibal doing 3.51 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Already dropping against repeats and could be worse this week against two of the top 10pm shows. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries aired at 8 and was all-new doing 2.14 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, as that is below average for this series. At 9, Beauty and the Beast was also new and did 1.59 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but Friday ratings were washed out due to breaking news coverage of the manhunt for the Boston marathon bombers. NBC lead the way in the preliminaries, followed by ABC. Regular programming resumed in the 10pm hour for NBC and ABC, but that was news coverage (20/20 and Rock Center with Brian Williams).
Saturday had Fox win the night with UFC coverage. ABC, NBC, and CBS were all low. Fox preempted Cops and a repeat of The Following. NBC settled for a new Smash at 8pm that was dead last. At 9pm, a repeat of The Voice was tied for second and a repeat of SNL at 10 grew from it for second place. ABC aired week two of new game show Bet On Your Baby which was in second place at 8pm, while a two-hour repeat of Castle was tied for second at 9 and third at 10. CBS took the 10pm hour with 48 Hours, but struggled with Vegas earlier in the night at 8 for third place and The Mentalist was tied for second at 9 with ABC and NBC.
Tonight ABC Sunday is all-new from 7-11pm. The regular AFV and Once Upon a Time, but Revenge and Red Widow are preempted for the new Hallmark Hall of Fame: Remember Sunday starring Zachary Levi and Alexis Bleidel. Once should do well. I think it will be a third place finish for ABC. NBC devotes the night to The Voice repeats from 7-9pm, which will struggle a bit then a new Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars from 9-11. NBC will likely finish in second. CBS has 60 Minutes at 7, followed by new episodes of Amazing Race, The Good Wife & The Mentalist, which will likely be a fourth place finish since it skews old. Fox's animation block is half all-new from 7:30-10pm, and still could take this slow night.
As for the week (week 30), Fox will take the week in 18-49 over NBC I think because of the consistent performance on Saturday and tonight. NBC will likely be in second in 18-49, followed by CBS and ABC. For total viewers, CBS will remain first. ABC could be second over Fox, followed by NBC in a competitive fourth. As for the coming week (week 31), May sweeps starts on Thursday and we are down to the final four weeks of the season. How fast was that? Upfronts are just around the corner!
Week 30 How the Sitcoms Did
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 29 -- April 8-14)
- The Simpsons (Fox) - A new episode at 8 did 4.11 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, which seems below normal.
- The Cleveland Show (Fox) - Its normal time of 7:30pm was new and did 2.5 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, as this show might be the odd-man out soon.
- Bob's Burgers (Fox) 2 airings - The 8:30 airing was new and did 3.45 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, losing some steam from its lead-in but still not too bad. Look for our review of tonight's episode below! A repeat at 7pm did only 1.68 million and just a 0.7 18-49 rating, but on par in 18-49 with previous week.
- Family Guy (Fox) - A brand new showing at 9 did 5.02 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, which was up the best of the block by far and #1 for the night (excluding the Master's overrun).
- American Dad! (Fox) - A new episode at 9:30pm did 4.23 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is decent.
Monday Sitcoms
- How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A new episode averaged a 6.58 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which is below normal but best of the block actually.
- Rules of Engagement (CBS) - A new showing did 6.11 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which could be better.
- 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A new episode struggled with only 7.54 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating for series lows. Not impressive this week.
- Mike & Molly (CBS) - At 9:30pm, the show built on its lead-in in total viewers with 7.76 million but just a 2.2 18-49 rating. Series lows as well.
Tuesday Sitcoms
- New Girl (Fox) - A repeat did 2.27 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is OK for this series in repeats.
- The Mindy Project (Fox) - A repeat of this show did 1.82 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, not good but expected.
- The Middle (ABC) - preempted.
- Suburgatory (ABC) 2 episodes - A special all-new episode at a special time of 8pm did 5.33 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, which is OK. The season finale followed at 8:30pm and did 5.45 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. It'll be back I think next season, so nothing to worry much about.
- Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat at 9 did 6.43 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is solid for a repeat. New episodes return May 1.
- How To Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) (ABC) - A new episode at 9:30pm did 6.06 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, yes it is down five tenths in 18-49 from previous week, but this episode followed a repeat...and it held on 100% to that. So, it's good news.
Thursday Sitcoms
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm posted 11.43 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, which is excellent for a repeat and up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A repeat at a special time of 9pm skewed younger with 10.89 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating. Wow.
- Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A repeat episode followed with 8.79 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is solid for a repeat and up an impressive four tenths in 18-49 from previous week.
- 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A special repeat at 9:30pm did 7.71 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. Good and nearly beat its new airing on Monday, as the power of a good lead-in (and limited competition) helps.
- Community (NBC) - A new episode did just 3.13 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, but it was up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. I don't think NBC will bring it back. Perhaps Comedy Central?
- The Office (NBC) - A special repeat at 8:30pm did just 2.24 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating. The 9pm airing was preempted
- Parks & Recreation (NBC) 2 episodes - A new episode at a special time of 9pm did just 3.35 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week;s episode of The Office in the slot. Now the series has regularly moved back to 9:30pm, and it did 3.34 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating. Not good but not terrible either, it would be in the OK column.
- Happy Endings (ABC) - preempted for breaking news.
- None.
Summing it up. The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, How To Live With Your Parents, were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as 2 Broke Girls, Suburgatoryl) or just plain terrible (such as Mindy Project, Community).
On the next...Bob's Burgers:
By: Vincent
Fox's Sunday Animation Domination comedy with the Belcher family airs Sunday nights at 8:30|7:30c and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (April 21). Things get dicey (and bloody, and semi-illegal, and Kevin Kline shows up) tonight! In the episode airing tonight, "The Kids Run The Restaurant," Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) realizes that giving Linda (John Roberts) a heart-shaped pancake for the moBob (H. Jon Benjamin) cuts his finger and faints at the sight of his own blood. So, Linda (John Roberts) brings him to the hospital and leaves the kids home alone. Not ones to waste a golden opportunity, Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene (Eugene Mirman) and Louise (Kristen Schaal) transform the basement of the restaurant into a makeshift casino. But they get more than they bargained for when landlord Mr. Fischoeder (guest voice Kevin Kline) stops by and catches them in action.
Over the past year, Bob's Burgers has become a true breath of fresh air on Fox's Animation Domination line-up. While the majority of the shows on the line-up have a somewhat mean-spirited tendency to them, Bob's takes a completely different approach - it's a loving, joyful celebration of its characters and their strange quirks. And when I say strange quirks, I mean really strange quirks - the Belchers, particularly the kids, are some of the most off-beat characters on television right now. Each of them has a completely unique persona that's really unlike any other character you'll find on TV, but instead of turning their oddball tendencies into the butt of jokes like...say, Family Guy would, the show totally embraces its characters' weirdness, which makes for a really warm and just all-around fun viewing experience.
Tonight's episode, "The Kids Run the Restaurant," is a great showcase for all of this. While Bob's a great straight man character and Linda's an excellent foil for him, most of the show's energy comes from their three insane children, and this episode sets them loose and allows all of their persona's to really shine. We get to see Louise's hyper-precociousness, Tina's all-around weirdness, and Gene's...well, we just get to see Gene being Gene, which always promises to be a weird and wonderful time. We get to watch them take over a restaurant and eventually open a (literally) underground casino, which would probably be a funny plot with just about any half-decent sitcom - but with the oddballs that are the Belcher children, it's a seriously hysterical time. Coupled with an equally funny subplot about Linda and Bob taking a trip to the emergency room that brings out the best in those characters, and you have a really entertaining outing from a show that's quietly become one of the best comedies on TV. A-
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Saturday, September 7
Johnson - "Bahama Breeze" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Naomi is impressed with Omar's growth; Antionette makes Jarvis a proposal at a much-needed time; Greg reconnects with Jada; Omar, Keith and Jarvis hit the club.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 2)
Friday, September 6
- Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Watch Kumail on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Michael Keaton (Report to Murphy/Working Stiffs/All's Fair) - Michael appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Conner O'Malley (Shrill) - Conner is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Edie Falco (Bupkis/Nurse Jackie) - Edie talks about her film I'll Be Right There on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Josh Gad (Wolf Like Me/Avenue 5/The Comedians/1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh is joining Drew and telling her about getting denied from his college's musical theater program and making his return to Broadway after eleven years with bestie Andrew Rannells on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Diane Farr (Splitting Together/Like Family/The Job) - Diane discusses the CBS drama series Fire Country on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/21 - Frasier (2023) - Season One
06/11 - The Jeffersons - The Complete Series (2024 Release)
06/11 - Welcome Back, Kotter - The Complete Series (2024 Release)
07/05 - Letterkenny - Season 12 (Final Season)
07/30 - Ted Lasso - The Richmond Way (The Complete Series) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
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)
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