SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Households: #1. CBS 6.8/10.9 (rating/share); #2. ABC 5.6/9.0; #3. Fox 4.8/7.6; #4. NBC 4.5/7.3; #5. The CW 0.9/1.4
Total Viewers: #1. CBS 10.61 million; #2. ABC 8.47 million; #3. Fox 7.76 million; #4. NBC 7.28 million; #5. The CW 1.42 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. NBC 2.4/7.0 (rating/share); #2. CBS 2.4/6.9; #3. Fox 2.3/6.8; #4. ABC 2.0/5.6; #5. The CW 0.6/1.7 

Week 32 (April 29-May 5) Analysis: The first full week of May sweep has begun and it's pretty close among adults 18-49 with only four tenths separating first to fourth. Through the final first four night network averages, CBS is in first in HH/total viewers but is tied with NBC in adults 18-49. For third place in 18-49, Fox is only a tenth behind CBS and NBC, while ABC is in fourth only three tenths behind Fox. In HH/viewers, CBS has the lead over ABC, with Fox edging fourth place NBC. When the week is done, CBS could take the 18-49 weekly win thanks to a two-hour Amazing Race finale tonight. The battle for second is anyone's game with Fox, NBC and ABC all in the game and probably in that order but it will be very close. CBS will take total viewers for sure and the others will likely remain in the same position as they are through the first four nights. More on that later. As for the previous week, week 31, Fox took home first in adults 18-49 with a 1.88 rating, compared to a 1.73 for second place CBS, with NBC behind at a 1.61 and ABC trailed with a 1.51. Among total viewers, it was of course CBS on top easily over second place ABC. Fox was a close third, while NBC had to settle for fourth.

Monday had NBC win easily over the other networks. But first, ABC started with a two-hour Dancing with the Stars from 8-10pm and did 13.45 million and a 2.08 18-49 rating, which is basically on par in 18-49 with previous week. Then Castle was all-new at 10 and did 10.53 million and a 2.04 18-49 rating, down around three tenths in 18-49 week-to-week but still good for a first place finish. For NBC, they had the two-hour The Voice from 8-10pm that did 12.67 million and a 4.27 18-49 rating, which is down a sharp six tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, NBC aired Revolution and did 5.49 million and a 1.82 18-49 rating, down around two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for another series low. Not good news. CBS was all-new, with a new episode of How I Met Your Mother starting it off with 7.06 million and a 2.74 18-49 rating, which is bit below average but the top show that was DVRed for the night (gaining 1.14 18-49 points thanks to DVR). At 8:30pm, Rules of Engagement was all-new and did 6.21 million and a 2.06 18-49 rating, back up around five tenths in 18-49 from previous week's series low. At 9, a new episode of Broke Girls did 7.85 million and a 2.56 18-49 rating, once again below normal. At 9:30pm, a new Mike & Molly also was lower than normal with 8.14 million and a 2.35 18-49 rating. CBS needs some life on this night next season with a new 9pm anchor, I think. At 10pm, Hawaii Five-0 was new and did 7.76 million and just a 1.71 18-49 rating (and the lowest gain from same day DVR on the big four, with only a 0.21 gain in 18-49).  Fox aired the season finale of Bones at 8 and it did 7.36 million and a 2.14 18-49 rating, up around a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9pm, the season finale of new drama The Following at 9pm did 7.82 million and a 2.66 18-49 rating, which is up around two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It should air like this next season from January-May, repeat free. The CW aired a new Oh Sit! at 8 and did 0.73 million and a 0.27 18-49 rating, which is about on par in 18-49 with previous week. At 9, 90210 was new and did 0.55 million and a 0.26 18-49 rating, horrible but on par in 18-49 with previous week. No wonder it is ending.

On Tuesday, NBC took the night as two-hour of The Voice was enough for a win. On CBS, NCIS was new at 8 and did 18.29 million and a 3.11 18-49 rating, which is up around three tenths in 18-49 week-to-week and Tuesday's biggest gainer in same day DVR with a gain of 1.03 18-49 points. At 9pm, a new NCIS: Los Angeles did 13.07 million and a 2.22 18-49 rating, down about five tenths in 18-49 thanks to the steeper competition from NBC. At 10pm, week ten of Golden Boy in this slot did 7.64 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week and the lowest gainer in same day DVR among the big four nets with only a tenth gained from its live number. On ABC, at 8pm the seventh week of Splash did 4.32 million and a 0.94 18-49 rating, down about two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. The season finale is this week and go Nicole Eggert! At 9pm, Dancing with the Stars: The Results did 10.89 million and a 1.54 18-49 rating, down about five tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a season low and also affected a lot by NBC, as we said goodbye to Andy Dick. At 10pm, Body of Proof was preempted for the Diane Sawyer special Amanda Knox Speaks and did 8.47 million and a 1.71 18-49 rating, which was up about a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's Body of Proof. NBC aired the Tuesday The Voice from 8-10pm this time and did 11.84 million and a 3.85 18-49 rating, easily #1 in the time period but down about two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's one-hour airing. At 10pm, the new night and time of Grimm did 5.77 million and a 1.89 18-49 rating, which is a bit better than what it does on Fridays, but losing a chuck of its lead-in still. Still way better than Ready for Love, which is pulled. Fox started with Hell's Kitchen at 8 and did 4.79 million and a 2.01 18-49 rating, just about on par in 18-49 with previous week as this is a good option against the NBC juggernaut. At 9pm, New Girl was new finally and did 3.57 million and a 1.95 18-49 rating, which is below normal. At 9:30pm, a new The Mindy Project did just 2.56 million and a 1.31 18-49 rating. The CW aired a new Hart of Dixie and did 1.2 million and a 0.54 18-49 rating, up over a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. A repeat of America's Next Top Model at 9 did 0.52 million and a 0.2 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week.

Wednesday it was Fox with the win over CBS and ABC 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 9.25 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, down about five tenths in 18-49 from previous week's season high. Criminal Minds was new at 9 and did 10.13 million and a only a 2.38 18-49 rating, which is way below normal and strange that this show wasn't in the 18 series pick-up. At 10pm, CSI was new and did 9.49 million and a 1.88 18-49 rating, good enough to win in the hour. ABC kicked off the night with a new The Middle doing 7.41 million and a 2.03 18-49 rating, which is decent but below normal. The series premiere of Family Tools was next at 8:30pm and did 5.79 million and a 1.49 18-49 rating and the lowest same day DVR gainer for the night including CW,with just a 0.18 gain in 18-49 from its live numbers.  At 9pm, a new Modern Family did the best of the block and the best of the night with 9.64 million and a 3.55 18-49 rating, bit below normal though but the biggest same day DVR gainer for the night with a gain of 1.16 18-49 rating points. The fifth episode of How To Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) followed at 9:30pm with 6.2 million and a 2.12 18-49 rating, up about six tenths in 18-49 from previous week when it followed a repeat. Needs to do a tad better, but still decent. At 10pm, Nashville was new and did 5.27 million and a 1.67 18-49 rating, nipping by NBC's drama for second place. On Fox, a two-hour American Idol did a solid 11.26 million and a 2.86 18-49 rating, down like four tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Onto NBC a special countdown episode of The Voice started it off at 8pm with 5.75 million and a 1.68 18-49 rating, which was up like four tenths in 18-49 from previous week's Dateline in the time period. Law & Order: SVU followed at 9pm with a new episode that did 5.79 million and a 1.55 18-49 rating, as that was down over three tenths in 18-49 from previous week's episode which didn't air against any new shows. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was a new and did 6.35 million and a 1.66 18-49 rating, which built on its lead-in but good for third place only (basically tied with ABC for second).  The CW aired a new episode of its hit Arrow and did 2.89 million and a 0.91 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. At 9pm, a new Supernatural did 2.07 million and a 0.92 18-49 rating, as usual - solid and younger-skewing, but down about a tenth in 18-49 from previous week as well. 

On Thursday, it was CBS with the win beating second place ABC by a good margin. Starting with ABC, the season finale of Wife Swap aired and did 3.66 million and a 1.12 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week but the lowest same day DVR gainer for the big four nets with just a 0.18 gain in 18-49. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was all-new and did 8.87 million and a 3.02 18-49 rating, up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. The nine-year old series still has legs, mustering a sophomore drama on CBS and slumping shows on Fox and NBC. At 10pm, ABC aired an all-new episode of TV's #1 show at 10pm Scandal doing 8.07 million and a 2.62 18-49 rating, down about two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's series high in adults 18-49. Perhaps the season finale this year will be over a 3 easily. CBS at 8pm had a new The Big Bang Theory did the best of course with 16.29 million and a 4.90 18-49 rating, up four tenths in 18-49 week-to-week and #1 entertainment series of the week. It also had the biggest same day DVR gain of the night with a gain of 1.84 18-49 rating points.  Two and a Half Men followed with a new episode at 8:30pm with 12.12 million and a 3.21 18-49 rating, which is up like four tenths in 18-49 from previous week's season low. At 9, Person of Interest was new at 9pm and did 12.96 million and a 2.44 18-49 rating, on par really in 18-49 with previous week but it still couldn't top the hour with a stronger lead-in. It's just an older skewing series and CBS needs to move it to lower-profile slot like Tuesdays at 10 or Thursdays at 10. At 10pm, Elementary was new and did 9.75 million and a 2.03 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week but it can't even compete with Scandal anymore. Fox had American Idol from 8-9pm and did 11.27 million and a 2.63 18-49 rating, which was again down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a season low.  Glee was new at 9 and did 5.19 million and a 1.85 18-49 rating, up less than a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. It's getting crushed when it has competition. NBC aired new episodes of its comedies, as a new Community did 2.67 million and a 1.22 18-49 rating, which is up over two tenths in 18-49 from previous week's low. A special one-hour airing of The Office at 8:30pm did only 3.51 million and a 1.84 18-49 rating, which is up over a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's 9pm airing. At 9:30pm, a new episode of Parks & Recreation aired and did 2.99 million and a 1.57 18-49 rating, up about three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. At 10pm, NBC aired week five of new drama Hannibal doing just 2.61 million and a 1.06 18-49 rating, up less than a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's series low. It is Friday-bound if anything next season. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries aired at 8 and was all-new doing 2.17 million and a 0.98 18-49 rating, basically on par in 18-49 with previous week. At 9, Beauty and the Beast was also new and did 1.23 million and a 0.46 18-49 rating, also on par in 18-49 with previous week. It was picked-up for a second season, but I bet it will be on the move to another night.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but we have prelim ratings. On Friday, ABC had the top show as usual and also took the night. At 8pm, Undercover Boss on CBS won its slow hour over second place Kitchen Nightmare on Fox. NBC's Fashion Star and ABC's season finale of Happy Endings were way behind. At 9pm, Friday's #1 show was new and of course that is ABC's Shark Tank and it crushed the competition. Dateline was a distant second for NBC, followed by Vegas on CBS and Fox's Touch was way behind. At 10pm, CBS drama Blue Bloods couldn't top 20/20 on ABC, while Rock Center with Brian Williams on NBC was in third.
Saturday was vey slow and CBS and Fox took the night. Fox took the 8pm hour with Cops but a repeat of The Following at 9pm was last place.  NBC settled for a new Smash at 8pm that was a distant second. ABC's fourth week of new game show Bet On Your Baby was tied for third at 8pm with CBS' Person of Interest repeat. At 9pm, a repeat of The Voice was tied for second and a repeat of SNL at 10 grew from it but NBC was still second place. From 9-11pm, ABC aired 20/20 and took first at 9 and was second at 10. CBS took the 10pm hour with 48 Hours and was tied for second at 9 with a repeat of 48 Hours.

Week 32 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 31 -- April 22-28)

Monday Sitcoms

Tuesday Sitcoms

Thursday Sitcoms