Thursday, December 26, 2019

SNL with Eddie Murphy Scores in Ratings; REELZ and Alex Trebek Explore Game Shows

Eddie Murphy as Mr. Robinson - Saturday Night Live 2019

The Dec. 21 edition of Saturday Night Live on NBC, with host Eddie Murphy and musical guest Lizzo, averaged a 2.5 rating in adults 18-49 and 9,921,000 viewers overall, according to "live plus same day" "fast official" ratings from Nielsen Media Research. This is the highest-scoring edition of Saturday Night Live since May 2017 in both measures, best for the show since the May 13, 2017 (season finale) telecast, hosted by Melissa McCarthy with musical guest HAIM, which averaged a 2.7 rating in adults 18-49 and 10,382,000 million viewers overall. The 2.5 rating in 18-49 ties Fox's Masked Singer season premiere on Sept. 25 as the #1 highest-rated entertainment series telecast this season on any network across all dayparts. It's also the highest-rated comedy telecast on any network since CBS' Big Bang Theory series finale on May 16 (3.2 18-49 rating). Versus Saturday Night Live's season averages heading into last night, the Dec. 21 episode is up +98% in 18-49 (2.48 rating vs. 1.25 rating) and +68% in total viewers (9,921,000 vs. 5,916,000 total viewers).

Looking at local markets, SNL on Dec. 21 did big in San Francisco (8:30pm PT, LIVE), with its highest demo rating ever (since SF became an LPM market in 2004), thanks to a local San Francisco 49ers game lead-in on KNTV-NBC. SNL returns with new episodes starting Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020.


Alex Trebek's Game Changers

Kicking off January on REELZ is Alex Trebek's Game Changers hosted by Alex Trebek which makes its REELZ premiere on Sunday, January 5 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. Alex Trebek's Game Changers gives viewers an insightful look at the phenomenon of TV game shows, memorable contestant moments and the hosts we played along with throughout the years including Pat Sajak, Regis Philbin, Howie Mandel, Wink Martindale, Bob Eubanks and Drew Carey. The cultural footprint of TV game shows is undeniable with generations of viewers inviting them and their hosts into their homes to watch contestants risk it all on a single spin or a single question. Legendary Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek explores how the phenomenon of game shows with their iconic hosts, memorable contestants, triumphs and controversies shaped the evolution of what is one of the most beloved, unique and enduring genres in the global television landscape. From the golden age of game shows to their future in a multi-platform world viewers will learn the secret to game show success and go behind the scenes through Trebek's personal conversations with Howie Mandel, Regis Philbin, Pat Sajak, Drew Carey, Wink Martindale and Bob Eubanks. Alex Trebek's Game Changers is produced by Ballinran Entertainment in association with Monkey Time Media.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, March 27

Happy's Place - "" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a woman inherits her late father's tavern, she's shocked to discover that it's co-owned by a half-sister she never knew existed... who has some interesting new ideas about how to run the family business.

Stumble - "Finals Week" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Having missed cheer camp, the team must submit a skills tape in order to qualify for Daytona, but the headwinds are against Courteney, as making the tape falls right in the middle of finals week at Heådltston.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 23)

Friday, March 27

  • Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Watch Chelsea on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Trey Parker and Matt Stone (Creators of South Park) - Trey and Matt are guests on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Tony Shalhoub (We Are Men/Stark Raving Mad/Wings) - Tony is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • John Leguizamo (The Brothers Garcia) - John talks about ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Jon Bernthal (The Class) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear/Girls) - Jon and Ebon talk about Broadway's Dog Day Afternoon on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew has a special food news with Joey Chestnut, Sunny Anderson and Valerie on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Kit and Melissa check out How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

03/27 - The Ms. Pat Show Renewed for Season 6; SisterS Returns April 22 on AMC+, Acorn TV and IFC TV
03/26 - Great Entertainment Television to Honor Chuck Norris; ABC's R.J. Decker Gets Time Slot Upgrade
03/25 - Netflix Announces Details of Nobody Wants This Season 3; Paramount+ Renews School Spirits for Season 4
03/24 - Hacks Returns for Final Season on April 9; America Says Is Back for Sixth Season on Game Show Network
03/23 - The Roast of Kevin Hart LIVE on Netflix; HBO Renews Late-Night Series
03/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 23, 2026)
03/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Sets Plans for Final Episode of The Neighborhood; ABC Pulls The Bachelorette
03/20 - TBS Orders Season 13 of Impractical Jokers; HBO's Josh Johnson Comedy Special
03/19 - Netflix Casts Scooby-Doo Live-Action Series; Darren Star's Next Comedy Series Uncorked
03/18 - Saturday Night Live UK to Launch This Weekend; Hulu Renews Paradise for Season 3
03/17 - Netflix Renews Free Bert for Season 2; The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special in April
03/16 - Color Theories by Julio Torres on HBO; Lifetime's Ripped from the Headlines Spring Slate with Two New Movies
03/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 16, 2026)
03/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy's Stewie Griffin Getting Spinoff; NBCUniversal Cancels Several Daytime Shows, Including Last of the Daytime "Trash Talk"
03/13 - NBC Summer 2026 Schedule; Malcolm in the Middle Revival Series Trailer
03/12 - Season 9 of Rick and Morty This May; Fox Entertainment Studios Lines Up Frankie Quiñones for Comedy Series
03/11 - Antenna TV's Hazel 65th Anniversary Marathon; Kountry Wayne Prime Video Comedy Special
03/10 - XO, Kitty Season 3 Trailer Released for April 2 Launch; The Drew Barrymore Show Talker Gets 2 Season Renewal
03/09 - Beef Returns April 16 on Netflix; Remembering Jennifer Runyon of Charles in Charge
03/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 9, 2026)
03/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Returns to Big Ratings; New Garfield Series Coming to Paramount+
03/06 - The Four Seasons Returns on May 28; More Details on I Suck at Girls
03/05 - COZI TV Pairs Up Al Bundy and Hondo at Last; ABC Renews Abbott Elementary for Season 6
03/04 - ABC's Scrubs Returns Big; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Renewed for Season 2
03/03 - Prime Video's Kevin Premieres April 20; Fox Renews Best Medicine
03/02 - Running Point Returns April 23 on Netflix; A Different World Sequel Starts Production
03/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 2, 2026)
02/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner Now Set to Merge with Paramount, Not Netflix; X-Files Reboot Given Greenlight
02/27 - The Comeback Returns for Final Season on March 22; Animal Control Renewed for Season 5; Remembering Lauren Chapin of Father Knows Best and Robert Carradine of Lizzie McGuire