Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 4/16/09

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 11.74 million, Fox: 8.38, NBC: 7.65, ABC: 4.81, CW: 1.84

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 3.2 rating/9 share, NBC and Fox: 3.0/ 9 each, ABC: 1.4/ 4, CW: 0.7/ 2

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Survivor: Tocantins (CBS), CSI (CBS), The Office (NBC), Southland (NBC)

-Honorable Mention:
Bones (Fox), Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
In the Motherhood (ABC), My Name is Earl (NBC), Samantha Who? (ABC), Harper’s Island (CBS)

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-Note: Ratings for any prior time period comparisons are based on the final nationals.

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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS led the troops on this third Thursday of April, with a first-place finish in both total viewers and adults 18-49. Fox finish second in total viewers and adults 18-49 (tied with NBC in the demo), with ABC fourth and a night of repeats on the CW fifth.

CBS’ Survivor: Tocantins dominated the 8 p.m. hour with 11.62 million viewers and a 3.5 rating/11 share among adults 18-49. As good as that still is, Survivor: Tocantins on the year-ago evening was slightly stronger at 12.01 million viewers and a 3.9/12 in the demo on April 17, 2008, based on the final nationals. As for the show itself, too bad the contestants did not stick with Brendon’s plan to vote off the obnoxious “Coach.” Second in the hour was Fox’s Bones at a respectable 8.72 million viewers and a 2.5/ 8 among adults 18-49.

In week two news, NBC’s Parks and Recreation (which sounds more like a public service announcement than a sitcom) dipped to 5.92 million viewers and a 2.5/ 7 among adults 18-49 -- third in both categories. Compared to its debut one week earlier (Viewers: 6.88 million; A18-49: 3.0/ 9 on April 9), that was a loss of 960,000 viewers and 17 percent in the demo. But it did, however, build from lead-in My Name is Earl (Viewers: #3, 5.30 million; A18-49: #3, 2.1/ 7 at 8 p.m.) by 620,000 viewers and 19 percent among adults 18-49. And Parks and Recreation improved on the prior season to-date time period average by 14 percent in adults 18-49 (2.5 vs. 2.2) and 25 percent among adults 18-34 (2.5 vs. 2.0).

Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour were failing ABC sitcoms In the Motherhood (Viewers: #4, 4.70 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 5) and Samantha Who? (Viewers: #4, 4.95 million; A18-49: #4, 1.5/ 5), which needs the support of former lead-in Dancing With the Stars to survive, and a repeat of Smallville on the CW (Viewers: #5, 1.83 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2).

CBS remained in the winner’s circle at 9 p.m., but NBC’s combination of The Office and 30 Rock crept and tied CSI for first overall among adults 18-49. Take a look:

Thursday 9-10 p.m.
CSI (CBS)
Viewers: 15.42 million (#1), A18-49: 3.8/10 (#1t)

The Office (NBC) – 9 p.m.
Viewers: 8.24 million (#2), A18-49: 4.1/11 (#1)

30 Rock (NBC) – 9:30 p.m.
Viewers: 7.27 million (#3), A18-49: 3.5/ 9 (#3)

Also airing in the 9 p.m. hour was Hell’s Kitchen on Fox (Viewers: #2, 8.05 million; A18-49: #3, 3.4/ 9), which built out of the second-half of lead-in Bones (Viewers: #2, 9.21 million; A18-49: #2, 2.7/ 8 at 8:30 p.m.) by 26 percent in the demo, a repeat of Grey’s Anatomy on ABC (Viewers: #4, 5.18 million; A18-49: #4, 1.5/ 4), and a repeat of Supernatural on the CW (Viewers: #5, 1.84 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2). Personally, I think last night’s installment of The Office was the funniest episode of the entire series.

In the week two 10 p.m. battle of NBC’s Southland versus Harper’s Island on CBS, the winner once again was Southland. Take a look:

Thursday 10 p.m.
Southland (NBC)
Viewers: 9.58 million (#1), A18-49: 3.1/ 9 (#1)

Harper’s Island (CBS)
Viewers: 8.17 million (#2), A18-49: 2.2/ 6 (#2)

One week earlier, Southland opened with an almost identical 9.86 million viewers and a 3.2/ 9 among adults 18-49. But Harper’s Island dipped by 2.04 million viewers (10.21 to 8.17 million) and 15 percent among adults 18-49 (2.6/ 8 to 2.2/ 6). Southland also built from lead-in 30 Rock by 2.31 million viewers (while holding 89 percent of the adult 18-49 rating), but retention for Harper’s Island out of the second-half of CSI (Viewers: 15.40 million; A18-49: 3.8/10) was just 53 percent in total viewers and 58 percent in the demo. And gory Harper’s Island dipped in the second half-hour by 1.32 million viewers (8.83 to 7.51) and 12 percent among adults 18-49 (2.4/ 7 to 2.1/ 6).

Capping off the 10 p.m. hour was a repeat of ABC’s Private Practice at a last-place 4.42 million viewers and a 1.3/ 4 among adults 18-49. Look for the first of the final two original episodes of the season of Private Practice next Thursday.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Looks like NBC has a hit on their hands with Southland.

Do you think Parks and Earl will be back next season?

what happened to Survivor/CSI? those are low numbers.

Marc, do you have the half hour numbers for Southland, please?

Cool news about Southland but EWW to a Ben /Chickie possible pairing .. Hope TPTB do not go that way on the show

Congrats to Southland for maintaining its viewers. It's a good show, both critically and practically.

The Office had one of its best episodes last nite. And I thought this episode of P&R was really good. I wish they would put it after The Office instead of 30Rock. It has so much of the same humor. I think given time, it will develop into a hit. The Office took a while to grow on me, too.

CSI's numbers are a concern. Last nite's show was well promoted and it should have appealed to a younger genre, I thought. It will be interesting to see what happens when GA returns next week. The post-Petersen episodes are slipping, despite what Marc states.

Before anyone starts declaring HARPER'S ISLAND
a failure...remember...it's a closed ended series with 13 weeks. Plus I heard its alrady in the can and Re-Run season is just around th corner...

So I believe that it will stay on until it's conclusion.

Both HARPER'S ISLAND and SOUTHLAND are great shows and head and shoulders above any of the lame dramas or dramedy's ABC has tried to introduce at mid season.

Survivor is just seeing natural year to year erosion that most series have been experiencing the last few years.

I think those that gave CSI a proper sampling may not enjoy the series as much without Grissom. The last month, or so, the originals have lost about a full point in the demo and about 2 million total viewer drop the series.

Personally, I enjoy the new direction, but I am sure not everyone has.

quote:

Originally posted by lopez:
what happened to Survivor/CSI? those are low numbers.

Southland needs another hot person. Only Ben isn't enough.

As good as the show is, i'd be more hooked if there was more visual stimulation.

I love the opening of the show btw! I've always loved that song. I used it on a documentary I made at NYU.

I think if it can hold this general level of audience and build on Earl it will be back. It actually held up a little better than I thought it would without The Office lead-in. Hardly setting the world on fire certainly but it's doing what its supposed to do in that slot -- build from Earl and do better than Kath and Kim. Not exactly a high bar, I know. If it drops in the next few weeks, could be a different story.

As far as the show itself, the jury is out. I don't think its premise is any more limiting than The Office and that has one of the strongest demos on television. Poeler is pretty good. The supporting cast needs to be ramped up though. The Tom character is great but everyone else is not memorable.

quote:

Originally posted by wnyxmcneal:
Do you think Parks and Earl will be back next season?

quote:

Originally posted by TV-aholic:

I think those that gave CSI a proper sampling may not enjoy the series as much without Grissom. The last month, or so, the originals have lost about a full point in the demo and about 2 million total viewer drop the series.

This is me. I use to watch faithfully, especially when Sara was still there; now without Sara, Grissom, and Warrick, it's not the same chemistry between the cast; I dvr and watch whenever. A good cast chemistry can make up for occasionally weak, and repetitive storylines. I think it's ER revisited, unless they come up with something creative next season.

quote:

Originally posted by saraday:

quote:

Originally posted by TV-aholic:

I think those that gave CSI a proper sampling may not enjoy the series as much without Grissom. The last month, or so, the originals have lost about a full point in the demo and about 2 million total viewer drop the series.

This is me. I use to watch faithfully, especially when Sara was still there; now without Sara, Grissom, and Warrick, it's not the same chemistry between the cast; I dvr and watch whenever. A good cast chemistry can make up for occasionally weak, and repetitive storylines. I think it's ER revisited, unless they come up with something creative next season.

I'm not the least bit surprised by CSI's recent numbers. It was just a matter of time. It is true that this show has very resourceful producers, who kept the show fresh with arcs like the cop from New Jersey, the miniatures, Heather, etc., and various cast interactions, but they've got their hands full now and merely throwing more bodies in there next year as some have suggested probably won't be the answer either.

If you told CBS that these would be the numbers say, next November, I think they would say "thanks, we'll take them."

ABC'S MCPHERSON DRAWING HEAT FOR LACK OF HITS

quote:

Both HARPER'S ISLAND and SOUTHLAND are great shows and head and shoulders above any of the lame dramas or dramedy's ABC has tried to introduce at mid season.

I'm with you. Both networks should be happy, ABC haven't been able to pull anything like Southland out.

I do think HI will pick up when reruns start appearing.

Survivor's decline is not surprising. CSI's decline is surprising. Agree with your reasons though.

quote:

Originally posted by TV-aholic:
Survivor is just seeing natural year to year erosion that most series have been experiencing the last few years.

I think those that gave CSI a proper sampling may not enjoy the series as much without Grissom. The last month, or so, the originals have lost about a full point in the demo and about 2 million total viewer drop the series.

Personally, I enjoy the new direction, but I am sure not everyone has.

quote:

Originally posted by lopez:
what happened to Survivor/CSI? those are low numbers.

quote:

Originally posted by KSO:
ABC'S MCPHERSON DRAWING HEAT FOR LACK OF HITS

Terrible article. Lists Friday and Saturdays as the source for ABC's decline. Its Tue. and Wed. that are sucking it up. Dancing and the Bachelor are up year to year. Ugly Betty is still in its same time slot. Lost is struggling from a time period change. What a terrible article.