-Yesterday’s Winners: American Idol (Fox), Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
-Honorable Mention: NCIS (CBS)
-Yesterday’s Losers: Dateline (NBC), On the Lot (Fox), Veronica Mars (CW)
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-Ratings Breakdown: The two-hour season-finale of Dancing With the Stars pushed ABC past American Idol-ignited Fox in total viewers on this last Tuesday of the May 2007sweeps. But even the disappointing debut of reality/competition On the Lot could not stop Fox from dominating among adults 18-49. CBS finished third in both total viewers and adults 18-49, followed by NBC and The CW.
The final battle between Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis on American Idol scored 24.51 million viewers with a 9.3 rating/27 share among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. As strong a performance as that is, keep in mind that the year-ago telecast of American Idol (also the final competition) notched 31.78 million viewers with a 12.3/34 in the demo, based on the final nationals. Comparably, that’s a loss of 7.27 million viewers and 24 percent among adults 18-49. Although last night was pretty much a draw, I think it’s pretty obvious who is going to be crowned the next American Idol: Jordin Sparks. And she is only 17!
A distant second in the 8 p.m. hour was the season-finale of CBS’ underrated NCIS, with 13.88 million viewers and a 3.3/ 8 among adults 18-49. The next time someone tells you no show can compete with American Idol, remind them of NCIS. Older viewers are good too! Third from 8-9 p.m. was ABC special The Bachelor: After the Final Rose (Viewers: 8.03 million; A18-49: 2.7/ 8), followed by NBC’s Dateline (Viewers: 5.65 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 4) and the first of two final episodes of The CW’s Veronica Mars (Viewers: 1.83 million; A18-49: 0.8/ 2).
Viewers en masse headed over to the expanded season-finale of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, which racked up a season-high 22.70 million viewers with a 6.6/17 from 9-11 p.m. Here is the half-hour breakdown for Dancing With the Stars:
Opposite Dancing With the Stars, CBS got some mileage with the latest older-skewing Jesse Stone made-for (Sea Change) at 12.98 million viewers and a 2.5/ 6 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. As I always say, two very different shows can succeed in a time period.
In series-premiere news, Fox’s On the Lot did not take advantage out of the American Idol lead-in, with 8.97 million viewers (#3) and a 4.1/10 among adults 18-49 from 9-10 p.m. (#2). While no one expected the reality/competition to hold the American Idol audience, retention of just 37 percent in viewers and 44 percent among adults 18-49 is disappointing, and a double digit decline in the second half hour is even worse. Take a look:
On the Lot (Fox) 9:00 p.m. Viewers: 11.27 million, A18-49: 5.0/13 9:30 p.m. Viewers: 6.67 million, A18-49: 3.2/ 8 Percent Change – Viewers: -41, A18-49: -36
Also in the 9 p.m. hour was a repeat of NBC’s Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: #4, 6.55 million; A18-49: 2.3/ 6), and the series-finale of The CW’s Veronica Mars (Viewers: #5, 2.14 million; A18-49: #5, 0.9/ 2). Sorry Veronica Mars fans -- it’s officially over.
Opposite the second half of Dancing With the Stars and Jesse Stone: Sea Change at 10 p.m. was the season-finale of NBC’s rapidly declining Law & Order: SVU, at 10.21 million viewers (#3) and a second-place 4.1/10 among adults 18-49. Given the ongoing losses for SVU this season, upcoming CBS drama Cane could have a shot.
Melinda Doolittle's elmination and DWTS probably hurt AI.
AI was actually up from the fast national performance from last week. But I have to have the mute button handy when listening to Blake. Jordin wasn't great last night...but somebody has to win.
That's quite a bit of erosion for AI, and I'm so glad DTWS notched such strong numbers. I personally enjoy DTWS much more, it is fun, has a lot more heart, and plus I was pretty P/O'd they basically screwed Blake over with that sappy over the top ballad they made him sing. Talk about fix!
All you Lost fans, pray with me, I hope that the Lost finale will somehow do well against AI, I think it was crazy of ABC to go against the #1 show on TV (no not the Apprentice! ) I'll be happy if it does Heroes numbers (13 million) but I have a feeling it'll do 12, and most people will watch AI live and DVR Lost.
What are you going to be watching live, Marc? My guess is AI...up here in Canada, they are splitting up Lost, 7pm and 10pm so they can accomodate AI.
Posts: 264 | Location: Toronto | Registered: 08 December 2006
Melinda Doolittle's elmination and DWTS probably hurt AI.
AI was actually up from the fast national performance from last week. But I have to have the mute button handy when listening to Blake. Jordin wasn't great last night...but somebody has to win.
Thanks for the info, I should have checked last week and not just compared it to last year. Compared to last year there is definitely less interest in these two.
Cancelling this show was a smart decision. It can't stand on its own, and no show with THAT MUCH critical acclaim should rely on a lead-in, when ending its 3rd season. That's just ridiculous - VM should never have even been renewed by UPN in 2005...it just didn't have a large following.
Originally posted by tvfan300: Viewers just ran away from On the Lot. While initially enticing, the show certainly didn't need to be an hour.
the only reason that On The Lot might keep airing is that it is now 'summer tv season'. The ratings dropoff for On The Lot would equal instant cancellation any other time of year.
And they're so much worse than I'd dared hope--sheesh, 2.14mil viewers for the SERIES FINALE? The 18-49 #'s are 0.8 and 0.9? Don't talk to me about reality shows--VM managed better than this earlier in the season, against even tougher competition, and Marc is right--look at NCIS. There were plenty of unclaimed viewers out there--VM just never could claim them. It would have claimed even fewer next season.
Thank you for entertaining us with your putrid audience #'s, Veronica Mars. It almost made up for your mediocre scripts, and lacklustre acting.
who knows with those weakening Idol numbers, LOST may surprise us all
quote:
Originally posted by asiancolossus: That's quite a bit of erosion for AI, and I'm so glad DTWS notched such strong numbers. I personally enjoy DTWS much more, it is fun, has a lot more heart, and plus I was pretty P/O'd they basically screwed Blake over with that sappy over the top ballad they made him sing. Talk about fix!
All you Lost fans, pray with me, I hope that the Lost finale will somehow do well against AI, I think it was crazy of ABC to go against the #1 show on TV (no not the Apprentice! ) I'll be happy if it does Heroes numbers (13 million) but I have a feeling it'll do 12, and most people will watch AI live and DVR Lost.
What are you going to be watching live, Marc? My guess is AI...up here in Canada, they are splitting up Lost, 7pm and 10pm so they can accomodate AI.
Originally posted by tvfan300: Viewers just ran away from On the Lot. While initially enticing, the show certainly didn't need to be an hour.
the only reason that On The Lot might keep airing is that it is now 'summer tv season'. The ratings dropoff for On The Lot would equal instant cancellation any other time of year.
Definitely true. 40% of viewers running away during the premiere is a sure sign of failure. I can only imagine how bad the numbers will be next week with no Idol.
) I'll be happy if it does Heroes numbers (13 million) but I have a feeling it'll do 12, and most people will watch AI live and DVR Lost.
