Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 12/10/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 12.03 million, NBC: 5.98, Fox: 5.85, ABC: 5.68, CW: 1.26

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 3.2 rating/9 share, Fox: 2.1/ 6, ABC: 1.9/ 5, NBC: 1.8/ 5, CW: 0.5/ 1

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Pushing Daisies (ABC), Little Spirit: Christmas in New York (NBC), Life (NBC), Stylista (CW), Dirty Sexy Money (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
It was another Wednesday of leadership for CBS, which bested the No. 2 network (NBC in total viewers; Fox among adults 18-49) by a hefty 6.05 million viewers and 52 percent in the demo.

CBS sitcoms The New Adventures of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried and week two (and episode three) of Fox’s Secret Millionaire shared dominance in the Wednesday 8 p.m. hour as follows:

Wednesday 8-9 p.m.
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) – 8 p.m.
Viewers: 8.25 million (#1), A18-49: 2.2 rating/7 share (#2)

Gary Unmarried (CBS) – 8:30 p.m.
Viewers: 8.03 million (#1), A18-49: 2.4/ 7 (#2)

Secret Millionaire (Fox)
Viewers: 7.19 million (#2), A18-49: 2.7/ 8 (#1)

Based on the results, however, none of the three series can be classified as “winners.” Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour was NBC holiday special Little Spirit: Christmas in New York (Viewers: #3, 5.01 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 4), ABC’s Pushing Daisies (Viewers: #4, 4.95 million; A18-49: #3, 1.6/ 5), and a repeat of Stylista on the CW (Viewers: #5, 1.20 million; A18-49: #5, 0.4/ 1). An encore of Stylista is just what we need, right?

CBS’ dominant Criminal Minds stood well above the competition from 9-10 p.m., with 14.71 million viewers and a 3.9/10 among adults 18-49. In the distant No. 2 spot was ABC’s Private Practice (Viewers: 6.85 million; A18-49: 2.4/ 6), followed by NBC’s struggling Life (Viewers: 5.46 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 5), a repeat of Fox’s Bones (Viewers: 4.52 million; A18-49: 1.5/ 4), and the original installment of Stylista (Viewers: 1.32 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2). Two hours of Stylista – woo hoo!

CBS’ CSI: NY also finished well above ABC or NBC at 10 p.m., with a hefty 13.25 million viewers and a 3.5/10 among adults 18-49. Next was NBC’s veteran Law & Order (Viewers: 7.47 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6), which built by double-digits out of Life, followed by Dirty Sexy Money on ABC (Viewers: 5.22 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 5). Too bad more viewers did not discover guilty pleasure DSM.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Secret Millionaire (Fox)
Viewers: 7.19 million (#2), A18-49: 2.7/ 8 (#1)

SM kept most of its ratings second week out and was #1 in the demo. I'm impressed considering that FOX basically attempted to bury it in December. I think FOX just found what should be placed on their Friday schedule in the fall.

Nice viewer totals for OC and Gu. It is just too bad that only old people watch these shows. You would think with 8 million viewers they could at least get upper 2's demos. Even though the viewer totals are fine I just think advertisers will not care for these shows.

Like I said on the last thread, I actually watched a fair bit of PD last night, and if anything, I hated it more than the 'pielette' (ugh).

I've known for over a year now that PD was doomed, and as nice as it is to be proven right (again), I still curse the damned strike for keeping it alive this long. If the strike hadn't happened, we'd have seen the last episode air last spring, and that would have been the end of it.

PUSHING DAISIES and DIRTY SEXY MONEY cancellations were no brainers...but maybe ABC should take a second look at PRIVATE PRACTICE and not waste the time period after GREY's by moving it there....

I agree. Demos are really low. 8 PM shows tend to pull lower numbers, but comedies are supposed to be on the younger skewing side. CBS will probably hang on to the Wednesday comedy block because they had the chance to switch them with TAR and didn't. However, I'd expect only one of OC and GU to come back (right now I'd favor GU and move it at 8:00 to lead off the night). A new comedy next year will be placed at 9:30 on Monday and the 8:30 Wednesday spot will either be ROE or a brand new comedy.

quote:

Originally posted by Twins12:
Nice viewer totals for OC and Gu. It is just too bad that only old people watch these shows. You would think with 8 million viewers they could at least get upper 2's demos. Even though the viewer totals are fine I just think advertisers will not care for these shows.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
Like I said on the last thread, I actually watched a fair bit of PD last night, and if anything, I hated it more than the 'pielette' (ugh).

I've known for over a year now that PD was doomed, and as nice as it is to be proven right (again), I still curse the damned strike for keeping it alive this long. If the strike hadn't happened, we'd have seen the last episode air last spring, and that would have been the end of it.

Wow! You really really hate Pushing Daisies's existence, don't you? Why waste so much negative emotion on it? I simply ignore it.

What a repulsive show. Even worse that Extreme Makeover in the sob story of the week department. Just yikes.

quote:

Originally posted by WlcmLAPD:
Secret Millionaire (Fox)
Viewers: 7.19 million (#2), A18-49: 2.7/ 8 (#1)

SM kept most of its ratings second week out and was #1 in the demo. I'm impressed considering that FOX basically attempted to bury it in December. I think FOX just found what should be placed on their Friday schedule in the fall.

I see that CBS is giving The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother another special night showing on Thursday, January 1 at 8:00. This could be a test for them on another night to see how they do.

I wonder if they would consider moving these two in tandem to another night to really open up another night. These two are really strong enough now to really anchor another night for CBS. They must move both of them together though. They cannot break up the BBT/HIMYM tandem. They do too well together.

quote:

Originally posted by WlcmLAPD:
I agree. Demos are really low. 8 PM shows tend to pull lower numbers, but comedies are supposed to be on the younger skewing side. CBS will probably hang on to the Wednesday comedy block because they had the chance to switch them with TAR and didn't. However, I'd expect only one of OC and GU to come back (right now I'd favor GU and move it at 8:00 to lead off the night). A new comedy next year will be placed at 9:30 on Monday and the 8:30 Wednesday spot will either be ROE or a brand new comedy.

quote:

Originally posted by Twins12:
Nice viewer totals for OC and Gu. It is just too bad that only old people watch these shows. You would think with 8 million viewers they could at least get upper 2's demos. Even though the viewer totals are fine I just think advertisers will not care for these shows.

Poor NBC. They hire Jay Leno to take over for 5 hours of their weekly program and they still have to look at shows like Law&Order and Life for possible renewal? Life is gone for sure, since it only works if it has a good lead-in and NBC doesn't have any of those. Law&Order should be gone to (port it over to USA network), so that NBC can actually try to develop some hits next year. NBC simply cannot use 2.2demo shows as lead-ins for the Jay Leno thing if they expect it to work.

I agree. They are one of the strongest blocks on TV. If you look at the half hour breakdowns on sitcomsonline, they grow every 15 minute increment.

Thursday at 8PM would be an interesting move. That's been Survivor's spot for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by Twins12:

They cannot break up the BBT/HIMYM tandem. They do too well together.

quote:

PUSHING DAISIES and DIRTY SEXY MONEY cancellations were no brainers...but maybe ABC should take a second look at PRIVATE PRACTICE and not waste the time period after GREY's by moving it there....

Having watched about 15 minutes of PP last night (first time this season), I am inclined to agree. They may not be able to cancel it right now, but they shouldn't waste what's left of the Grey's lead-in on it. There's just no show there. Individually talented people, yes. But no show.

Yeah, I think they really could move them out of the shadow of Two and a Half Men on Mondays now, but the key is keeping them together. BBT and HIMYM just compliment each other too well. I think they could put them on say Wednesday or Thursday and then CBS could really have another big time comedy block night going.

quote:

Originally posted by WlcmLAPD:
I agree. They are one of the strongest blocks on TV. If you look at the half hour breakdowns on sitcomsonline, they grow every 15 minute increment.

Thursday at 8PM would be an interesting move. That's been Survivor's spot for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by Twins12:

They cannot break up the BBT/HIMYM tandem. They do too well together.

quote:

I wonder if they would consider moving these two in tandem to another night to really open up another night. These two are really strong enough now to really anchor another night for CBS. They must move both of them together though. They cannot break up the BBT/HIMYM tandem. They do too well together.

Agreed, but I hope they don't move them. Personally, I mean. I look forward to that bloc on Monday. It's the perfect night and timeslot for them.

quote:

Wow! You really really hate Pushing Daisies's existence, don't you?

YES. And I am far from alone in this.

quote:

Why waste so much negative emotion on it?

What else would you have me waste it on? Bush? He's already canceled.

quote:

I simply ignore it.

Well, you could ignore me too, you know.