Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.
----------
-Ratings Breakdown: CBS and Fox shared dominance on this first Wednesday of the November sweeps, with CBS the most-watched network (with 370,000 more viewers than second-place ABC) and Fox No. 1 among adults 18-49. ABC got a boost courtesy of a midweek edition of the live Dancing With the Stars Results Show. NBC finished a distant fourth in both categories despite revamping two-thirds of the evening, while the CW was a typical fifth.
Dancing With the Stars kicked-off the evening with 15.64 million viewers and a 3.2 rating/9 share among adults 18-49, but that was not enough to outdeliver Fox’s competing Bones in the demo (3.3/ 9). Comparably, that beat the week-ago performance of regularly scheduled occupant Pushing Daisies (Viewers: 6.69 million; A18-49: 2.3/ 6 on Oct. 29) by 8.95 million viewers and 39 percent in the demo. So long, Susan Lucci. Underrated Bones, meanwhile, was second in total viewers, with a healthy 10.09 million.
Also airing from 8-9 p.m. were below average performances for CBS sitcoms The New Adventures of Old Christine (Viewers: #3, 6.57 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.9/ 5) and Gary Unmarried (Viewers: #3, 6.44 million; A18-49: #4, 2.1/ 6), NBC’s inane Knight Rider (Viewers: #4, 5.14 million; A18-49: #5, 1.6/ 4), and the CW’s fading America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 3.94 million; A18-49: #3, 2.1/ 6). One year earlier, Top Model averaged 5.10 million viewers and a 2.5/ 7 in the demo.
CBS moved into the 9 p.m. circle, with Criminal Minds at a solid 14.28 million viewers and a 3.5/ 9 among adults 18-49. ABC’s competing Private Practice got a boost thanks to lead-in Dancing With the Stars, with a second-place 9.54 million viewers and a 3.2/ 8 in the demo. But retention out of the second half of Dancing With the Stars (Viewers: 16.15 million; A18-49: 3.3/ 9 at 8:30 p.m.) was just 59 percent in total viewers.
A repeat of Fox’s House (Viewers: 6.73 million; A18-49: 2.7/ 7) ranked third at 9 p.m., followed by the time period premiere of NBC’s Life at a mere 5.82 million viewers and a 1.9/ 5 among adults 18-49, and week three of CW dud Stylista (Viewers: #5, 2.00 million; A18-49: 1.0/ 3). With Top Model already declining, did the CW really need another model competition? As for Life, do not anticipate a third season.
CBS’ dominance continued at 10 p.m., with CSI: NY at a below-average 11.75 million viewers and a 3.3/ 9 among adults 18-49. Second was the 19th season-premiere of NBC’s Law & Order at 7.85 million viewers and a 2.2/ 7 among adults 18-49, which built from the second-half of lead-in Life (Viewers: 5.94 million; A18-49: 2.0/ 5 at 9:30 p.m.) by 1.91 million viewers and 10 percent in the demo. Comparably, however, Law & Order opened last season (on Jan. 2, 2008) with a considerably stronger 13.46 million viewers and a 3.9/ 8 in the demo. And this was its weakest opening performance historically. Poor NBC!
Last at 10 p.m. was ABC’s Dirty Sexy Money at 6.25 million viewers and a 2.0/ 6 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that put retention out of the second half of lead-in Private Practice (Viewers: 8.70 million; A18-49: 3.1/ 8 at 9:30 p.m.) of 72 percent in viewers and 65 percent in the demo.
Bones was a solid ep; while I still hate the weekly Zach replacement, the prospect of rotation is good if they bring back the older guy from The Practice, I really liked him. House rerun was a good one. Still have to watch CM on DVR.
L&O was just lousy. They totally betrayed Jack McCoy's character: he NEVER would've tried a case like this before; if Adam or FDT had told him to try a 'terrorist' approach he would have railed against them all hour long (heck, his arguing would've extended into your nightly news AND the Tonight Show). For him to act like this shows lousy memory on the part of the writers.
That said, with NBC down, I'm not surprised the ratings were weaker. How many people were aware that it was back this week?
Posts: 249 | Location: High Point, NC | Registered: 21 April 2008
What happened last night? Almost everything was down.
Over at CBS, DWTS killed the comedy's numbers. 1.9 demo for Christine? That's terrible. GU wasn't much better. CM was about normal and CSI: NY was way down. L&O took out a considerable size of its audience.
At ABC, DWTS did its usual numbers. PP got a slight increase because of it. PD really had killed PP's numbers. However, the increased PP ratings and the move of LJ did nothing to help out DSM. DSM needs to be cancelled now. It's dragging down ABC's numbers.
At NBC, KR produced absolutely awful numbers. Perhaps DWTS affected it also. Life was able to build on KR's terrible numbers. It also looks like Life got a viewership boost at 9:30. NBC has to be patient and see how Life can perform in its timeslot. It isn't performing any worse than any of NBC's other Wednesday at 9 PM offerings. However, KR needs to be moved to Fridays 10 PM. L&O was off its game also, but much better than LJ's numbers. Moving L&O here and moving LJ was a good move.
At CW, ANTM was at its usual numbers, but Stylista had a slight increase. CW needs to keep it there to see if it can be a slow grower.
It should be no surprise that PP didn't hold on to very much of the Dancing viewer lead in. Dancing viewers flee everything for one and two, they're much much older. Dancing is as older skewing as NCIS. At least DSM held steady, that's something Eli Stone can't say.
Life was probably hurt by facing House and CM, but it still sucks and really hurt Law and Order. This NBC lineup was more fit for Fridays with L&O anchoring the night at 9 and Life at 10. Wednesday could've used more sci fi/fantasy type gunk like Crusoe and My Own Worst Enemy to counter program. Lipstick Jungle's only place it would've had a chance at succeeding was Tuesdays at 9 behind the Biggest Loser and with a weaker CSI:Miami over at CBS, Medium should be on Mondays at 10.
Originally posted by WlcmLAPD: Life was able to build on KR's terrible numbers. It also looks like Life got a viewership boost at 9:30. NBC has to be patient and see how Life can perform in its timeslot. It isn't performing any worse than any of NBC's other Wednesday at 9 PM offerings.
Life is a flop now in three time slots. Time to call it quits and its not like it faced massive competition last night. Had NBC really wanted these shows to succeed, they would've put them all on Fridays where expectations are low and low demo numbers are more acceptable. I always thought the likes of DOND, Crusoe, and My Own Worst Enemy were more fit for Wednesdays as counter programming to ABC's female lineup and CBS's older skewing and more male lineup.
It isn't a massive flop. It's always built on all of the shows it has gone after. It hasn't gotten a good lead in yet. The flop was LJ. They hung on to that at Wednesday in favor of Life. It should have had the Wednesday at 10 spot from the beginning. Changing timeslots for Life is just confusing the audience. And for what? LJ is likely not to stay past November. They just took Life with it.
As for a sci fi Wednesday, that would never work, especially with the shows listed. With that lineup, it would struggle to get past 5 million in viewership for the whole night.
quote:
Originally posted by mushu_jj:
Life is a flop now in three time slots. Time to call it quits and its not like it faced massive competition last night. Had NBC really wanted these shows to succeed, they would've put them all on Fridays where expectations are low and low demo numbers are more acceptable. I always thought the likes of DOND, Crusoe, and My Own Worst Enemy were more fit for Wednesdays as counter programming to ABC's female lineup and CBS's older skewing and more male lineup.
No, don't say that, mushu! Life is good! Obama will be President! Pushing Daisies is almost canceled! They made a movie out of "Marley and Me"! There's so much to look forward to!
So "Life" obviously has to go, but now that Sarah "You mean Africa isn't a country?" Palin isn't going to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency, Life in its larger sense has been renewed for an indefinite run once again.
Newsflash: 2 of NBC's three programs last night barely made it over 5 million. The fact of the matter is that just about everything on NBC blows. ABC's worst programs are better than some of NBC's best programs. Ditto for CBS. I'd rather watch Cold Case than some of these pathetic NBC programs. Life hasn't received a lead in because NBC doesn't have one for it. Like I mentioned before, the only night these shows would work on is Fridays with Law and Order anchoring it. That isn't going to happen. I'm kind of surprised that NBC affiliates aren't defecting and trying to get other affiliations. I know in my local market NBC has the number one local newscast in virtually all time slots. They should go after Fox or CBS (both of which have weak affiliations).
quote:
Originally posted by WlcmLAPD: It isn't a massive flop. It's always built on all of the shows it has gone after. It hasn't gotten a good lead in yet. The flop was LJ. They hung on to that at Wednesday in favor of Life. It should have had the Wednesday at 10 spot from the beginning. Changing timeslots for Life is just confusing the audience. And for what? LJ is likely not to stay past November. They just took Life with it.
As for a sci fi Wednesday, that would never work, especially with the shows listed. With that lineup, it would struggle to get past 5 million in viewership for the whole night.
quote:
Originally posted by mushu_jj:
Life is a flop now in three time slots. Time to call it quits and its not like it faced massive competition last night. Had NBC really wanted these shows to succeed, they would've put them all on Fridays where expectations are low and low demo numbers are more acceptable. I always thought the likes of DOND, Crusoe, and My Own Worst Enemy were more fit for Wednesdays as counter programming to ABC's female lineup and CBS's older skewing and more male lineup.
Would really like to know a couple of things about storylines in Life and DSM before the shows leave the boat. Hope they get at least a proper send-off.
And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.
If you find my english is bad, it's because I'm italian. :-)
Posts: 84 | Location: Italy | Registered: 15 May 2007
No, don't say that, mushu! Life is good! Obama will be President! Pushing Daisies is almost canceled! They made a movie out of "Marley and Me"! There's so much to look forward to!
Good to see that younger people are finally finding something other than DWTS. It was beaten for the second time this week in the demo. The 8:00 Monday sitcoms beat it, and now Bones did, too. I think it is time for that show to start sinking already. Glad to see the younger people are starting to get tired of seeing a bunch of has beens dancing around every week.
I agree that NBC is in a terrible state. My point for Life was that even with terrible lead ins, it manages to find a way to increase its viewers and demos. If NBC had a lead in that could bring in the numbers, it will be interesting to see what it could do. With a 1.6 demo lead in, Life's numbers are going to suck.
quote:
Originally posted by mushu_jj: Newsflash: 2 of NBC's three programs last night barely made it over 5 million. The fact of the matter is that just about everything on NBC blows. ABC's worst programs are better than some of NBC's best programs. Ditto for CBS. I'd rather watch Cold Case than some of these pathetic NBC programs. Life hasn't received a lead in because NBC doesn't have one for it. Like I mentioned before, the only night these shows would work on is Fridays with Law and Order anchoring it. That isn't going to happen. I'm kind of surprised that NBC affiliates aren't defecting and trying to get other affiliations. I know in my local market NBC has the number one local newscast in virtually all time slots. They should go after Fox or CBS (both of which have weak affiliations).
