Prime-Time Ratings:
Sunday 9/28/08

-Total Viewers:
NBC: 14.23 million, ABC: 12.47, CBS: 10.86, Fox: 10.58, CW: 1.34

-Adults 18-49:
NBC: 5.6 rating/14 share, Fox: 4.6/12, ABC: 4.4/11, CBS: 2.6/ 7, CW: 0.6/ 2

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Football Overrun (Fox), The OT (Fox), Football Night in America – 8 p.m. (NBC), Sunday Night Football (NBC), Desperate Housewives (ABC)

-Honorable Mention:
60 Minutes (CBS), The Amazing Race (CBS), The Simpsons (Fox), Family Guy (Fox), Brothers & Sisters (ABC)

-Disappointing:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats)
Nothing (until the CW launches its new Sunday this week)

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Ratings Breakdown:
The Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football lifted NBC to victory on this first Sunday of the new season, with an advantage over the No. 2 network (ABC in total viewers; Fox among adults 18-49) of 1.76 million viewers and 22 percent in the demo.

The Philadelphia Eagles/Chicago Bears match-up averaged an approximate 15.94 million viewers and a 6.3 rating/15 share among adults 18-49 for the prime-time portion from 8:30-11 p.m. The Football Night in America pre-game show attracted 5.97 million viewers (#4) and a 2.3/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#2), followed by the 8 p.m. half-hour portion at a first-place 12.94 million viewers and a 4.9/13 in the demo. Keep in mind, of course, that results for any live event are always approximate.

On a night of three season premieres, a two-hour edition of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition kicked-off below average with 9.55 million viewers and a 2.9/ 8 among adults 18-49 from 7-9 p.m. Compared to one year earlier, that’s a loss of a hefty 2.23 million viewers (11.83 to 9.55 million) and 26 percent in the demo (3.9/11 to 2.9/ 8). Are viewers finally tiring of Ty Pennington and company? Here is the half-hour breakdown:

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
7:00 p.m. - Viewers: 6.51 million (#3), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#2)
7:30 p.m. - Viewers: 7.88 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 7 (#3t)
8:00 p.m. - Viewers: 10.52 million (#3), A18-49: 3.2/ 8 (#4)
8:30 p.m. - Viewers: 13.29 million (#2), A18-49: 4.2/10 (#2)

The fifth season-premiere of lead-out Desperate Housewives perked up to a rock-solid 18.44 million viewers and a 7.0/16 from 9-10 p.m. (first in both categories), which was close to opening levels from one year earlier (Viewers: 19.32 million; A18-49: 7.5/17 on Sept. 30, 2007). Interesting potential plot twist with Edie’s new husband, isn’t it?

The third season-premiere of Brothers & Sisters (the best relationship drama since thirtysomething) capped off the night for ABC finishing a solid second at 10 p.m., with 12.35 million viewers and a 4.8/12 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that is also on par with the year-ago season premiere (Viewers: 12.83 million; A18-49: 4.9/13 on Sept. 30, 2007). It looks like this will be quite a season of catfights between Nora and Holly. Move over, Krystle and Alexis!

Next up among adults 18-49 was Fox care of a half-hour prime-time football overrun (Viewers: #1, 20.02 million; A18-49: #1, 8.0/24 at 7 p.m.), followed by The OT (Viewers: #2, 11.04 million; A18-49: #1, 4.5/13 at 7:30 p.m.), and the season premieres of The Simpsons (Viewers: #4, 9.30 million; A18-49: #2, 4.4/12), King of the Hill (Viewers: #4, 7.04 million; A18-49: #3: 3.3/ 8), Family Guy (Viewers: #4, 9.20 million; A18-49: #3, 4.5/10) and American Dad (Viewers: #4, 6.86 million; A18-49: #3, 3.2/ 7) from 8-10 p.m. The two animated standouts were, of course, The Simpsons and Family Guy.

Over at CBS, the program results (all season premieres) are approximate due to an estimated 15-minute football overrun. On that note, the clock keeps ticking on veteran 60 Minutes, with a healthy 12.14 million viewers and a 2.2/ 7 among adults 18-49. Next was the return of The Amazing Race (edition No. 13) at a very respectable 10.29 million viewers (#3) and a 3.2/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#4), followed by new seasons of Cold Case (Viewers: #3, 11.24 million; A18-49: #4, 2.7/ 6) and relocated The Unit (Viewers: #3, 9.75 million; A18-49: #3, 2.6/ 7). Retention for The Unit out of Cold Case was solid at 87 percent in total viewers and 96 percent in the demo -- a good fit.

The CW closed Sunday with repeats of One Tree Hill (Viewers: 1.37 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2), Privileged (Viewers: 1.22 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 1) and America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: 1.44 million; A18-49: 0.7/ 2), which all of course finished in the distant No. 5 spot. Next week marks the debuts of In Harm’s Way, Valentine, Inc. and Easy Money (all produced by Media Rights Capital). All I can say is…good luck!

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

B&S has such a poor retention that i would hardly give it a honarable mention. It loses 35% of the demo lead-in. Ouch

Great premieres last night in both ratings and quality from DH, B&S, and TAR. DH is absolutely back up to its devilishly addictive ways and can hopefully keep it up beyond the re-premising. Both DH and B&S way above spring levels, and TAR... welcome back to CBS Sunday. You were missed last spring thanks to CBS stupidly only making one cycle of you last season. Best non-overrun demos of the night for the Eye by a wide margin.

I agree. The viewership and demo retention is not good out of DH. The reason why it look decent is the fact that it has such a good lead in.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
B&S has such a poor retention that i would hardly give it a honarable mention. It loses 35% of the demo lead-in. Ouch

Breathing a sigh of relief for TAR.
I was paranoid for some reason it would be in the 8 million range after having been off the air so long.

Good numbers for COLD CASE...there have been predictions last season that the show was winding down but I don't expect this to be its last year at all.

quote:

Originally posted by TravisYanan:
Great premieres last night in both ratings and quality from DH, B&S, and TAR. DH is absolutely back up to its devilishly addictive ways and can hopefully keep it up beyond the re-premising. Both DH and B&S way above spring levels, and TAR... welcome back to CBS Sunday. You were missed last spring thanks to CBS stupidly only making one cycle of you last season. Best non-overrun demos of the night for the Eye by a wide margin.

I loved all three shows. It is too bad B and S doesn't have a bigger audience, it is such a well acted and well scripted show. Didn't DH dip to the 15 million mark in the spring last year? So 18 million isn't bad at all.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
B&S has such a poor retention that i would hardly give it a honarable mention. It loses 35% of the demo lead-in. Ouch

But consider that, besides Grey's, nothing put after DH has gotten more than 50% retention (BL, special airings/premieres of What About Brian, Cashmere Mafia, etc). A consistent 65% retention isn't bad (though it's obviously not Grey's great).

Though, much as I like ending my weekend with the Walkers... I still think ABC should move B&S midseason to Tuesday nights after the DWTS Results Show can use the Sunday 10pm hour to launch a new drama.

My answer would be no, they aren't. If you look at the numbers, there is a huge jump from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM. If they were tired of the show, there wouldn't be this huge jump. It's more reflective that there isn't an audience at 7:00 PM as there is for 8:00 PM. If you take the 8 to 9 PM numbers, the show looks much better in the ratings.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Are viewers finally tiring of Ty Pennington and company? Here is the half-hour breakdown:

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
7:00 p.m. - Viewers: 6.51 million (#3), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#2)
7:30 p.m. - Viewers: 7.88 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 7 (#3t)
8:00 p.m. - Viewers: 10.52 million (#3), A18-49: 3.2/ 8 (#4)
8:30 p.m. - Viewers: 13.29 million (#2), A18-49: 4.2/10 (#2)

quote:

Originally posted by WlcmLAPD:
I agree. The viewership and demo retention is not good out of DH. The reason why it look decent is the fact that it has such a good lead in.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
B&S has such a poor retention that i would hardly give it a honarable mention. It loses 35% of the demo lead-in. Ouch

Sorry, but I disagree. Nothing else on ABC's schedule (minus Grey) would do this well following DH on a Sunday night. The way ratings have been for the last few seasons (especially last season and the start of thi one), earning the numbers B&S did last night and the demo, it does indeed deserve honorable mention. It was never able to hold nearly the audience DH has, but it has done well and kept pace. Nothing else ABC could do would be a decent enough fit at this point.

Didn't watch DHyet but usually when everyone thinks it's bad i find it good and viceversa. I still think the second season was the best so far and everyone hates that season

Nice to see TAR get some good numbers.

What heppened to EMHE? Just the first week though.

The Simpsons just can't be killed. Seriously--how do you NOT keep renewing a show that gets ratings like that for its TWENTIETH season premiere?

A year from now, it becomes the longest-running scripted primetime network series in American TV history.

Gunsmoke will still hold the drama record, of course--and The Simpsons is a LONG way from equalling it in terms of eps broadcast.

That being said, I thought all the Foxtoons sucked last night.

Better than I expected for The Unit. Considering the change in time slot and the much lower lead in, I think it held up fairly well. It's not a hit and it probably won't be beating B&S, but if it can hold those numbers, I think CBS will be content. Granted, those numbers could drop significantly in the finals.

While the average numbers for EMHE are down, the numbers in the 8 o'clock hour are still good. I don't think ABC will be worried at all about that show.

quote:

Originally posted by WlcmLAPD:
My answer would be no, they aren't. If you look at the numbers, there is a huge jump from 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM. If they were tired of the show, there wouldn't be this huge jump. It's more reflective that there isn't an audience at 7:00 PM as there is for 8:00 PM. If you take the 8 to 9 PM numbers, the show looks much better in the ratings.

Berman's right. Home Edition used to get 18-49 numbers way above Amazing Race head-to head. The margin has significantly narrowed in the 8 p.m. slot, due entirely to the slippage of Home Edition.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
The Simpsons just can't be killed. Seriously--how do you NOT keep renewing a show that gets ratings like that for its TWENTIETH season premiere?

A year from now, it becomes the longest-running scripted primetime network series in American TV history.

Gunsmoke will still hold the drama record, of course--and The Simpsons is a LONG way from equalling it in terms of eps broadcast.

That being said, I thought all the Foxtoons sucked last night.

They really did suck, didn't they?