Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 4/08/09
-Total Viewers:
Fox: 15.42 million, CBS: 11.02, ABC: 6.52, NBC: 4.86, CW: 2.85
-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 5.2 rating/14 share, CBS: 2.9/ 8, ABC: 2.6/ 7, NBC: 1.2/ 3, CW: 1.3/ 4
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-Yesterday’s Winners:
American Idol (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)
-Disappoiting:
The Unusuals (ABC)
-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Scrubs (ABC), Better Off Ted (ABC), Life (NBC)
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-Ratings Breakdown:
Fox got over the Wednesday hump in typically winning fashion care of American Idol, which led the night with 22.43 million viewers and a 7.8 rating/20 share among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. So long, Scott! Earlier in the evening, Fox’s Lie To Me won the 8 p.m. hour, but it was below-average at 8.41 million viewers and a 2.5/ 8 in the demo. Sad, isn’t it, that a show can win a time period with under 9 million viewers? Wednesday at 8 p.m. remains one of the least competitive hours in prime-time.
CBS got off to a second-place start last night, with on-the-fence sitcoms The New Adventures of Old Christine (Viewers: 7.30 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 7) and Gary Unmarried (Viewers: 7.30 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 7), which remains completely compatible. The network got better news, of course, as a result of Criminal Minds at 9 p.m. (Viewers: #2, 13.25 million; A18-49: #3, 3.2/ 8). And CSI: NY capped off the evening with a first-place finish in both total viewers (12.52 million) and adults 18-49 (3.3/ 9) at 10 p.m.
In series-premiere news, ABC dramedy The Unusuals was nothing unusual, with 6.84 million viewers (#2) and a 2.2/ 6 among adults 18-49 (#2) at 10 p.m. Although the retention out of the second-half of lead-in Lost (Viewers: 8.41 million; A18-49: 3.8/ 9 at 9:30 p.m.) was respectable at 81 percent in total viewers and 58 percent in the demo, the loss of audience was significant at 10:30 p.m. Take a look:
The Unusuals (ABC)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 7.44 million, A18-49: 2.5/ 7
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 6.25 million, A18-49: 1.9/ 5
Percent Change: Viewers: -16, A18-49: -24
While this is still better than recent occupant Life on Mars, expect 10-20 percent erosion next week. Overall, this is a disappointing start.
Earlier in the evening on ABC was the failing combination of Scrubs (Viewers: #4, 4.67 million; A18-49: #3, 1.8/ 6) and Better Off Ted (Viewers: #4, 4.20 million; A18-49: #4, 1.7/ 5) from 8-9 p.m., followed by the full hour of Lost at a below-average 8.29 million viewers (#3) and a 3.7/ 9 among adults 18-49 (#2) from 9-10 p.m. Keep in mind that as we delve further into spring, HUT levels continue to diminish (hence the weaker returns).
NBC opened the night with a repeat of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: #3, 5.41 million; A18-49: #4, 1.2/ 4 at 8 p.m.), which is nothing more than time period filler. While that may not sound like much, it is a noticeable improvement over recent time period flop The Chopping Block. That led into the season (or series) finale of Life at a typically bland (and fourth-place) 4.50 million viewers and a 1.3/ 3 among adults 18-49 at 9 p.m. In other words, chances are we will not be seeing a third season of Life. Capping off Wednesday for NBC was a repeat of Law & Order third at 4.68 million viewers and a 1.2/ 3 in the demo at 10 p.m.
Over at the CW was America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 3.70 million A18-49: #3t, 1.7/ 5), followed by a clips edition of Top Model at a last-place 2.00 million viewers and a 0.9/ 2 in the demo.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
