Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 9/25/08

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 15.46 million, CBS: 11.74, NBC: 7.84, Fox: 4.33, CW: 3.67

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 6.0 rating/15 share, CBS: 3.8/10, NBC: 3.6/ 9, Fox: 2.0/ 5, CW: 1.5/ 4

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Office (NBC)

-Down But Not Out:
Survivor: Gabon (CBS), Ugly Betty (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
My Name is Earl (NBC), Kitchen Nightmares (Fox), ER (NBC)

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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:
ABC won this first Thursday of the 2008-09 season with ease, beating second-place CBS by a hefty 3.72 million viewers and 58 percent among adults 18-49. Keep in mind, however, that CBS aired a repeat of CSI at 10 p.m. last night. In the distant number three spot was NBC, followed by Fox and the CW.

The two-hour season-opening edition of CBS’ Survivor: Gabon kicked-off at a still solid (but below average) 12.91 million viewers and a 4.4 rating/12 share among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m., with the half-hour breakdown as follows:

Survivor: Gabon (CBS) – season premiere
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 12.79 million (#1), A18-49: 4.3/13 (#1)
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 13.31 million (#1), A18-49: 4.6/12 (#1)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 12.81 million (#1), A18-49: 4.4/11 (#3)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 12.74 million (#2), A18-49: 4.5/10 (#3)

One year earlier, Survivor: China opened with 15.35 million viewers and a 5.0/15 among adults 18-49 on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. And the year before that was Survivor: Cook Islands at 17.43 million viewers and a 6.5/18 in the demo on Sept. 21, 2006. So, yes, Survivor is down…but not out by any means.

Survivor: Gabon led into a repeat of CSI at 9.40 million viewers (#2) and a 2.6/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#3) at 10 p.m. – 1.48 million more viewers than the 15th season-premiere of NBC’s veteran ER (Viewers: #3, 7.92 million; A18-49: #2, 3.3/ 8). Comparably, ER declined by 2 million viewers and 20 percent among adults 18-49 from it’s already depressed year-ago season-opener on Sept. 27, 2007 (Viewers: 9.92 million; A18-49: 4.1/11). While ER is, of course, ending this season, it probably should have concluded three or four years ago.

Earlier in the evening on NBC was the one-hour season premieres of My Name is Earl (Viewers: #3, 6.40 million; A18-49: #3, 2.6/ 8 from 8-9 p-.m.), which was down by double-digits year-to-year (Viewers: 8.66 million viewers; A18-49: 3.8/11 on Sept. 27, 2007), and The Office (Viewers: #3, 9.19 million; A18-49: #2, 4.9/11 from 9-10 p.m.), which was closer to year-ago levels. Worth noting for The Office was considerable growth out of My Name is Earl; a first place time period finish in men 18-34 and men 18-49; and its best performance since April 17, 2008.

The third season-premiere of ABC’s Ugly Betty finished second in the 8 p.m. hour, with 9.77 million viewers and a 3.3/10 among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. Comparably, that was down by 1.39 million viewers and 15 percent among adults 18-49 from it’s year-ago season-opener (Viewers: 11.16 million; A18-49: 3.9/11 on Sept. 27, 2007). Ugly Betty led into the two-hour season-premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, which won the 9-11 p.m. block with 18.31 million viewers and a 7.3/18 among adults 18-49 -- the highest rated show of the evening. As good as that still it, one year earlier Grey’s opened with a heftier 20.93 million viewers and an 8.8/21 in the demo. And that was opposite an original installment of CSI. Here is the half-hour breakdown:

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 18.14 million (#1), A18-49: 7.1/17 (#1)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 18.46 million (#1), A18-49: 7.2/17 (#1)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 18.28 million (#1), A18-49: 7.4/18 (#1)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 18.35 million (#1), A18-49: 7.6/19 (#1)

Two episodes of Fox’s Kitchen Nightmares could not compete, with an average 4.33 million viewers and a 2.0/ 5 among adults 18-49 8-10 p.m. And original episodes of the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #5, 4.10 million; A18-49: #5, 1.7/ 5) and Supernatural (Viewers: #5, 3.24 million; A18-49: #5, 1.3/ 3) stayed afloat despite the severity of the competition.

As a reminder, there is a LIVE chat today at 12 p.m. ET on everything TV! Click www.PIFeedback.com, then Go (top left), Chat Rooms and TV Talk

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Incredibly consistent numbers for GA in every hour.

Slowly the CW shows are coming down at last season levels.

I'd really love for this to be the last season for The Office.

I think for me it's going to be, whether they cancel it or not. And they almost certainly will not.

Marc, you were the scorned prophet of ER's inevitable demise, and a lot of people here owe you some props for calling it right. As you say, it should have happened sooner, but networks rarely want to let go of a major hit, even after it stops being a hit of any kind whatsoever. ER was a symbol of NBC's former ratings dominance, and that is ALL that kept it on the air this long.

Stick a fork in Earl, he's done.

Ugly Betty's ratings aren't down by as much as I'd imagined (and I think they're up from the spring, no?) And now that the show costs about 2/3 of the amount it did to make in LA (thanks to a production move to NYC), the ratings drop isn't as troubling as it otherwise would've been.

Grey's Anatomy, though down from a year ago and not against original CSI competition... up considerably versus the spring's post-strike airings. Considerably. Wasn't it getting low-6s in the demo and 15 million viewers? Getting 18 million and a 7-something is a triumph.

Good numbers for Grey's Anatomy.

Oh yes...ER was one of the many shows I have been attacked about.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
I'd really love for this to be the last season for The Office.

I think for me it's going to be, whether they cancel it or not. And they almost certainly will not.

Marc, you were the scorned prophet of ER's inevitable demise, and a lot of people here owe you some props for calling it right. As you say, it should have happened sooner, but networks rarely want to let go of a major hit, even after it stops being a hit of any kind whatsoever. ER was a symbol of NBC's former ratings dominance, and that is ALL that kept it on the air this long.

Yes Travis good numbers but will it hold up? I do't think so, IMO the decline will be just as bad as last season

Those KN numbers are awful. CW with Smallville almost beat it in viewers and may have in the 8 PM hour. FOX should never do a two hour KN again. As for Smallville, CW would be foolish not to give it another season.

MNIE's rating are actually very good considering NBC's slide this week and I don't think they are a loser at all. 8 PM is really suffering in terms of viewers and those numbers were better in the demos than Knight Rider and overall better than Lipstick Jungle which had a huge lead in. It will probably also do better than 30 Rock and Kath and Kim. To sum it up, it did as well as NBC should expect it to do.

ER on the other hand, those weren't very good numbers. Not as disasterous as Lipstick Jungle a day ago, but like LJ, they surely expected more. Especially since it was promoted all over the place.

UB is still declining. It needs to be moved to let something else take that spot.

quote:

ER on the other hand, those weren't very good numbers. Not as disasterous as Lipstick Jungle a day ago, but like LJ, they surely expected more. Especially since it was promoted all over the place.

The only way they'll get the #'s up for ER, even a little, is to bring back original cast members--ones people care about--I have no idea if they're planning to do that or not.

They waited too long to do this--interest in an ER final season would have been much higher a few years ago. Now it's basically a different show, with entirely different characters, and there just aren't enough people who give a damn either way.

Of course, I'm saying this as somebody who bailed on the show around the third or fourth season--I can't really remember--so very long ago.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
Yes Travis good numbers but will it hold up? I do't think so, IMO the decline will be just as bad as last season

No, I don't think it will hold at 18 million and 7 demos... but it's a higher / better starting point to decline from than it could've been (i.e. its spring average).

CSI isn't going to come back as strong as it was last season. Especially the season premiere (since last season's premiere was aided by a big cliffhanger). It'll still hit The Office and Grey's by 1-2 million viewers and 0.5-1.0 demo points each, I suspect.

McCain's stupid move was a failure: he suspends the suspension and will participate in the debate

Yay for 'The Office'. I was hoping for 9 million. It was a good premiere, all the characters had good scenes, classic Office humor. I'm a little worried in 2 weeks when CSI returns, but if it can stay in the 8-9 million range, I will be happy.
I agree; both UB and GA did well last nite considering the spring numbers. Viewers are willing to return, but they better deliver good storylines for them to stay tuned.

Not to Bad for Smallville and with that once again is the top rated show on the CW this week follwed by ANTM

quote:

Originally posted by TravisYanan:
Stick a fork in Earl, he's done.

Ugly Betty's ratings aren't down by as much as I'd imagined (and I think they're up from the spring, no?) And now that the show costs about 2/3 of the amount it did to make in LA (thanks to a production move to NYC), the ratings drop isn't as troubling as it otherwise would've been.

Grey's Anatomy, though down from a year ago and not against original CSI competition... up considerably versus the spring's post-strike airings. Considerably. Wasn't it getting low-6s in the demo and 15 million viewers? Getting 18 million and a 7-something is a triumph.

It was, but again, it was up against CSI. If they maintain above 16 next week when CSI premieres, then sure -- they've had a surge, but still:

Grey’s Anatomy Season 5
Episode 1: 18.31 million viewers

Grey's Anatomy Season 4
Episode 1: 20.93 million viewers

Grey's Season 3
Episode 1: 25.4 million viewers

Grey's Season 5 Compared to Two Past Seasons
Episode 1: Down 12.5% from Season 4, Down 28% from Season 3

quote:

McCain's stupid move was a failure: he suspends the suspension and will participate in the debate

There was no suspension--his ads didn't stop running on TV, his representatives kept right on bashing Obama on TV, his campaign went right on raising money.

And his trip to Washington just succeeded in creating chaos, and politicizing the bailout process even further. He sat there in the meeting and basically said nothing. What's he going to say? He has absolutely no idea what's going on.

Letterman went too easy on him.