Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 9/24/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 12.48 million, ABC: 10.36, NBC: 7.87, Fox: 6.85, CW: 3.20

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 3.5 rating/10 share, ABC: 2.9/ 8, NBC: 2.5/ 7, Fox: 2.3/ 6, CW: 1.6/ 4

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)

-Honorable Mention:
Bones (Fox), America’s Got Talent (NBC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS), Gary Unmarried (CBS), Knight Rider (NBC), David Blaine: Dive or Death (ABC), Til’ Death (Fox), Do Not Disturb (Fox), Lipstick Jungle (NBC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Note: All individual program results are approximate due to President Bush’s 15-minute address to the nation at 9 p.m. ET. Also, if for any reason The Programming Insider is coming to your mailbox late, it is always available at both Mediaweek.com and PIFeedback.com by 10:00 a.m. ET. Yes, I am still here! On that note…

CBS won this first Wednesday of the 2008-09 season, beating second-place ABC by an average 2.12 million viewers and 21 percent among adults 18-49. Third overall was NBC, followed by Fox and the CW. A live results edition of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars took center stage at 8 p.m., with a hefty 15.57 million viewers and a 3.6 rating/10 share. But while five hours of this massively popular dance competition should lead ABC to week one victory, it could also lead to eventful overkill. Be careful, ABC. And, goodbye, Ted McGinley.

Dancing With the Stars led into two-hour special, David Blaine: Dive or Death, which averaged a lackluster 7.76 million viewers and a 2.6/ 7 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. Take a look at the half hour breakdown (and keep in mind that these results are approximate due to the President’s 15-minute speech).

David Blaine: Dive or Death (ABC)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 10.34 million (#2), A18-49: 3.0/ 8 (#2) – includes President Bush’s speech
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 7.44 million (#3), A18-49: 2.6/ 6 (#3)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 6.74 million (#2), A18-49: 2.5/ 7 (#2)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 6.51 million (#2), A18-49: 2.4/ 7 (#3)

With results like these, maybe it is time for David Blaine to take a desk job!

Season four of CBS’ relocated The New Adventures of Old Christine opened the evening for the Eye net with a fourth-place 6.70 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. That led into the premiere of the painfully generic Gary Unmarried, with 6.84 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 in the demo at 8:30 p.m. (also No. 4). One year earlier, failed occupant Kid Nation averaged a stronger 7.62 million viewers and a 2.8/ 8 among adults 18-49 in this time period. Doesn’t anyone at CBS know that co-star Paula Marshall is a series killer?

CBS moved into the winner’s circle at 9 p.m. care of the season-premiere of Criminal Minds at a healthy 15.12 million viewers and a 4.2/11 among adults 18-49 (up 2.46 million viewers and 20 percent in the demo from one year earlier), followed by the season-premiere of CSI: NY at a dominant 15.55 million viewers and a 4.2/12 among adults 18-49. Comparably, CSI: NY’s year-ago opener was a weaker 12.72 million viewers and a 3.7/10 in the demo. (Keep in mind, again, that the results for both Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were approximate).

Over at NBC, the series-premiere of Knight Rider was left at the starting gate, with 7.30 million viewers (#3) and a 2.4/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#3) from 8-9 p.m. One year earlier, Deal or No Deal averaged 9.05 million viewers and a 2.7/ 8 in the demo in this time period. I knew the novelty would be gone after the made-for movie last spring. Knight Rider led into a live edition of America’s Got Talent at 10.23 million viewers (#2) and a third-place 2.7/ 7 among adults 18-49 at 9 p.m. (2.93 million more viewers than Knight Rider), followed by the second-season premiere of Lipstick Jungle at a last-place 6.08 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Retention for Lipstick Jungle out of the second-half of America’s Got Talent was 58 percent in total viewers and 85 percent among adults 18-49. One year earlier, drama Life kicked-off in this time period with a much heftier 9.95 million viewers and a 4.0/11 in the demo. Sorry, Brooke!

Old faithful Bones opened the evening for Fox with a healthy (and second-place) 9.61 million viewers and a 3.1/ 9 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. But lead-outs ‘Til Death (Viewers: #4, 4.63 million; A18-49: #4, 1.7/ 4) and Do Not Disturb (Viewers: #4, 3.53 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 3) will, no doubt, be replaced. Tick, tock…the cancellation clock is ticking!

The CW capped off Wednesday with perennial America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 4.07 million; A18-49: #5, 2.1/ 6), which remains down year-to-year, and a repeat of 90210 (Viewers: #5, #5, 2.34 million; A18-49: #5, 1.2/ 3). And there you have it…the first Wednesday in the overnights in the new season.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

I know TV doesn't do this anymore, but Knight Rider would have worked better as a series of TV movies.

Not WELL, but BETTER.

Knight Rider was just horrible and awful but I can't believe GU outdid Christine.

Criminal Minds and CSI NY did great. CSI NY is back.

quote:

Doesn’t anyone at CBS know that co-star Paula Marshall is a series killer?

Hey, if they're going to keep giving Adam Baldwin and Nathan Fillion work.......

Not bad at all for Christine and GU if you ask me. CBS barely got those demo numbers with shows like Shark. CBS really needs to show patience, and as a last resort try GU on Mondays

Really great numbers for CM and CSINY. I mean really great. Probably CM will end up beating CSi when the finals arrive. Great start for CBS. So there you have it, CBS is still doing great


KR a bomb, NBC's execs must've been on drugs to turn that movie intro a series. This network is a disgrace these days


PS: have you guys seen Letterman tearing down McCain last night? I almost felt sorry for Palin's running mate. The key word is "almost"

Horrible results for KR, one just has to head over to NBC's forums to see how well the fans are responding there.

I have a feeling by episode 3, you are going to see it hit the 5.5 million viewer range.

Good encore numbers for 90210.

quote:

PS: have you guys seen Letterman tearing down McCain last night? I almost felt sorry for Palin's running mate. The key word is "almost"

The key word is "WUSS".

Letterman was NOT playing politics last night--not that you're saying he did, but I just want to be clear about this. McCain lied to him, plain and simple, and then somehow expected him to say nothing about it, when Letterman knows McCain is talking to Katie Couric a few doors away.

McCain just can't handle the stressful campaign schedule, which is why he keeps canceling stuff.

But hey, if he gets elected President, he can just be on vacation all the time, like Bush! Perfect way to spend his retirement.

NBC just can't get anything to work for them. Lipstick Jungle is another definition of DOA. Almost under 6 million for a premiere? It's going to get crushed with Dirty Sexy Money comes back. My recommendation: either move Law and Order or Life in there now. Don't wait until it's under 5 million in three weeks to make the switch. Do it now.

CBS comedies at 8 PM are dead. Christine barely managed to get above a 2 in the demo. And that's the premiere.

Bones, despite all the added competition, held up nicely. One of the few shows working for FOX.

CSI NY's increased numbers are mostly do to the fact that ABC and NBC didn't program, but still very nice. With Lipstick Jungle being dead and Dirty Sexy Money not going to do much better, CSI NY should absolutely dominate. Nice increase for Criminal Minds also. The spinoff should definately be pushed forward.

Although the numbers are not much to crow about, They are somewhat respectible for what the series are.
Old Christine is a Veteran, on the bubble (ratingswise), series that leads into a new series.

Both of the shows should stay here until mid January, if not longer. Plus once DWTS is out of the slot in a couple of weeks, We should see a bump in the numbers.

quote:

Season four of CBS’ relocated The New Adventures of Old Christine opened the evening for the Eye net with a fourth-place 6.70 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. That led into the premiere of the painfully generic Gary Unmarried, with 6.84 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 in the demo at 8:30 p.m. (also No. 4). One year earlier, failed occupant Kid Nation averaged a stronger 7.62 million viewers and a 2.8/ 8 among adults 18-49 in this time period.

quote:

Over at NBC, the series-premiere of Knight Rider was left at the starting gate, with 7.30 million viewers (#3) and a 2.4/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#3) from 8-9 p.m. One year earlier, Deal or No Deal averaged 9.05 million viewers and a 2.7/ 8 in the demo in this time period. I knew the novelty would be gone after the made-for movie last spring.

I don't think it was the novelty of the concept but the pore execution of the concept. The Premiere episode was really bad, on all levels. Acting, writing, casting, plot, direction, etc.....

quote:

Originally posted by GMYERS:
Knight Rider was just horrible and awful but I can't believe GU outdid Christine.

Criminal Minds and CSI NY did great. CSI NY is back.

People getting ready for Criminal Minds, pre-tune in.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
KR a bomb, NBC's execs must've been on drugs to turn that movie intro a series. This network is a disgrace these days

It could have worked, but while they did the right thing from scrapping the material from the movie, they strayed too far from the core of the original series.

Not too mention the poor acting, cruddy plot, horrid writing and serious overkill of technology.

Would it be wrong for me to wish that K.A.R.R would make an appearance to take out the new version of K.I.T.T?

I was going to comment about how it appears to be a rehash of the old TV show Viper, then I read that was NBC's show as well.

quote:

Do Not Disturb (Viewers: #4, 3.53 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 3)

If we do not hear that FOX is cancelling/"shelving" DND by the end of the Friday, They are on Crack!

At this rate, they will be lucky to get 2 million viewers by Columbus Day.

quote:

Originally posted by TV-aholic:
Although the numbers are not much to crow about, They are somewhat respectible for what the series are.
Old Christine is a Veteran, on the bubble (ratingswise), series that leads into a new series.

Both of the shows should stay here until mid January, if not longer. Plus once DWTS is out of the slot in a couple of weeks, We should see a bump in the numbers.

quote:

Season four of CBS’ relocated The New Adventures of Old Christine opened the evening for the Eye net with a fourth-place 6.70 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. That led into the premiere of the painfully generic Gary Unmarried, with 6.84 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 in the demo at 8:30 p.m. (also No. 4). One year earlier, failed occupant Kid Nation averaged a stronger 7.62 million viewers and a 2.8/ 8 among adults 18-49 in this time period.

You'll see a bump as people stop watching Knight Rider.