Prime Time Ratings:
Sunday 5/20/07

The following results are based on the fast national ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 12.66 million, CBS: 7.86, Fox: 7.59, NBC: 5.84, CW: 1.35

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 4.6 rating/13 share, Fox: 3.5/10, NBC: 1.9/ 5, CBS: 1.5/ 4, CW: 0.6/ 2

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC), The Simpsons (Fox), Desperate Housewives (ABC), Family Guy (Fox), Brothers & Sisters (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Dateline (NBC), King of the Hill (Fox), Movie: National Treasure (NBC), Movie: Million Dollar Baby (CBS)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Led by a night of season-finales, ABC ruled Sunday with a hefty advantage over the No. 2 network (CBS in total viewers, Fox among adults 18-49) of 4.80 million viewers and 31 percent among adults 18-49. Even so, there was noticeable slippage from one year earlier. The two-episode Extreme Makeover: Home Edition season-ender performed as follows versus the two episode finale on the year-ago evening (based on the final nationals).

ABC/Sunday 7 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
5/21/06 – Viewers: 8.38 million (#2), A18-49: 3.2/11 (#1)
5/20/07 – Viewers: 7.28 million (#2), A18-49: 2.4/ 8 (#1)
Percent Change – Viewers: -13, A18-49: -25

ABC/Sunday 8 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
5/21/06 – Viewers: 13.70 million (#1), A18-49: 5.3/14 (#1)
5/20/07 – Viewers: 12.26 million (#1), A18-49: 4.3/13 (#1)
Percent Change – Viewers: -11, A18-49: -19

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition led into the third season-finale of Desperate Housewives, which was also down by double digit percentages year-to-year (despite remaining the top rated show of the evening).

ABC/Sunday 9 p.m. Desperate Housevives
5/21/06 – Viewers: 24.23 million (#1), A18-49: 9.9/23 (#1)
5/20/07 – Viewers: 18.44 million (#1), A18-49: 7.0/17 (#1)
Percent Change – Viewers: -24, A18-49: -29

Both shows still merit being labeled a winner, but ABC had better hope the erosion slows down in 2007-08.

At 10 p.m., ABC’s critically acclaimed Brothers & Sisters ended season one (with a splash, you might say) at a dominant 12.66 million viewers and a 4.7/12 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. See you at the Emmys, Brothers & Sisters. Can wait to see what happens in season two (and beyond).

CBS and NBC aired similar schedules last night, with CBS granddaddy 60 Minutes at 7 p.m. (Viewers: #1, 10.73 million; A18-49: #3, 1.8/ 7) beating NBC’s veteran (and overused) Dateline (Viewers: #3, 4.42 million; A18-49: #4, 1.1/ 4) by a considerable 6.31 million viewers and 64 percent among adults 18-49. In the battle of the low-rated movies from 8-11 p.m., National Treasure on NBC (Viewers: 6.31 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 5) beat the Academy Award winning Million Dollar Baby on CBS (Viewers: 6.91 million; A18-49: 1.4/ 4) by 50 percent among adults 18-49, but Million Dollar Baby had a minor viewer advantage.

On Fox, two episodes of surprise returnee King of the Hill (including the season-finale) averaged just 4.60 million viewers and a 1.9/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#2) from 7-8 p.m. That led into the one-hour season-finale of veteran The Simpsons (Viewers: #2, 9.80 million; A18-49: #2, 4.5/13), followed by the also season closing episodes of Family Guy (Viewers: #2, 9.09 million; A18-49: #2, 4.5/11) and American Dad (Viewers: #2, 7.69 million; A18-49: #2, 3.6/ 9) from 9-10 p.m. Notice the solid results among The Simpsons and Family Guy among adults 18-49.

Last-place The CW capped off Sunday with repeats of 7th Heaven (Viewers: 1.19 million; A18-49: 0.4/ 2), Gilmore Girls (Viewers: 1.46 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2) and America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: 1.40 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2).

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

I don`t see Sunday in the fall(on the cw) doing much better.

Whoa, nice bumps for The Simpsons and Family Guy.

Did anyone else think last night's episode of Desperate Housewives was kinda disappointing for a season finale? The whole Edie thing was wow, but still...

Crap! I forgot about the Simpsons .

As I've said in the past, in spite of my affection for The Simpsons, and admiration for its longevity, I often end up missing first-run episodes. But I wasn't going to miss #399 and #400--WOOHOO!!!

Was either a particularly strong effort, compared to classic eps of the past? No.

Are those POV shots of characters running past other characters in various strange situations getting old? Yes.

Can we afford to lose a primetime show that so bitingly mocks FOX News, the FOX network, and the sheer idiocy that is Jack Bauer (and Kiefer knows it) in front of an audience of around 10 million people?

NO.

Keep it on until people stop watching, or the voice actors die, whichever comes first.

This isn't a damn show, people.

It's an institution.

However, I'll all for killing Saturday Night Live, because that show sucks.

Marc,

Do you think the 69% audience retention (and 67% in demo) should be a matter of concern for Brothers and Sisters for next year, especially given your stated concern for the erosion in the rest of the ABC lineup?

I wacth the Simpsons somtimes.Now,that 7H is over.I can wacth it .

dH perked up for the season finale.Edie is goinng nowhere.It always amazes me that king of the hill does so badly compared to the other animated seris.I have not seen it in years but i still would have thought it would fit it on the night??What is the problem?Is it just plain sucky??

Oh and Marc could you please post the half hour breakdowns for DH.

Thankin you!

Nice bump for DH. 18 mil not bad.

Marc, could I please have the half-hour breakdowns for The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives?

Thank god DH perked up from its season-lows from the past few weeks! Hopefully the show's ratings pick up next season because the writers crafted 4 great potential storylines for next season...

Thanks for the ratings Marc! I thought DH was great last night and surprised the ratings are still lower than last years. Breakdowns for Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters please?

I second the request for The Simpsons half hour.

quote:

Originally posted by TVrocks72:
Marc, could I please have the half-hour breakdowns for The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives?

I tend to think DH and Lost have peaked ratings wise. A certain percentage have tired of the shows and I don't think they can really win many of them back and any new fans thinking of watching probably don't want to jump into shows that are 3 years old.
I agree DH was really good last night but have to think next season will average in the 15 to 16 million range and Lost will likely continue around 12 or 13 million depending on which slot it ends up in.

How the heck ins AMERICAN DAD going to air at 7:30 in the winter part of next season?

It's very adult orientated and well smutty...doesn't standards and practices not allow that in the 7PM hour? I remember an article way back that GALACTICA 1980 failed in that slot because the network would only allow "bubble gum violence".