Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 3/10/10

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 14.15 million, CBS: 10.50, NBC: 6.77, ABC: 5.65, CW: 3.16

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 4.9 rating/14 share, CBS: 2.7/ 8, ABC: 2.2/ 6, NBC: 1.8/ 5, CW: 1.3/ 4

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
American Idol (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), Modern Family (ABC), CSI: NY (CBS)

-On the Fence for Renewal:
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS), Gary Unmarried (CBS), Mercy (NBC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Scrubs (ABC), Mercy (NBC), Cougar Town (ABC), High Society (CW), Ugly Betty (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Fox led the Wednesday troops care of American Idol, which was the top-rated show of the evening, as usual, with 20.47 million viewers and a 7.5 rating/20 share among adults 18-49 from 9-10 p.m. Comparably, that built from lead-in Human Target (Viewers: #1, 7.83 million; A18-49: #1, 2.4/ 7 at 8 p.m.) by a whopping 12.64 million viewers and 212 percent among adults 18-49.

Regarding American Idol: Outside of Crystal Bowersox, the male contestants stand well above the women overall this season, with Alex Lambert and Todrick Hall as my picks to depart tonight. The contestant to now beat, of course, is Astoria’s finest, Michael Lynch. Yesterday, I predicted that Paige Miles and Katelyn Epperly would be leaving, and last week I was three for four in my picks. So, we shall see tonight.

The CW had a night of all original programming care of the season-premiere of America’s Next Top Model and the series-premiere of the absolutely atrocious High Society. The 90-minute return of America’s Next Top Model averaged 3.75 million viewers and a 1.6/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 8-9:30 p.m., with the half-hour breakdown as follows:

America’s Next Top Model (CW)
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 3.84 million (#5), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#3)
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 4.07 million (#5), A18-49: 1.7/ 5 (#4)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 3.34 million (#5), A18-49: 1.5/ 4 (#3)

Comparably, this was down by 170,000 viewers and 11 percent in the demo from the two-hour year-ago spring season opener (Viewers: 3.92 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 5 on March 4, 2009). So, this is relatively good news for The CW. But the sore spot was the series-debut of reality-driven High Society, which dipped to a very last-place 1.39 million viewers and a 0.6/ 2 among adults 18-49 at 9:30 p.m. Comparably, retention out of the 9 p.m. portion of Top Model was just 42 percent in total viewers and 40 percent in the demo. Whoever tuned in for High Society will probably not be back next week.

CBS had a fairly typical Wednesday with its combination of sitcoms The New Adventures of Old Christine (Viewers: #1, 7.86 million; A18-49: #2, 2.3/ 7) and Gary Unmarried (Viewers: #2, 6.83 million; A18-49: #3, 2.2/ 7) and crime dramas Criminal Minds (Viewers: #2, 13.13 million; A18-49: #2, 3.4/ 9) and CSI: NY (Viewers: #1, 11.03 million; A18-49: #1t, 2.6/ 8). But compared to one year earlier (Viewers: 13.63 million; A18-49: 3.5/10 on March 11, 2009), CSI: NY was down by 2.60 million viewers and 26 percent among adults 18-49. Like the franchise overall, CSI: NY has definitely peaked. The final episode of the season for Gary Unmarried, meanwhile, will air next week.

Next up was NBC with its combination of medical drama Mercy (Viewers: #3, 6.33 million; A18-49: #4, 1.5/ 5), which is not worthy of a second season; a repeat of Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #4, 5.42 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 4), which is just occupying the 9 p.m. hour because NBC has nothing better at the moment; and relocated Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #2, 8.57 million; A18-49: #1t, 2.6/ 8). Part of competing CSI: NY’s erosion is, no doubt, because similar appeal SVU is now competing with it.

ABC filled the Wednesday 8 p.m. half-hour with another burn-off episode of veteran Scrubs (Viewers: #4, 4.31 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.5/ 5), which should have exited the airwaves two or three years ago. That led into The Middle (Viewers: #4, 6.32 million; A18-49: #2, 2.3/ 7 at 8:30 p.m.), which climbed by 2.01 million viewers and 53 percent among adults 18-49, followed by demo friendly Modern Family (Viewers: #3, 8.95 million; A18-49: #2, 3.7/10), deteriorating Cougar Town (Viewers: #3, 6.15 million; A18-49: #3, 2.6/ 7), and canceled Ugly Betty (Viewers: #3, 3.90 million; A18-49: #3, 1.4/ 4). Retention for Cougar Town out of Modern Family was a disappointing 69 percent in total viewers and 70 percent among adults 18-49. If I were ABC, I would reconsider my decision to renew Cougar Town for next season.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

Nice rebound for Old Christine this week.
With Christine, Gary and AOP possibly battling for one spot for next season Christine is clearly in the lead.

I agree CT is disappointing but I'm not sure a 2.6 is worthy of losing performance especially when CSI NY got the same demo and is listed as a winner. In that case SVU should be a winner too for significantly building on the 9:00 hour and tying for the lead in the demo.

There's no way that The CW beat some of NBC and ABC's shows and got 4 million viewers. Wow.

American Idol:
I think there's a three-way tie with Todrick, Andrew, and Aaron to be leaving tonight. I just can't decide which two.

Still think you move Cougar Town to Mondays next fall and do a 90 minutes DWTS, Cougar Town and Castle night. Cougar Town is wasting the Modern Family lead but ABC seems high on Courtney Cox.

CSI:NY will move to Friday at 10 next season to make room for the CM spinoff. CSI Miami may also shift to Sunday at 10am in favour of Hawaii 5-0. They're both sinking fast, but could do a little business on those nights.

quote:

Originally posted by Twins12:
Nice rebound for Old Christine this week.
With Christine, Gary and AOP possibly battling for one spot for next season Christine is clearly in the lead.

Very nice rebound for Christine. It was up 2 million and .7 in the demo from the last week. I'd call that a very good uptick, and of all the sitcoms on the bubble, makes it the most worthy of renewal. Gary Unmarried, meanwhile, is getting hurt by The Middle. Both were neck and neck this week, but TM inched GU in the demo.

Scrubs, meanwhile, was up from Tuesday airings but still paled in comparison to the other comedies. It didn't seem to affect The Middle too much, which makes me think we may see the other 2 episodes of BOT air at 8pm as well. Meanwhile, Cougar Town has definitely peaked, but it's currently holding steady at so-so numbers. Ugly Bett, meanwhile - wow. Eastwick was doing roughly the same numbers.

American Idol was down quite a bit last night, and I'm not sure why. Maybe Human Target hurt it? Did people forget it was on? Maybe the hour format just isn't as strong as the 2 hour format. Those HT numbers are okay, good enough for first in the timeslot, and will probably earn it a renewal if it can retain them. Mercy, meanwhile, seems dead. SVU is rebounding some, but still down. CSI:NY did terribly last night, IMO. If I were CBS, I'd start cleaning house with some of these crime dramas. If the new pilots hit next season, I bet we'll finally see the demise of CSI:NY, and possible CSI: Miami.

Can ABC stop dicking around and find a DECENT LEAD in for best comedy series THE MIDDLE?

I'm a week behind on the show. Last weeks ep when Brick blew the spelling bee because of his repetition quirk...well that was the funniest thing on tv all season-especially the family rushing the judges to try and explain.

Marc I know you were weary of Brick repeating himself but the end of that episode was a COMPLETE PAYOFF for all the times the character did it.

Yeah, come on lets get a good LEAD IN now!

quote:

Originally posted by Seat42f:
Still think you move Cougar Town to Mondays next fall and do a 90 minutes DWTS, Cougar Town and Castle night. Cougar Town is wasting the Modern Family lead but ABC seems high on Courtney Cox.

I'm not saying CT is doing great, but isn't 70% retention usually considered pretty acceptable? Also, Idol always goes up at the half hour so CT has to deal with that as well. Again, not saying it's a hit, but a 2.6 demo and 70% retention is tough to call a loser, IMO. It's usually tough to find a show to hold 70% out of a hit show. I'd still probably move it, rename it, and relaunch it, though. They have a great show in CT and under the right circumstances could be a long running solid performer for ABC.

quote:

Originally posted by Julie:

quote:

Originally posted by Twins12:
Nice rebound for Old Christine this week.
With Christine, Gary and AOP possibly battling for one spot for next season Christine is clearly in the lead.

Very nice rebound for Christine. It was up 2 million and .7 in the demo from the last week. I'd call that a very good uptick, and of all the sitcoms on the bubble, makes it the most worthy of renewal. Gary Unmarried, meanwhile, is getting hurt by The Middle. Both were neck and neck this week, but TM inched GU in the demo.

Agreed. Christine had a really nice rebound. The way CBS seems to be setting up next season for sitcoms is probably five returning and two new ones. Which means six start the season, and one will be midseason. With Men, BBT and HIMYM already renewed, and ROE almost insuring its return with last Monday's performance it leaves only one spot left. Christine is clearly the leader. I think Gary is on the way out, and AOP would have to build on Christine to get into contention. I have my money on Christine returning.

This is a case where you look at overall numbers, I agree with Marc. 6 million viewers for a primetime original show on ABC = loser. The fact that it dipped so much from its lead-in just makes it all the more embarassing.

quote:

Originally posted by tvchtw:
I agree CT is disappointing but I'm not sure a 2.6 is worthy of losing performance especially when CSI NY got the same demo and is listed as a winner. In that case SVU should be a winner too for significantly building on the 9:00 hour and tying for the lead in the demo.

I wouldn't call Cougar Towns numbers that bad, while they could do a lot better.

Against its preliminaries from last week Cougar Town was up 0.76 million and 0.2 adults 18-49 while the Middle was only up 0.3 million viewers and the same 0.2 adults 18-49 rating.

But while they both faced American Idol last week, only Cougar Town had such tough competition this week and still managed to rebound quite a bit from last week.

And i know the retention out of Modern Family wasn't exactly 100% but still not bad and i also know it had a better lead-in than The Middle but i think that either Cougar Town shouldn't be listed as a loser at all or at least The Middle (which i do like but not as much) should be listed as one as well, the competition wasn't as tough for the Middle and it still couldn't do great numbers.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:

That led into The Middle (Viewers: #4, 6.32 million; A18-49: #2, 2.3/ 7 at 8:30 p.m.)

Cougar Town (Viewers: #3, 6.15 million; A18-49: #3, 2.6/ 7)

With Undercover Boss doing so well, they really should add 2 comedies in between 60 Minutes and Amazing Race with Christine being the best fit for that audience followed by a new sitcom. Then AR at 9pm and UB at 10pm.

ROE could lead off the Wed comedy block next year. Both Gary and AOP should be canceled unless AOP surprises. (Or ditch the Wed comedy block all together since ABC has one too that is hurting CBS.)

High Society is going to drop like a rock when it moves to 9 PM in a couple of weeks. It might even beat Melrose Place in the race to get under a million viewers.

High Society is gonna drop to like 0.90 viewers next week and i'm gonna laugh so hard.