Prime-Time Ratings:
Tuesday 2/06/07

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

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 29.01 million, CBS: 12.98, NBC: 9.33, ABC: 7.67, CW: 3.55

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 11.8 rating/28 share, CBS: 3.6/ 9, NBC: 3.2/ 8, ABC: 2.3/ 6, CW: 1.6/ 4

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
American Idol (Fox), NCIS (CBS), House (Fox), Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

-Honorable Mention:
The Unit (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Dateline (NBC), Veronica Mars (CW)

-Ratings Breakdown:
As expected, Fox stood head and shoulders above the Tuesday competition with its blockbuster combination of American Idol (Viewers: 33.07 million; A18-49: 13.4/33) and House (Viewers: 24.95 million; A18-49: 10.2/24). Second, overall, was CBS, followed by NBC, ABC and the CW.

With over 33 million viewers and a 13.4 rating/33 share among adults 18-49, American Idol, of course, owned the 8 p.m. hour. But also worth positively noting was CBS’ underrated NCIS at a solid 16.17 million viewers and a 3.9/ 9 among adults 18-49. Combined with American Idol, that was 49.24 million viewers watching two shows in the same time period!

Also at 8 p.m. was NBC’s older skewing Dateline (Viewers: #3, 5.75 million; A18-49: #3, 2.1/ 5), a repeat of America’s Funniest Home Videos on ABC (Viewers: #4, 5.62 million; A18-49: #5, 1.5/ 4), and the CW’s veteran Gilmore Girls (Viewers: #5, 4.62 million; A18-49: #4, 2.0/ 5). To the fans -- or non-fans -- of Gilmore Girls debating whether the show should return next season, note that it’s year-ago performance on the WB was a heftier 5.40 million viewers with a 2.4/ 6 among adults 18-49 (and that was also opposite American Idol). I vote to let Gilmore Girls exit while it still has some dignity left.

Fox’s aforementioned House led the 9 p.m. hour with 24.95 million viewers and a 10.2/24 among adults 18-49, and retention out of American Idol of 75 percent in viewers and 76 percent in the demo. In the distant No. 2 spot was CBS’ The Unit (Viewers: 12.34; A18-49: 3.6/ 9), which fits well out of NCIS, followed by NBC’s Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: 8.85 million; A18-49: 2.7/ 6), and a new themed edition of Primetime Live called The Outsiders (Viewers: 7.55 million; A18-49: 2.6/ 6). Worth noting for The Outsiders was growth out of lead-in America’s Funniest Home Videos of 1.93 million viewers and 73 percent among adults 18-49.

Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour was the CW’s Veronica Mars at a depressed 2.47 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49 (with retention out of Gilmore Girls of just 53 percent in viewers and 55 percent in the demo). Year-ago WB occupant Supernatural averaged 4.27 million viewers and a 1.9/ 4 among adults 18-49. Sorry folks, but this certainly does not make Veronica Mars worthy of a fourth season renewal.

NBC moved into the winner’s circle at 10 p.m. care of 13.39 million viewers and a 4.8/12 among adults 18-49 for old faithful Law & Order: SVU. Comparably, that was up over lead-in Criminal Intent by a hefty 4.53 million viewers and 78 percent among adults 18-49. Second was another episode of CBS’ The Unit (Viewers: 10.43 million; A18-49: 3.3/ 8), followed by ABC’s Boston Legal (Viewers: 9.83 million; A18-49: 2.9/ 8). Worth noting for Boston Legal was growth out of Primetime Live: The Outsiders of 2.28 million viewers and 12 percent in the demo.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

quote:

Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour was the CW’s Veronica Mars at a depressed 2.47 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49 (with retention out of Gilmore Girls of just 53 percent in viewers and 55 percent in the demo). Year-ago WB occupant Supernatural averaged 4.27 million viewers and a 1.9/ 4 among adults 18-49. Sorry folks, but this certainly does not make Veronica Mars worthy of a fourth season renewal.

What a tactful use of understatement. To get UNDER two and a half million viewers, and lose nearly half of its lead-in (which was up against the great Nielsen juggernaut of our time) makes VM eminently worthy of instant cancellation. Not that I think that's going to happen. But it should.

Nothing can stop American Idol. I wonder how the 9:00 p.m. hour will be tonight with American Idol, Criminal Minds, and a Lost special. Do you think American Idol will be able to hold up in the 30-plus million range with that increased competition?

From the decreasing numbers for Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, it does look like it would make sense to let them go (regardless of continued quality of the program). However, I also wonder if any of the new shows that the CW can come up with would fair any better in these time slots? Just a thought.

quote:

Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour was the CW’s Veronica Mars at a depressed 2.47 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49 (with retention out of Gilmore Girls of just 53 percent in viewers and 55 percent in the demo).

Perhaps for Moronica's final mystery, she can solve The Case of Why Her Terrible Show Is Still on the Air.

Better watch your back for those VM fans, pisher!

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:

quote:

Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour was the CW’s Veronica Mars at a depressed 2.47 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49 (with retention out of Gilmore Girls of just 53 percent in viewers and 55 percent in the demo). Year-ago WB occupant Supernatural averaged 4.27 million viewers and a 1.9/ 4 among adults 18-49. Sorry folks, but this certainly does not make Veronica Mars worthy of a fourth season renewal.

What a tactful use of understatement. To get UNDER two and a half million viewers, and lose nearly half of its lead-in (which was up against the great Nielsen juggernaut of our time) makes VM eminently worthy of instant cancellation. Not that I think that's going to happen. But it should.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:

quote:

Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour was the CW’s Veronica Mars at a depressed 2.47 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49 (with retention out of Gilmore Girls of just 53 percent in viewers and 55 percent in the demo). Year-ago WB occupant Supernatural averaged 4.27 million viewers and a 1.9/ 4 among adults 18-49. Sorry folks, but this certainly does not make Veronica Mars worthy of a fourth season renewal.

What a tactful use of understatement. To get UNDER two and a half million viewers, and lose nearly half of its lead-in (which was up against the great Nielsen juggernaut of our time) makes VM eminently worthy of instant cancellation. Not that I think that's going to happen. But it should.

Thank God u're not the one in charge of cancelling shows. If u don't like a show don't watch it. That said i agree that VM is lucky for staying on air for such a long time

Over 50% retention is better than under 50%.

Oh... who am I kidding? That's just bad. Even worse than normal.

quote:

From the decreasing numbers for Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, it does look like it would make sense to let them go (regardless of continued quality of the program). However, I also wonder if any of the new shows that the CW can come up with would fair any better in these time slots? Just a thought.

Well, Supernatural did substantially better against similar competition last season. When your established shows are doing this poorly, there's no reason NOT to gamble on new ones. They might not do any better, but they sure as hell won't do any worse.

If they're going to cancel just one, it better be VM. GG is badly weakened, but it has a loyal core viewership substantially higher than VM's. From a purely practical POV, you can make a case for keeping GG on the air, as long as Graham stays on, and Bledel makes the occasional appearance. From an artistic POV, I'd love to see last season erased.

I think people who say Veronica Mars shouldn't get cancelled are looking at the show as a fan who doesn't want to lose one of their favorite shows. They are not looking at the numbers, which clearly support cancellation.

If a show on any other network pulled in less than 3 million viewers, it would be gone. Period.

The total viewers number seems low, even for VM. Weren't they at 2.69 million last week, with a 1.8 rating?

I think I'm just wary of getting my hopes up that it's really falling so consistently.

quote:

Moronica

Oh I get it, you changed her name from Veronica to Moronica, because Veron sounds like Moron. Wow, that's clever! I get it. That's really clever. You come up with that on your own? Cause it's really clever. Witty, even. You should write for Letterman with that clever wit of yours. Never would have thought that up on my own!

quote:

Thank God u're not the one in charge of cancelling shows.

Yeah, or else I'd be assassinated by psychotic online fans.

quote:

If u don't like a show don't watch it.

And if I don't like a show, I have no right to DISCUSS its ratings, on a forum devoted to ratings discussion? Is that what you're saying?

quote:

That said i agree that VM is lucky for staying on the air that long

Lucky doesn't half cover it.

Moronica?
You win some sort of contest for that one?
Submit to Mad, or more appropriately Cracked, ASAP.

quote:

Originally posted by Riff Rafferty:

quote:

Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour was the CW’s Veronica Mars at a depressed 2.47 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49 (with retention out of Gilmore Girls of just 53 percent in viewers and 55 percent in the demo).

Perhaps for Moronica's final mystery, she can solve The Case of Why Her Terrible Show Is Still on the Air.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Ketz:
I think people who say Veronica Mars shouldn't get cancelled are looking at the show as a fan who doesn't want to lose one of their favorite shows. They are not looking at the numbers, which clearly support cancellation.

If a show on any other network pulled in less than 3 million viewers, it would be gone. Period.

Well, your first point is correct. As a fan, of course I don't want the show gone, but logically, that's plain silly at this point, especially if CW strikes a deal for one more year out of 7H and GG.

But your second point suggests CW is on the same playing field as CBS, NBC, FOX, and ABC. They're the big leagues. CW isn't.

And if CW doesn't start getting rid of shows like VM, it never will be in the big leagues. Ever.