-Honorable Mention: Ugly Betty (ABC), Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader (Fox)
-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats): Scrubs (NBC), Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy (Fox)
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-Ratings Breakdown: Led by a two-hour edition of Grey’s Anatomy (which included the set-up for the proposed spin-off series), ABC won this second Thursday of the May 2007 sweeps, with an advantage over CBS of 2.46 million viewers and a hefty 64 percent among adults 18-49. Once dominant NBC (remember those days?) finished a distant third, followed by Fox and The CW.
CBS opened the evening on a winning note, with Survivor: Fiji at 13.72 million viewers and a 4.5 rating/14 share among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. Comparably, however, that was a decrease from Survivor: Panama on the year-ago evening (Viewers: 17.04 million, A18-49: 5.9/18 on May 4, 2006) of 3.32 million viewers and 24 percent among adults 18-49. Even so, there is still some left in the aging franchise.
Second in the 8 p.m. hour was ABC’s Ugly Betty at a below-average (but still notable) 10.71 million viewers and a 3.6/11 among adults 18-49. Comparably, this is more than double the audience of former occupant American Inventor on the year-ago night (Viewers: 5.19 million, A18-49: 1.7/ 5 on May 4, 2006).
Since NBC is impossible to decipher from 8:30-10 p.m. due to 45-minute episodes of The Office (8:30-9:15 p.m.) and Scrubs (9:15-10 p.m.), here is the overall time period averages for the network from 8-10 p.m. (My Name is Earl aired in the 8 p.m. half hour).
NBC 8:00 p.m. Viewers: 7.58 million (#4), A18-49: 3.2/10 (#3) 8:30 p.m. Viewers: 7.43 million (#4), A18-49: 3.7/11 (#3) 9:00 p.m. Viewers: 5.98 million (#3), A18-49: 3.0/ 8 (#3) 9:30 p.m. Viewers: 5.02 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 6 (#4)
Once again, Scrubs lands in the loser’s circle.
Also in the 8 p.m. hour was Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader (Viewers: #3, 8.63 million; A18-49: #4, 3.0/ 9), which was a double-digit improvement over two episodes of That ‘70s Show on the year-ago evening, and The CW’s sure-to-return Smallville (Viewers: #5, 3.55 million; A18-49: #5, 1.5/ 4).
The expanded new series pilot edition of Grey’s Anatomy on ABC dominated from 9-11 p.m., with the half-hour breakdown as follows:
Overall, Grey’s Anatomy averaged 20.97 million viewers and a 9.0/24 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. Although the ratings are stellar, let’s be honest: Is Kate Walsh really strong enough an actress to anchor a new drama? If the spin-off does get on the air, I propose Monday at 9 p.m. out of Dancing With the Stars and into the relocated Men in Trees. How is that for a solid Monday, ABC?
Second, of course, in the 9 p.m. hour was CBS’ CSI at 18.88 million viewers and a 5.5/14 among adults 18-49. Comparably, however, that was down by 7.17 million viewers and 34 percent among adults 18-49 from its year-ago average (Viewers: 26.05 million, A18-49: 8.3/22 on May 4, 2006).
Also at 9 p.m. was Fox’s Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy (Viewers: #4, 4.40 million; A18-49: #4, 1.8/ 5), which dropped by 4.23 million viewers and 40 percent among adults 18-49 from lead-in Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grade, and The CW’s Supernatural (Viewers: #5, 3.16 million; A18-49: #5, 1.4/ 3), which is all but guaranteed a renewal for 2007-08 now that Gilmore Girls is gone.
Top honors at 10 p.m. went to the second half of ABC’s expanded Grey’s Anatomy, with 20.80 million viewers and a 9.1/25 among adults 18-49. Also in the hour was the season-finale of CBS’ Shark (Viewers: #2, 12.66 million; A18-49: #2t, 3.2/ 9) and NBC’s deteriorating ER (Viewers: 8.02 million; A18-49: #2t, 3.2/ 9). Although Shark is a shoo-in for renewal, it may end up on a new night (Friday perhaps) next season. As for ER, remember the days when this was a 30+ million viewer show?
Poor ER. NBC has sucked everything out of that show and why in the hell is Scrubs still the lead in for sweeps. As for the Greys spinoff, nice to see solid viewership stick around. I'd say this is a shoo in for renewal and don't worry Marc. This is an ensemble drama we're lookin at, not Addison's Anatomy.
In my opinion those are so-so numbers for Grey's Anatomy. I mean with all the buzz for the spin-off 20 million does'n seem impressive. Also bad numbers for CSI and Shark, much lower than their average
Day-um, is that a series low for Smallville? 3.55 million? I think it might be. Good thing Supernatural stayed above 3 million and still got a 1.4. Against the "special" Grey's (sheesh, when will people learn that special Grey's are terrible eps?) and the supersized Office to cut into the beginning, I'm surprised it did as well as it did. Especially with a foundering lead in.
Wow Grey's continue to hover around 20-21 mil. Even last night's VERY hyped episode lost steam at 10. I'm glad to see some erosion of this overrated series, even though I do enjoy it. The erosion, though, is minimal in my opinion
I am happy Supernatural is doing so well. It would be stupid not to renew that show. I enjoyed the Grey's spinoff, but I loved everyone in the cast. I must say I loved seeing our beloved Kellerman again!
Wow, what on earth is going on with Smallville? It's interesting that its decline (of 1.5 million viewers since its peak on January 18) hasn't affected Supernatural much (as it's down only about 200,000 viewers from the January 18 episode). Maybe the CW really should split these two up.
In the most optimistic scenario i only see GRey's spin-off becoming a mid-level hit (maybe around 13-14 million viewers). In the pesimistic scenario i see Grey's spin-off doing very bad and actually pulling down the original series also
Marc I agree...Supernatural will DEFINITELY be back next year now that the CW has cancelled both 7th Heaven and Gilmore Girls...2 once unstoppable shows, just last year.
Originally posted by mrpotato531: Marc I agree...Supernatural will DEFINITELY be back next year now that the CW has cancelled both 7th Heaven and Gilmore Girls...2 once unstoppable shows, just last year.
