Friday 10/23/09

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 8.32 million, NBC: 7.07, ABC: 4.95, Fox: 2.15, CW: 1.83

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 2.0 rating/7 share, NBC: 1.6/ 5, ABC: 1.3/ 4, Fox and CW: 0.8/ 3

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 27 percent at this same point last year to approximately 33 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Friday’s Winners (keep in mind that the expectations are lower on this evening)
Ghost Whisperer (CBS), Medium (CBS), Dateline (NBC)

-Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Supernanny (ABC), Brothers (Fox), ‘Til Death (Fox), Smallville (CW), Ugly Betty (ABC), Dollhouse (Fox), The Jay Leno Show (NBC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS led this fifth Friday of the 2009-10 season, with a first-place finish in every half hour care of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: 8.46 million; A18-49: 2.1 rating/7 share), completely compatible Medium (Viewers: 8.43 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 7) and Numbers (Viewers: 8.05 million; A18-49: 1.9/ 6), which is expected to end next spring. Medium, fortunately, remains a vast improvement over year-ago occupant The Ex List, which averaged 5.33 million viewers and a 1.5/ 5 in the demo on Oct. 24, 2008. But Ghost Whisperer and Numbers are down as follows:

Ghost Whisperer
10/24/08 – Viewers: 10.14 million, A18-49: 2.6/ 9
10/23/09 – Viewers: 8.46 million, A18-49: 2.1/ 7
Percent Change – Viewers: -17, A18-49: -19

Numbers
10/24/08 – Viewers: 9.33 million, A18-49: 2.3/ 7
10/23/09 – Viewers: 8.05 million, A18-49: 1.9/ 6
Percent Change – Viewers: -14, A18-49: -17

Second overall was NBC with its line-up of granddaddy Law & Order (Viewers: #2, 7.17 million; A18-49: #2, 1.5/ 5), Dateline (Viewers: #2, 7.91 million; A18-49: #2, 1.8/ 6), which has now successfully replaced originally announced scripted occupant Southland, and The Lay Leno Show (Viewers: #2, 6.15 million; A18-49: #3, 1.4/ 5). Leno got a minor boost care of the highly promoted appearance of First Lady Michelle Obama, but it still finished third in the time period among adults 18-49 and dipped considerably from lead-in Dateline. Consider The Jay Leno Show the biggest new flop of the young season.

In the number overall three spot was ABC, which opened with the season-premiere of tired Supernanny (Viewers: #3, 4.70 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.1/ 4), followed by relocated Ugly Betty (Viewers: #3, 4.55 million; A18-49: #3, 1.2/ 4), which is not too pretty in the ratings, and veteran 20/20 (Viewers: #3, 5.60 million; A18-49: #2, 1.6/ 5), which built from lead-in Betty by 1.15 million viewers and 33 percent in the demo. One year earlier, ABC fared better with its combination of Wife Swap (Viewers: 4.02 million; A18-49: 1.3/ 4), Supernanny (Viewers: 5.00 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 5) and 20/20 (Viewers: 7.50 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 7) on Oct. 24, 2008.

Over at Fox, the Friday news remained bleak care of Brothers (Viewers: #5, 2.35 million; A18-49: #5, 0.8/ 3), which is moving to Sunday at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8, ‘Til Death (Viewers: #5, 1.97 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2), which is going back on hiatus immediately, and Dollhouse (Viewers: #4, 2.15 million; A18-49: #4, 0.9/ 3), which is taking a breather until December. Next week, Fox will fill Friday with a two-hour repeat episode of House. Needless to say, this has always been a troubled night for Fox.

The CW closed the lackluster evening with relocated Smallville (Viewers: #4, 2.52 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.1/ 4) and an unnecessary repeat of America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 1.13 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 2). While Smallville remains an improvement over year-ago occupants Everybody Hates Chris and The Game, one year earlier it averaged a considerably stronger 4.16 million viewers and a 1.7/ 4 on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008. It is time for Smallville to call it quits at the end of this season.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

Actually, I would call Smallville a win for the CW - it got better viewership than most of their shows, its 18-49 demo settled above 1.0 which is also better or equal to a good portion of their programming. Sure, W18-34 will be around 0.8 but that was never the show's target demo. So I would say, the CW must be pretty content with that.

Now just to hope that White Collar got good ratings on the USA! The pilot was awesome! Tim DeKay and Matt Bomer have great chemistry.

quote:

how (NBC)

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-Ratings Break

hope gw goes up

cool

Great, my favorite two network shows (Ugly Betty & Dollhouse) will get axed after this season.

While I like Glee, HIMYM, Lost and Grey's, no other network show has me so obsessed like these two shows...

At least my cable shows go on.

OMG at Supernanny and Ugly Betty numbers! They're not much better than Dollhouse! If things keep going as they are they could end up at Fox Friday levels in the ratings.

Medium was once again the highest rated show of the night - I'd say CBS has found a successful new home for this show, and even better, it added some younger viewers last night. And what a great episode it was last night. I was glued to my television the entire time. I can't wait for the whole "Night of the Living Dead" Halloween episode next week, should hit a season high for the show.

Ghost Whisperer still remains on top, but thats a big audience erosion from this time last year. Same goes for Numb3rs. But, while CBS remains on top on Fridays, there isn't too much to worry about. Ugly Betty is proving to be no competition whatsoever for Medium, and even Dateline, while even Supernanny is down from last year. And FOX - their decision to switch these shows out couldn't have come sooner.

CBS did very well with Ghost Whisperer, Medium, and Numbers. Very strong lineup.

L&O also did very well and Dateline saw an uptick in the ratings.

I'm amazed that Brothers is the most watched Friday show on FOX. I didn't expect that. All three shows came in too low.

With ABC, Supernanny came in low and UB needs to move off Fridays. Right now, Wife Swap would do just as well at a fraction at the cost. I'm surprised that UB lost ratings out of Supernanny. 20/20 did well considering it had a poor lead in.

CW did well with Smallville but ANTM repeats are just wasting a spot.

I watched Ugly Betty for the first time, instead of Dollhouse (because I had missed the last episode and wanted to watch it online), and while I liked it the filming turned me off considerably. Is it always filmed like that? It seems... fake or cheap or both.

I noticed CBS was trying to goose GW and Numb3rs with more ads this week, probably in the latter case to remind people the show is still on the air

Medium is checking in with good, not great, but relatable episodes. Although you have to consider the difficulties of the nite, I maintain it can still do much better. I would begin promoting this seperately as well. The GW connection has been established. The summer promos hit a wall because it was a fairly dead rerun summer, with few exceptions. Wean it away from GW in peoples' minds. The GW viewers will be there.

Just terrible for FOX and ABC. What on Earth is ABC thinking bt letting UB die on fridays. They could've ordered a 13 episodes final season if canceling the show was their plan all along

quote:

Originally posted by Bruce:
I noticed CBS was trying to goose GW and Numb3rs with more ads this week, probably in the latter case to remind people the show is still on the air

Medium is checking in with good, not great, but relatable episodes. Although you have to consider the difficulties of the nite, I maintain it can still do much better. I would begin promoting this seperately as well. The GW connection has been established. The summer promos hit a wall because it was a fairly dead rerun summer, with few exceptions. Wean it away from GW in peoples' minds. The GW viewers will be there.

I personally loved last night's Medium episode. It's those quirky episodes of the show that have always been fan favorites, and I think this one may become one of them. CBS really needs to step it up with the promos this week - this Halloween episode next week should be able to rake in viewers who don't normally watch the show or haven't watched in awhile. Considering people love this stuff for Halloween, it should be able to hit at least 9 million viewers, same goes for Ghost Whisperer.

quote:

Originally posted by Julie:
Medium was once again the highest rated show of the night - I'd say CBS has found a successful new home for this show, and even better, it added some younger viewers last night. And what a great episode it was last night. I was glued to my television the entire time. I can't wait for the whole "Night of the Living Dead" Halloween episode next week, should hit a season high for the show.

It was a good ep, last nite. The crying was a classic Medium hook, like the music playing in her head, the buzzer, the flashing camcorder, etc.

I do think an event ep is a great idea. It's getting the GW aud, it can only go so far with the CBS crime drama audience, and probably what it most needs to do is reel in some of the NBC crowd who between friday nite, the move to CBS, and last year's occasional mediocrity have grown indifferent.

quote:

Originally posted by WlcmZapataTexas:
With ABC, Supernanny came in low and UB needs to move off Fridays. Right now, Wife Swap would do just as well at a fraction at the cost. I'm surprised that UB lost ratings out of Supernanny. 20/20 did well considering it had a poor lead in.

I believe I mentioned something like this last spring. Supernanny only seems to do well when it has compatible Wife Swap as its lead in. ABC should move Ugly Betty to Saturdays and bring back Wife Swap ASAP. With "Balloon Boy" coverage still happening, it could give ABC a boost.

Press Release from ABC -
Despite moving back an hour earlier this year into the 8 o’clock hour, ABC’s Supernanny drew 12% more viewers than its year-ago Friday season premiere at 9pm.

IIRC, it grew throughout the season last year.

Anybody have any thoughts on USA's "White Collar" that premiered last nite?

While it appeared to be channeling some other recent cable hits, nothing wrong with that if it can carve out its own turf. I thought the chemistry between the two leads was great and it struck a good balance between serious and offbeat. Having meaningful situations going on with their wives adds a good dimension as well. I'd give it about an 8/10. Nicely filmed, very well produced.