Prime-Time Ratings:
Monday 3/09/09

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 18.86 million, Fox: 11.74, CBS: 11.59, NBC: 6.46, CW: 1.15

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 5.1 rating/13 share, Fox: 4.2/11, CBS: 4.0/10, NBC: 2.5/ 7, CW: 0.5/ 1

----------

-Yesterday’s Winners:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC), House (Fox), Two and a Half Men (CBS), CSI: Miami (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Chuck (NBC), Heroes (NBC), Castle (ABC). Medium (NBC)

----------

-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC opened the week of March 9 on a winning note care of the two-hour season-premiere of Dancing With the Stars, which kicked-off edition No. 8 (time flies!) with a rock-solid 22.50 million viewers and a 5.9 rating/15 share among adults 18-49. Take a look at the half-hour breakdown:

Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 19.63 million (#1), A18-49: 4.7/13 (#1)
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 22.92 million (#1), A18-49: 5.9/15 (#1)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 23.46 million (#1), A18-49: 6.4/16 (#1)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 23.97 million (#1), A18-49: 6.7/16 (#1)

Comparably, this was on par with both the fall 2008 season-opener (Viewers: 24.34 million; A18-49: 5.3/13 on Sept. 22, 2008) and the year-ago season-premiere (Viewers: 21.15 million; A18-49: 5.6/15 on March 17, 2008). Needless to say, ABC continues to benefit by this ratings bonanza. Unfortunately, however, it looks like overrated Cheryl Burke will be around all season. Too bad Karina Smirnoff was partnered with Apple founder Steve Wozniak (and Cheryl with Gilles Marini). It should have been the other way around. As for the two last minute replacements, the rumors were true: Holly Madison of The Girls Next Door and Melissa Rycroft of The Bachelor. Since when are reality contestants considered “stars”?

Leading out of Dancing With the Stars was the series-premiere of drama Castle, which opened with a disappointing (and second place) 11.60 million viewers and a 3.3/ 9 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. The three immediate negatives for Castle were:

1) Retention of just 48 percent in total viewers and 49 percent among adults 18-49 out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Dancing With the Stars.
2) Erosion in the second half-hour of 2.95 million viewers (13.08 to 10.13 million) and 22 percent among adults 18-49 (3.7/ 9 to 2.9/ 8).
3) A considerable disadvantage opposite CBS’ competing CSI: Miami (keep reading).

Needless to say, this was not a positive start for Castle.

Opposite Dancing With the Stars, CBS was below average from 8-10 p.m. with its combination of The Big Bang Theory (Viewers: #3, 9.46 million; A18-49: #3, 3.6/10), How I Met Your Mother (Viewers: #3, 8.50 million; A18-49: #3, 3.5/ 9), Two and a Half Men (Viewers: #3, 13.28 million; A18-49: #2, 4.7/11) and Rules of Engagement (Viewers: #3, 10.04 million; A18-49: #2, 3.7/ 9). Worth noting for Two and a Half Men, of course, was double-digit growth out of How I Met Your Mother. CSI: Miami capped off the evening with a dominant 14.12 million viewers and a 4.3/11 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Once CSI: Miami eventually ends, maybe wooden star David Caruso could loosen up a bit on Dancing With the Stars.

Fox was on the map with its respectable pairing of House (Viewers: #2, 12.13 million; A18-49: #2, 4.8/13) and 24 (Viewers: #3, 11.35 million; A18-49: #3, 3.6/ 9). Fourth-place NBC, meanwhile, continues to struggle on Monday with its non-competitive line-up of Chuck (Viewers: #4, 5.69 million; A18-49: #4, 2.0/ 5), Heroes (Viewers: #4, 6.63 million; A18-49: #4, 3.2/ 8) and Medium (Viewers: #3, 7.05 million; A18-49: #3, 2.5/ 6). And the CW -- Gossip Girl (Viewers: #5, 1.15 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 1) and One Tree Hill (Viewers: #5, 1.15 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 1) -- was once again in repeats. But both CW dramas will be back in originals next Monday.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Yikes! So much for the predictions of Dancings death. (TV-aholic this is you).

Castle debuted rather poorly. Not surprising. The previews for Cupid are about as good as this and that's not saying much.

Fox held up about as well as one could imagine.

The CBS comedies inflation period is done. Back to fall levels and lower now. Rules of Engagement in particular is no stronger than Christine would be in this hour. I think Christine may end up with another season should this show not improve at all. Ditto for Gary Unmarried.

NBC is out of the loop. I'd consider Medium for Fridays next year.

The CW shows are going to get rocked next week.

I think Castle is in trouble already.....lol

Yep. ABC's got another hole to fill next fall if I had to guess. It is week one and it could stabilize I suppose but I highly highly doubt it.

quote:

Originally posted by twigs232:
I think Castle is in trouble already.....lol

I'm so glad "Castle" failed!

I wanted to watch "Dancing With The Stars" last night just for Holly! I wanted to see if she made a fool of herself at all. Anyone know?

I can't wait to see how The CW fairs after being in repeat mode for such a long time. I suspect low 2 millions.

It's DOA, unless it holds completely steady, and it CAN'T.

And I'd call this the Fillion Jinx, but really, it's just the Fillion talent and charisma having its typical effect on the Nielsens. If they'd cast him as the lead in The Mentalist, we'd have written that show's obituary by now.

He's not a star, and they need to stop trying to make him into one. What would come across as obnoxiously charming with a better lead just comes across as obnoxious with him--obnoxious and CREEPY.

I mean, WHO IS HIRING THIS GUY? What incriminating photographs does he have locked up in a vault somewhere? STOP MAKING HIM THE LEAD!!!!!

Firefly--flop
Serenity--flop.
Slither--flop.
Drive--flop.
Castle--flop with the DWTS premiere as a lead-in.

That's not counting a bunch of smaller flops he's been in.

CONNECT THE DOTS, entertainment execs. I don't care what kind of development contract the guy has. I don't care how many internet freaks want to have his baby (and that's just the guys). I don't care if his agent is Godzilla King of the Monsters. Gotta GO.

quote:

Originally posted by twigs232:
I think Castle is in trouble already.....lol

Trouble is an euphemism. DOA is more like it.

Oh what a shame for the CBS sitcoms excluding 2.5 Men. Especially since last night's BBT and HIMYM were hilarious. If it weren't for House and now DWTS I bet HIMYM could've broken its top record of 12 million viewers from season 1. I mean they came close in December. Well maybe next season.

House and 24 had about the same number of viewers than they usually do. Well maybe a little less but they help up quite well. Good for them.

I liked "Castle."

BBT/HIMYM both got hit hard by DWTS... and last week they withstood the Bachelor finale!

The Castle premiere's overall numbers are "decent" for an ABC 10pm show (B&S and PP pull somewhat similar numbers)... but not for a highly promoted premiere. The half-hour bleed means it won't be "decent" for long (plus it'll get adjusted lower in finals because of 2 minutes of DWTS overrun), and the retention from DWTS is atrocious.

CW's return next week... William, those shows have been off the air so long they might be lucky to break 2 million!

24 - after a small drop from the premiere, this has been very consistent in the mid 11's and mid 3's in demos. Quality is much better than last year.

To anybody watching the show, how'd did you like the president's daughter Olivia smacking down the Chief of Staff? And Sprague Gayden looks alot older than I, anyway, had seen her look before.

quote:

I liked "Castle."

Treasure every moment. There won't be many of them.

I think that those two last minute additions to Dancing With The Stars boosted the show's demo quite a bit.

The half hour dropoff for Castle won't really be known until finals since DwtS had a timeslot runover.

The 8pm shows took a hit from the Daylight Savings Time change in addition to the debut of DwtS.

Surprised DTWS got the viewers it did considering the cast sux. Goes to show they don't need stars, it could be a open to the public show like AI.

Castle's numbers are no good. Wonder if ANY of ABC's pilots will be keepers at this rate.

quote:

Heroes (Viewers: #4, 6.63 million; A18-49: #4, 3.2/ 8)

This was new? NBC should have canceled this and kept KR. KR was probably cheaper to produce budget wise.