Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 10/01/08
-Total Viewers:
CBS: 12.03 million, NBC: 8.47, ABC: 7.17, Fox: 7.04, CW: 2.87
-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 3.3 rating/9 share, ABC: 2.6/ 7, NBC: 2.5/ 7, Fox: 2.4/ 6, CW: 1.4/ 4
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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Bones (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), America’s Got Talent (NBC), CSI: NY (CBS)
-Disappointing:
Knight Rider (NBC), Private Practice (ABC)
-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Pushing Daisies (ABC), The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS), Gary Unmarried (CBS), ‘Til Death (Fox), Dirty Sexy Money (ABC), Lipstick Jungle (NBC)
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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.
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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS led the Wednesday troops in both total viewers and adults 18-49 despite the highly promoted (and long-awaited) return of ABC’s Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money, which did not benefit by the long absence. ABC finished third overall in total viewers and second in the demo -- one-tenth of a rating point ahead of NBC. Fox came in fourth in both categories, followed by the CW.
Leading the 8 p.m. hour was unsung Fox hit Bones, with 9.82 million viewers and a 3.2 rating/9 share among adults 18-49. Next was NBC’s Knight Rider at 7.56 million viewers and a 2.4/ 7 among adults 18-49, which was close to opening levels one week earlier (Viewers: 7.35 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 7 on Sept. 24). All things considered, it could be worse.
Third overall from 8-9 p.m. were CBS’ combination of The New Adventures of Old Christine and week two of Gary Unmarried, which performed as follows:
CBS/Wednesday
8:00 p.m. - The New Adventures of Old Christine
Viewers: 6.86 million (#3), A18-49: 2.0/ 6 (#3t)
8:30 p.m. - Gary Unmarried
Viewers: 6.97 million (#3), A18-49: 2.2/ 6 (#3)
Comparably, week two of Gary Unmarried was also close to debut levels (Viewers: 6.82 million; A18-49: 2.4/ 7 on Sept. 24). But since the goal of any new show is to attract the largest possible audience, Jay Mohr would be wise to keep his shirt on! How many of you ran for the remote in that horrific kitchen scene?
Over at ABC, the second season-premiere of long awaited Pushing Daisies was left at the starting gate, with a fourth-place 6.32 million viewers and a 2.0/ 6 among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. One year earlier, Pushing Daisies launched with a considerably heftier at 13.03 million viewers and a 4.3/13 in the demo on Oct. 3, 2007. Do the math, and that’s a loss of 6.71 million viewers and 53 percent in the demo. Particularly negative for Pushing Daisies was a drop of 780,000 viewers (6.71 to 5.93 million) in the second half hour.
America’s Next Top Model on the CW capped off the 8 p.m. time period with a below average 4.01 million viewers and a 1.8/ 5 among adults 18-49.
CBS moved into the winners circle at 9 p.m., with established Criminal Minds at a healthy14.51 million viewers and a 3.8/10 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that built from lead-in Gary Unmarried by a whopping 7.54 million viewers and 73 percent in the demo. Mandy Patinkin…are you kicking yourself?
Second in the time period was the season-finale of America’s Got Talent on NBC (which should have ended weeks earlier) at an impressive 12.55 million viewers and a 3.3/ 8 in the demo. Compared to the second half of lead-in Knight Rider (Viewers: 8.02 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 7 at 8:30 p.m.), that was an increase of 4.53 million viewers and 32 percent in the demo. Congratulations, Neal E. Boyd.
Left out in the cold at 9 p.m., however, was the second-season premiere of ABC’s Private Practice at a third-place 8.05 million viewers and a 3.2/ 8 among adults 18-49. Although that built from the second-half of lead-in Pushing Daisies by double-digits, it was also down by 6.36 million viewers and 40 percent in the demo from its series-premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007 (Viewers: 14.41 million; A18-49: 5.2/13 on Sept. 26, 2007). Absence, no doubt, has not made the ratings heart grow fonder!
Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour were two episodes of Fox’s struggling ‘Til Death, which replaced the recently axed Do Not Disturb at 9:30 p.m., and a repeat of the CW’s oddly addictive 90210 (Viewers: #5, 1.73 million; A18-49: #5, 0.9/ 2). Here is how the once promising ‘Til Death did by half-hour:
Wednesday/Fox
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.66 million (#4), A18-49: 1.8/ 5 (#4)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 3.86 million (#4), A18-49: 1.6/ 4 (#4)
One look at the second telecast of ‘Til Death (which was a left-over from last season) and the presence of the former neighbors are sorely missed.
Top-rated honors at 10 p.m. went to CBS’ CSI: NY, at a solid 14.67 million viewers and a 4.1/11 among adults 18-49. Crime, no doubt, still pays on CBS. In the distant No. 2 spot was the sophomore opener of ABC’s Dirty Sexy Money (Viewers: 7.14 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 7), followed by NBC’s struggling Lipstick Jungle (Viewers: 5.31 million; A18-49: 1.9/ 5). Last fall, Dirty Sexy Money premiered with a considerably stronger 10.44 million viewers and a 3.6/10 in the demo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007. As for Lipstick Jungle, this is no Sex and the City!
Source: Nielsen Media Research data