-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats): My Name is Earl (NBC), Eleventh Hour (CBS)
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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 this third Thursday of the new season, with a first-place finish in both total viewers and adults 18-49. Second in both categories was ABC, followed by NBC, Fox and the CW. Last night featured three series premieres – NBC’s Kath & Kim, CBS’ Eleventh Hour and ABC’s Life on Mars.
CBS’ Survivor: Gabon was down, but far from out with a still dominant 13.31 million viewers and a 4.3 rating/13 share among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. One year earlier, Survivor: China averaged 14.22 million viewers and a 4.6/13 in the demo. Tied for the No. 2 and 3 spots after Survivor was ABC’s Ugly Betty and NBC’s combination of My Name is Earl and the series-premiere of Kath & Kim. Take a look:
My Name is Earl (NBC) – 8 p.m. Viewers: 7.09 million (#3), A18-49: 2.7/ 8 (#2)
Kath & Kim (NBC) – 8:30 p.m. (series premiere) Viewers: 7.46 million (#3), A18-49: 3.2/ 9 (#2)
The positive news for Kath & Kath was the growth out of My Name is Earl of 370,000 and 19 percent among adults 18-49, and year-ago occupant 30 Rock (Viewers: 6.60 million; A18-49: 3.0/ 8 on Oct. 11, 2007) of 846,000 and seven percent in the demo.
Game one of the Major League Baseball Playoffs: Los Angeles at Philadelphia averaged an approximate (and fourth place) 6.80 million viewers and a 2.2/ 6 among adults 18-49 for the primetime portion (from 8:30-11 p.m.). The half-hour pre-game opened the evening with 5.26 million viewers (#4) and a 1.5/ 5 (#4t) in the demo at 8 p.m. As a reminder, results for any live sporting event are always approximate.
Capping off the 8 p.m. hour was the CW’s Smallville at a typical 4.08 million viewers and a 1.6/ 4 among adults 18-49.
The ninth season-premiere of CBS’ CSI took center stage at 9 p.m. (and for the evening overall), with a hefty 22.98 million viewers and a 7.0/17 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that built from the year-ago telecast (Viewers: 19.79 million; A18-49: 6.1/15 on Oct. 11, 2007) by 3.19 million viewers and 15 percent in the demo. Grey’s Anatomy on ABC, which normally dominates in the demo, had to take a backseat with 14.54 million viewers and a 5.5/13 among adults 18-49. One year earlier, declining Grey’s Anatomy averaged 19.04 million viewers and a 7.9/19 in the demo. Do the math and that’s a slide of 4.50 million viewers and 30 percent among adults 18-49.
NBC had positive results care of the first of three live half-hour politically themed editions of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update, with 10.59 million viewers (#3) and a 5.0/12 among adults 18-49 (#3) at 9:30 p.m. Compared to lead-in The Office (Viewers: #3, 9.00 million; A18-49: #3, 4.6/11 at 9 p.m.), that was an increase of 1.59 million viewers and nine percent in the demo. Considering the competition, kudos to both The Office and this abbreviated Thursday edition of SNL.
Also in the 9 p.m. hour was the CW’s Supernatural at 3.14 million viewers and a 1.4/ 4 among adults 18-49. Retention out of Smallville was 77 percent in total viewers and 87 percent in the demo.
In the battle of the two 10 p.m. series premieres -- ABC’s Life on Mars and CBS’ Eleventh Hour – both were neck and neck. But considering Eleventh Hour had a much stronger lead-in, Life on Mars is off to a better start. And because of the stronger lead-in, ER won the hour among adults 18-49. Take a look:
Thursday 10 p.m. Life on Mars (ABC) Viewers: 11.60 million (#1), A18-49: 3.8/10 (#2)
ER (NBC) Viewers: 9.34 million (#3), A18-49: 4.0/10 (#1)
Retention for Life on Mars out of Grey’s Anatomy was respectable at 80 percent in total viewers and 69 percent among adults 18-49. But Eleventh Hour was noticeably weak at 50 percent in total viewers and 49 percent in the demo. Yes…that’s worthy of being labeled a loser.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Marc Berman,
Excited that Eleventh Hour did not do well. The previews looked awful and run of the mill.
Life On Mars has me hooked already.
The pilot was really, really good, but I think it will get old fast in regards to the audience if they stick to the "finding fiancée" theme in each episode. It's just going to get in the way.
Shows that set up a conclusion based storyline in the first episode tend to buckle under the pressure with audiences (note: Dirty Sexy Money's murder plot pilot) and could run the possibility of losing steam too quickly with the those viewers.
I will keep watching but I think it would be a good idea to get the 'finding fiancée' storyline out of the way but finding a clever way to make him stay in 1973. That sets up a conclusion that isn't so set in stone and allows for more creative episodes without sticking to a centralized baseline.
The British can get away with it because they have much shorter 'seasons' and shorter life spans.
Also glad that The Office is stilling doing quite well against the very, very tough competition.
Not shocked by much of the results from last night (except... ER!? Number one in the demo at 10pm!?)
Grey's was going to be declining thanks to the CSI competition and the week break for the VP debates. CSI will be closer to it next week as, like last season, there was a ton of cliffhanger-curiosity. Grey's had it's moment as the It show, ABC capitalized on the popularity... but like all serialized It shows of the moment, it's in an inevitable decline. CSI will be kicking it's butt in viewers this season and they'll be neck-and-neck in demo.
Kath & Kim got sampled (thank you, Molly Shannon and Selma Blair's appeal on paper)... did anyone like what they saw? My guess is a vehement no.
SNL meanwhile did fabulously. Without a Fey-as-Palin sketch this week I wonder if it will do as well next week. Fey-as-Palin is the reason for SNL's heightened popularity this cycle and I hope it translates to increased 30 Rock ratings. NBC sure is trying, by pushing Fey and 30 Rock during the the SNL Thursday special and I'm sure they'll continue to the next two weeks. Hopefully Fey-as-Palin stops by on October 23rd to promote 30 Rock (and skewer Palin).
That was one ugly, surprising tumble for 11th Hour. The show may be on its last few minutes if it doesn't show life soon. Wouldn't surprise me to see Flashpoint back by January in that slot.
OK sampling for Life on Mars -- could see it pick up more viewers, particularly with 11th Hour struggling.
I'm shocked Kath & Kim actually GAINED viewers from its lead-in. That show was mind-numbingly bad -- I could only take three minutes of it.
Life On Mars beat Eleventh Hour in both the viewers and the demos. ABC has to be very happy with that.
Eleventh Hour was always a tough sell. CBS never really found way to sell it to their viewers. There is a real chance that it dips below 10 million in viewers next week, which would be a disaster considering its lead in.
Kath and Kim is going to drop next week and that will be what we are discussing a week from now. Barely decent numbers first week out but it won't last.
Originally posted by Marc Berman: In the battle of the two 10 p.m. series premieres -- ABC’s Life on Mars and CBS’ Eleventh Hour – both were neck and neck. But considering Eleventh Hour had a much stronger lead-in, Life on Mars is off to a better start.
Thursday 10 p.m. Life on Mars (ABC) Viewers: 11.60 million (#1), A18-49: 3.8/10 (#2)
Retention for Life on Mars out of Grey’s Anatomy was respectable at 80 percent in total viewers and 69 percent among adults 18-49.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
Finally, a procedural I can relish.
And ABC has a 'Grey's Anatomy' lead-out that doesn't send the A18-49's scampering.
UB is still struggling. Its viewership is just decent and its demos are below the NBC comedies. A 2.6 demo is not good when its lead out gets a 5.5 demo. ABC has to find something that can utilize the Grey's Anatomy demo better.
(A) Grey ran over by about a minute, so Eleventh Hour could beat it in viewers, but probably not the demo.
(B) Looks like the DH is crumbling talk from Monday has carried over. Not that I want to see it, but I am glad that Grey also saw a decline and it's not just the Housewives failing.
ABC has to be very happy with that.
