Prime-Time Ratings:
Tuesday 11/14/06

Note: The following results are based on the fast national ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 19.63 million, CBS: 12.43, NBC: 9.75, Fox: 9.64, CW: 3.59

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 5.7 rating/15 share, Fox: 4.1/11, NBC: 3.6/ 9, CBS: 3.5/ 9, CW: 1.6/ 4

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC), NCIS (CBS), House (Fox), Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

-Yesterday’s Losers:
Friday Night Lights (NBC), Standoff (Fox), Veronica Mars (CW), Show Me the Money (ABC), 3 Lbs. (CBS)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC, as expected, kept its Tuesday winning streak intact courtesy of Mario Lopez vs. Emmitt Smith on Dancing With the Stars at a mammoth (and season-high) 26.72 million viewers with a 7.5 rating/20 share among adults 18-49 from 8-9:30 p.m. Comparably, that bested the second most-watched program of the evening, NBC’s Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: 14.67 million at 10 p.m.) by a whopping 12.05 million viewers. Take a look at Dancing With the Stars by half hour:

Dancing With the Stars
8:00 p.m. Viewers: 23.99 million, A18-49: 6.3/18
8:30 p.m. Viewers: 27.56 million, A18-49: 7.8/20
9:00 p.m. Viewers: 28.60 million, A18-49: 8.4/21

The first hour of Dancing With the Stars (Viewers: 25.78 million; A18-49: 7.1/19 from 8-9 p.m.) also outdelivered the No. 2 occupant in the time period, CBS’ potent NCIS (Viewers: 15.78; Viewers: 4.2/11), by 10 million viewers and 69 percent among adults 18-49. As for my prediction who will win, I have to go with the better dancer, and that is Mario Lopez.

Leading out of Dancing With the Stars was the 90-minute premiere of cheesy new game show Show Me the Money, hosted by the over-the-top William Shatner. Although no one expected Show Me the Money to maintain lead-in levels from Dancing With the Stars, 12.54 million viewers and a 3.9/11 among adults 18-49 from 9:30-11 p.m. was a loss of a too significant 14.18 million viewers and 48 percent among adults 18-49. Show Me the Money also declined significantly in each half-hour as follows:

Show Me the Money
9:30 p.m.
Viewers: 15.72 million (#2), A18-49: 4.8/12 (#2)

10:00 p.m.
Viewers: 12.38 million (#2), A18-49: 4.0/11 (#2)

10:30 p.m.
Viewers: 9.52 million (#3), A18-49: 2.9/ 9 (#2)

Now, that is what you would call erosion!

In other series-premiere news was CBS medical drama 3 Lbs at a disappointing (and last-place) 9.85 million viewers and a 2.9/ 8 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Although retention out of lead-in The Unit (Viewers: #3, 11.68 million; A18-49: #3, 3.5/ 9 at 9 p.m.) was respectable at 84 percent in total viewers and 83 percent among adults 18-49, former failed occupant Smith debuted in this time period on Sept. 19 with a heftier 11.00 million viewers and a 3.6/10 among adults 18-49 (out of 11.81 million viewers and a 3.4/ 9 among adults 18-49 for The Unit). 3 Lbs. also performed no better than fall 2005 time period occupant Close To Home, which was about to be canceled before being shipped off to Friday.

NBC started out slow, but built as the night went along with its combination of Friday Night Lights (Viewers: #3, 5.52 million; A18-49: #3, 2.3/ 6), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: #4, 9.06 million; A18-49: #4, 3.2/ 8) and Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #1, 14.67 million; A18-49: #1, 5.5/15). Rumor has it that the just full-season-renewed Friday Night Lights will be moving to Sunday in midseason.

Fox also had a seesaw night, with its line-up of the relocated combination of Standoff (Viewers: #4, 4.72 million; A18-49: #4, 2.1/ 6) and House (Viewers: #2, 14.56 million; A18-49: #1, 6.3/16). As for the future of Standoff, don’t rule it out yet. With American Idol coming, Fox may try to save it in one of the coveted lead-out time periods.

Last overall was the CW with its combination of Gilmore Girls (Viewers: #5, 4.44 million; A18-49: #5, 2.0/ 5) and Veronica Mars (Viewers: #5, 2.74 million; A18-49: #5, 1.3/ 3). Sorry Veronica fans, but retention out of Gilmore Girls of just 62 percent in total viewers and 65 percent among adults 18-49 lands it in the loser’s listing.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Marc, if you're basing things solely on retention, why wasn't One Tree Hill a loser last week when its retention was just as bad? Also, don't you think the huge jump for Dancing with the Stars should be considered, and the fact that VM just about kept its final total viewers from last week makes it a decent showing?

Oooh! Oooh! I know! Because he's part of the vast conspiracy to destroy Veronica Mars?

I don't understand why FOX is so eager to save Standoff, while Justice is much better.


Also, I can't believe One Tree Hill is doing better than Veronica Mars.

I think I am one of last night's losers for sticking with Show Me the Money until 10:30. That was a stinker and I bet it will have half the viewers next week.

How does DWS compare with last year's finale?

You know what -- OTH should have been labeled a loser.

quote:

Originally posted by JHoney:
Marc, if you're basing things solely on retention, why wasn't One Tree Hill a loser last week when its retention was just as bad? Also, don't you think the huge jump for Dancing with the Stars should be considered, and the fact that VM just about kept its final total viewers from last week makes it a decent showing?

Okay. I'm one of those rabid VM fans, but this is just ridiculous. It does not matter if Marc puts VM in the winner/loser column. The numbers speak for themselves. Coming here every week to plead and beg for him to spin those numbers in a good light is pointless. Personally, I've adopted a zen attitude about the whole thing, and will be pleased if we're lucky enough to get the back 9 and finish with a complete 3rd season. VM has had its chance. It's a very specific genre, and it hasn't hit it big after 2+ years. Accept it.

Question for Marc: Do you expect a big change for FNL if it's moved to Sundays? I think it's the best new show of the season (with Heroes being the most entertaining overall) and I'm thrilled that they got the full season order.

Seriously, Standoff seemed like the worst of Fox's new dramas for the fall, so I don't know why they'd want to keep it over Justice and Vanished.

Aw, come on, now , have I not tried to be fair with 'ol Veronica???

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
Oooh! Oooh! I know! Because he's part of the vast conspiracy to destroy Veronica Mars?

Alas, someone understands!!! Unfortunately, Friday Night Lights (like American Dreams) is just one of those good intentioned shows that just not stand a chance of attracting a mass audience. I would not expect ratings too much higher on Sunday.

quote:

Originally posted by velvetcannibal:
Okay. I'm one of those rabid VM fans, but this is just ridiculous. It does not matter if Marc puts VM in the winner/loser column. The numbers speak for themselves. Coming here every week to plead and beg for him to spin those numbers in a good light is pointless. Personally, I've adopted a zen attitude about the whole thing, and will be pleased if we're lucky enough to get the back 9 and finish with a complete 3rd season. VM has had its chance. It's a very specific genre, and it hasn't hit it big after 2+ years. Accept it.

Question for Marc: Do you expect a big change for FNL if it's moved to Sundays? I think it's the best new show of the season (with Heroes being the most entertaining overall) and I'm thrilled that they got the full season order.

quote:

Originally posted by velvetcannibal:
Okay. I'm one of those rabid VM fans, but this is just ridiculous. It does not matter if Marc puts VM in the winner/loser column. The numbers speak for themselves. Coming here every week to plead and beg for him to spin those numbers in a good light is pointless.

I really don't care about Marc's spin, and this is the first time I've ever asked something like that. I was just curious what the difference between the retention for VM and the retention for OTH was, since that is what he was basing his loser's rating on.

quote:

Originally posted by velvetcannibal:
Okay. I'm one of those rabid VM fans, but this is just ridiculous. It does not matter if Marc puts VM in the winner/loser column. The numbers speak for themselves. Coming here every week to plead and beg for him to spin those numbers in a good light is pointless. Personally, I've adopted a zen attitude about the whole thing, and will be pleased if we're lucky enough to get the back 9 and finish with a complete 3rd season. VM has had its chance. It's a very specific genre, and it hasn't hit it big after 2+ years. Accept it.

Question for Marc: Do you expect a big change for FNL if it's moved to Sundays? I think it's the best new show of the season (with Heroes being the most entertaining overall) and I'm thrilled that they got the full season order.

Personally, I don't see how FNL would do better on Sundays. People are already watching other family shows in the 8pm hour (Extreme Makeover, The Amazing Race, 7th Heaven). I can't imagine the ratings being any better than they are now. They'd have to put some awfully heave hype and marketing into it to make it work.

I had good hopes for "Show Me The Money" but what a disappointment. The show had very little suspense and its format isn't great.

So each contestant can pass 2 questions each round and earn an average of $150,000 when getting a simple question correct? The first contestant, who knew very little, won $590,000! Why don't they just rain money on the audience if they're giving it away that easy anyway?

I never thought I'd state this but if ABC wants a great quiz show on its current primetime schedule, they should bring back "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." Or, how about a revival of "Press Your Luck", with a similar look and format of the 1980s version (not the GSN Whammy! version)? (I admit I'm biased by proposing this revival because it's my favorite game show ever) I know it flopped on CBS's "Gameshow Marathon" this summer but that was with celebrities and celebrity versions of game shows usually suck, like the one on "Gameshow Marathon".

Oh pisher, what will you do when there is no more VM to pick on? Your life will be so meaningless!