-Honorable Mention: The Office (NBC), 30 Rock (NBC)
-Disappointing: Eleventh Hour (CBS)
-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats): My Name is Earl (NBC), Kath & Kim (NBC), Kitchen Nightmares (Fox), Life on Mars (ABC)
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-Ratings Breakdown: CBS led this 8th night of the November 2008 sweeps, beating second-place ABC by 2.59 million viewers and three percent among adults 18-49. Third overall in both categories was NBC, followed by Fox and the CW.
CBS’ veteran Survivor: Gabon kicked-off the evening first in the 8 p.m. hour, with 12.18 million viewers and a 3.9 rating/10 share among adults 18-49. But one year earlier (on Nov. 8, 2007), Survivor: China averaged a considerably stronger 14.86 million viewers and a 4.8/13 in the demo. How did you like that Susie last night? She is clearly not as dumb as her Kota tribe members seen to think. As for Randy…there always seems to be one obnoxious contestant who manages to go far.
Second at 8 p.m. was ABC’s Ugly Betty at 8.95 million viewers and a 2.7/ 7 among adults 18-49 (and also down considerably from the year-ago night’s 10.83 million viewers and a 3.5/ 9 in the demo). Rounding off the hour were weak NBC sitcoms My Name is Earl (Viewers: #3, 6.62 million; A18-49: #2, 2.6/ 7) and the abysmal Kath & Kim (Viewers: #3, 5.57 million; A18-49: #3, 2.4/ 6), which should never have been picked-up for the full season, the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #4, 4.81 million; A18-49: #4t, 2.0/ 5), and a repeat of Kitchen Nightmares on Fox (Viewers: #4, 4.41 million; A18-49: #4t, 2.1/ 5). Needless to say, My Name is Earl should no longer be anchoring the night.
It was business as usual at 9 p.m., with CBS’ CSI and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC sharing leadership as follows:
Third in the 9 p.m. hour were NBC’s The Office (Viewers: 8.35 million; A18-49: 4.2/10) and 30 Rock (Viewers: 8.00 million; A18-49: 3.9/ 9), featuring a guest appearance by Oprah Winfrey. The positive news for 30 Rock was almost full retention from The Office and its above-average season-opener one week earlier, and growth of 1.73 million viewers and 26 percent in the demo from year-ago occupant Scrubs (Viewers: 6.27 million; A18-49: 3.1/ 7 on Nov. 8, 2007). As for the show itself…oh, yeah…it was good. Damn funny, in fact.
Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour was an original installment of Fox’s Kitchen Nightmares (Viewers: #4, 4.69 million; A18-49: #4, 2.2/ 5) and Supernatural on the CW (Viewers: #5, 3.73 million; A18-49: #5, 1.6/ 4).
Top-rated honors at 10 p.m. were shared between CBS’ Eleventh Hour and NBC’s soon-to-conclude ER as follows:
ER (NBC) Viewers: 8.64 million (#3), A18-49: 3.3/ 9 (#1)
But before anyone cracks open a bottle of bubbly at CBS, keep in mind that retention for Eleventh Hour out of the second half of lead-in CSI (Viewers: 18.19 million; A18-49: 5.2/12 at 9:30 p.m.) was just 60 percent in both total viewers and adults 18-49. And this pales in comparison to year-ago occupant Without a Trace (Viewers: 21.68 million; A18-49: 6.4/19, which featured a crossover with CSI).
Rounding off the 10 p.m. time period was ABC’s struggling Life on Mars, at 8.92 million viewers (#2) and a third-place 2.9/ 8 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that out retention out of the second half of lead-in Grey’s Anatomy (Viewers: 15.99 million; A18-49: 6.2/15) of just 56 percent in total viewers and 47 percent in the demo.
Well those are nice numbers for Smallville and Supernatural but expect them to take a hit with finals as they were preempted in Denver for football coverage. And unlike baseball early this season they didn't air later that night, so they wont have any viewers at all in the Denver market.
Life on Mars should be retaining more of its lead-in, but on the positive side, it increased from last week and seems to be finding its footing.
After Big Shots and Six Degrees seemed to drop lower every week, LOM could be settling in with a solid 9 million viewers and 3 in the demo... which given ABC's troubles right now - they should be happy with.
Marc, you cannot label "Life on Mars" a loser. It's not a winner either but it beat "ER" in the time slot plus if this viewer number holds up in the final nationals, it will be the series' largest audience to-date with the exception of its pilot episode.
By the way, thank you to the forum for saving me from tons of work in making Top 25 market data posts!
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I would actually move Life on Mars from 10 PM on Thursdays to 9 PM on Wednesdays and put Private Practice on Mondays after DWTS. Those shows are more compatible and it will help PP build an audience just like DH did for GA. This can be done after Boston Legal ends it's run.
The only other factor is that Wednesday nights would need a strong 8 PM anchor. I would ship Pushing Daisies to Fridays. That would actually work better anyway. The 8 PM race would be an exciting one: GW, PD, and DH (could I be the first to use that as the abbreviation for Dollhouse?). Melinda Gordon would have a fight on her hands!
Kudos to 30 Rock and its big fans who thought the show could last. I checked this board's ratings on Thursdays for The Office last year, and I recall most people, including myself, thinking that the cancellation clock was ticking for 30 Rock and it would not last a 3rd season (or past a 3rd season). However so far it is proving us all wrong.
Too bad about Kitchen Nightmares; I think it has only had one decently rated episode this season. But since its move to Thursdays it looks like the ratings are down by 2 - 2.5 million right now. I don't think it can compete on Thursday at 9. Fortunately though I don't think it is too costly to produce.
The Office was solid again; I'll watch it online later. Although this season seems to be more about relationship drama (which will attract more viewers) instead of good workplace humor. (Or at least in my opinion it is).
But look how much of the audience it lost from Grey's Anatomy.
quote:
Originally posted by Douglas: Marc, you cannot label "Life on Mars" a loser. It's not a winner either but it beat "ER" in the time slot plus if this viewer number holds up in the final nationals, it will be the series' largest audience to-date with the exception of its pilot episode.
By the way, thank you to the forum for saving me from tons of work in making Top 25 market data posts!
Rounding off the 10 p.m. time period was ABC’s struggling Life on Mars, at 8.92 million viewers (#2) and a third-place 2.9/ 8 among adults 18-49.
I know slamming LOM as a loser has become a habit here, but isn't this the second week it a row where it has either stayed even or gone up slightly from the previous week? With all of ABC's problems almost 9 mil and 3.0 in the demo should be considered a success, regardless of the retention from Grey's: the two shows aren't really compatible, and ABC's demo in general is way down throughout the week this season...
Looks like the Denver Broncos against Brady Quinn's debut helped CW's numbers alot. Would've been dream ratings for SV and SN.
NBC you might want to consider not ending ER this year. The network at this point can't afford to end its highest rated show of night. If NBC was smart they would either keep ER around or make a new medical show or some type of spin-off to ER.
30 Rock not funny at all and everytime I see 30 Rock in that timeslot I just want SNL to make a move there permanently and bring in Thursday Night Live. Once 30 Rock loses those guest stars the ratings will start going back down to Earl levels. NBC Thursday night is an embarrassment to the very successful Must See TV Lineup (1982-2006).
CBS and ABC powerhouses have hurt each so much in the past that can get over 20+ million viewers anymore. In the long run it was going to hurt both shows a bit battling like that.
CSI: was so damn good last night, but Grey's was awesome also and has been all season so far.
A huge positive for LOM is it risen in the ratings from the previous week. Even when finals are released it will still be over 8 million viewers. Stability and steady growth has had a positive effect on the cop drama.
11th Hour is starting to feel very disappointing. CBS might want to bring back Flashpoint as soon as possible and move 11th Hour elsewhere on the schedule. I think Fridays would work for it at 9pm.
I'll go into more detail later when I release my column.
Good point, and I will keep that in mind for next week's analysis.
quote:
Originally posted by Chimera:
quote:
Rounding off the 10 p.m. time period was ABC’s struggling Life on Mars, at 8.92 million viewers (#2) and a third-place 2.9/ 8 among adults 18-49.
I know slamming LOM as a loser has become a habit here, but isn't this the second week it a row where it has either stayed even or gone up slightly from the previous week? With all of ABC's problems almost 9 mil and 3.0 in the demo should be considered a success, regardless of the retention from Grey's: the two shows aren't really compatible, and ABC's demo in general is way down throughout the week this season...
...the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #4, 4.81 million; A18-49: #4t, 2.0/ 5) ... and Supernatural on the CW (Viewers: #5, 3.73 million; A18-49: #5, 1.6/ 4).
Wow. Impressive CW last night. Not great, but it's a significant increase. This looks like Smallville's highest rating of the season, and it's about time. Last night's episode was pretty big; in fact, that season has been surprisingly strong, as we move into the Lois and Clark part of the Superman story. :-) Supernatural was great as well. Best season so far, and this episode was particularly good. I think this is the second highest rating of the season and is probably one of the highest ratings since season 1.
Kudos, but keep it up! It looks like CW Thursday is safe.
Posts: 302 | Location: Indiana | Registered: 29 January 2007
Originally posted by Marc Berman: But look how much of the audience it lost from Grey's Anatomy.
quote:
Originally posted by Douglas: Marc, you cannot label "Life on Mars" a loser. It's not a winner either but it beat "ER" in the time slot plus if this viewer number holds up in the final nationals, it will be the series' largest audience to-date with the exception of its pilot episode.
By the way, thank you to the forum for saving me from tons of work in making Top 25 market data posts!
Compared to ABC's previous Thursday 10/9c occupants "Six Degrees", "Men In Trees", and "Big Shots", "Life on Mars" is a vast improvement. I don't think ABC is as disappointed in these numbers as you think, considering its recent history in this time slot.
Marc, how many times in the past has a show you labeled as a "loser" defeated a non-"loser" like "ER"? I know why you didn't label "ER" a loser (#1 in the A18-49 demo; grew out of its lead-in "30 Rock") but I'm just stating that it's a strange anomaly.
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