Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 4/09/09
-Total Viewers:
CBS: 12.72 million, Fox: 8.23, NBC: 8.02, ABC: 4.73, CW: 2.04
-Adults 18-49:
CBS and NBC: 3.3 rating/10 share each, Fox: 2.9/ 8, ABC: 1.3/ 4, CW: 0.7/ 2
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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Survivor: Tocantins (CBS), CSI (CBS), The Office (NBC), Southland (NBC)
-Honorable Mention:
Bones (Fox), Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
-Disappointing:
Harper’s Island (CBS)
-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
In the Motherhood (ABC), Samantha Who? (ABC)
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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS finished first in both total viewers and adults 18-49 on this second Thursday in April, tied with NBC in the demo. Next was Fox, followed by ABC and the CW.
As the warmer weather makes its way, HUT levels continue to drop and ratings continue to decrease. With that in mind, CBS’ Survivor: Tocantins was still dominant, but below-average from 8-9 p.m., with 11.32 million viewers and a 3.5 rating/11 share among adults 18-49. Not airing an original episode for two straight weeks (the clips show does not count) was not beneficial for Survivor. And what a disappointing ending that was, wasn’t it?
In series-premiere news, NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation got sampled, with 6.77 million viewers (#3) and a second-place 3.0/ 9 among adults 18-49 at 8:30 p.m. Retention out of an 8 p.m. installment of The Office (Viewers: #3, 7.20 million; A18-49: #1, 3.3/11) was solid at 94 percent in viewers and 91 percent among adults 18-49. And this was a solid improvement over recent occupant Kath & Kim. But without the benefit of The Office next week (regularly scheduled My Name is Earl returns), expect noticeable erosion.
Also airing from 8-9 p.m. was Fox’s underrated Bones (Viewers: #2, 8.88 million; A18-49: #3, 2.5/ 8), failing ABC sitcoms In the Motherhood (Viewers: #4, 4.57 million; A18-49: #4, 1.3/ 4) and Samantha Who? (Viewers: #4, 4.87 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 4), which is struggling without the support of former lead-in Dancing With the Stars, and a repeat of the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #5, 2.03 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2).
CBS stood above the competition at 9 p.m. care of veteran CSI at 16.36 million viewers and a 3.7/10 among adults 18-49. But the regularly scheduled edition of NBC’s The Office actually won the 9 p.m. half hour in adults 18-49, with a 3.9/11 in the demo (and a second-place 7.94 million viewers). 30 Rock followed by 6.75 million viewers and a 3.1/ 9 among adults 18-49 -- third in both categories.
Of particularly positive note for Fox was Hell’s Kitchen at a second-place finish in both total viewers (7.59 million) and adults 18-49 (3.3/ 9). Capping off the hour was an encore telecast of Grey’s Anatomy on ABC (Viewers: #4, 5.15 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 4), which never repeats well, and a repeat of the CW’s Supernatural (Viewers: #5, 2.06 million; A18-49: #5, 0.8/ 2).
At 10 p.m., two dramas launched -- Harper’s Island on CBS and Southland on NBC. Here are the results followed by the observations of note:
Harper’s Island (CBS)
Viewers: 10.49 million (#1), A18-49: 2.7/ 8 (#2)
Southland (NBC)
Viewers: 9.72 million (#2), A18-49: 3.2/ 9 (#1)
The good news for both networks, of course, was the split leadership. But Southland is a better performance and here is why.
1. Growth out of lead-in 30 Rock was 2.97 million viewers and three percent among adults 18-49.
2. Growth in the second half-hour was 540,000 viewers (9.45 to 9.99 million) and six percent among adults 18-49 (3.1/ 9 to 3.3/10).
While certainly not bad, Harper’s Island, in contrast, declined from lead-in CSI by 5.87 million viewers and 27 percent among adults 18-49. And there was a loss of audience at 10:30 p.m. of 1.20 million viewers (11.09 to 9.89 million) and 11 percent among adults 18-49 (2.8/ 8 to 2.5/ 8). That is never a good sign.
Both Harper’s Island and Southland, meanwhile, were down to some degree from recent occupants Eleventh Hour (Viewers: 12.05 million; A18-49: 3.1/ 8 season to-date, based on the final nationals) and ER (Viewers: 10.14 million; A18-49: 3.9/10). But last night’s 10 p.m. winner is Southland.
Capping off the 10 p.m. hour was a repeat of ABC’s Private Practice at a distant third-place 4.34 million viewers and a 1.3/ 4 among adults 18-49.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
Anyways, good for Southland with its increase at the half! NBC will keep this show even if it declines by 2 million viewers and drops to a 2.7 demo. I'm guessing the drop at the half with Harper's Island was because the middle was sort of boring, but it picked up! 
