Prime-Time Ratings:
Friday 4/18/08

-Total Viewers:
NBC: 6.56 million, CBS: 6.28, Fox: 4.83, CW: 4.08, ABC: 3.91

-Adults 18-49:
NBC: 1.8 rating/6 share, CBS: 1.5/ 5, Fox: 1.3/ 4, CW: 1.2/ 4, ABC: 1.1/ 4

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Friday’s Winners:
Nothing. NBC’s Dateline was the most-watched show of the evening with just 7.12 million viewers.

-Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Duel (ABC), Canterbury’s Law (Fox), 20/20 (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
NBC led this typically uneventful Friday with its combination of a repeat of Most Outrageous Moments (Viewers: #2: 5.45 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.5 rating/6 share), and a two-hour edition of Dateline (Viewers: #1: 7.12 million; A18-49: #1, 1.9 rating/6 share from 9-11 p.m.). Of note for Dateline was growth in every half-hour as follows:

Dateline (NBC)
9:00 p.m. Viewers: 6.83 million (#1), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#1)
9:30 p.m. Viewers: 7.30 million (#1), A18-49: 2.0/ 6 (#1)
10:00 p.m. Viewers: 7.30 million (#1), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#1)
10:30 p.m. Viewers: 7.15 million (#1), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#1)

CBS was second overall care of a repeat of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: #1, 6.74 million; A18-49: #1, 1.7/ 6), the return of Moonlight, also a repeat (Viewers: #2, 5.28 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.3/ 4), and a repeat of Numb3rs (Viewers: #2, 6.82 million; A18-49: #1, 1.9/ 6). Sad, isn’t it, that we had to wait three months for the return of original episodes of scripted series and there are already more repeats scattered throughout the week?

Next was Fox with its line-up of a repeat of House (Viewers: #3, 4.98 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.5/ 6) and the season, or (more likely) series-finale of Canterbury’s Law (Viewers: #3, 4.68 million; A18-49: #4, 1.0/ 3). Given these lackluster results, there is a very good chance Canterbury’s Law star Julianna Margulies will have plenty of free time to make a guest appearance -- or two -- on the final season of ER on NBC.

ABC had a particularly poor Friday showing with its combination of a repeat of Desperate Housewives (Viewers: #5, 3.14 million; A18-49: #5, 0.8/ 3), Duel (Viewers: #5, 3.29 million; A18-49: #5, 0.9/ 3) and 20/20 (Viewers: #3, 5.30 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.5/ 5). As much as I personally like game shows, Duel is nothing more than a “D” level rip-off of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. No wonder no one is watching.

The CW’s soon-to-depart Friday Night Smackdown! capped off the evening with a below-average 4.07 million viewers (#4) and a 1.2/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#4) from 8-10 p.m.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

What a deathly dull night. ABC has totally botched the return of Duel. Why CBS didn't just wait an extra week for new show is confusing instead of airing a week of repeats. Goodbye Canteburry's Law. No way that show is returning now. Not surprising Most Outrageous Moments placed second at 8. Should they order up some originals of this, they may have something. Smackdown, even below average is the CW's number one show of the week.

OK numbers for Moonlight, though slightly (but inconclusively) lower than the last two repeats back in February. The demo is slightly low as well, but then again, it's a repeat, therefore inconclusive. Hard to tell what will happen next week with a new episode, the first in three months!
Shame about CL. I think it has zero chances of coming back now. No justice - CL (and perhaps NA) not coming back, but pure crap like Prison Break will.

Duel was weaker this week, and it wasnt even against Price is Right. Cancel it now. Poor Canterbury's Law, weakest ratings yet, and the 1.0 will fall to 0.9 in the finals. That takes away any chance of renewal, although it has been the strongest new show on Friday's on FOX in awhile. Boring night overall.

With these numbers, it is the end of Canterbury's Law. Duel should end very soon also. There is no way either are returning with these numbers. Both FOX and ABC have to fix their Fridays in the fall and become competitive again.

It looks like NBC is finally getting competitive with CBS on Fridays. I agree that they have something with Most Outrageous Moments and that originals could compete with Ghost Whisperer for the 8 PM title. Taking NBC's lead, FOX could program Smile! Your Arrested on Fridays next year and try to court the same crowd. Dateline is a steady performer for NBC. Really good numbers considering how the other shows performed.

quote:

Originally posted by total eclipse:
OK numbers for Moonlight, though slightly (but inconclusively) lower than the last two repeats back in February. The demo is slightly low as well, but then again, it's a repeat, therefore inconclusive. Hard to tell what will happen next week with a new episode, the first in three months!
Shame about CL. I think it has zero chances of coming back now. No justice - CL (and perhaps NA) not coming back, but pure crap like Prison Break will.

No No!

Canterbury still has a chance.

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:
No No!

Canterbury still has a chance.

According to the newspaper, CL has been canceled. Is this true?

quote:

Originally posted by WlcmBlueBloodWorstEnemy:
It looks like NBC is finally getting competitive with CBS on Fridays.

So long as CBS airs all reruns and NBC can come up with stories for 2 hours of Dateline a week, absolutely.

quote:

Originally posted by RoyBoyCF:

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:
No No!

Canterbury still has a chance.

According to the newspaper, CL has been canceled. Is this true?

Which newspaper? Can we please have a reference / link?

quote:

Originally posted by total eclipse:
OK numbers for Moonlight, though slightly (but inconclusively) lower than the last two repeats back in February. The demo is slightly low as well, but then again, it's a repeat, therefore inconclusive. Hard to tell what will happen next week with a new episode, the first in three months!
Shame about CL. I think it has zero chances of coming back now. No justice - CL (and perhaps NA) not coming back, but pure crap like Prison Break will.

Well there's justice for me, i think PB is a decent show while NA is horrible. CL is OK, but it's dead i'm afraid. There can't be justice for everyone

quote:

Originally posted by total eclipse:

quote:

Originally posted by RoyBoyCF:

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:
No No!

Canterbury still has a chance.

According to the newspaper, CL has been canceled. Is this true?

Which newspaper? Can we please have a reference / link?

You can't base anything off of the newspaper. Last I checked, no one from the nets worked for it.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Given these lackluster results, there is a very good chance Canterbury’s Law star Julianna Margulies will have plenty of free time to make a guest appearance -- or two -- on the final season of ER on NBC.

Maybe the ER script could combine the two characters. She could come back to the ER as a drunken patient that successfully commits suicide. Of course, it would be best if it was murder/suicide with her husband having been murdered offscreen before the episode starts.

ABC is so stupid.. they should do this

8:00 AFV
9:00 Just for Laughs
10:00 20/20

cheap cheap cheap!

quote:

Originally posted by mushu_jj:
Smackdown, even below average is the CW's number one show of the week.

Only/barely in viewers. In the all important demo, ANTM, One Tree Hill, and Smallville all beat Smackdown. ANTM beat it by another 50% so it wasn't even close.

quote:

Originally posted by mushu_jj:
What a deathly dull night. ABC has totally botched the return of Duel. Why CBS didn't just wait an extra week for new show is confusing instead of airing a week of repeats. Goodbye Canteburry's Law. No way that show is returning now. Not surprising Most Outrageous Moments placed second at 8. Should they order up some originals of this, they may have something. Smackdown, even below average is the CW's number one show of the week.

A LOT of Markets were pre-empted last night...I guess.