Prime-Time Ratings:
Tuesday 4/22/08

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

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 17.78 million, ABC: 10.73, CBS: 8.54, NBC: 6.49, CW: 1.98

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 6.9 rating/18 share, ABC: 2.7/ 7, NBC: 2.3/ 6, CBS: 2.1/ 6, CW: 0.9/ 2

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

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
According to Jim (ABC), Most Outrageous Moments (NBC), Beauty and the Geek (CW),

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Fox led Tuesday, of course, as a result of the ongoing American Idol juggernaut, followed by ABC in the distant No. 2 spot. CBS and NBC tied for the No. 3 and 4 spots (CBS was third in total viewers; NBC third among adults 18-49), followed by distant the CW.

American Idol opened the evening with a healthy 24.00 million viewers and an 8.8 rating/24 share among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. Next was CBS’ always reliable NCIS (Viewers: 14.09 million; A18-49: 3.0/ 8), which is one of the few shows historically that has been able to survive, and still thrive, opposite American Idol.

Also airing from 8-9 p.m. were two episodes (original and repeat) of ABC’s According to Jim (8:00 p.m. – Viewers: #3, 4.29 million; A18-49: #3, 1.4/ 4 -- 8:30 p.m. – Viewers: #3, 4.07 million; A18-49: #3, 1.4/ 4); the season-premiere of NBC’s Most Outrageous Moments (Viewers: #4, 4.20 million; A18-49: #4, 1.3/ 4) coupled with the first half-hour of a 90-minute encore presentation of The Best of Saturday Night Live (Viewers: #4, 3.40 million; A18-49: #4, #4, 1.3/ 3), and lowly Beauty and the Geek on the CW (Viewers: #5, 1.56 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2). Since I missed American Idol last night, I obviously can’t make any observations. But what did you think?

As for According to Jim, please ABC…put this show out of its misery.

Top honors from 9-10 p.m. were shared by ABC’s live Dancing With the Stars Results Show and Hell’s Kitchen on Fox as follows:

Wednesday 9 p.m.
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Viewers: 17.48 million (#1), A18-49: 4.0/10 (#2)

Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
Viewers: 11.56 million (#2), A18-49: 5.1/13 (#1)

Keep in mind, however, that retention for Hell’s Kitchen out of American Idol was just 48 percent in total viewers and 58 percent among adults 18-49. As predicted, the truly astonishing Marlee Matlin exited Dancing With the Stars last night.

Third from 9-10 p.m. was CBS’ Big Brother 9 (Viewers: 6.74 million; A18-49: 2.4/ 6), followed by The Best of Saturday Night Live repeat on NBC (Viewers: #4.18 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 4), and Reaper on the CW (Viewers: 2.40 million; A18-49: 1.1/ 3). While a 2.40 million viewers is nothing to boast about, Reaper did manage to build from Beauty and the Geek by 840,000 viewers and a hefty 57 percent among adults 18-49.

Overall, the 90-minute encore presentation of time period warmer The Best of Saturday Night Live on NBC averaged a sluggish 3.92 million viewers and a 1.6/ 4 among adults 18-49 from 8:30-10 p.m.

As for Big Brother, I also missed it last night. So, what happened?

NBC’s perennial Law & Order: SVU took the 10 p.m. hour with 11.50 million viewers and a 4.0/11 among adults 18-49, followed by the return of ABC’s Boston Legal at a respectable 10.52 million viewers and a 4.0/11 in the demo. Boston Legal got a lift, of course, out of Dancing With the Stars. In the distant No. 3 spot was a repeat of CBS’ Shark at a mere 4.80 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49. Tuesday at 10 p.m. has certainly not been a picnic for CBS!

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Marc, I think that must be a typo with Boston Legal's demo.

NBC must have decided that Tuesday was the new Friday?

4.0 in the demo for BL? Is that right? I'd LOVE a 3.0! Either way, I'd say BL sealed its renewal last night.

SVU are back on the (creative) horse this year, but it seems audience hasn't realized it yet, hence the downward movement.
I'm surprised at BL's relative success last night. I was sure (and I was hoping, in fact) it was a dead horse.

I think the BL number was a 2.8, per Media Life.

Medialife has Boston Legal's demo at a 2.8, which would make a lot more sense. It would still be a vast improvement over the previous week's 2.1.

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
Marc, I think that must be a typo with Boston Legal's demo.

I call CBS tuesday 10pm slot the cursed time-slot.

Because all the shows on thats slot die.

quote:

In the distant No. 3 spot was a repeat of CBS’ Shark at a mere 4.80 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49. Tuesday at 10 p.m. has certainly not been a picnic for CBS!

I didn't even know they were showing a Repeat of SHARK last night. the only promos I've seen have been for the return of new episodes, starting NEXT Tuesday.

quote:

Originally posted by Obveeus:
NBC must have decided that Tuesday was the new Friday?

NBC must be embarrassed by there May sweeps schedule. Their schedule has the following:

4 hours of DOND (2 on Mondays and 2 on Wednesdays)
1 1/2 hours of Saturday Night Live repeats (Tuesdays)
1 1/2 hours of Most Outrageous Moments (1/2 hour on Tuesdays and 1 hour on Fridays)
6 hours of repeats (all of Saturday and Sunday night)

Why did they use up all of their fresh content at the same time starting in January? And being that they did that, why did they not have a plan to come up with something for May sweeps?

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
As for Big Brother, I also missed it last night. So, what happened?

Ryan won PoV, kept the nominations the same, and evicted Sharon.

quote:

In the distant No. 3 spot was a repeat of CBS’ Shark at a mere 4.80 million viewers and a 1.1/ 3 among adults 18-49. Tuesday at 10 p.m. has certainly not been a picnic for CBS!

OUCH! Not good for a show returning after a hiatus. Although I don't recall seeing a promo....hmm.

EDIT: AL, this is NBC. You can't expecting their scheduling to make sense.

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
Marc, I think that must be a typo with Boston Legal's demo.

I call CBS tuesday 10pm slot the cursed time-slot.

Because all the shows on thats slot die.

The time slot is not cursed. They just program garbage there. If they moved Without a Trace there it would get good ratings. Every show they put there is a clunker.

The Saturday Night Live stuff needs to be pulled from Primetime. NBC needs to realize this now, not after they try it on Thursday Nights this Fall.

Can CW renew Reaper now? It certainly does better than GG with a hell of a lot less hype. I also know here in the Philadelphia area it was not on due to the Phillies game.

quote:

Originally posted by Obveeus:
The Saturday Night Live stuff needs to be pulled from Primetime. NBC needs to realize this now, not after they try it on Thursday Nights this Fall.

Actually I think the 4 SNL episodes in the fall will do well. They will be new, fresh episodes. And they will be very time relevant based on the presidential campaign. But to show repeats of SNL in primetime is ridiculous.