Prime-Time Ratings:
Monday 4/07/08

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

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 14.79 million, ABC: 14.00, NBC: 8.47, Fox: 7.34, CW: 1.14

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 5.4 rating/14 share, ABC: 3.9/10, NBC: 2.5/ 7, Fox: 2.4/ 6, CW: 0.5/ 1

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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:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC), 2008 NCAA Basketball: Men’s Championship Game (CBS)

-Honorable Mention:
Deal or No Deal (NBC), Medium (NBC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
My Dad is Better Than Your Dad (NBC), The Bachelor: London Calling (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
The ongoing NCAA Basketball Championship Series led CBS to Monday victory, with an advantage over Dancing With the Stars-ignited ABC of 790,000 viewers and 38 percent among adults 18-49. NBC was a distant third in both categories, followed by Fox and lowly the CW.

The 9-11 p.m. portion of 2008 NCAA Basketball: Men’s Championship Game on CBS averaged a hefty 16.55 million viewers and a 6.1 rating/16 share among adults 18-49. Keep in mind, of course, that results for any live sporting event are always approximate. Earlier in the evening on CBS were repeats of The Big Bang Theory (Viewers: #2, 10.21 million; A18-49: #2, 3.6/11) and Two and a Half Men (Viewers: #2, 12.35 million; A18-49: #2, 4.4/12) from 8-9 p.m. Part of these results could include basketball in the central time zones.

ABC got off to a typically dominant start on Monday, with a 90-minute edition of Dancing With the Stars at 19.53 million viewers and a 4.8/13 among adults 18-49 from 8-9:30 p.m. Here is the half-hour breakdown:

Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
8:00 p.m. Viewers: 17.63 million (#1), A18-49: 4.1/12 (#1)
8:30 p.m. Viewers: 20.12 million (#1), A18-49: 4.9/13 (#1)
9:00 p.m. Viewers: 20.84 million (#1), A18-49: 5.4/14 (#1)

My pick to bid adieu tonight: funnyman Adam Corolla, who is better suited for late night comedy. Runner-up: Broadway star Marissa Jaret Winokur, who may not be benefiting outside of the New York market. Isn’t it nice for once to see the great Edyta Sliwinska paired with someone who could win this whole thing?

Dancing With the Stars led into the return of sitcom Samantha Who?, which dipped to 11.80 million viewers (#3) and a second-place 3.5/ 8 among adults 18-49 at 9:30 p.m. Comparably, retention out of the last half-hour of Dancing With the Stars was disappointing at 53 percent in total viewers and 65 percent among adults 18-49. Regardless, let’s hope that the Emmy voters have taken notice of the exception Christina Applegate. Capping off the evening for ABC was The Bachelor: London calling at a last-place 7.02 million viewers and a 2.7/ 7 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Isn’t it time to rest this aging franchise already?

NBC started out slow but built as the night progressed with its combination of My Dad is Better Than Your Dad (Viewers: #4, 4.53 million; A18-49: #4, 1.3/ 4), Deal or No Deal (Viewers: #3, 9.81 million; A18-49: #3, 2.9/ 7) and Medium (Viewers: #2, 10.72 million; A18-49: #2, 3.4/ 9), which has been renewed and will be returning in the winter next season.

Fox had a typical Monday care of a repeat of House (Viewers: #3, 7.16 million; A18-49: #3, 2.5/ 7) and New Amsterdam (Viewers: #4, 7.53 million; A18-49: #4, 2.3/ 6), which fits like a glove out of the House encore. And cellar-dweller the CW could not compete with repeats of Gossip Girl (Viewers: #5, 1.18 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 1) and the Monday 9 p.m. time period premiere of One Tree Hill (Viewers: #5, 1.09 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 1), which fits well apparently out of Gossip Girl.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Strong night for TV overall I think. SW didn't do half bad and could regain some of the fanbase in weeks to come. On another note, is it still to late to move the Bachelor to Wednesday in the coming weeks and just use Women's Murder Club on Mondays? That show is now pulling in less viewers than BL did with Carpoolers as a lead in. The Bachelorette could sink to franchise lows this summer. House and NA did well for Fox I thought. New Amsterdam just as well get a midseason pickup with Canteburry's Law, which when paired with new Bones, could be a force on Fridays. Kudos to Medium, which has recently proven it deserves a fall slot on NBC's lineup. DOND did a nice job of growing out of its pathetic lead in. And finally, I'm guessing they'll eventually drop due to basketball but...

repeats of The Big Bang Theory (Viewers: #2, 10.21 million; A18-49: #2, 3.6/11) and Two and a Half Men (Viewers: #2, 12.35 million; A18-49: #2, 4.4/12) . Nice for those two shows!

NA is up by almost a million viewers from last week. Even though its lead-in is down by almost half a mil in viewers.

Now I can see why some people here don't like it--I don't like it either--but if this was SCC, people would be screaming to the rafters about what an amazing achievement that was, and how FOX was DELIGHTED to be getting 2.3 in the demo after a House repeat on Monday...

Wow. Proof that Dancing and NCAA action don't have the same audience?

Last week Dancing demo (by half hour):
8pm 4.5
8:30 5.1
9pm 5.4

This week:
8pm 4.1
8:30 4.9
9pm 5.4

Only the first hour suffered. During that time, I guess in most of the country at least, were CBS' comedies. The last half hour, which I'm assuming was NCAA in the WHOLE country, was untouched compared to last weeks numbers.

As for Samantha... still disappointing... what were the last lead-out from Dancing numbers like?

NBC shouldv'e axed My Dad a long time ago...

The Bachelor is really suffering.

YES! What a night for Medium! Great episode! Great ratings!

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
Now I can see why some people here don't like it--I don't like it either--but if this was SCC, people would be screaming to the rafters about what an amazing achievement that was, and how FOX was DELIGHTED to be getting 2.3 in the demo after a House repeat on Monday...

If this was SCC, it would be above 3.0 in the demo, and you would say it should be canceled.

Looks like moving House repeats (what many people on this forum suggested) was exactly the right move to try and save NA.

Actually, comparing SCC's penultimate Monday with NA's--

Fox opened the evening with a Monday edition of The Moment of Truth (Viewers: #3, 8.59 million; A18-49: #2, 3.6/10), which lost steam minus its recent American Idol lead-in (but was a stronger option than recent occupant Prison Break), and 9 p.m. time period warmer Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Viewers: #4, 7.12 million; A18-49: #4, 2.7/ 7).

So last night's NA had a repeat lead-in of 7.16 mil viewers, with a 2.5 in the demo.

The 10/25 SCC had a first-run lead-in of 8.59mil viewers with a 3.6 in the demo.

And the end result is that NA got 7.53 mil viewers and a 2.3 in the demo, and SCC got 7.12 mil viewers, and a 2.7--an inferior performance from SCC in total viewers and a marginally superior performance in the demo, from a MUCH stronger lead-in--and a whole lot more promotion, not to mention what can safely be assumed to be a significantly higher production budget for SCC.

Since FOX clearly has invested too much money in SCC to let it go right away, they should bring back NA too, and see which show holds up best in its sophomore season.

Though if they want good dramas, they should axe both shows, and fire everybody in their drama development department.

quote:

If this was SCC, it would be above 3.0 in the demo, and you would say it should be canceled.

Really?

In any event, I say they BOTH should be canceled. I'm a CONSISTENT hater. You're a hypocritical hater.

Huge repeat number for BBT!

ooo, Samantha really didn't do that well. I didn't realize that retention was typically higher out of Dancing. In the fall it was getting near 80% of demo lead-out from the last half-hour. This number is closer to what it got out of the Dancing finale in the fall (which was highly inflated compared to the regular dancing eps).

After dancing left we got the 2.9, 2.8 etc. episodes...

I think if Samantha has to air w/o dancing this spring the numbers will be ugly, ugly, ugly...

In the Mountain time zone, Big Bang and 2.5 men did not air before the game. The NCAA coverage started at 7pm.

Did the shows air AFTER the basketball game?
If so, what was the start time for them?

quote:

Originally posted by joliesse:
In the Mountain time zone, Big Bang and 2.5 men did not air before the game. The NCAA coverage started at 7pm.

quote:

Originally posted by Zitrone:
If this was SCC, it would be above 3.0 in the demo, and you would say it should be canceled.

I highly doubt TSCC would be garnering measurably better ratings if it was occupying this same slot with the same competition.

Medium sure looks like a winner to me. Look at the build from DOND. Season high in viewers and demo. I'm so glad. I hope NBC orders a full 22 instead of another abbreviated season.

quote:

Did the shows air AFTER the basketball game?
If so, what was the start time for them?
quote:
Originally posted by joliesse:
In the Mountain time zone, Big Bang and 2.5 men did not air before the game. The NCAA coverage started at 7pm.

I'm not sure, the game ended at like 9.50 and I turned the TV off. But I doubt they would prempt the local news.