Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 2/15/07

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

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 17.97 million, ABC: 16.81, NBC: 8.70, Fox: 4.36, CW: 4.13

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 6.4 rating/16 share, CBS: 5.7/14, NBC: 3.9/10, Fox: 1.9/ 5, CW: 1.7/ 4

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Survivor: Fiji (CBS), Ugly Betty (ABC), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), CSI (CBS), Shark (CBS)

-Still a Player, But Spiraling Downward:
ER (NBC)

-Honorable Mention:
The Office (NBC)

-Yesterday’s Losers:
‘TIl Death (Fox), The War at Home (Fox), Scrubs (NBC), 30 Rock (NBC), The O.C. (Fox), Supernatural (CW)

-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC and CBS shared Thursday bragging rights, with CBS the most-watched network (1.16 million viewers ahead of ABC) and ABC No. 1 among adults 18-49 (with a 12 percent advantage in the demo). The once unstoppable NBC remained a distant third, followed by Fox and the CW at similarly lackluster results.

CBS’ creatively improved Survivor: Fiji led the 8 p.m. hour, with 16.35 million viewers and a 5.6 rating/15 share in the demo. Second was bona fide ABC hit Ugly Betty, with 13.63 million viewers and a 4.5/12 among adults 18-49. Next up were NBC sitcoms My Name is Earl (Viewers: 9.10 million; A18-49: 3.9/11) and The Office (Viewers: 8.83 million; A18-49: 4.4/11). Of positive note for The Office was growth of 13 percent in the demo out of My Name is Earl. Fox and the CW were virtually tied in total viewers from 8-9 p.m., with Fox fourth in the hour among adults 18-49. Fox’s ‘Til Death opened the evening with 5.25 million viewers (#4) and a 2.3/ 6 among adults 18-49 (#4), followed by The War at Home at a similarly disappointing 4.91 million viewers (#5) and a 2.3/ 6 in the demo (#4). The CW’s veteran Smallville delivered 5.07 million viewers (#5) and a 2.0/ 5 among adults 18-49 (#5).

ABC’s red-hot Grey’s Anatomy took center stage at 9 p.m., with a hefty 25.59 million viewers and a 10.7/25 among adults 18-49 -- 138 percent above lead-in Ugly Betty among adults 18-49 and the highest-rated show of the evening. Second, of course, was CBS’ still potent CSI at 22.47 million viewers and a 7.2/17 in the demo. With 48.06 million viewers tuning into ABC and CBS, there was obviously not much audience left elsewhere from 9-10 p.m. And a distant third, as usual, were NBC chucklers Scrubs (Viewers: 6.26 million; A18-49: 3.0/ 7) and 30 Rock (Viewers: 4.96 million; A18-49: 2.4/ 6), which do not have the legs to face Grey’s Anatomy and CSI. While I hate to beat a show when it’s already down, erosion for 30 Rock out of Scrubs of 1.30 million viewers and 20 percent among adults 18-49 means that the axe should be sharpening.

Rounding off the 9 p.m. hour were the second-to-last episode of Fox’s The O.C. (Viewers: 3.63 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 4) and the CW’s Supernatural (Viewers: 3.19 million; A18-49: 1.4/ 3), which suddenly does not seem like such a good fit out of Smallville with retention of just 63 percent in total viewers and 70 percent among adults 18-49.

Results at 10 p.m. mirrored recent weeks as follows:

Shark (CBS)
Viewers: 15.10 million (#1), A18-49: 4.3/12 (#2)

ER (NBC)
Viewers: 11.52 million (#2), A18-49: 4.8/13 (#1)

Men in Trees (ABC)
Viewers: 11.21 million (#3), A18-49: 4.1/11 (#3)

Percent change for the three shows out of their lead-ins were:

Shark (out of CSI) - Viewers: -33, A18-49: -40
ER (out of 30 Rock) – Viewers: +132, A18-49: +100
Men in Trees (out of Grey’s Anatomy) – Viewers: -56, A18-49: -62

Based on the retention, here are three things to make note of:
1. Shark is similar to season one of Without a Trace out of CSI, and is a shoo-in for renewal in 2007-08.
2. ER is a shell of its former self, but the growth out of 30 Rock is still worth noting (and also worthy of a renewal).
3. ABC assures me that it is satisfied with Men in Trees creatively, but erosion this steep is, no doubt, disappointing and concerning.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Oh I'm so happy to see Supernatural back above 3 million viewers.

You know I'm going to ask for the half hour breakdowns for it!

quote:

ABC’s red-hot Grey’s Anatomy took center stage at 9 p.m., with a hefty 25.59 million viewers

Damn - I think that number is even higher than last week!

Half hour breakdowns:

Smallville
8:00 p.m. V: 4.83 million, A18-49: 1.9/ 5
8:30 p.m. V: 5.30 million, A18-49: 2.1/ 5

Supernatural
9:00 p.m. V: 3.35 million, A18-49: 1.4/ 3
9:30 p.m. V: 3.04 million, A18-49: 1.3/ 3

The O.C.
9:00 p.m. V: 3.64 million, A18-49: 1.6/ 4
9:30 p.m. V: 3.63 million, A18-49: 1.6/ 4

At least the episode of Supernatural didn't sink below three million, I am at least thankful for that. I am glad that Smallville is doing so well. Hopefully the retention rate for Supernatural would increase when Grey's Anatomy three part story arc ends. Although I did expect higher numbers from the O.C. since it's nearing it's season finale.

i dont know about anyone else, but last nights grey's anatomy was one of the best episodes of television that i have seen in a LONG time.

Well...if Supernatural gets renewed for a third season, which I think it will, I am under the impression that it needs to be moved to another night. Its timeslot is crappy and is given no room to grow. Although I am happy to see that the ratings for last night rose from last week...about 35,000 viewers. It is a good thing.

Peace!!

quote:

CW’s Supernatural (Viewers: 3.19 million; A18-49: 1.4/ 3), which suddenly does not seem like such a good fit out of Smallville with retention of just 63 percent in total viewers and 70 percent among adults 18-49.

I think it would be a better fit on another night. I'm not sure anything could be a good fit when it goes up against Grey's and CSI.

Wow, are those season-level highs for GA?

MIT is slowly, slowly building, which is encouraging... (however, GA's audience keeps building as well... so retention stays about the same).

Marc Men in Trees though went up again in viewership and the demos hit another good high. ABC being patient with Trees is a good thing because IMO it is ready to burst out. I adore the show so much. Marc can you think of how much this show has overcome? WOW is Grey's doing amazing massive numbers. Marc ABC made the right decision putting Grey's on Thursday's versus Monday's. This is the first time since the 70's ABC has a pulse on this night.

Wow, Grey's almost reaching 26 Million, that's great. Ugly Betty with 13 Million!

Supernatural, great show..

quote:

Originally posted by StephNC:
Damn - I think that number is even higher than last week!

Many people wanted to see Meredith die. Personally I am one of them, and I got my wish.

It's funny that Smallville increases during it's half hour breakdown, and then it goes downwards from there. I have a question. Does DVR or TiVO effect the ratings or no?

While the numbers no longer matter, I'm kinda surprised more people haven't come back to the OC. The quality of last night's earthquake episode trumped Grey's overly dramatic "is Meredith going to die!" episode. I even like Grey's and last night was just a little too much for me. I'm hopeful at least 6 million old faithfuls return to the OC for what should be a satisfying finale.
As for 30 Rock, as I posted on the Wednesday post, it needs to go. I'm not really sure where, but it can't stay on Thursday any longer. It's killing ER and NBC honestly needs one more year out of it so they can prop up a replacement series. Maybe doubling up Scrubs for the rest of the year and then throwing Deal or No Deal to the Thursday death slot is the answer. ER was well ahead of ABC and CBS when DOND was its lead in and giving it at least 9 million viewers a week.

Not to start a ratings war or an SN debate, but should SN be in the loser? I mean, we went up from last week, yeah retention wasn't great but Marc!! We have the GREAT FERRY TRAGEDY of GA, an CSI and I'm guessing a lot of people taped SN just to watch GA. So, yeah, retention would be not so good when you got the McAccident of the year on GA.

I still think we did good.

Marc, I think your too hard on Supernatural. It had to go up against CSI and this huge stunt on Greys and this week is was actually up 350,000 viewers from last week (2.84 million to 3.19 million). 70% retention in Adults 18-49 isnt too shabby and 63% retention against the competition that it has is not as bad as it could be, as you sometimes state. It does need to get better but its #s against this huge Greys stunt are respectable.