Prime-Time Ratings:
Tuesday 10/14/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 14.57 million, Fox: 11.17, ABC: 9.50, NBC: 8.10, CW: 1.51

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 4.6 rating/12 share, NBC: 3.3/ 9, CBS: 3.2/ 9, ABC: 2.2/ 6, CW: 0.7 2

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
NCIS (CBS), House (Fox), The Mentalist (CBS), Fringe (Fox), Without a Trace (CBS), Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

-Yesterday’s Losers:
Opportunity Knocks (ABC), Eli Stone (ABC)

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Ratings Breakdown:
It was a Tuesday of split leadership, with CBS the most-watched network (more than three million viewers above second-place Fox), and Fox No. 1 among adults 18-49. Despite the viewer advantage, the Eye net slid to third overall in the demo. Keep in mind that below-average the CW was in repeats last night.

Bona fide CBS hit NCIS and Fox’s sliding (but still potent) House shared leadership in the 8 p.m. hour as follows:

Tuesday 8 p.m.
NCIS (CBS)
Viewers: 17.86 million (#1), A18-49: 3.9/11 (#2)

House (Fox)
Viewers: 12.82 million (#2), A18-49: 5.1/14 (#1)

Third in the 8 p.m. hour was the first half of NBC’s two-hour The Biggest Loser (Viewers: 7.20 million; A18-49: 2.9/ 8), followed by ABC’s waiting-to-be axed Opportunity Knocks (Viewers: 5.31 million; A18-49: 1.3/ 4) and a repeat of 90210 on the CW (Viewers: 1.78 million; A18-49: 0.8/ 3). One year earlier, ABC’s failed combination of sitcoms (if you can call them that) Cavemen and Carpoolers were stronger at an average 6.95 million viewers and a 2.8/ 8 in the demo.

Leadership was also split at 9 p.m. between CBS’ The Mentalist, which will be getting a full season order any second now, and Fox’s Fringe. Take a look:

Tuesday 9 p.m.
The Mentalist (CBS)
Viewers: 14.86 million (#1), A18-49: 3.4/ 9 (#2)

Fringe (Fox)
Viewers: 9.53 million (#3), A18-49: 4.1/10 (#1)

What was particularly impressive about The Mentalist was how it beat ABC’s competing live Dancing With the Stars Results Show (Viewers: #2, 14.37 million; A18-49: #3t, 3.2/ 8) by 490,000 viewers and six percent among adults 18-49.

Also populating the 9-10 p.m. hour was the second half of NBC’s The Biggest Loser (Viewers: #4, 7.71 million; A18-49: #3t, 3.2/ 8), and a repeat of the CW’s Privileged (Viewers: #5, 1.24 million; A18-49: #5, 0.6/ 1). Overall, The Biggest Loser averaged 7.45 million viewers and a 3.0/ 8 in the demo from 8-10 p.m.

Leadership was also mixed in the 10 p.m. hour, but it was between CBS’ Without a Trace and NBC’s Law & Order: SVU this time. Take a look:

Tuesday 10 p.m.
Without a Trace (CBS)
Viewers: 10.99 million (#1), A18-49: 2.6/ 7 (#2)

Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
Viewers: 9.40 million (#2), A18-49: 3.7/10 (#1)

Comparatively, relocated Without a Trace built from year-ago occupant Cane (Viewers: 8.54 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6 on Oct. 16, 2007) by 2.45 million viewers and 18 percent in the demo.

Capping off the 10 p.m. hour was the season-premiere of ABC’s Eli Stone at a disappointing (and last-place) 8.82 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 among adults 18-49. Although retention out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Dancing With the Stars (Viewers: 14.82 million; A18-49: 3.3/ 8) was not positive at 60 percent in viewers and 70 percent among adults 18-49, the bigger problem was the loss of audience at 10:30 p.m. Take a look:

Eli Stone (ABC)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 10.07 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 7
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 7.57 million; A18-49: 2.0/ 5

Do the math and that was a loss of 2.5 million viewers and 20 percent in the demo in the second half hour.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data
.

Eli Stone had the best possible lead-in, and the best possible timeslot, and it was the heavily promoted season premiere--and this was the best it could do. It won't do that well again.

I've been at this forum long enough to know you wait for the solid #'s before you gloat.

90210 (Viewers: 1.78 million; A18-49: 0.8/ 3)
Privileged (Viewers: #5, 1.24 million; A18-49: #5, 0.6/ 1)

I think Privileged is definitely an older-skewing show, which does not necessarily go well with The CW and the audience it targets. That's too bad, because the show really does have potential.

I wasn't gloating about its numbers, I was expressing my enthusiasm for the show creatively, saying I enjoyed it as a viewer, and was encouraged by the overnights.

I still think that ES did well considering DWTS: Results could only muster a 3.2 in the demo, and its competition was WAT and L&O:SVU. Considering all the junk that's all over the schedule, how about keeping one quality show despite ho-hum ratings? That's all I'm saying: I enjoy the show and I want the opportunity to keep watching it...

quote:

Eli Stone (ABC)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 10.07 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 7
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 7.57 million; A18-49: 2.0/ 5

*whistles*

I'm not surprised by DWTS Results losing to The Mentalist this week in particular (or really in general any longer... the show had faded quite a bit especially in the demo this season). Wasn't last week the whole non-elimination of Rocco DiSpirito due to Misty May pulling out because of her injury? And instead of bringing someone back the show decided to just double up on scores? Everything I read was that Rocco leaving was a foregone conclusion.

But, ultimately and anyway, I think DWTS has faded considerably.

*whistles again at the Eli Stone drop-off*

Also, anyone else think House last night sucked? I'm a big fan of the show, but it was awfully boring last night.

ELI STONE is the LIPSTICK JUNGLE of ABC
with the question
Why was this renewed?

I would love to see how FRINGE would do without the HOUSE lead in.

Will anyone miss DIRTY SEXY MONEY tonight...doubtful.

THE MENTALIST appears to be one of the best picks CBS has done in a while and can be forgiven for the VIVA LAUGHFLIN debacle.

I really like ES but the results are just as awful as i expected.

Not that great for The Mentalist and Fringe, Fringe will never be a hit like many expected.

Is House ever gonna bring 15 million on its own?

The big problem for Eli Stone was the loss of audience at 10:30 p.m.

quote:

Originally posted by Chimera:
I wasn't gloating about its numbers, I was expressing my enthusiasm for the show creatively, saying I enjoyed it as a viewer, and was encouraged by the overnights.

I still think that ES did well considering DWTS: Results could only muster a 3.2 in the demo, and its competition was WAT and L&O:SVU. Considering all the junk that's all over the schedule, how about keeping one quality show despite ho-hum ratings? That's all I'm saying: I enjoy the show and I want the opportunity to keep watching it...

ABC likes the show and wanted to be patient, so I don't blame them for that. Unfortunately, though, Eli Stone does not stand a chance.

quote:

Originally posted by A.C.:
ELI STONE is the LIPSTICK JUNGLE of ABC
with the question
Why was this renewed?

I would love to see how FRINGE would do without the HOUSE lead in.

Will anyone miss DIRTY SEXY MONEY tonight...doubtful.

THE MENTALIST appears to be one of the best picks CBS has done in a while and can be forgiven for the VIVA LAUGHFLIN debacle.

I believe that there was a two-minute runover , so that Eli Stone started at 10:02 ET. The finals may lower the first half numbers.

I've not great faith in Eli Stone. The show did less than average last year, if I remember correctly.

Eli Stone - I watched for a few episodes last year, but it couldn't even hold my interest in the desperate, strike times. The demo was much lower than I thought, no daily game win for me!

I would also like to see how Fringe would do without a big leadin. Looks like they are willing to sacrafice House's fall ratings to prop up Fringe. I'm sure all will be well again with House when it follows Idol this spring.

quote:

I wasn't gloating about its numbers, I was expressing my enthusiasm for the show creatively, saying I enjoyed it as a viewer, and was encouraged by the overnights.

I don't remember naming any names.

quote:

I still think that ES did well considering DWTS: Results could only muster a 3.2 in the demo, and its competition was WAT and L&O:SVU. Considering all the junk that's all over the schedule, how about keeping one quality show despite ho-hum ratings?

Don't go offtopic. We're talking about ES.

quote:

That's all I'm saying: I enjoy the show and I want the opportunity to keep watching it...

And the people who watch that 'crap all over the schedule' want the same thing, no?

Why do people keep thinking what they like is more important than what anyone else likes?

It's network TV, not the National Endowment for the Arts. If they want to do something genuinely worthy--maybe a miniseries about Lincoln, or whatever--I'm all for that. But ES is a silly shallow little show about a lawyer who gets sucked into big dance numbers. That suck.

I know that isn't good news on the Eli Stone front (too bad that show has really found its legs and is a lot better then some of the other stuff on TV), but how did it do versus last year's premiere/average?