Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 1/10/08

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

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 13.54 million, ABC: 11.41, Fox: 8.39, NBC: 8.01, CW: 2.19

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 4.2 rating/11 share, CBS: 3.5/ 9, NBC: 3.3/ 9, Fox: 2.6/ 7, CW: 0.8/ 2

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Also, since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 9 percent in early 2006-07 to approximately 20 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox), CSI (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Without a Trace (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
30 Rock (NBC), Big Shots (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS dominated this second Thursday of 2008 in total viewers; ABC was No. 1 among adults 18-49. Without Survivor in the competitive mix, ABC’s Ugly Betty was second in the 8 p.m. hour in total viewers (9.89 million), and tied with the NBC comedies for No. 1 among adults 18-49 (3.2 rating/9 share). One year earlier, however, Ugly Betty was considerably stronger at 13.49 million viewers and a 4.4 rating/12 share in the demo.

Most-watched from 8-9 p.m. was Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, with 10.08 million viewers. And it was third among adults 18-49, with a 2.9/ 8. Compared to former occupants ‘Til Death and The War at Home (Viewers: avg. 4.52; A18-49: avg. 1.9/ 5 on Jan. 11, 2007), that was an increase of a hefty 5.56 million viewers and 34 percent in the demo. Worth repeating from this morning’s PI: As for guest star Billy Bush, guess what? He is not smarter than a 5th grader! You’re not surprised, are you?

Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour was a repeat of CBS’ CSI: NY (Viewers: #3, 8.73 million; A18-49: #4, 2.1/ 6), NBC’s My Name is Earl (Viewers: #4, 7.71 million; A18-49: #1, 3.4/ 9) and 30 Rock (Viewers: #4, 5.97 million; A18-49: #3, 2.8/ 7), and a repeat of the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #5, 2.60 million; A18-49: #5, 0.9/ 3). While My Name is Earl certainly comes off the loser’s listing based on the overnights, erosion for lead-out 30 Rock of 1.74 million viewers and 18 percent among adults 18-49 keeps it on it. Even so, I thought last night’s episode of 30 Rock was a riot!

In the 9-10 p.m. battle of CBS’ CSI versus Grey’s Anatomy on ABC, leadership was split. Take a look:

Tuesday 9 p.m.
CSI (CBS)
Viewers: 18.13 million (#1), A18-49: 5.0/12 (#2)

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Viewers: 17.57 million (#2), A18-49: 7.0/17 (#1)

Year-to-year, Grey’s Anatomy (Viewers: 23.03 million; A18-49: 9.3/23 dropped by a massive 5.46 million viewers and 25 percent among adults 18-49. CSI was also down significantly over normal original January levels.

Also at 9 p.m. was week two of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice (Viewers: #3, 8.13 million; A18-49: #3, 3.5/ 9), Fox’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Viewers: #4, 6.70 million; A18-49: #4, 2.3/ 5), and a repeat of Supernatural on the CW (Viewers: #5, 1.78 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2). Although Celebrity Apprentice dipped by 2.95 million viewers and 22 percent in the demo from its week-ago season-premiere (Viewers: 11.08 million; A18-49: 4.5/11 on Jan. 3), worth noting was growth of 2.16 million viewers and 25 percent in the demo from lead-in 30 Rock. Go Gene Simmons!

CBS’ Without a Trace led the 10 p.m. hour in total viewers (13.77 million), while tying NBC’s ER for No. 1 among adults 18-49 with a 3.5/ 9 in the demo. ER was second in viewership, with 9.06 million. Comparably, the return of ABC’s Big Shots was third with 6.76 million viewers and a 2.6/ 8 in the demo. Take a look at the erosion for Big Shots at 10:30 p.m.

Big Shots
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 7.78 million; A18-49: 3.0/ 8
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 5.75 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6

Had there not been a writers strike, my guess is that Big Shots would have been canceled by now.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

It makes me sad that 30 Rock is just not going to catch on. I look forward to it every week and feel it's the funniest thing on television. I thought the musical interlude was soooo funny.

Ouch with Grey's!

Desperate Housewives now is the #1 scripted show in TV with those numbers

I thought Big Shots was cancelled.

Marc "forgot" to mention that last year's CSI was a repeat.

quote:

Originally posted by lopez:
Ouch with Grey's!

Desperate Housewives now is the #1 scripted show in TV with those numbers

quote:

Desperate Housewives now is the #1 scripted show in TV with those numbers

It is! And that makes me so happy!

HAHAHA at Grey's numbers! And they hyped up this episode so much yet it's off a whole 6 MILLION from this time last year. That's crazy.

quote:

Marc "forgot" to mention that last year's CSI was a repeat.

Was there not one original CSI in January of last year?

Disappointing numbers everywhere.
The only positive number is for 5TH Grader which in my opinion is in a close battle with Crowned as the worst show currently on TV

quote:

Originally posted by vlis:
Marc "forgot" to mention that last year's CSI was a repeat.

quote:

Originally posted by lopez:
Ouch with Grey's!

Desperate Housewives now is the #1 scripted show in TV with those numbers

Irrelevant. Notice he didn't do a year-to-year comparison, because it probably was a repeat. As for "normal January original levels" -- that is all of January.

Don't look for conspiracy where there isn't any.

quote:

Originally posted by trebek:
I thought Big Shots was cancelled.

It is, it's a burnoff of the final episodes. 2 more to go. Next week's numbers should be even more horrific with Grey's a repeat.

Blah night. Celebrity Apprentice dropped a LOT from last week.

yeah it did drop, but in all fairness it was up against two very formidable competitors.

quote:

Originally posted by Brent88:

quote:

Originally posted by trebek:
I thought Big Shots was cancelled.

It is, it's a burnoff of the final episodes. 2 more to go. Next week's numbers should be even more horrific with Grey's a repeat.

Blah night. Celebrity Apprentice dropped a LOT from last week.

Any word on how Celebrity Rehab did on VH1 last night?

quote:

Originally posted by chipper730:

quote:

Originally posted by vlis:
Marc "forgot" to mention that last year's CSI was a repeat.

quote:

Originally posted by lopez:
Ouch with Grey's!

Desperate Housewives now is the #1 scripted show in TV with those numbers

Irrelevant.

Not irrelevant since what vlis is looking at is the massive decline in Grey's Anatomy ratings. The competition for GA this year was more than last year, since last year CSI was in rerun.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Big Shots
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 7.78 million; A18-49: 3.0/ 8
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 5.75 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6

Grey's Anatomy ran over for 2 minutes, I think. So, the second half hour is probably close to the 'real' rating for Big Shots and the dropoff between the half hours won't be nearly as bad in finals.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
Disappointing numbers everywhere.
The only positive number is for 5TH Grader which in my opinion is in a close battle with Crowned as the worst show currently on TV

Don't forget to include that show you like: American Gladiators.

quote:

Even so, I thought last night’s episode of 30 Rock was a riot!

I agree, it was hysterical! I think that episode is my favourite since the Series premiere.

It's a shame to think that last nights episode could possibly have been the series finale if the writers strike drags on and NBC decide to pass on a third season.