-Yesterday’s Winners: Survivor: China (CBS), CSI (CBS), Grey's Anatomy (ABC), Without a Trace (CBS)
-Honorable Mention: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox)
-Yesterday’s Losers: 30 Rock (NBC), Scrubs (NBC), Big Shots (ABC), ER (NBC)
----------
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.
----------
-Ratings Breakdown: CBS took sole control of Thursday, with a first-place finish in both total viewers and adults 18-49. Needless to say, the CSI/Without a Trace cross-over was a huge success. A solid second was ABC, followed lackluster NBC, improved Fox and the CW. NBC’s advantage over Fox in total viewers was just 10,000 last night. Neck-and-neck!
CBS’ Survivor: China (one of the best editions of the franchise in years, in my opinion) opened the evening on a winning note, with 14.91 million viewers and a 4.8 rating/13 share among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. Second was ABC’s Ugly Betty at 10.89 million viewers and a 3.5/10 in the demo. Comparably, that trailed its year-ago performance (Viewers: 12.81 million; A18-49: 4.1/11 on Nov. 9, 2006) by 1.92 million viewers and 15 percent among adults 18-49. Survivor was closer to year-ago levels for the Cook Islands edition (Viewers: 14.39 million; A18-49: 4.8/13 on Nov. 9, 2006).
Also from 8-9 p.m. was Fox’s still successful Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Viewers: #3, 8.77 million; A18-49: #4, 2.6/ 7), NBC sitcoms My Name is Earl (Viewers: #4, 7.66 million; A18-49: #2, 3.3/ 9) and 30 Rock (Viewers: #4, 6.61 million; A18-49: #3, 3.1/ 8), and Smallville on the CW (Viewers: #5, 4.95 million; A18-49: #5, 1.9/ 5). Worth positively noting for Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? was growth of a hefty 4.10 million viewers and 44 percent in the demo from year-ago occupant ‘Til Death (two episodes – original and repeat, Viewers: avg. 4.67 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 5). Continued fall-off from My Name is Earl, meanwhile, keeps 30 Rock in the loser’s listing.
Leadership was shared, as usual, at 9 p.m. between CBS’ CSI and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC. Take a look:
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) Viewers: 19.30 million (#2), A18-49: 7.9/19 (#1)
Also in the 9 p.m. hour were NBC’s The Office (Viewers: #3, 8.29 million; A18-49: #3, 4.3/10) and Scrubs (Viewers: #4, 6.36 million; A18-49: #3, 3.2/ 7), Don’t Forget the Lyrics on Fox (Viewers: #4, 6.48 million; A18-49: #4, 2.3/ 5), and the CW’s Supernatural (Viewers: #5, 3.01 million; A18-49: #5, 1.2/ 3). Year-to-year, Don’t Forget the Lyrics built from former occupant The O.C. (Viewers: 3.73 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 4 on Nov. 9, 2006) by 2.75 million viewers and 44 percent in the demo. Retention for Scrubs out of The Office, meanwhile, was just 77 percent in total viewers and 74 percent among adults 18-49. Get rid of Scrubs already, NBC!
Crossing over with CSI lifted CBS’ Without a Trace to a season-high (and easily dominant) 21.39 million viewers and a 6.3/17 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Comparably, that beat competing Big Shots on ABC (Viewers: #2, 8.62 million; A18-49: #2, 3.6/ 9) and ER on NBC (Viewers: #3, 8.42 million; A18-49: #3, 3.4/ 9) combined. One year earlier, ER scored a considerably heftier 14.56 million viewers and a 5.8/16 in the demo. And keep in mind that part of the results for Big Shots includes the last few minutes of Grey’s Anatomy. Don’t you just hate when these shows purposely run over?
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Marc Berman,
* Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? - 8.77 million * The Office - 8.29 million * My Name is Earl - 7.66 million * 30 Rock - 6.61 million * Don’t Forget the Lyrics - 6.48 million * Scrubs - 6.36 million
Is anyone else annoyed with ABC run-overs? Whatever happened to shows ending on the half hour and the hour? I wasn't able to tape ER and Without a Trace at 10:00 because Greys went to 10:07.
Yes, Grey's is definitely missing from the winner's list. Could easily hit 20 mil with those extra seven minutes on the end.
Scrubs is apparently the weakest link in Comedy Night Done Right. As long as 30 Rock keeps breaking 3.0, I'm not too worried about it. I continue to be somewhat surprised with Earl's lackluster numbers this season.
Though CBS obviously made the best move on this night, credit Fox for Celebrity 5th Grader. A lot of people thought it was a sign that the franchise was already over the hill, but it's given the show a little boost the last couple weeks.