NBA Finals, Game 3 (ABC), NCIS R (CBS), America’s Got Talent (NBC), Glee (Fox)
-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Losing it with Jillian (NBC)
----------
-Ratings Breakdown:
Game three of The NBA Finals (Boston versus the Los Angeles Lakers) lifted ABC to Tuesday victory, with a 2.0 metered market rating point advantage over second-place CBS and Fox. Next was NBC, which continues to benefit from America’s Got Talent, followed by an almost invisible The CW, which filled the evening with repeats of 90210 (#5: 0.6/ 1) and Life Unexpected (#5: 0.5/ 1).
Keeping in mind that results for any live sporting event are always approximate, the game three NBA Finals match-up averaged a 10.4 rating/16 share for the primetime portion from 9-11 p.m., and an 11.0/18 from 9-11:30 p.m. Comparably, this was an improvement of 20 percent from the primetime portion of the Los Angeles Lakers versus Orlando on June 9, 2009 (8.7/14).
Earlier in the evening on ABC was a half-hour edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live (#4: 4.1/ 7 at 8 p.m.) and the half-hour NBA Countdown (#4: 3.9/ 7 at 8:30 p.m.).
In season-finale news, Fox’s Glee wrapped up its successful first year with a third-place 7.7/12 in the overnights at 9 p.m. Comparably, this built from the 8:30 p.m. portion of lead-in Hell’s Kitchen (5.2/ 8) by 48 percent. Overall, Hell’s Kitchen finished third at 8 p.m. with a 4.8/ 8 and it likely to generate interest among key adults 18-49. As for Glee, expect Emmy to pay a visit (or two) this fall.
CBS aired a night of repeats care of its solid combination of NCIS (#1: 7.5/13), spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles (#4: 6.2/ 9) and The Good Wife (#2: 5.2/ 9).
Elsewhere, a repeat of America’s Got Talent opened the evening for NBC with a second-place 5.0/ 8 at 8 p.m., followed by the original installment of the odd reality/competition at a very solid (and also second-place) 8.1/12 at 9 p.m. Needless to say, new judge Howie Mandel fits in quite well. Week two of Losing it with Jillian lost plenty of steam at 10 p.m., however, with a third-place 3.9/ 7 in the overnights. Comparably, retention out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of America’s Got Talent was just 47 percent.
As a reminder, here is what you will be seeing on the broadcast networks on Tuesdays this fall (with new shows in caps and bolded):
ABC
8:00 p.m.: NO ORDINARY FAMILY
9:00 p.m.: Dancing With the Stars (new time)
10:00 p.m.: BODY OF PROOF
CBS
8:00 p.m.: NCIS
9:00 p.m.: NCIS: Los Angeles
10:00 p.m.: The Good Wife
NBC
8:00 p.m.: The Biggest Loser (two hours)
10:00 p.m.: Parenthood
Fox
8:00 p.m. Glee (new time)
9:00 p.m.: RAISING HOPE
9:30 p.m.: RUNNING WILDE
CW
8:00 p.m.: One Tree Hill (new day)
Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)
National Ratings in Prime-Time:
Week of May 31, 2010
Led by games one and two of The NBA Finals, it was a clean sweep for ABC for the week of May 31 with a first-place finish in households, total viewers and the three key demos -- adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34. Compared to one year earlier, which also included The NBA Finals, ABC grew by as much as 15 percent in total viewers. CBS tied ABC for first in households with a second-place finish in total viewers and minor losses from one year earlier, while NBC and Fox shared the No. 2 spot demographically. Last-place The CW was on par with the year-ago week.
In series-premiere news, NBC’s Losing it With Jillian, featuring The Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels, kicked-off out of the season-premiere of America’s Got Talent with 6.44 million viewers (#22 overall) and a 2.6 rating/8 share among adults 18-49 (#12) in the Tuesday 10 p.m. hour. While this certainly is respectable for a summer series, retention out of America’s Got Talent was just 52 percent in total viewers (and 72 percent in the demo).
In season-premiere news, aforementioned America’s Got Talent on NBC is successfully back, with a top 10 finish for both the Tuesday and Wednesday telecasts (see rankings below). A two-hour edition of ABC’s Wipeout (which faced America’s Got Talent in the Tuesday 8-10 p.m. block) was also solid at 8.37 million viewers (#14) and a 3.1/ 9 (#6) in the demo. Earlier in the week, ABC’s The Bachelorette remained a valid summer option at 7.64 million viewers (#17) and a 2.5/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#13t) from 8-10 p.m. on Monday. But lead-out True Beauty, also a season-premiere, returned with a far less impressive 5.25 million viewers (#33) and a 2.0/ 6 in the demo (#17t) at 10 p.m. Over at CBS, Canadian drama Flashpoint opened season three with 6.06 million viewers (#26) and a 1.3/ 5 among adults 18-49 (#43t) in the Friday 9 p.m. hour.
There were two ongoing sporting events this week: The NBA Finals on ABC and The Stanley Cup Finals on NBC, and they performed as follows (ranked by total viewers):
NBA Finals, Game 2 (ABC): Boston at LA Lakers – Sunday 8 p.m.
Viewers: 15.72 million (#1), A18-49: 6.5 rating/18 share (#1)
NBA Finals, Game 1 (ABC): Boston at LA Lakers – Thursday 8 p.m.
Viewers: 14.09 million (#2), A18-49: 5.7/18 (#2)
Stanley Cup Finals, Game 2 (NBC): Philadelphia at Chicago – Monday 8 p.m.
Viewers: 5.89 million (#27), A18-49: 2.5/ 7 (#13t)
Stanley Cup Finals, Game 5 (NBC): Philadelphia at Chicago – Sunday 8 p.m.
Viewers: 5.85 million (#29), A18-49: 2.2/ 6 (#16)
In specials news, ABC’s annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, which never resonates with viewers, was nothing unusual this year at just 4.00 million viewers (#53) and a 0.9/ 3 among adults 18-49 (#64t) in the Friday 8-9:30 p.m. time period.
What follows are the final national ratings for the week of May 31, 2010 (with percent change versus the comparable year-ago week in parentheses), followed by the top 30 rated programs of the week and the top rated networks on basic cable.
NBA Finals, Game 2 (ABC, Boston vs. Los Angeles): 15.72 million, NBA Finals, Game 1 (ABC, Boston vs. Los Angeles): 14.09, America’s Got Talent – Tuesday (NBC, season premiere): 12.35, NCIS R (CBS) 10.83, 60 Minutes (CBS): 10.44, America’s Got Talent – Wednesday (NBC): 10.36, Two and a Half Men R (CBS): 9.85, The Big Bang Theory R (CBS): 9.47, The Mentalist R (CBS): 9.44, NCIS: Los Angeles R (CBS): 9.34, Glee (Fox): 9.02, So You Think You Can Dance – Thursday (Fox): 8.69, CSI: NY R (CBS): 8.49, Wipeout (ABC, season premiere): 8.37, Criminal Minds R (CBS): 8.21, CSI: Miami R (CBS): 7.95, The Bachelorette (ABC): 7.64, CSI R (CBS): 7.59, So You Think You Can Dance – Wednesday (Fox): 7.44, 20/20 - Tuesday (ABC): 7.41, The Good Wife R (CBS): 6.92, Losing it with Jillian (NBC, series premiere): 6.44, Law & Order: SVU R (NBC): 6.34, Hell’s Kitchen (Fox): 6.22, Miami Medical (CBS): 6.11, Flashpoint (CBS, season premiere): 6.06, NHL Stanley Cup, Game 2 (NBC, Philadelphia vs. Chicago): 5.89, Cold Case R (CBS): 5.88, , NHL Stanley Cup, Game 5 (NBC, Philadelphia vs. Chicago): 5.85, Rules of Engagement R (CBS): 5.78
-Adults 18-49:
NBA Finals, Game 2 (ABC, Boston vs. Los Angeles): 6.5 rating/18 share, NBA Finals, Game 1 (ABC, Boston vs. Los Angeles): 5.7/18, Glee (Fox): 3.9/11, America’s Got Talent – Tuesday (NBC): 3.6/11, So You Think You Can Dance – Thursday (Fox): 3.3/11, Wipeout (ABC, season premiere): 3.1/ 9, The Big Bang Theory R (CBS): 3.0/ 8, America’s Got Talent – Wednesday (NBC): 2.9/ 9, Hell’s Kitchen (Fox, season premiere): 2.9/ 8, So You Think You Can Dance – Wednesday (Fox): 2.8/ 9, Two and a Half Men R (CBS): 2.7/ 7, Losing It With Jillian (NBC, series premiere): 2.6/ 8, The Bachelorette (ABC) and Stanley Cup Finals, Game 2 (NBC): 2.5/ 7 each, 20/20 – Tuesday (ABC): 2.3/ 7, Stanley Cup Finals, Game 5 (NBC, Philadelphia vs. Chicago): 2.2/ 6, True Beauty (ABC, season premiere), Law & Order: SVU R (NBC) and Family Guy R (Fox): 2.0/ 6 each, American Dad R (Fox): 1.9/ 5, America’s Got Talent R (NBC, Sat. 10 p.m.): 1.8/ 7, NCIS: Los Angeles R (CBS), Criminal Minds R (CBS) and The Mentalist R (CBS): 1.8/ 5 each, NCIS R (CBS), CSI: NY R (CBS), CSI: Miami R (CBS), Rules of Engagement R (CBS) and Modern Family R (ABC): 1.7/ 5 each
--------------------
CABLE
What follows are the top 10 rated networks on cable in prime-time for the week of May 31 based on total viewers and the three key demos:
Total Viewers:
USA: 3.51 million, Fox News: 1.92, Nick at Nite: 1.91, TNT: 1.83, A&E: 1.55, TBS: 1.54, ABC Family: 1.47, History Channel: 1.31, TLC: 1.30, HGTV: 1.24
-Rock Solid The Secret Life of the American Teenager:
Season three of hit ABC Family drama The Secret Life of the American Teenager kicked-off on Monday as ad-supported cable’s No. 1 original series/season premiere this summer to-date in women 18-49 (1.3 million), women 18-34 (949,000), viewers 12-34 (2.3 million), females 12-34 (1.8 million), teens 12-17 (1.0 million) and female teens (875,000).
-Record The Next Food Network Star:
The Next Food Network Star, airing on Food Network, of course, opened season six on Sunday with its most-watched season premiere in total viewers (2.5 million) and adults 25-54 (1.3 million). The kick-off was two hours, airing in the Sunday 9-11 p.m. block.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)
On the Air Tonight: Prime-Time Programming Options
Just two weeks into its return summer run, Fox has axed drama Past Life and will replace it in the Friday 8 p.m. hour with a repeat of House for the next two weeks. Encore telecasts of Bones will air in the time period from June 25 through July 30.
-Another Gig for Melissa:
Former The Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars contestant Melissa Rycroft has been named co-host of ABC’s upcoming Bachelor Pad, a new Big Brother-like reality/competition from the producers of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Rycroft will host opposite Chris Harrison (The Bachelor) effective on Monday, August 9 at 8 p.m. ET.
Which one of the following was not one of Gomer Pyle’s catchphrases?
a)“Did I do that?”
b)“Golly”
c)“Shazam!”
d)“Surprise, Surprise, Surprise”
The answer to yesterday’s question…
Two of the Walton siblings finished as valedictorian of their high school class. One was oldest son John-Boy. Who was the other?
Ben
Erin
Elizabeth
Jason
Jim-Bob
Mary Ellen
Is: e) Jim-Bob. While this may sound impressive, keep in mind that the graduating classes at the Waltons Mountain school only had about five or six students in each grade.
-Current kudos goes to: Gerry Bixenspan, Barbara Bloomfield, Larry Collins, Maureen Goldman, Bob Ingersoll, Deb Kainer, Colleen Roth