America's Got Talent Remains the Hit of Summer 2009

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERThursday, July 16, 2009 Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings:HBO Leads the Pack Despite True Blood Snub The 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Award NominationsHBO Leads the Pack with 99 Nominations Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time: When Donkeys Fly! ______________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings:NBC Wins on the Strength of America’s Got Talent Wednesday 7/15/09 HH Rtg/Shr NBC 4.8/ 9CBS 4.5/ 8Fox 4.3/ 8ABC 3.8/ 7CW 0.8/ 1 ---------- -Note: Comparisons to the year-ago evening are not available today. ---------- -Yesterday’s Winners:(Expectations are, of course, lower in the summer months)America’s Got Talent (NBC) -Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):I Survived a Japanese Game Show (ABC), The Philanthropist (NBC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown: NBC led this third Wednesday in July in the overnights, beating second-place CBS by seven percent. Third overall was Fox, followed by ABC and distant The CW. America’s Got Talent on NBC stood well above anything else last night, with a healthy 7.0 rating/12 share in the overnights at 9 p.m. That led into fading new drama The Philanthropist at a last-place (and series-low) 3.0/ 5 at 10 p.m. Take a look at the four-week overnight track: The Philanthropist (NBC)6/24/09: 4.8/ 97/01/09: 4.0/ 77/08/09: 3.5/ 67/15/09: 3.0/ 5 Remember the promos NBC was running gloating The Philanthropist as the most-watched new summer series? Not any more! Earlier in the evening on NBC was a repeat of America’s Got Talent at a dominant 4.5/ 8 at 8 p.m. CBS aired all repeats last night care of its combination of The New Adventures of Old Christine (#4: 3.0/ 6), Gary Unmarried (#4: 2.9/ 5), Criminal Minds (#2: 5.2/ 9) and CSI: NY (#1: 5.3/ 9), which will all remain intact next season. Next in the overnights (but an expected first for the evening among adults 18-49) was Fox deteriorating So You Think You Can Dance at a 4.3/ 8 in the overnights from 8-10 p.m. Take a look at the half-hour breakdown: So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)8:00 p.m.: 4.0/ 8 (#3)8:30 p.m.: 4.3/ 8 (#3)9:00 p.m.: 4.3/ 7 (#3)9:30 p.m.: 4.5/ 8 (#3) Just last summer, the dance/competition was averaging in the mid-5 to low-6 rating range in the overnights. As I have said on several occasions (I know…I repeat myself all the time!), sliding ratings at present will not bode well for the upcoming fall edition of So You Think You Can Dance. ABC got some mileage out of summer entry Wipeout (#2: 4.4/ 8 at 8 p.m.), but lead-out I Survived a Japanese Game Show dipped to a typically lackluster (and fourth-place) 2.9/ 5 at 9 p.m. ABC newsmagazine Primetime: Crime perked up to a second-place 4.2/ 8 at 10 p.m. -- 75 percent above the second half of lead-in I Survived a Japanese Game Show (2.4/ 4 at 9:30 p.m.). Last, and very least, were two repeat episodes of America’s Next Top Model at an average 0.8/ 1 from 8-10 p.m. How many times can the network repeat this show? Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) _____________________________________________________________________________ The 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Award Nominations:HBO Leads the Pack Despite True Blood Snub There are two immediate observations about The 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Award nominations: Fox’s Family Guy for Outstanding Comedy Series, the second time in the history of television an animated show was nominated in this category; and the absence of HBO’s highly touted True Blood for Outstanding Drama Series. Leader HBO should not, however, be shedding any tears with a total of 99 nominations -- 32 more than second-place NBC (at 67). The third most nominated network is ABC at 55, followed by CBS (49), Fox (42), Showtime (29), AMC (23), Comedy Central (13), Bravo and FX (11 each) and TNT (10). NBC’s 30 Rock is the most nominated series, with a record 22 nods, including new entries Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan in the supporting categories. Also on the double-digit map is 17 nominations for HBO made-for television movie Grey Gardens with 17, followed by 16 for AMC’s Mad Men, 13 for NBC’s veteran Saturday Night Live, and 11 for HBO miniseries Generation Kill. While many categories are populated with more than the five traditional occupants this year, Outstanding Miniseries has only two: HBO’s Little Dorritt and the aforementioned Generation Kill. There is an abundance of newcomers nominated this year, including Jemaine Clement (HBO’s The Flight of the Conchords), Toni Collette (Showtime’s The United States of Tara), Jim Parsons (CBS’ The Big Bang Theory) and Sarah Silverman (Comedy Central’s The Sarah Silverman Program) in comedy; and Simon Baker (CBS’ The Mentalist), William Hurt and Rose Byrne (FX’s Damages) and Aaron Paul (ABC’s Breaking Bad) in drama. And there are, as always, a number of notable absences including the final season of FX’s The Shield, FX’s critically acclaimed Rescue Me, and the aforementioned True Blood on HBO. Particularly surprising is CBS’ How I Met Your Mother making the grade for Outstanding Comedy Series. In an interesting note of TV nostalgia, former Mary Tyler Moore Show co-stars Edward Asner and Betty White made the ballot in the guest starring categories: Asner for CBS’ CSI: NY and White for NBC’s concluded My Name is Earl. The beloved Carol Burnett was also present, meanwhile, as Guest Actress is a Drama Series for NBC’s Law & Order: SVU. Here are the major nominations for the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which will be telecast live on CBS on Sunday, September 20: OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIESEntourage (HBO)Family Guy (Fox)Flight of the Conchords (HBO)How I Met Your Mother (CBS)The Office (NBC)30 Rock (NBC)Weeds (Showtime) OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIESBig Love (HBO)Breaking Bad (AMC)Damages (Fox)Dexter (Showtime)House (Fox)Lost (ABC)Mad Men (AMC) OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAMAntiques Roadshow (PBS)Dirty Jobs (Discovery Channel)Dog Whisperer (National Geographic Channel)Intervention (A&E)Kathy Griffin: The Life on the D-List (Bravo)MythBusters (Discovery Channel) OUTSTANDING REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAMThe Amazing Race (CBS)American Idol (Fox)Dancing with the Stars (ABC)Project Runway (Bravo)Top Chef (Bravo) OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIESThe Colbert Report (Comedy Central)The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)Saturday Night Live (NBC) OUTSTANDING MINISERIESGeneration Kill (HBO)Little Dorritt (HBO) OUTSTANDING MADE-FOR TELEVISION MOVIECoco Chanel (Lifetime)Grey Gardens (HBO)Into the Storm (HBO)Prayers For Bobby (Lifetime)Taking Chance (HBO) OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIESAlec Baldwin (30 Rock, NBC)Steve Carell (The Office, NBC)Jemaine Clement (The Flight of the Conchords, HBO)Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory, CBS)Tony Shalhoub (Monk, HBO)Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men, CBS) OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIESChristina Applegate (Samantha Who?, ABC)Toni Collette (The United States of Tara, Showtime)Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine, CBS)Tina Fey (30 Rock, NBC)Mary-Louis Parker (Weeds, Showtime) Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program, Comedy Central) OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIESSimon Baker (The Mentalist, CBS)Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment, HBO)Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, AMC)Michael C. Hall (Dexter, Showtime)Jon Hamm (Mad Men, AMC)Hugh Laurie (House, Fox) OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIESGlenn Close (Damages, FX)Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters, ABC)Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)Holly Hunter (Saving Grace, TNT)Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, AMC)Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer, TNT) OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIEKevin Bacon (Taking Chances, HBO)Kenneth Branagh (Wallander: One Step Behind, PBS)Kevin Kline (Cyrano de Bergerac, Great Performances, PBS)Brendan Gleeson (Into The Storm, HBO)Sir Ian McKellan (King Lear, Great Performances, PBS)Kiefer Sutherland (24, Fox) OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIEDrew Barrymore (Grey Gardens, HBO)Jessica Lange (Grey Gardens, HBO)Shirley MacLaine (Coco Chanel, Lifetime)Chandra Wilson (Accidental Friendship, Hallmark Channel)Sigourney Weaver (Prayers for Bobby, Lifetime) OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAMTom Bergeron (Dancing With the Stars, ABC)Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race, CBS)Heidi Klum (Project Runway, Bravo)Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchi (Top Chef, Bravo)Jeff Probst (Survivor, CBS)Ryan Seacrest (American Idol, Fox) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIESJon Cryer (Two and a Half Men, CBS)Kevin Dillon (Entourage, HBO)Jack McBrayer (30 Rock, HBO)Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, HBO)Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, CBS)Jeremy Piven (Entourage, HBO)Rainn Wilson (The Office, HBO) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIESKristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies, ABC)Jane Krakowski (30 Rock, NBC)Elizabeth Perkins (Weeds, HBO)Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live, NBC)Kristin Wiig (Saturday Night Live, NBC)Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty, ABC) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIESChristian Clemenson (Boston Legal, ABC)Michael Emerson (Lost, ABC)William Hurt (Damages, FX)Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, AMC)William Shatner (Boston Legal, ABC)John Slattery (Mad Men, AMC) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIESRose Byrne (Damages, FX)Hope Davis (In Treatment, HBO)Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters, HBO)Cherry Jones (24, Fox)Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy, ABC)Dianne Wiest (In Treatment, HBO) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIELen Cariou (Into the Storm, HBO)Tom Courteney (Little Dorrit, PBS)Ken Howard (Grey Gardens, HBO)Bob Newhart (The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice, TNT)Andy Serkis (Little Dorritt, PBS) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIEMarcia Gay Harden (The Courageous Heart of Irene Sendler, CBS)Jeanne Tripplehorn (Grey Gardens, HBO)Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Saddam, HBO)Janet McTeer (Into the Storm, HBO)Cicely Tyson (Relative Stranger, Hallmark Channel) OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIESAlan Alda (30 Rock, NBC)Beau Bridges (Desperate Housewives, ABC)Jon Hamm (30 Rock, NBC)Steve Martin (30 Rock, NBC)Justin Timberlake (Saturday Night Live, NBC) OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIESEdward Asner (CSI: NY, CBS)Ernest Borgnine (ER, NBC)Ted Danson (Damages, FX)Michael J. Fox (Rescue Me, FX)Jimmy Smits (Dexter, Showtime) OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIESJennifer Aniston (30 Rock, NBC)Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory, CBS)Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live, NBC)Gena Rowlands (Monk, USA) Elaine Stritch (30 Rock, NBC)Betty White (My Name is Earl, NBC) OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIESBrenda Blethyn (Law & Order; SVU, NBC)Carol Burnett (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)Ellen Burstyn (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)Sharon Lawrence (Grey’s Anatomy, ABC)CCH Pounder (The No. Ladies’ Detective Agency, HBO)_____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -ABC Family Dominates Monday in Key Females:Ignited by The Secret Life of an American Teenager and Make it Or Break It, ABC Family finished Monday, July 13 as basic cable’s most-watched network in primetime among women 18-34 (599,000), females 12-34 (1.1 million) and female teens (516,000). The Secret Life of the American Teenager at 8 p.m. finished first overall for the day in females 12-34 (1.7 million) and female teens (800,000), while lead-out Make it Or Break It rose to a series-high in adults 18-34 (632,000) and women 18-34 (563,000) at 9 p.m. -Speaking of The Secret Life of an American Teenager:Congratulations to co-star Molly Ringwald, who just gave birth to twins. -USA Leads the Pack:Based on ratings for the week of July 13, USA Network dominated basic cable, finishing first overall in primetime in households (2.41 million), total viewers (3.21 million) and the three key demos -- adults 18-49 (1.26 million), adults 25-54 (1.45 million) and adults 18-34 (526,000). -Summer Scorecard:None of the broadcast networks are tearing the ratings house down, so to speak, this summer. But seven weeks into the non-traditional season (May 25 – July 12, 2009), CBS has increased by two percent year-to-year in total viewers, winning its fourth consecutive week in the category. Elsewhere, erosion is running rampant with the biggest loser, Fox, down by margins of 20 to 26 percent in the five surveyed categories. Part of Fox’s losses, of course, comes from deteriorating So You Think You Can Dance. Here the results for the Big 4 networks in households, total viewers and the three key demos compared to one year earlier. Ratings for The CW and MyNetworkTV were not available/ Households:CBS: 4.7 rating/9 share (no change), NBC: 3.5/ 6 (-10), ABC: 3.2/ 6 (-14), Fox: 3.1/ 6 (-21) Total Viewers:CBS: 6.98 million (+ 2), Fox: 6.27 (-20), NBC: 6.16 (-12), ABC: 5.73 (-12) Adults 18-49:Fox: 1.8 rating/6 share (-25), ABC: 1.7/ 5 (-15), NBC: 1.6/ 5 (-16), CBS: 1.5/ 5 (- 6) Adults 25-54:CBS: 2.1/ 6 (- 5), NBC: 2.0/ 6 (-13), Fox: 2.0/ 6 (-20), ABC: 1.9/ 6 (-17) Adults 18-34:Fox: 1.7/ 6 (-26), ABC: 1.4/ 5 (-18), NBC: 1.2/ 4 (-20), CBS: 0.9/ 3 (-10) Source: Nielsen Media Research data _______________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Thursday 7/16/09 ABC: 8:00 p.m. ABC News: J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life 9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy (R)10:00 p.m. Private Practice (R) CBS:8 8:00 p.m. Big Brother 9:00 p.m. CSI (R)10:00 p.m. The Mentalist (R) NBC: 8:00 p.m. 30 Rock (R) 8:30 p.m. The Office (R) 9:00 p.m. The Office (R) 9:30 p.m. 30 Rock (R)10:00 p.m. The Listener Fox: 8:00 p.m. Bones (R) 9:00 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance Results Show CW 8:00 p.m. Smallville (R) 9:00 p.m. Supernatural (R) MTNV 8:00 p.m. Movie: Soldier (R) ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -NBC Unloads The Listener:NBC will conclude its summer run of Canadian drama The Listener on Thursday, July 23, five episodes short of its 13 produced installments. The remaining five episodes are expected to stream on nbc.com, and repeats of Law & Order will step into the time period. -Also at NBC:The network has officially announced that new medical drama Mercy, which was slated for midseason, will air in place of benched newcomer Parenthood, which has been pushed back to midseason. It premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. ET. -Lifetime Announces Premiere Date for Models of the Runway:Lifetime Television, the new home of Project Runaway, has confirmed that companion series Models of the Runway will premiere on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 11 p.m. ET. Sixteen women will complete to be paired with the winning designer of Project Runway for a cash prize of $25,000 and a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine. -Good Luck Charlie on Disney ChannelDisney Channel (a favorite in the Mr. TV household) has ordered a new live action comedy called Good Luck Charlie, which will feature a family trying to adjust to the arrival of a new baby girl. Production will begin in August for a scheduled 2010 premiere. -Are We There Yet? on TBS:TBS has ordered 10 episodes of a new sitcom from Debmar-Mercury called Are We There Yet?, which is based on the 2005 theatrical of the same name. Former Everybody Hates Chris co-star Terry Crews will inherit the part played by Ice Cube, who is executive producing the series and will appear in a recurring role. Similar to current hit House of Payne, the cable net has an option for 90 additional episodes. -The Big Valley Heads to the Big Screen:Remember classic western The Big Valley, which aired on ABC from 1965-69 with big screen star Barbara Stanwyck as the widowed matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family (and a young Linda Evans and Lee Majors in supporting roles)? Panther Entertainment is adapting the show for a big screen feature. No roles have been cast yet. -Discovery’s Pitchmen a Firm Go for Season Two:Despite the recent passing of Billy Mays II, Discovery Channel has announced that Pitchmen, featuring Mays and Anthony “Sully” Sullivan behind the curtain of the infomercial industry, will forge ahead for a second season. Mays’ son Billy Mays III will join the series, which is expected to return later this year. -Speaking of Pitchmen:Pitchmen: A Tribute to Billy Mays, which debuted on Discovery Channel on Thursday, July 9, will be rebroadcast on Friday, July 24 at 10 p.m. ET. -More Melrose Place Alumni Sign for New Series:Daphne Zuniga, who played tough New York photographer Jo Reynolds, is the latest former cast member of Melrose Place to reprise her role in the upcoming CW remake. She will appear in at least two episodes, joining the previously announced returns of Thomas Colabro (Michael), Laura Leighton (Sydney) and Josie Bissett (Jane), who like Zuniga is only planned as a guest star. Given the cold receptions for Jennie Garth, Shannen Doherty and Tori Spelling on 90210, you have to wonder why the Melrose Place remake is not being more original. -As for the Melrose Place Remake:Heather Locklear, where are you? Maybe the producers are planning on bringing her on in midseason to “save” Melrose Place again._________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:When Donkeys Fly! Which TV character was known for saying “when donkey’s fly!” when she did not agree with you? a) Florence Jean Castleberryb) Thelma Harperc) Margaret Houlihand) Florence Johnstone) Ethel Mertz The answer to Tuesday’s question… We all remember Sharon Gless, of course, for her two-time Emmy winning stint on Cagney & Lacey (and current role on USA drama Burn Notice). But she also appeared as a regular on four of the following five series. Which one was she not in regularly? a) House Callsb) Lucas Tannerc) Marcus Welby, M.D.d) Queer as Folke) Turnabout Is: b) Lucas Tanner. Sharon guest starred in one episode of high school drama Lucas Tanner, but was not on every week. As for the rest: -House Calls (sitcom): Jane Jeffries (in place of Lynn Redgrave, who left after a contract dispute)-Marcus Welby, M.D. (medical drama): Kathleen Faverty-Queer as Folk (drama): Debbie Novotny-Turnabout (sitcom): Penny Alston -Current kudos goes to:Don Abel, Gerry Bixenspan, Reid Davis, Sue Doron, Arleen Fong, Jerry Gibbons, Maureen Goldman, Bob Ingersoll, Michael Murphy, Tony Naldrett, Alan Perris, Greg Phelan, Gordon Purcell, Colleen Roth, Greg Salerno, Ron Salmon

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America's Got Talent Remains the Hit of Summer 2009

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