More Thursday Overnight Dominance for CBS; Adult 18-49 Race Between ABC and CBS

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERFriday, October 15, 2010 Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings:CBS Wins; Adult 18-49 Race Ongoing Between ABC and CBS Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not On the Air This Weekend:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:One More Year to the Big 60_______________________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings:CBS Wins; Adult 18-49 Race Ongoing Between ABC and CBS Thursday 10/14/10Note: The overnight data now includes DVR playback until 3 a.m. local time. One year earlier it was based on Live data only. HH Rtg/Shr CBS 8.9/14ABC 6.1/10Fox 5.0/ 8NBC 3.8/ 6CW 1.3/ 2 ---------- -Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Thursday, October 15, 2009):Fox: +11, CBS: + 5, NBC: + 3, ABC: -10, CW: -38 ---------- -Yesterday’s Winners:The Big Bang Theory (CBS), CSI (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Mentalist (CBS) -Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Community (NBC), Fringe (Fox), Outsourced (NBC), The Apprentice (NBC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:CBS dominated this third Thursday of the new season in the overnights, beating second-place ABC by a hefty 46 percent. But the race between key adults 18-49 will, no doubt, be much closer. Third overall was Fox, followed by NBC and a night of repeats on The CW. Since The CW debuted most of its series prior to the Sept. 20 season start date, it has more non-original telecasts to burn-off. CBS’ relocated The Big Bang Theory opened with a very dominant 8.9 rating/15 share at 8 p.m., which is a marked improvement over year-ago occupant Survivor: Samoa (6.2/10 from 8-9 p.m. on Oct. 15, 2009). Next on the Eye net was week four of $#*! My Dad Says at a 6.6/10 at 8:30 p.m., followed by CSI (#1: 9.3/15) and standout The Mentalist (#1: 9.8/17) from 9-11 p.m. While the retention for $#*! My Dad Says out of The Big Bang Theory -- 74 percent -- could have been better, the good news for the William Shatner comedy was slight growth from one week earlier. In other words, $#*! My Dad Says is inching closer to a full season renewal. Take a look at the four-week overnight track: $#*! My Dad Says (CBS) 9/23/10: 7.7/12 9/30/10: 6.7/1110/07/10: 6.3/1010/14/10: 6.6/10 ABC filled the Thursday 8 p.m. hour vacated by My Generation with another repeat of Grey’s Anatomy (#4: 3.4/ 5), followed by original installments of Grey’s Anatomy (#2: 8.9/14) and spin-off Private Practice (#2: 6.0/10) from 9-11 p.m. As always, expect Grey’s Anatomy to win the 9 p.m. time period among adults 18-49, with the 10 p.m. hour a close call between Private Practice and The Mentalist. On Fox, Bones remains a more than adequate player with a second-place 6.5/11 in the overnights at 8 p.m. (and a first-place finish at 8:30 p.m.: 6.7/11). But lead-out Fringe finished fourth in the 9 p.m. hour, with a 3.7/ 6 (and retention out of the 8:30 p.m. portion of Bones, 6.7/11, of just 55 percent). Over at NBC, the live edition of 30 Rock (which did not have one single laugh in this viewer’s opinion), rose to a third-place 4.9/ 8 in the overnights at 8:30 p.m. -- 48 percent above struggling lead-in Community (#4: 3.3/ 5 at 8 p.m.). As I say every week, Community is not strong enough to anchor the evening. At 9 p.m., NBC’s The Office finished a typical third with a 5.2/ 8, but week four of lead-out Outsourced remained a disappointment at a 3.8/ 6. While that was consistent from one week earlier, demographically it is expected to once again lose a large chuck of The Office lead-in. Here is the four-week overnight track for Outsourced: Outsourced (NBC) 9/23/10: 5.0/ 8 9/30/10: 4.1/ 610/07/10: 3.8/ 610/14/10: 3.8/ 6 Capping off the evening for NBC was sinking The Apprentice at a very distant third-place 3.0/ 5 in the overnights at 10 p.m. Last, and very least, were repeats of The Vampire Diaries (1.3/ 2) and Nikita (1.2/ 2) on The CW. Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)_____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -New Series Report Card:Based on Live Plus Same Day ratings, here are the results (in order of total viewers) for the freshman Wednesday class: ABC’s Better with You, CBS’ The Defenders, NBC’s Undercovers and Law & Order: Los Angeles, and Hellcats on The CW. Note: ABC’s The Whole Truth was pre-empted for a 20/20 news special on the Chile Mine Rescue. The Defenders (CBS) – Wed. 10 p.m.Viewers: 9.90 million (#1 in time period), A18-49: 2.5/ 7 (#1)Grade: C+ While the week-to-week growth for The Defenders is encouraging, retention out of Criminal Minds (Viewers: 14.00 million; A18-49: 3.5/10 at 9 p.m.) of only 71 percent in both total viewers and adults 18-49 this week could be better. Four-week track: 9/22/10 – Viewers: 12.17 million, A18-49: 2.9/ 89/29/10 – Viewers: 10.41 million, A18-49: 2.5/ 810/06/10 – Viewers: 9.37 million, A18-49: 2.2/ 610/13/10 – Viewers: 9.90 million, A18-49: 2.5/ 7-----Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC) – Wed. 10- p.m.Viewers: 7.26 million (#2), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#2)Grade: C The retention out of lead-in Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: 8.13 million; A18-49: 2.3/ 6 at 9 p.m.) is adequate, but under a 2-rating in the demo for Law & Order: Los Angeles is alarming. What I personally thought would be a fresh take on a proven formula already seems tired. Three-week track: 9/29/10 – Viewers: 10.64 million, A18-49: 3.2/1010/06/10 – Viewers: 8.26 million, A18-49: 2.4/ 710/13/10 – Viewers: 7.26 million, A18-49: 1.9/ 6 -----Better with You (ABC) – Wed. 8:30 p.m.Viewers: 6.38 million (#2), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#3)Grade: C- Considering HUT levels at 8:30 p.m. are higher, Better with You dipping from lead-in The Middle (Viewers: 7.98 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 8) by 20 percent in total viewers and 16 percent in the demo is definite a negative. Four-week track: 9/22/10 – Viewers: 7.86 million, A18-49: 2.5/ 79/29/10 – Viewers: 6.99 million, A18-49: 2.2/ 710/06/10 – Viewers: 6.87 million, A18-49: 2.3/ 710/13/10 – Viewers: 6.38 million, A18-49: 2.1/ 6 ----- Undercovers (NBC) – Wed. 8 p.m.Viewers: 5.93 million (#4), A18-49: 1.4/ 4 (#4t)Grade: F Year-ago failed medical drama Mercy was stronger at 7.37 million viewers and a 1.9/ 6 among adults 18-49 on Oct. 14, 2009. Four-week track: 9/22/10 – Viewers: 8.70 million, A18-49: 2.1/ 69/29/10 – Viewers: 7.24 million, A18-49: 1.6/ 510/06/10 – Viewers: 6.38 million, A18-49: 1.5/ 510/13/10 – Viewers: 5.93 million, A18-49: 1.4/ 4 ----- Hellcats (CW) – Wed. 9 p.m.Viewers: 2.01 million (#5), A18-49: 0.9/ 2 (#5)Grade: D 9/06/10 – Viewers: 3.02 million, A18-49: 1.2/ 49/13/10 – Viewers: 2.62 million, A18-49: 1.1/ 39/22/10 – Viewers: 2.31 million, A18-49: 1.0/ 39/29/10 – Viewers: 2.22 million, A18-49: 0.9/ 310/06/10 – Viewers: 2.13 million, A18-49: 0.9/ 310/13/10 – Viewers: 2.01 million, A18-49: 0.9/ 2 What looks like it should be an “F” is actually a noticeable improvement over failed year-ago drama The Beautiful Life and repeats of the short-lived revival of Melrose Place. Six-week track: --------------- -Final Wednesday Nationals:What follows are the overall results for this second Wednesday of the new TV season: Total Viewers:CBS: 12.07 million, ABC: 7.56, NBC: 7.11, Fox: 6.83, CW: 2.50 Adults 18-49:CBS: 3.3 rating/9 share, Fox: 3.1/ 9, ABC: 2.7/ 8, NBC: 1.9/ 5, CW: 1.2/ 3 Source: Nielsen Media Research data_______________________________________________________________________________ On the Air This Weekend:Prime-Time Programming Options Friday 10/15/10Night 26 of the 2010-11 Season ABC: 8:00 p.m. No Ordinary Family (R) 9:00 p.m. 20/2010:00 p.m. 20/20 CBS: 8:00 p.m. Medium 9:00 p.m. CSI: NY 10:00 p.m. Blue Bloods NBC: 8:00 p.m. School Pride (series premiere) 9:00 p.m. Dateline (two hours) Fox: 8:00 p.m. House (R) 9:00 p.m. The Good Guys CW: 8:00 p.m. Smallville 9:00 p.m. Supernatural New Program Descriptions School Pride (NBC) -The Premise:Cameras will follow students, teachers and parents as they motivate their community to renovate their school in this inspirational reality series from Curb Your Enthusiasm star Cheryl Hines. -The Reality:The first thing to keep in mind is that School Pride is sharing the Friday 8 p.m. hour with returning Who Do You Think You Are? So, NBC’s goal may be more focused on keeping the low HUT-level time period occupied than thinking this could be a breakout hit. Given the deteriorating Friday landscape (NBC’s Outlaw has already been downgraded to Saturday; ABC has delayed the starts of Secret Millionaire and Body of Proof), keep your expectations low. There is no reason to think School Pride will succeed. -Chance of Survival for School Pride (Based on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1):10-1 --------------- Saturday 10/16/10Night 27 of the 2010-11 Season ABC: 8:00 p.m. Saturday Night Football: USA at Stanford CBS: 8:00 p.m. NCIS (R) 9:00 p.m. The Defenders (R)10:00 p.m. 48 Hours Mystery NBC: 8:00 p.m. Outlaw (new day and time) 9:00 p.m. Chase (R)10:00 p.m. Law & Order: SVU (R) Fox: 8:00 p.m. Cops (original and repeat) 9:00 p.m. America’s Most Wanted --------------- Sunday 10/18/10Night 28 of the 2010-11 Season ABC: 7:00 p.m. America’s Funniest Home Videos 8:00 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 9:00 p.m. Desperate Housewives 10:00 p.m. Brothers & Sisters CBS: 7:00 p.m. 60 Minutes 8:00 p.m. The Amazing Race 9:00 p.m. Undercover Boss10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami NBC: 7:00 p.m. Football Night in America 8:30 p.m. Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers Fox: 7:00 p.m. The Cleveland Show (R) 7:30 p.m. The Simpsons (R) 8:00 p.m. The Simpsons 8:30 p.m. The Cleveland Show 9:00 p.m. Family Guy 9:30 p.m. American Dad ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -Additional Script Orders at ABC:These are not official episode orders…yet. But ABC has asked for four additional scripts for recently introduced Tuesday drama No Ordinary Family and four more for veteran Sunday night drama Brothers & Sisters. The network initially ordered the 13 traditional episodes for No Ordinary Family, and 18 (instead of the standard 22) for season five of Brothers & Sisters. Brothers & Sisters was originally scheduled to be replaced by new midseason Shonda Rhimes medical drama Off the Map (which received an order for one additional script as well). With Brothers & Sisters now expected to air for the full season, chances are Off the Map will have to find another time period. My recommendation would be Mondays at 10 p.m. (out of Dancing with the Stars, and in place of Castle; which could shifts to Wednesdays at 10 p.m. in place of The Whole Truth). -More Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss:TLC has renewed Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss for a second season, with an order for 12 additional half-hour episodes. Season two premieres in May 2011. -Bachelor Fans, Take Note:Edition No. 15 of the long-running relationship reality series will open on Monday, Jan. 3 at 8 p.m. with the “most hated Bachelor in the series history,” Brad Womack. Boo! Hiss! The Bachelor will occupy the Monday 8-10 p.m. block each week until Dancing with the Stars returns for its next season in February. ________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:One More Year to the Big 60 Which one of the following classic series debuted on this day exactly 59 years ago? a) Father Knows Bestb) Gunsmokec) I Love Lucyd) The Lone Rangere) Our Miss Brooks The answer to yesterday’s question… Once upon a time, TV was alive and well on Saturday and the fall 1974 line-up on CBS featured All in the Family at 8 p.m., and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show and The Carol Burnett Show from 9-11 p.m. But what aired in between All in the Family and Mary Tyler Moore at 8:30 p.m.? a) Bridget Loves Bernieb) Docc) The Jeffersonsd) MASHe) Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers Is: e) Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers. Considering Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers was losing about one-third of All in the Family’s then top-rated audience, CBS swung the axe and replaced it with spin-off The Jeffersons in January 1975. Failed Bridget Loves Bernie aired in the Saturday 8:30 p.m. time period in the 1972-73 season, while a young and struggling sophomore MASH was positioned there one season later. Doc inherited the time period in the fall of 1975 when The Jeffersons moved to Saturdays at 8 p.m. in place of All in the Family, which shifted to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. (into new sitcom Alice). -Current kudos goes to:Danny Abashian, Dave Aiken, Gerry Bixenspan, Larry Collins, John Ferlazzo, Jim Forkan (2x), Julie Friedlander, Jerry Gibbons, Maureen Goldman, Ed Griffis, Ken Hommel, Deb Kainer, Tom Kilgallon, Synda Kollman, Steven Kurtzer, Charmaine Leary, Steven Lewis, Howard Lieboff, Aaron Paquette, Ken Penney, Alan Perris, Alex Petrilli, Jr., Michael Ratliffe, Colleen Roth, Greg Salerno, Robert Sexton, Maxine Shulman, Trenna Underhill, Linda Weeks, Ted Zawislak

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More Thursday Overnight Dominance for CBS; Adult 18-49 Race Between ABC and CBS

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