Fox Dominates Thursday; CBS Solid No. 2

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDER Friday, February 18, 2011 Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings:Fox Wins; CBS a Comfortable Second 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:_____________________________________________________________________________ Note: The Programming Insider will be off on Monday due to President’s Day. See you back on Tuesday, Feb. 22._____________________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings:Fox Wins; CBS a Comfortable Second Thursday 2/17/11Note: The overnight data now includes DVR playback until 3 a.m. local time. One year earlier it was based on Live data only. All times are ET/PT. HH Rtg/Shr Fox 10.3/16CBS 8.5/13ABC 5.7/ 9NBC 2.9/ 5CW 1.9/ 3 ---------- Fox: +243, CW: +73, CBS: +37, ABC: + 4, NBC: -83Note: NBC aired The Winter Olympics on the year-ago evening, while Fox did not include American Idol. -----------Yesterday’s Winners:American Idol (Fox), The Big Bang Theory (CBS), CSI (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Mentalist (CBS) -Honorable Mention:The Office (NBC) -Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Community (NBC), Perfect Couples (NBC), Parks and Recreation (NBC), 30 Rock (NBC), Outsourced (NBC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown: Yes, American Idol is down year-to-year. But the still wildly popular reality/competition has lifted Fox to Thursday dominance with a metered market advantage over second-place CBS last night of 1.8 rating points. Third overall was ABC, followed by lowly NBC and The CW, which should consider strengthening the Thursday 9 p.m. hour next season. Nikita…you need to leave. American Idol scored a 14.0 rating/22 share in the overnights from 8-9 p.m., which was easily the top-rated show of the evening. But CBS’ competing The Big Bang Theory was no slouch at a solid 8.6/14 at 8 p.m. The season (or series) finale of lead-out $#*! My Dad Says on the Eye net also finished second at 8:30 p.m., but it dipped to a 6.2/10 -- 28 percent below The Big Bang Theory. Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe last night’s cliffhanger will ever get resolved because CBS knows it can do better out of Sheldon, Leonard and company. Who do you think should play William Shatner’s third son? As a reminder, Rules of Engagement on CBS moves into the Thursday 8:30 p.m. half hour on Feb.24. CBS moved into the overnight winner’s circle at 9 p.m. care of CSI (8.4/13), and built at 10 p.m. with The Mentalist at a 9.7/16. Bt, as always, look for CSI to finish third among adults 18-49 behind Grey’s Anatomy on ABC and NBC’s The Office. Fox capped off the night with relocated Bones at a third-place 6.6/10 at 9 p.m., which held only 44 percent of the 8:30 p.m. portion of American Idol (14.9/23). At this point, Bones, which can stand on its own, does not benefit with strong lead-in support. Over at ABC, Wipeout has lost steam opposite American Idol, with a third-place 3.8/ 6 in the overnights from 8-9 p.m. Next was diluted Grey’s Anatomy (#2: 7.8/12 at 9 p.m.), which still deserves accolades for the solid growth and strength among the target young demos, followed by spin-off Private Practice at a second-place 5.6/ 9 at 10 p.m. Although Private Practice trailed competing The Mentalist by a considerable 42 percent in the overnights, its disadvantage among adults 18-49 (if any) will be considerably less. NBC, which is in dire need of a mass appeal hit sitcom, had nothing unusual to report with its three-hour sitcom block as follows: Thursday/NBC 8:00 p.m. – Community: 2.6/ 4 (#4) 8:30 p.m. – Perfect Couples: 2.0/ 3 (#5 – series low): the cancellation clock is rapidly ticking 9:00 p.m. – The Office: 4.3/ 7 (#4) 9:30 p.m. – Parks and Recreation: 3.0/ 5 (#4)10:00 p.m. – 30 Rock: 3.0/ 5 (#3)10:30 p.m. - Outsourced: 2.4/ 4 (#3) Since I have been overly kind to NBC’s three-hour Thursday sitcom block in recent weeks, citing the potential demographic appeal, I will remind everyone that The Office does always spark interest among adults 18-49. But relocated Parks and Recreation dipped by 30 percent from The Office and what could I possibly say positively about five sitcoms (excluding The Office) that ranged from a 2.0 to a 3.0 rating in the overnights? Not much, unfortunately. The Vampire Diaries on The CW remains its top-rated series, with a 2.3/ 4 (#5) in the overnights last night. But lead-out Nikita dipped to a 1.5/ 2 (#5) at 9 p.m. -- 32 percent below the 8:30 p.m. portion of The Vampire Diaries (2.2/ 2) and has not generated the kind of interest The CW needs to generate buzz at the water-cooler. If I were The CW, I would cut Nikita loose this spring. Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -Stellar Debut for Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior:The premiere of Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior on CBS dominated the Wednesday 10 p.m. hour, with 13.06 million viewers and a 3.3 rating/10 share among adults 18-49. Comparably, CI: Suspect Behavior outdelivered the competition -- NBC’s Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: 7.31 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 7) and ABC’s Off the Map (Viewers: 4.33 million; A18-49: 1.5/ 4) -- in total viewers, with full retention out of lead-in (and parent) Criminal Minds (Viewers: 12.85 million; A18-49: 3.2/ 9 at 9 p.m.). It was also an improvement from recent time period occupants Blue Bloods and The Defenders. Debut grade for Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior: A. -Speaking of Wednesday:Here are the live plus same day averages for Wednesday, February 16: Total Viewers:Fox: 23.20 million, CBS: 12.36, ABC: 6.67, NBC: 4.86, CW: 1.03 Adults 18-49:Fox: 8.2 rating/23 share, CBS: 3.2/ 9, ABC: 2.3/ 7, NBC: 1.4/ 4, CW: 0.3/ 1 Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) On the Air This Weekend:Prime-Time Programming Options Friday 2/18/11 9:00 p.m. Primetime: What Would You Do?10:00 p.m. 20/20 CBS: 8:00 p.m. The Defenders 9:00 p.m. CSI: NY 10:00 p.m. Blue Bloods NBC: 8:00 p.m. Who Do You Think You Are? 9:00 p.m. Dateline (two hours) Fox: 8:00 p.m. Kitchen Nightmares 9:00 p.m. Fringe CW 8:00 p.m. Smallville 9:00 p.m. Supernatural ---------- Saturday 2/19/11 ABC: 8:00 p.m. Wipeout (R) 9:00 p.m. Movie: Over the Hedge CBS: 8:00 p.m. NCIS: Los Angeles (R) 9:00 p.m. CSI: Miami (R) 10:00 p.m. 48 Hours Mystery NBC: 8:00 p.m. Harry’s Law (R) 9:00 p.m. Law & Order: Los Angeles (R)10:00 p.m. Law & Order: SVU (R) Fox: 8:00 p.m. Cops 8:30 p.m. Cops (R) 9:00 p.m. America’s Most Wanted ---------- Sunday 2/20/11 ABC: 7:00 p.m. America’s Funniest Home Videos 8:00 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 9:00 p.m. Desperate Housewives10:00 p.m. Brothers & Sisters CBS: 7:00 p.m. 60 Minutes 8:00 p.m. The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business (season premiere) 9:00 p.m. Undercover Boss10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami NBC: 7:00 p.m. Dateline (two hours) 8:00 p.m. Saturday Night Live: Just Commercials (R) 9:00 p.m. Saturday Night Live: Backstage Fox: 7:00 p.m. The Simpsons (R) 7:30 p.m. American Dad 8:00 p.m. The Simpsons 8:30 p.m. Bob’s Burgers 9:00 p.m. Family Guy 9:30 p.m. The Cleveland Show ______________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -The Closer in Off-Net:Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution has cleared the off-network second cycle of TNT crime solver The Closer in approximately 88 percent of the country. Included are renewals on the Fox Television Stations in 16 markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas. -Firefly on Science Channel:Remember Firefly, the short-lived cult favorite scripted science fiction drama that aired on Fox in 2002? Science Channel has acquired the exclusive rights to the 14-episode series beginning on Sunday, March 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. -OWN Announces More Series Start Dates:OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has announced the premiere dates for upcoming The Judds and Addicted to Food. The Judds, featuring Naomi and Wynonna Judd on their reunion concert tour, launches on Sunday, April 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. And Addicted to Food, which explores the rehabilitation of eight patients at the eating disorder treatment center, kicks-off on Tuesday, March 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. -PIFeedback Razzies:With The Academy Awards just two weeks away, it is time for PIFeedback’s annual Razzie Awards from Douglas Pucci. Check below to vote for the worst on the big screen in 2010.http://www.freewebs.com/pifeedback/2011worst.html _________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:A Short-Lived Angel Which “Angel” appeared on 1970s camp classic Charlie’s Angels the shortest amount of time? a) Sabrina Duncanb) Kelly Garrettc) Jill Munroed) Kris Munroe e) Julie Rogers The answer to yesterday’s question… Where was Cathy Lane, Patty’s identical looking cousin from? a) Czechoslovakiab) Englandc) Irelandd) Scotlande) Wales Is: d) Scotland. Patty, of course, was the prim and proper cousin of groovy Patty. All together now…Meet Cathy, who's lived most everywhere, From Zanzibar to Barclay Square. But Patty's only seen the sight. A girl can see from Brooklyn Heights -- What a crazy pair! But they're cousins, Identical cousins all the way. One pair of matching bookends, Different as night and day. Where Cathy adores a minuet, The Ballet Russes, and crepe suzette, Our Patty loves to rock and roll, A hot dog makes her lose control -- What a wild duet! Still, they're cousins, Identical cousins and you'll find, They laugh alike, they walk alike, At times they even talk alike -- You can lose your mind, When cousins are two of a kind.-Current kudos goes to:Steve Albright, Gerry Bixenspan, Larry Collins, Tom Condosta, Harold Cooper, Reid Davis, John Ferlazzo, Maureen Goldman, Geoffrey Gordon, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Deb Kainer, Synda Kollman, Rick Locke (2x), Jim Moore, Michael Murphy, Alan Perris, Gordon Purcell, Michelle Stanton, Ted Zawislak

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Fox Dominates Thursday; CBS Solid No. 2

Marc Berman

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