More Lackluster Results on Friday and Saturday

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERMonday, March 15, 2010 Primetime Ratings:Weekend Highlights Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:Practicing Dr. Weston_______________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Ratings:Weekend Highlights Friday 3/12/10Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr CBS 5.1/ 9NBC 5.1/ 9ABC 3.3/ 6Fox 2.2/ 4CW 1.1/ 2 -Total Viewers:CBS: 8.24 million, NBC: 7.75, ABC: 4.87, Fox: 3.63, CW: 1.59 -Adults 18-49:CBS: 1.8 rating/6 share, NBC: 1.7/ 6, ABC and Fox: 1.4/ 5 each, CW: 0.6/ 2 -------------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 27 percent at this same point last year to approximately 33 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Friday’s Winners:Nothing in the traditional sense, but CBS’ Ghost Whisperer, Medium and Numb3rs were all on the map, NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? built in week two, and NBC’s Dateline, now two hours, has rejuvenated the 10 p.m. hour for the network. -Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Supernanny (ABC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:CBS led ratings-challenged Friday care of its compatible combination of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: #1, 7.84 million; A18-49: #1, 1.9 rating/7 share), Medium (Viewers: #1, 8.15 million; A18-49: #1, 1.8/ 6) and the season (or series) finale of Numb3rs (Viewers: #1, 8.74 million; A18-49: #1t, 1.8/ 6). Had this been NBC, Numb3rs would likely return, but because CBS is so strong across the board it has little need for a declining crime drama. Next up at 10 p.m. on Friday on CBS: Miami Medical from Jerry Bruckheimer, which premieres on April 2. In week two news, NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? picked up steam (a rarity for any new series), with a competitive second-place finish in both total viewers (7.15 million) and adults 18-49 (1.8/ 6) at 8 p.m. Comparably, that was an increase of 240,000 viewers and 12 percent in the demo from it’s week-ago series-opener (Viewers: 6.91 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 6 on March 5, based on the final nationals). Leading out of Who Do You Think You Are? was a two-hour edition of Dateline, which averaged a respectable 8.05 million viewers and a 1.7/ 6 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. Here is the half-hour breakdown: Dateline (NBC)9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 7.41 million (#2), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#2t)9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 8.19 million (#2), A18-49: 1.7/ 5 (#3)10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 8.20 million (#2), A18-49: 1.7/ 6 (#2)10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 8.38 million (#2), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#1t) Over at ABC, two episodes of Supernanny (including the 100th episode and season – or series – finale) could not compete as follows: Supernanny (ABC)8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.86 million (#3), A18-49: 1.4/ 5 (#3)9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.17 million (#3), A18-49: 1.2/ 4 (#4) ABC’s returning Wife Swap inherits the 9 p.m. hour on April 2, leading out of upcoming Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. Capping off Friday for ABC, of course, was 20/20, with a third-place finish in both total viewers (5.58 million) and adults 18-49 (1.7/ 5) at 10 p.m. Double-digit growth out of Supernanny was, however, a positive for 20/20. Fox finished fourth overall in total viewers and tied for third among adults 18-49 care of a repeat of House (Viewers: #4, 3.10 million; A18-49: #4, 1.0/ 3) and Kitchen Nightmares (Viewers: #4, 4.16 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.7/ 6), which deserves positive mention for the double-digit growth out of the House encore. And Smallville-less The CW populated the night with a repeat of the 90-minute season-premiere of America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 1.76 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2 from 8-9:30 p.m.) and a repeat of the pilot episode of High Society (Viewers: #5, 1.07 million; A18-49: #5, 0.4/ 1 at 9:30 p.m.). Source: Nielsen Media Research data -------------------- Saturday 3/13/10Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr Fox 3.8/ 7CBS 3.3/ 6NBC 2.5/ 5ABC 1.5/ 3 -Total Viewers:Fox: 6.42 million, CBS: 4.92, NBC: 3.85, ABC: 2.02 -Adults 18-49:Fox: 2.1 rating/7 share, CBS: 1.1/ 4, NBC: 0.9/ 3, ABC: 0.5/ 2 --------------- -Saturday’s Winners (keeping in mind the expectations are lower): Cops (Fox), America’s Most Wanted (Fox), 48 Hours Mystery (CBS) -Saturday’s Losers:77 percent of the schedule was in repeats. That means the night, overall, is the loser! ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:Fox led the low-rated Saturday troops with its perennial combination of two episodes of Cops (original and repeat – Viewers: #1, avg. avg. 6.57 million; A18-49: #1, avg. 2.2 rating/8 share from 8-9 p.m.) and America’s Most Wanted (Viewers: #1, 6.26 million; A18-49: #1, 2.1/ 7). Both franchises were above average and worthy of a “winner’s” listing. In the distant No. 2 spot was CBS, which aired repeats of CSI (Viewers: #2, 3.14 million; A18-49: #3, 0.6/ 2) and Criminal Minds (Viewers: #2, 4.90 million; A18-49: #2, 1.1/ 3) from 8-10 p.m., followed by an original installment of 48 Hours Mystery, which perked up to a dominant 6.74 million viewers and a 1.6/ 5 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Double-digit growth for 48 Hours Mystery out of the Criminal Minds encore is also worthy of accolades. Third-place NBC populated the evening with repeats of Parenthood (Viewers: #3, 2.89 million; A18-49: #2, 0.8/ 3), Law & Order (Viewers: #3, 3.76 million; A18-49: #3, 0.9/ 3) and Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #2, 4.91 million; A18-49: #2, 1.2/ 4). And ABC capped it off back-to-back repeats of Desperate Housewives (Viewers: #4, avg. 2.16 million; A18-49: #4, avg. 0.5/ 2 from 8-10 p.m.) and a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live: After The Academy Awards (Viewers: #3, 1.74 million; A18-49: #3, 0.6/ 2). Saturday, no doubt, is synonymous with repeats. Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- -Note: The metered market (overnight) results for Sunday, March 14 were not available at press time. On a personal note, I did, of course, watch NBC guilty pleasure Celebrity Apprentice and was sorry to see Carol Leifer go this soon. If Celebrity Apprentice was a legitimate competition, and not a popularity test, Donald Trump would have fired Cyndi Lauper for her inability to choose two people to bring to the boardroom. She was the team leader, and she did not meet the requirements. Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -Sharp Declines for NBC’s The Marriage Ref:Based on the Live Plus Same Day ratings for Thursday, March 11, week two (and episode three) of NBC’s The Marriage Ref dipped from first to third among adults 18-49 in the 10 p.m. hour, with a loss of 1.70 million viewers and 24 percent in the demo. The Marriage Ref averaged 6.01 million viewers (versus 7.71 on March 4) and a 2.6 rating/8 share among adults 18-49 (versus a 3.4/10 one week earlier). Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Monday 3/15/10 ABC: 8:00 p.m. 20/20 – Inside The Bachelor – The Stories Behind the Rose 10:00 p.m. Castle (R) CBS: 8:00 p.m. How I Met Your Mother (R) 8:30 p.m. Rules of Engagement 9:00 p.m. Two and a Half Men (R) 9:30 p.m. The Big Bang Theory (R)10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami (R) NBC: 8:00 p.m. Chuck 9:00 p.m. Trauma 10:00 p.m. Law & Order Fox: 8:00 p.m. House 9:00 p.m. 24 CW: 8:00 p.m. Life Unexpected 9:00 p.m. Gossip Girl _____________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -Emeril Lagasse Returns to Primetime:The good news: this is not a comedy, so we will not have to relive one of the worst sitcoms in the history of television, Emeril, which aired on NBC in the fall of 2001. But chef extraordinaire Emeril Lagasse will headline a self-titled one-hour variety show on ION Television, beginning on Sunday, April 18 at 8 p.m. ET. Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz has been named the bandleader. -Busy Betty Has Another Gig:Beloved Betty White, everyone’s favorite, will guest star in the season-finale of ABC sitcom The Middle in May. Betty will play a school librarian who confronts Brick (Atticus Shaffer) over his failure to return numerous overdue books. -HBO Staffs UP Mildred Pierce Remake:Kate Winslet, who is headlining HBO’s miniseries remake of classic Joan Crawford theatrical Mildred Pierce, will have some ample company. Guy Pearce, Evan Rachel Wood, Melissa Leo, James LeGros, Brian F. O'Byrne and Morgan Turner have all joined the cast. -Sad News:Peter Graves, who is remembered for his long-running stint on classic spy thriller Mission: Impossible, passed away yesterday outside of his home in Los Angeles of what was reported as a heart attack. He was four days shy of his 84th birthday. An active small screen presence in dozens of guest starring roles in the 1950s and 1960s, Graves appeared in three series prior to Mission: Impossible: syndicated western Fury, which aired from 1955-60; syndicated western Whiplash in the 1960-61 season; and drama Court-Martial in 1966. He created the role of Jim Phelps midway through the first season of Mission: Impossible after then star Steven Hill bowed out, and recreated it for the 1988-90 revival. Also fondly remembered for his rare comical turn on 1980 theatrical Airplane and Airplane II: The Sequel in 1982, Graves appeared sporadically in recent years on family drama 7th Heaven. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Joan Endress, their three daughters and his older brother, Gunsmoke star James Arness. ______________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:Practicing Dr. Weston What kind of a doctor was Harry Weston on sitcom Empty Nest? oncologist pediatricianplastic surgeonpodiatristproctologist The answer to Friday’s question… Just how much was the oil Jed discovered in his Ozark swamp land worth on The Beverly Hillbillies? $10 million$25 million$50 million$100 million Is: b) $25 million. That sure was a heapin’ amount of dough! All together now… Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed, Then one day he was shootin' at some food, And up through the ground came a bubblin' crude. Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea. Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire, Kinfolk said "Jed move away from there" Said "Californy is the place you ought to be" So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars. -Current kudos goes to:Michelle Yarborough-Bauer, Barbara Berman, Gerry Bixenspan, Kimay Bloch, Barbara Bloomfield, Tom Condosta, Audrey Davis, Reid Davis, John Ferlazzo, Maureen Goldman, Carolyn Becker Hayes, Bob Ingersoll, Patty Lynch, Jim Moore, Michael Murphy, Tony Naldrett, Alan Perris, Gordon Purcell, Ron Salmon, Maxine Shulman, Joe Swaney, Ted Zawislak

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More Lackluster Results on Friday and Saturday

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