Lackluster Original Scripted Summer Series Deliveries

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERMonday, July 12, 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:Making Ends Meet_______________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Ratings:Weekend Highlights Friday 7/09/10Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/ShrCBS 3.4/ 7NBC 3.1/ 6ABC 3.0/ 6Fox 1.6/ 3CW 0.8/ 2 -Total Viewers:CBS: 5.18 million, NBC: 4.64, ABC: 4.53, Fox: 2.33, CW: 1.29 -Adults 18-49:ABC: 1.4 rating/5 share, NBC: 1.1/ 4, CBS: 1.0/ 4, Fox: 0.7/ 3, CW: 0.5/ 2 -------------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 30 percent at this same point last year to approximately 36 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Friday’s Winners:Nothing -Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Wife Swap (ABC), Friday Night Lights (NBC) and the night overall. ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:CBS was the most-watched network on this second Friday in July, while ABC led among adults 18-49. But just 5.18 million viewers and a 1.4 rating in the demo for the dominant network is nothing to boast about. CBS opened the evening with a repeat of older skewing Medium (Viewers: #2, 3.62 million; A18-49: #4, 0.6/ 3 at 8 p.m.), which is not strong enough to anchor Friday next season, followed by two episodes of Canadian drama Flashpoint as follows: Flashpoint (CBS)9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 5.81 million (#1), A18-49: 1.1/ 4 (#2t)10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 6.10 million (#1), A18-49: 1.2/ 4 (#3) Despite finishing third among adults 18-49, the 10 p.m. installment of Flashpoint was the most-watched show of the evening. ABC kicked-off the night with an original edition of canceled Wife Swap (Viewers: #3, 3.52 million; A18-49: #1, 1.1/ 4 at 8 p.m.), followed by a repeat of Primetime: What Would You Do? (Viewers: #3, 4.72 million; A18-49: #1, 1.6/ 6) and 20/20 (Viewers: #3, 5.35 million; A18-49: #1, 1.4/ 5) from 9-11 p.m. If you are a fan of the old Candid Camera series and happen to like newsmagazines, you should not miss the addictive Primetime: What Would You Do? NBC’s low-rated, officially Emmy nominated Friday Night Lights (four nominations, including Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton for Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama Series) struggled, as usual, at 8 p.m., with just 3.66 million viewers (#1) and a 1.0/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#2) at 8 p.m. Can you imagine 3.66 million viewers ranking first in total viewers in the time period? A two-hour edition of Dateline followed with 5.13 million viewers and a 1.2/ 4 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m., with the half-hour breakdown as follows: Dateline (NBC)9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.57 million (#2), A18-49: 1.0/ 4 (#2t)9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 5.08 million (#2), A18-49: 1.2/ 4 (#2)10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 5.27 million (#2), A18-49: 1.2/ 4 (#2t)10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 5.60 million (#3), A18-49: 1.3/ 5 (#2t) Elsewhere, Fox aired repeats of House (Viewers: #4, 2.92 million; A18-49: #4, 0.9/ 4), which snagged another Emmy nomination for Hugh Laurie, and struggling The Good Guys (Viewers: #4, 1.74 million; A18-49: #4, 0.5/ 2). And The CW closed the evening with encore telecasts of veteran Smallville (Viewers: #5, 1.40 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 2) and Supernatural (Viewers: #5, 1.18 million; A18-49: #5, 0.4/ 2). Word of advice if you happen to see Hugh Laurie: Do not wish him well at the Emmys. Apparently, he does not like that. As a reminder, here is what you will be seeing on Friday nights in the fall (with new shows capped and bolded). Keep in mind that Smallville is heading into its final season. ABC 8:00 p.m. SECRET MILLIONAIRE (new network) 9:00 p.m. BODY OF PROOF10:00 p.m. 20/20 CBS 8:00 p.m. Medium (new time) 9:00 p.m. CSI: NY (new day and time)10:00 p.m. BLUE BLOODS NBC 8:00 p.m. Who Do You Think You Are? / SCHOOL PRIDE 9:00 p.m. Dateline10:00 p.m. OUTLAW Fox 8:00 p.m. Human Target (new day) 9:00 p.m. The Good Guys (new day and time) CW 8:00 p.m. Smallville 9:00 p.m. Supernatural (new day) Source: Nielsen Media Research data -------------------- Saturday 7/10/10Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr Fox 2.7/ 6CBS 2.6/ 5NBC 2.1/ 4ABC 1.5/ 3 -Total Viewers:Fox: 4.28 million, CBS: 3.90, NBC: 3.06, ABC: 2.20 -Adults 18-49:Fox: 1.4 rating/6 share, CBS: 0.6/ 3, NBC: 0.6/ 2, ABC: 0.5/ 2 --------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 30 percent at this same point last year to approximately 36 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. --------------- -Saturday’s Winners: Nothing -Saturday’s Losers (excluding repeats):The Bridge (CBS) and the night overall. ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:Fox led the typically low-rated summer Saturday troops with its perennial 8-10 p.m. combination of Cops (repeat and original – Viewers: #1, 3.88 million; A18-49: #1, 1.3 rating/6 share) and America’s Most Wanted (Viewers: #1, 4.69 million; A18-49: #1, 1.6/ 6). But neither performance is worthy of being labeled a “winner.” In series-premiere news, two episodes of Canadian crime drama The Bridge was stalled at the gate on CBS with an average 3.42 million viewers and a 0.5/ 2 among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m. Here is the breakdown by hour: The Bridge (CBS)8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 2.98 million (#3), A18-49: 0.5/ 2 (#3t)9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 3.51 million (#2), A18-49: 0.5/ 2 (#3) A repeat of CBS’ 48 Hours Mystery followed with a first-place finish in both total viewers (5.22 million) and adults 18-49 (1.0/ 4) at 10 p.m. Elsewhere, NBC aired a repeat of made-for movie Secrets of the Mountain (Viewers: 2.90 million; A18-49: 0.5/ 2 from 8-10 p.m.) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: #2, 3.38 million; A18-49: #2, 0.8/ 3 at 10 p.m.), which already aired on USA. And ABC capped off the evening with encore telecasts of America’s Funniest Home Videos (Viewers: #2, 3.36 million; A18-49: #2, 0.8/ 3), Scoundrels (Viewers: #4, 1.70 million; A18-49: #4, 0.4/ 2) and The Gates (Viewers: #3, 1.55 million; A18-49: #3, 0.4/ 2). The networks, unfortunately, refuse to step up to the plate on Saturday and will fill the night with same programming in fourth quarter 2010 as follows: ABC 8:00 p.m. Saturday Night Football CBS 8:00 p.m. Crimetime Saturday (drama repeats) 9:00 p.m. Crimetime Saturday (drama repeats)10:00 p.m. 48 Hours Mystery NBC 8:00 p.m. Encore programming 9:00 p.m. Encore programming10:00 p.m. Encore programming Fox 8:00 p.m. Cops 9:00 p.m. America’s Most Wanted Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Sunday 7/11/10 HH Rtg/Shr CBS 4.3/ 7NBC 3.5/ 6ABC 2.8/ 5Fox 2.0/ 3 ---------- -Percent of Schedule in Repeats: 63 ---------- -Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Sunday, July 12, 2009):NBC: +25, ABC: +17, Fox: no change, CBS: - 4 ---------- Note: The fast affiliate results for Sunday will be posted at PIFeedback.com by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Sunday, June 20, 2010. ---------- -Yesterday’s Winners:Nothing…CBS’ 60 Minutes was the highest rated show for the evening in the overnights with only a 5.4/11 from 7-8 p.m. -Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats): Sons of Tucson (Fox), Scoundrels (ABC), The Gates (ABC) -----------Ratings Breakdown: CBS dominated this second Sunday in July in the overnights, with a 23 percent advantage over No. 2 NBC. Next was ABC, followed by Fox. In time period premiere news, the current 12th edition of CBS’ already addictive Big Brother opened in the Sunday 8 p.m. hour with a time period winning 4.3 rating/8 share in the overnights. Compared to one year earlier (3.7/ 7 on July 12, 2009), this was an increase of 16 percent. Although aforementioned older-skewing lead-in 60 Minutes was stronger at a first-place 5.4/11 at 7 p.m., expect Big Brother to hold a considerable advantage among adults 18-49. Also on CBS were repeats of The Mentalist (#1: 3.7/ 6) and canceled Cold Case (#1: 3.9/ 7) from 9-11 p.m. Over at ABC, original scripted dramas Scoundrels and The Gates continues to struggle in the 9-11 p.m. block as follows: ABC/Sunday 9:00 p.m. – Scoundrels: 2.4/ 4 (#4)10:00 p.m. – The Gates: 2.5/ 4 (#3) Earlier in the evening on ABC were repeats of America’s Funniest Home Videos (#3: 3.4/ 6) and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (#3: 3.0/ 5) from 7-9 p.m. Elsewhere, NBC had nothing unusual to report with its combination of Dateline (#2: 3.6/ 7), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (#2: 3.6/ 6), which already aired on USA, and a two-hour repeat of America’s Got talent (#2: 3.4/ 7 from 9-11 p.m.). And Fox closed the night with another burn-off episode of sitcom Sons of Tucson (#4: 1.0/ 2 at 7 p.m.), followed by repeats of American Dad (#4: 1.2/ 2), The Simpsons (#4: 2.5/ 4), The Cleveland Show (#4: 2.2/ 4), and two-episodes of Family Guy (#3: avg. 2.6/ 4) from 7:30-10 p.m. As a reminder, here is what you will be seeing on Sundays this fall (with new shows capped and bolded): 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 9:00 p.m. Undercover Boss10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami (new day) NBC 7:00 p.m. Football Night in America (to 8:20 p.m.) 8:20 p.m. Sunday Night Football Fox 7:00 p.m. The OT 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 Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -A Bigger Big Brother:The 12th edition of CBS summer mainstay Big Brother kicked-off on Thursday, July 8 with it best opening performance in total viewers (7.35 million) since July 5, 2007, its best in adults 18-49 (2.5 rating/9 share) and adults 25-54 (2.9/ 9) since Feb. 12, 2008, and strongest in adults 18-34 (1.8/ 7) since July 6, 2006. Comparably, Big Brother finished first in the time period in adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, with growth over the comparable year-ago evening of as much as 22 percent in adults 18-34. For the night, CBS was first in households (4.9/ 9), total viewers (7.53m), adults 25-54 (2.4/07) and adults 18-49 (1.8/06). Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Monday 7/12/10 ABC: 8:00 p.m. The Bachelorette (two hours) 10:00 p.m. True Beauty CBS: 8:00 p.m. How I Met Your Mother (R) 8:30 p.m. Rules of Engagement (R) 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. America’s Got Talent (R) 9:00 p.m. Last Comic Standing 10:00 p.m. Persons Unknown Fox: 8:00 p.m. Lie to Me 9:00 p.m. The Good Guys CW: 8:00 p.m. One Tree Hill (R) 9:00 p.m. Gossip Girl (R) Of Note on Cable:-The Closer (TNT): 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)-Rizzoli & Isles (TNT): 10 p.m. ET (series premiere) - Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander play a detective and a medical examiner who work together to solve crimes in Boston. Lorraine Bracco and Chazz Palminteri co-star. _____________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -HBO Announces Start Date for Boardwalk Empire:Boardwalk Empire, HBO’s upcoming drama set in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition from Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese, will premiere on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. ET. The ensemble cast includes Steve Buscemi, Dabney Coleman, Michael Pitt, Kelly Macdonald, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Anthony Laciura, Stephen Graham, Aleksa Palladino, Michael Stuhlbarg, Vincent Piazza, Paz de la Huerta, Paul Sparks, Michael Kenneth Williams and Gretchen Mol. -Glee Meets the All-Star Game:Glee star Amber Riley, who plays Mercedes Jones, will sing live at the 2010 Baseball All-Star Game on Fox tomorrow evening. -Speaking of Glee:Less than one week after notching a massive 19 Emmy Award nominations, Fox’s red-hot musical dramedy earned 13 Teen Choice Award nods, which ties it with teen pop Miley Cyrus. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and The Twilight Saga: New Moon lead the pack overall with a combined 17 nominations. The 2010 Teen Choice Awards airs on Fox on Monday, Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. ET. Mr. TV Talks to Betty White:Click here for my Q&A with everyone’s favorite, Betty White, in this week’s issue of Mediaweek. ______________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:Making Ends Meet In addition to driving a taxi, Elaine Nardo had a second job on Emmy winning sitcom Taxi. What was it? a) Art gallery receptionist b) Cleaning womanc) Crisis counselor d) Telephone solicitor e) Waitress The answer to Friday’s question… Two movies with Goldie Hawn to-date have been spun-off into TV series. One was Private Benjamin and which was the other? The Banger Sisters Cactus FlowerFoul PlayOverboard Wildcats Is: c) Foul Play, which aired in 1981 and featured Deborah Raffin and Barry Bostwick in the lead roles. -Current kudos goes to:Mark Amato, Gerry Bixenspan, Kevin Brault, Tom Condosta, Harold Cooper, Reid Davis, John Ferlazzo, Carolyn Becker Hayes, Ken Hommel, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Steve Kurtzer, Stephen LaRue, Patty Lynch, Stephan McClellan, Tom Mertes, Debbie Mirr, Alan Perris, Sandra Pettway, Greg Phelan, Gordon Purcell, Michael Ratliffe, Arthur Reinstein, Lisa Tatum-Roehrig, Colleen Roth, Ronnie Tallant, John Wood, Ted Zavales

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Lackluster Original Scripted Summer Series Deliveries

Marc Berman

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