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Nielsen Ratings April 30, 2008: CBS Improves, Boston Legal and Law & Order Suffer

Posted on 01 May 2008 by Robert Seidman

Scoreboard for Weds. April 30, 2008 FOX CBS NBC ABC CW
Total Viewers (million) 14.19 10.52 8.46 6.27 3.26
Rating/Share: Adults 18-49 5.2/14 2.7/7 2.3/6 2.1/6 1.5/4

The last night of April and the first Wednesday of May Sweeps, though only the Tiffany network gang at CBS actually improved its fate versus the previous non-sweeps Wednesday.  FOX, NBC and ABC were all down compared to  last week, though ABC improved slightly in the demo.

What changed for CBS?  First, the primetime edition of The Price is Right.  It had more viewers than Big Brother though in fairness to the Big Brother faithful, BB had a better 18-49 demographic rating than TPIR.   Other than that there were no changes to CBS’ schedule but last week Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were repeats, and this week they were fresh episodes.  It was enough to land CBS second place both in total viewers and the Demo on the American Idol dominated evening.

Over on FOX, ‘Til Death and Back to You both slumped slightly vs. last week, with Back to You once again being the stronger of the two.   American Idol was down to 22.12 million, though I suspect that number will go up when the final numbers are tallied.  Last week’s Wednesday edition of Idol scored 23.20 million viewers, (though to keep apples-to-apples in the overnights for last Wednesday it pulled 22.62 million).

Boston Legal at 10pm on Wednesdays looks more Eli Stone than Men in Trees, but I found it amusing the way BL made fun of all the scheduling shenanigans in last night’s intro.  BL was off its most recent Tuesday at 10pm airing, especially in the 18-49 demographic where last night it pulled only a 1.9/5.  While I expect that to go up with DVR viewing, the schedule jerking certainly didn’t seem to have helped.  Of course considering it was up against new episodes of both Law & Order and CSI: NY, it probably held its own.  Law & Order fared much worse against a new CSI: NY than last week’s rerun.

Law and Order was down to 9.62m versus last week’s 12.74m (though again, to keep it apples to apples it was at 12.63m in last week’s overnights).

I’m very apolitical but I thought last night’s Boston Legal was back to its classic roots.  I know some comments around here are annoyed by the show’s “pro democrat” stance, to which I just think: OMG the show’s characters are supposed to be in BOSTON.  Imagine that, democrats in Boston!  What next, liberals in DC, NY and San Francisco?   As the judged played by Henry Gibson likes to say, “Shocking and outrageous!”

More love for Tyra Banks!  Though it was down a smidge versus last week, America’s Next Top Model again cleared over 4 million viewers.   But no love for Farmer Wants a Wife.  Not from me, and not from the viewing public.

Wednesday night’s details:

Time Network Show Viewers (Millons) 18-49 Rating/Share
8:00 CBS The Price is Right 7.28 1.7/5
  NBC Deal or No Deal (8p-10p) 7.88 2.0/5
  ABC Wife Swap 6.03 2.2/7
  CW Americas Next Top Model 4.16 2.0/6
  FOX 'Til Death 5.53 2.0/7
         
8:30 FOX Back to You 6.97 2.5/7
         
9:00 CBS Criminal Minds 12.88 3.2/8
  CW Farmer Wants a Wife 2.37 1.0/3
  ABC Supernanny 5.45 2.2/5
  FOX American Idol 22.12 8.1/21
         
10:00 ABC Boston Legal 7.33 1.9/5
  NBC Law & Order 9.62 3.0/8
  CBS CSI: NY 11.40 3.1/8

Nielsen Ratings Source: Nielsen Media Research. Full night’s results available via Marc Berman/Mediaweek.

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53 Responses to “Nielsen Ratings April 30, 2008: CBS Improves, Boston Legal and Law & Order Suffer”

  1. tom says:

    i wrote this on the berman board but i never go back to read any followups because people tend to be really rude over there… but the numbers BL put up were exactly what i thought they would get. (considering the new time slot, law and order, csi and supernanny lead in) this basically matches the numbers from a month ago when carpoolers was a lead in and they were up against reruns.

    what i like is an improvement over men in trees of 2 million viewers and 26 percent in the demo. that has to be good. and BL has to have a million dvr hits added… i doubt MIT does much in the DVR department.

    overall though, if you add the audience for tues and wed at 10… abc lost viewers with these timeslot moves.

  2. tom says:

    i wrote this on the berman board but i never go back to read any followups because people tend to be really rude over there… but the numbers BL put up were exactly what i thought they would get. (considering the new time slot, law and order, csi and supernanny lead in) this basically matches the numbers from a month ago when carpoolers was a lead in and they were up against reruns.

    what i like is an improvement over men in trees of 2 million viewers and 26 percent in the demo. that has to be good. and BL has to have a million dvr hits added… i doubt MIT does much in the DVR department.

    overall though, if you add the audience for tues and wed at 10… abc lost viewers with these timeslot moves.

  3. TheTruthHurts says:

    “Mr. Seid-man” Law & Order still had a 3.0 demo to CSI:NY’s 3.1 which those new, brilliant, innovative, hip programmers at NBC will gladly take. Nice work not “pointing out” the positive demo numbers of Bore and Order as compared to CSI:NY. With each week “seidman/costanza” makes bloated Berman look smarter then he is.

  4. TheTruthHurts says:

    “Mr. Seid-man” Law & Order still had a 3.0 demo to CSI:NY's 3.1 which those new, brilliant, innovative, hip programmers at NBC will gladly take. Nice work not “pointing out” the positive demo numbers of Bore and Order as compared to CSI:NY. With each week “seidman/costanza” makes bloated Berman look smarter then he is.

  5. Tom: as you can see, bitter and rude people can be found everywhere. I agree with you that the timeslot juggling has not proved a positive for ABC.

    Truth: L&O’s demo numbers are not as good as L&O:SVU’s, but that’s neither here nor there. You’re right about NBC taking the 3.0, no question. I’m not trying to point out the numbers for every show in the text. That’s what the data table is for.

    I gave BL more focus because it is on the bubble. L&O and CSI: NY are not.

  6. Tom: as you can see, bitter and rude people can be found everywhere. I agree with you that the timeslot juggling has not proved a positive for ABC.

    Truth: L&O;'s demo numbers are not as good as L&O;:SVU's, but that's neither here nor there. You're right about NBC taking the 3.0, no question. I'm not trying to point out the numbers for every show in the text. That's what the data table is for.

    I gave BL more focus because it is on the bubble. L&O; and CSI: NY are not.

  7. TheTruthHurts says:

    R. Seidman…Law and Orders demo numbers are “not as good” as Law and Order: SVU’s? Gee I didnt realize they aired at the same day and time. My fault. Sincerest apologies. Ya’ know Seidman…that chin strap toupee you wear to jewish singles dances must have been fitted to tight..cutting off the circulation to your brain.

  8. TheTruthHurts says:

    R. Seidman…Law and Orders demo numbers are “not as good” as Law and Order: SVU's? Gee I didnt realize they aired at the same day and time. My fault. Sincerest apologies. Ya' know Seidman…that chin strap toupee you wear to jewish singles dances must have been fitted to tight..cutting off the circulation to your brain.

  9. Speaking of cut off…

    P.S. Ive loved my naked head since I was 25. :D

  10. Speaking of cut off…

    P.S. Ive loved my naked head since I was 25. :D

  11. tom says:

    Funny.

    As for BL… ABC would be nuts to ditch it. I read in variety they are high up on Life On Mars the David E. Kelley show. Maybe he’ll make a deal for more legal’s based on Mars.

    And I can’t believe they are pre-empting legal next week. I’m hoping they put it back at tues. at 10. Makes no sense to waste a 2.7 (or whatever) that they could get for bl next tuesday for a 1.7 for WMC. They are guaranteed higher numbers.

  12. tom says:

    Funny.

    As for BL… ABC would be nuts to ditch it. I read in variety they are high up on Life On Mars the David E. Kelley show. Maybe he'll make a deal for more legal's based on Mars.

    And I can't believe they are pre-empting legal next week. I'm hoping they put it back at tues. at 10. Makes no sense to waste a 2.7 (or whatever) that they could get for bl next tuesday for a 1.7 for WMC. They are guaranteed higher numbers.

  13. Bill Gorman says:

    Alhtough nobody at ABC called me, it feels like the Women’s Murder Club stint on Tuesday is a “show me what you’ve got” test.

    I think folks at ABC may wonder whether the lackluster Friday performance of the show was because of the day. However, as Robert wrote, it didn’t do better in its first Tuesday appearance.

  14. Bill Gorman says:

    Alhtough nobody at ABC called me, it feels like the Women's Murder Club stint on Tuesday is a “show me what you've got” test.

    I think folks at ABC may wonder whether the lackluster Friday performance of the show was because of the day. However, as Robert wrote, it didn't do better in its first Tuesday appearance.

  15. Angie says:

    I want to know who the 2.3 million mental midgets are that watched Farmer Wants a Wife.

  16. Angie says:

    I want to know who the 2.3 million mental midgets are that watched Farmer Wants a Wife.

  17. Angie says:

    I want to know who the 2.3 million mental midgets are that watched Farmer Wants a Wife.

  18. Browngloster says:

    Boston Legal is such a jewel. I found the week where Alan represented Shirley (for the morphine to be administered to her father) powerful. I found myself laughing and crying in the same episode..when Alan began to refer to his friend and then it show Denny in the back of the courtroom..that was POWERFUL and very EMOTIONAL…The Practice was my favorite and I turned to BL to try to fill the void. It has done so nicely and would hate to see it go. Im a 46 year old male and my 22 year step-son owns all the seasons on DVD. He lives and a separate household and never new I watched it until this year…Quite a difference demos if you ask me but it appears it appeals to all ages..

  19. Browngloster says:

    Boston Legal is such a jewel. I found the week where Alan represented Shirley (for the morphine to be administered to her father) powerful. I found myself laughing and crying in the same episode..when Alan began to refer to his friend and then it show Denny in the back of the courtroom..that was POWERFUL and very EMOTIONAL…The Practice was my favorite and I turned to BL to try to fill the void. It has done so nicely and would hate to see it go. Im a 46 year old male and my 22 year step-son owns all the seasons on DVD. He lives and a separate household and never new I watched it until this year…Quite a difference demos if you ask me but it appears it appeals to all ages..

  20. Browngloster says:

    Boston Legal is such a jewel. I found the week where Alan represented Shirley (for the morphine to be administered to her father) powerful. I found myself laughing and crying in the same episode..when Alan began to refer to his friend and then it show Denny in the back of the courtroom..that was POWERFUL and very EMOTIONAL…The Practice was my favorite and I turned to BL to try to fill the void. It has done so nicely and would hate to see it go. Im a 46 year old male and my 22 year step-son owns all the seasons on DVD. He lives and a separate household and never new I watched it until this year…Quite a difference demos if you ask me but it appears it appeals to all ages..

  21. Guess Who says:

    Farmer Wants a Wife??? LOL ! I cant believe thats still on the air. Well, its CW – and the C clearly stands for Crap, W for Waste of time. Theres not a single show I watch on it. Im waiting for the day when they finally pull the plug on that disaster.

  22. Guess Who says:

    Farmer Wants a Wife??? LOL ! I cant believe thats still on the air. Well, its CW – and the C clearly stands for Crap, W for Waste of time. Theres not a single show I watch on it. Im waiting for the day when they finally pull the plug on that disaster.

  23. Guess Who says:

    Farmer Wants a Wife??? LOL ! I cant believe thats still on the air. Well, its CW – and the C clearly stands for Crap, W for Waste of time. Theres not a single show I watch on it. Im waiting for the day when they finally pull the plug on that disaster.

  24. Maria says:

    Angie, you wanted to know who the mental midgets were? Well, I have to confess something. My country brought this abomination into the world. In Holland this show got such huge ratings it became a huge success. Believe me I was as baffled as anyone could be and even more when I heard it was gonna air in the States too. I apologize for my country’s bad taste. We also brought Big Brother into the world and they keep selling formats for shows worldwide…bad shows. To the first poster, indeed a lot of rude people on the berman board. This site is much better but, like Mr Seidman mentioned, there are rude people everywhere coughcough…

  25. Maria says:

    Angie, you wanted to know who the mental midgets were? Well, I have to confess something. My country brought this abomination into the world. In Holland this show got such huge ratings it became a huge success. Believe me I was as baffled as anyone could be and even more when I heard it was gonna air in the States too. I apologize for my country's bad taste. We also brought Big Brother into the world and they keep selling formats for shows worldwide…bad shows. To the first poster, indeed a lot of rude people on the berman board. This site is much better but, like Mr Seidman mentioned, there are rude people everywhere coughcough…

  26. Maria says:

    Angie, you wanted to know who the mental midgets were? Well, I have to confess something. My country brought this abomination into the world. In Holland this show got such huge ratings it became a huge success. Believe me I was as baffled as anyone could be and even more when I heard it was gonna air in the States too. I apologize for my country's bad taste. We also brought Big Brother into the world and they keep selling formats for shows worldwide…bad shows. To the first poster, indeed a lot of rude people on the berman board. This site is much better but, like Mr Seidman mentioned, there are rude people everywhere coughcough…

  27. Andrea says:

    Who watches reality shows like “FWAW”–truth is, everybody. This includes intellectuals and people with money, who want to come home and park their brains at the door. Do you think Dr. House watches “intellectually stimulating” shows? No. He watches wrestling at home and soap operas at work. It’s funny because he is *not* unique in this regard.

    The problem arises when the reality show episode ends and the audience fractures: some to “Jericho”, “Firefly”, etc.

  28. Andrea says:

    Who watches reality shows like “FWAW”–truth is, everybody. This includes intellectuals and people with money, who want to come home and park their brains at the door. Do you think Dr. House watches “intellectually stimulating” shows? No. He watches wrestling at home and soap operas at work. It's funny because he is *not* unique in this regard.

    The problem arises when the reality show episode ends and the audience fractures: some to “Jericho”, “Firefly”, etc.

  29. Andrea says:

    Who watches reality shows like “FWAW”–truth is, everybody. This includes intellectuals and people with money, who want to come home and park their brains at the door. Do you think Dr. House watches “intellectually stimulating” shows? No. He watches wrestling at home and soap operas at work. It's funny because he is *not* unique in this regard.

    The problem arises when the reality show episode ends and the audience fractures: some to “Jericho”, “Firefly”, etc.

  30. dave says:

    ABC needs to kill its “tasteless reality” block. I know the demo numbers are decent, but the overall viewers is pretty low, and it makes ABC feel like something more like the CW. Its not good for their image as a network and their not hits to boot. ABC, you can do better.

  31. dave says:

    ABC needs to kill its “tasteless reality” block. I know the demo numbers are decent, but the overall viewers is pretty low, and it makes ABC feel like something more like the CW. Its not good for their image as a network and their not hits to boot. ABC, you can do better.

  32. dave says:

    ABC needs to kill its “tasteless reality” block. I know the demo numbers are decent, but the overall viewers is pretty low, and it makes ABC feel like something more like the CW. Its not good for their image as a network and their not hits to boot. ABC, you can do better.

  33. Jenny G. says:

    I don’t like Anthony Anderson as a serious detective, so I hope Law & Order can cast a HOT Latino, or Asian, or Muslim guy, (or girl) to spice things up on that lame show..

  34. Jenny G. says:

    I don't like Anthony Anderson as a serious detective, so I hope Law & Order can cast a HOT Latino, or Asian, or Muslim guy, (or girl) to spice things up on that lame show..

  35. Jenny G. says:

    I don't like Anthony Anderson as a serious detective, so I hope Law & Order can cast a HOT Latino, or Asian, or Muslim guy, (or girl) to spice things up on that lame show..

  36. Jon V says:

    MAN… have things heated up on this site lately. We’re turning Robert and Bill into prison guards. LMAO…

    It looks to me like Criminal Minds got all of the ‘non-reality crowd’ at 9pm and rolled ‘em over to CSI:NY at 10pm.

    Tough spot for BL… This slot and Mondays are the the most competitive battlefields in TV. Why do these networks keep bumping heads in certain time/day slots – ego?

    I think THEY think that we only watch TV on certain nights because they see the total viewers during those times, when in fact, we watch when there is good stuff on.

    Spread it around and make your own audiences, you network nincompoops.

    (Tries to think of something nasty to say to Bill/Robert, but can’t).

  37. Jon V says:

    MAN… have things heated up on this site lately. We're turning Robert and Bill into prison guards. LMAO…

    It looks to me like Criminal Minds got all of the 'non-reality crowd' at 9pm and rolled 'em over to CSI:NY at 10pm.

    Tough spot for BL… This slot and Mondays are the the most competitive battlefields in TV. Why do these networks keep bumping heads in certain time/day slots – ego?

    I think THEY think that we only watch TV on certain nights because they see the total viewers during those times, when in fact, we watch when there is good stuff on.

    Spread it around and make your own audiences, you network nincompoops.

    (Tries to think of something nasty to say to Bill/Robert, but can't).

  38. Jon V says:

    MAN… have things heated up on this site lately. We're turning Robert and Bill into prison guards. LMAO…

    It looks to me like Criminal Minds got all of the 'non-reality crowd' at 9pm and rolled 'em over to CSI:NY at 10pm.

    Tough spot for BL… This slot and Mondays are the the most competitive battlefields in TV. Why do these networks keep bumping heads in certain time/day slots – ego?

    I think THEY think that we only watch TV on certain nights because they see the total viewers during those times, when in fact, we watch when there is good stuff on.

    Spread it around and make your own audiences, you network nincompoops.

    (Tries to think of something nasty to say to Bill/Robert, but can't).

  39. Jon V says:

    p.s. – Bill

    re: WMC… I thought the same thing and said as much at tv.com on a forum.

    Angie is a former L&Oer and they might have thought they could cut into one of her old affiliated alums (which they prob did – just a little).

    But it wan’t enough to make it worth while with a show that hasn’t come to its full potential and realized its audience yet.

  40. Jon V says:

    p.s. – Bill

    re: WMC… I thought the same thing and said as much at tv.com on a forum.

    Angie is a former L&Oer and they might have thought they could cut into one of her old affiliated alums (which they prob did – just a little).

    But it wan't enough to make it worth while with a show that hasn't come to its full potential and realized its audience yet.

  41. Jon V says:

    p.s. – Bill

    re: WMC… I thought the same thing and said as much at tv.com on a forum.

    Angie is a former L&Oer and they might have thought they could cut into one of her old affiliated alums (which they prob did – just a little).

    But it wan't enough to make it worth while with a show that hasn't come to its full potential and realized its audience yet.

  42. tom says:

    david e. kelley was quoted as saying he has enough stories to do 1 or 2 more seasons of boston legal and the only way it’s going to continue after this year is if the fee is renegotiated between fox and abc. so i’m thinking these ratings don’t mean that much at the moment. abc knows what they have with BL, they know wed. was a tough spot and know what they are willing to pay fox for it.

    it comes down to fox and abc making a deal. and since abc announces their line-up in 2 weeks the next legal doesn’t really matter since it’s not on next week.

    also: law and order really took a hit. the make-up of legals audience was a lot different from men in trees. it’s not like the men in trees people stayed and 2 million more watched legal. the shift in demo’s (female to male) pushed down law and order. i wasn’t expecting that.

  43. tom says:

    david e. kelley was quoted as saying he has enough stories to do 1 or 2 more seasons of boston legal and the only way it's going to continue after this year is if the fee is renegotiated between fox and abc. so i'm thinking these ratings don't mean that much at the moment. abc knows what they have with BL, they know wed. was a tough spot and know what they are willing to pay fox for it.

    it comes down to fox and abc making a deal. and since abc announces their line-up in 2 weeks the next legal doesn't really matter since it's not on next week.

    also: law and order really took a hit. the make-up of legals audience was a lot different from men in trees. it's not like the men in trees people stayed and 2 million more watched legal. the shift in demo's (female to male) pushed down law and order. i wasn't expecting that.

  44. tom says:

    david e. kelley was quoted as saying he has enough stories to do 1 or 2 more seasons of boston legal and the only way it's going to continue after this year is if the fee is renegotiated between fox and abc. so i'm thinking these ratings don't mean that much at the moment. abc knows what they have with BL, they know wed. was a tough spot and know what they are willing to pay fox for it.

    it comes down to fox and abc making a deal. and since abc announces their line-up in 2 weeks the next legal doesn't really matter since it's not on next week.

    also: law and order really took a hit. the make-up of legals audience was a lot different from men in trees. it's not like the men in trees people stayed and 2 million more watched legal. the shift in demo's (female to male) pushed down law and order. i wasn't expecting that.

  45. dave says:

    Yea, BL has a tough spot, but Thursday a little more competitive day than Monday and Thursday at 9 is the most competitive time slot on TV. Greys, CSI, Office, 5th Grader

  46. dave says:

    Yea, BL has a tough spot, but Thursday a little more competitive day than Monday and Thursday at 9 is the most competitive time slot on TV. Greys, CSI, Office, 5th Grader

  47. dave says:

    Yea, BL has a tough spot, but Thursday a little more competitive day than Monday and Thursday at 9 is the most competitive time slot on TV. Greys, CSI, Office, 5th Grader

  48. Bill Gorman says:

    tom, excellent point on the timing of ABC’s upfronts and the other airings of Boston Legal.

    In fact, it’s not clear to me that whatever decision is made on Women’s Murder Club or Moonlight has much to do with their post-strike results because of the timing of the announcements.

  49. Bill Gorman says:

    tom, excellent point on the timing of ABC's upfronts and the other airings of Boston Legal.

    In fact, it's not clear to me that whatever decision is made on Women's Murder Club or Moonlight has much to do with their post-strike results because of the timing of the announcements.

  50. Bill Gorman says:

    tom, excellent point on the timing of ABC's upfronts and the other airings of Boston Legal.

    In fact, it's not clear to me that whatever decision is made on Women's Murder Club or Moonlight has much to do with their post-strike results because of the timing of the announcements.

  51. ryan says:

    ‘Til Death
    how can over 5 million people watch this crap?
    its got to be the WORST sitcom ever!

  52. ryan says:

    'Til Death
    how can over 5 million people watch this crap?
    its got to be the WORST sitcom ever!

  53. ryan says:

    'Til Death
    how can over 5 million people watch this crap?
    its got to be the WORST sitcom ever!


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