| Scoreboard |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Viewers (million) | 12.46 | 10.60 | 6.22 | 5.30 | 4.37 | 2.45 |
| Rating/Share: Adults 18-49 | 4.1/10 | 2.9/7 | 2.6/7 | 2.0/5 | 1.7/4 | 1.2/3 |
| Rating/Share: Adults 18-34 | 3.2/8 | 1.7/4 | 2.5/7 | 1.9/5 | 1.8/5 | 1.9/5 |
CBS dominated the night taking the most viewers and winning both of the demos. The combination of The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother continues to be strong, and Two and a Half Men remains America’s most-watched sitcom.
Only Worst Week can be a question mark for CBS. It’s performance didn’t stink, but it underperformed both shows in the 8pm-9pm block and given the Two and a Half Men lead-in, I imagine CBS is looking for a show in the 9:30pm slot that outperforms what happens between 8p-9p.
Up against new CBS content (last week CBS was repeats) Chuck lost just over 300,000 viewers from the previous week and a tenth of a point among 18-34 year olds. Heroes lost a couple hundred thousand from the previous week but was stable among 18-49 year olds and up two-tenths a point from the previous week among 18-34 year olds. Fans are already wringing their hands over what NBC will do next fall now that it plans to go with Jay Leno five nights a week from 10p-11pm.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles was down over 600,000 viewers from last week, and down among 18-49 year olds and 18-34 year olds as well. It has one more new episode on Monday nights before joining Dollhouse on Fridays in February. Prison Break was also down versus last week, though not quite as much as TSCC.
ABC ran with the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas which won the hour in viewers (though it finished second to the 8p-9p comedy block on CBS in the 18-49 demo). Then it was two hours of a farewell to Denny Crane as Boston Legal wrapped up with its series finale. The overall numbers weren’t bad, but especially among young people the show was not faring well.
Over on the CW, Privileged appears doomed. Whereas One Tree Hill seems to retain all of (and sometimes then some) Gossip Girl’s lead-in, Privileged does not. It couldn’t crack two million and particular the loss of 18-34 year olds from Gossip Girl must be disconcerting. Yes, I know the CW only cares about 18-34 females which we haven’t seen the data for yet, but we have seen how One Tree Hill does and how Privileged does. Privileged is struggling. Despite this, CW still beat ABC among 18-34 year olds and tied Fox and Univision.
Last Monday’s overnight report.
Full details:
| Time | Net | Show | Viewers (Millons) | 18-49 Rating/Share | 18-34 Rating/Share |
| 8:00 | ABC | A Charlie Brown Christmas (R) | 11.37 | 3.8/10 | 2.6/7 |
| CBS | The Big Bang Theory | 10.80 | 3.7/10 | 2.8/6 | |
| NBC | Chuck | 6.93 | 2.5/6 | 2.1/6 | |
| FOX | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | 5.21 | 1.9/5 | 1.6/4 | |
| UNI | Cuidado con el Angel | 4.64 | 1.8/5 | 2.0/5 | |
| CW | Gossip Girl | 3.01 | 1.5/4 | 2.3/6 | |
| 8:30 | CBS | How I Met Your Mother | 10.49 | 4.2/11 | 3.8/10 |
| 9:00 | CBS | Two and a Half Men | 15.65 | 5.2/13 | 3.6/9 |
| NBC | Heroes | 7.78 | 3.6/9 | 3.9/10 | |
| ABC | Boston Legal (Series Finale) | 9.91 | 2.3/5 | 1.2/3 | |
| FOX | Prison Break | 5.39 | 2.1/5 | 2.2/5 | |
| UNI | Fuego en la Sangre | 4.60 | 1.8/4 | 2.0/5 | |
| CW | Priviliged | 1.90 | 1.0/2 | 1.5/4 | |
| 9:30 | CBS | Worst Week | 10.60 | 3.5/8 | 2.7/7 |
| 10:00 | CBS | CSI: Miami | 13.62 | 4.1/10 | 2.9/8 |
| ABC | Boston Legal (Series Finale) | 10.52 | 2.6/7 | 1.2/3 | |
| NBC | My Own Worst Enemy | 3.96 | 1.8/5 | 1.5/4 | |
| UNI | Cristina | 3.88 | 1.5/4 | 1.5/4 |
Shows are sorted by viewers in each time slot.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Definitions:
Fast Affiliate Ratings: These first national ratings, including demographics, are available at approximately 11 AM (ET) the day after telecast, and are released to subscribing customers daily. These data, from the National People Meter sample, are strictly time-period information, based on the normal broadcast network feed, and include all programming on the affiliated stations, sometimes including network programming, sometimes not. The figures may include stations that did not air the entire network feed, as well as local news breaks or cutaways for local coverage or other programming. Fast Affiliate ratings are not as useful for live programs and are likely to differ significantly from the final results, because the data reflect normal broadcast feed patterns. For example, with a World Series game, Fast Affiliate Ratings would include whatever aired from 8-11PM on affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, following the live football game, but not game coverage that begins at 5PM PT. The same would be true of Presidential debates as well as live award shows and breaking news reports.
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Time Shifted Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs which are currently in approximately 24.4% of all U.S. TV households. Live+Same Day (Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
For more information see Numbers 101.
Uhm. Did Chuck lose 30k or 300 k viewers? Last week was 7.25 mill, now i see 6.93 mill, its a bit more than 300k , not a bit more than 30k
Would have liked to seen the demo numbers for T:SCC stay around 2.2. Last night’s episode was designed to be a stand-alone, but I can see how it would be rather confusing for the casual viewer. Can we get the half hours?
TSCC = DOA
I liked the show the 1st season but again how many times can you have a terminator chase John Connor and then they figure out a way to kill/burn it.
There is nowhere for the story to go.
TSCC really sucked last night. This show is going into the crapper. However thanks to my dad, I will look at it (even if I am not glued to the set) until the show dries up.
There wasn’t a terminator chasing John Connor last night. Did you watch the episode? John wasn’t even in the episode at all.
Anyways, next week is the fall finale, it looks promising.
Big daddy, the thing is, none of these Terminators are actually chasing John Connor. They’re all on separate missions. But yeah, there’s really many of them, despite the writers saying way back when that they’re not going to do that.
There’s actually plenty of ways the story can go. There’s still a lot of unresolved stuff, I mean, the Connors don’t even know about Catherine Weaver yet and there’s the Jesse/Riley thing…
I’m going to enjoy every bit of that story very much, for however long it may last, but if it doesn’t gain viewers on Fridays, there will be no season 3. As much as it pains me, it’s the reality.
This most recent Terminator episode disappointed me too, BIG DADDY. I didn’t like the three-part time shifting (Lauren and Derek and the mother in the warehouse, flashbacks to the log cabin chase, and flash-forwards to Derek and Jessie in the future battling biological warfare), and I thought Cameron was used very poorly.
I’m very surprised at this point that Fox made the decision to give Terminator the back 9. Maybe it was cheaper for Fox to buy those 9 episodes than to run reruns in the Friday night slot? Surely that isn’t a conscious strategy for Fox…Although Stargate and Battlestar Galactica have both done very well on Friday nights for SCIFI. (Sanctuary, too, which got 1.6 million viewers… If Sanctuary can get 1.6 million viewers on Friday night at 10, and Terminator can only get 5.2 million viewers on Monday at 8, that’s telling you something…)
Chuck is above the cut-off for being whacked though, right, with a 2.5 in the demo?
Fox purchased the back 9 for Terminator because DVD sales can probably recoup most, if any, losses while they also want the show to run through the spring in order to work as a promotional vehicle for this summer’s new Terminator movie.
One finale time….
Denny Crane!
I’m beginning to think that it may be in TSCC’s best interest to end after this season. The longer the show goes on, the more chances there are for it to go in a totally wrong direction and suck. I’d want it to go out with some dignity… Though I also want it to get the respect and recognition that I feel it deserves.
One more thing. Gusar, can you or anyone explain that Jesse/Riley thing? Are you just referring to the whole thing where Riley has been working with Jesse to get close to John or whatever, or is there something I’m missing here? I saw that bit in the preview for next week’s finale and it left me with a huge, “WTF???”
Yes, Rachel, I’m talking about the Riley working with Jesse bit, nothing more. Like you, I have no idea what exactly that stuff from the preview is about.
There’s something cooler than that happening next week though – A showdown between Riley and Cameron. That should be fun.
I wish Terminator would die already. I’m not watching it anymore, it’s just not interesting anymore.
I really hope Chuck does better in the spring, but I know it won’t…up against House. I think NBC should move Chuck and Heroes to a different night.
Gossip Girl was BRILLIANT!
Ed (Chuck Bass) deserves an Emmy award for last night episode!
xx
Ben
The real story is the same one at this time every year: the millions who show up to watch a forty-plus-year cartoon in primetime. When are networks going to figure out that viewers, and particularly families, want programming like that, instead of the garbage that’s regularly spewed out? That’s why people are vacating the networks: junk.
It’s funny, I liked last night’s TSCC just fine. I think for some of you if there isn’t anything blowing up or the story adds no or little value to the longer story arc, you hate it! From a storytelling perspective, I thought last night’s episode was very well done as a story about the human will to survive.
I believe they’ll make it up to you next week by blowing up two episodes worth of stuff. Rachel, the tie between Jesse and Riley was established in a previous episode (though only very briefly). The suggestion was Riley takes orders from Jesse begging the question of who does Jesse take orders from?
Best interest or no, the show will end after this season…
NOO! T:TSCC is great and the show can get a third season if the show does well on Fridays @ 8.00 PM. I think the new Friday of Fox with Dollhouse can be a succes. No hughe, but if Terminator can get 5.5 mln viewers and Dollhouse 6/8 mln FOX would go trough with Terminator!
[b](sorry for my bad english! i live in Holland so English is’n my main language
)[/b]
Wow, Two and a Half Men have 16 million viewers with a rerun! But the new episodes pull in lower numbers? How does that work?
Denny Crane!
too bad for chuck. the shape nbc is in though, i see the show getting another season
very happy to see BL do well. still think it’s a dumb move to get rid of it.
Dennis — Two and a Half Men was not a rerun. That was my bad for not removing the “R” when using last week’s table as a template. I’ve fixed it.
“Fox purchased the back 9 for Terminator because DVD sales can probably recoup most, if any, losses while they also want the show to run through the spring in order to work as a promotional vehicle for this summer’s new Terminator movie.”
I am just looking forward to the Prison Break Series Finale.
At least TSCC beat Cuidado con el Angel. It does beat CW thanks to 10-12 million illegal aliens being here.
TSCC’s problem is showcased by last nights episode – too confusing. We had The Present (usual T-888 of the week out kill the mother that will become the cure for a SKYNET plague), 9 months in the future when the baby is being born/mommy croaks and flashes into the future where the baby is all grown up and saves the resistance! It was enough to make my brain hurt. It was clever – too clever. O One thing is the future that Derrick remembers doesnt really exist any more (his Asian girlfriend confirmed thing have changed slightly) Had the whole series been set in the future and eliminated the incessant time traveling, it would have been a far better series. The time travel plot device if used sparingly is ok, but TSCC uses it in almost every single episode.
As for moving TSCC to Fridays and comparing it with BSG – BSG is being cancelled since it ratings have tanked over the last 2 seasons. Fridays will finish TSCC off for good. Of course by then, its purpose, as a tie in for Terminator 4 (expect tons of T4 ads during the episodes this Spring), will have been fulfilled.
HEROES – the only other show I still watch Mondays. Still as schizophrenic as ever. With less than 8 million viewers, only its key demo is keeping it on life support. Wonder what will happen when the 2nd part of this season airs? Could it fall under 7 million? 6 million? Expecting budget cuts – big time. I didnt think they could turn LOST around after Season 3, so who knows. Maybe HEROES can pull a rabbit out of hat. I watch it now more out of habit and the memories of how good Season 1 was.
@ Robert: I liked the ep of T:TSCC too!
Two and a Half Men was a new episode. Not a repeat.
Prison Break. Stopped watching after episode 1. No Prison No Break No Point.
They should end this show now before it gets really bad. Like HEROES, PB hasnt been that good since Season 1.
@ Joe: Pff! Prison Break season 4 is better than 2 and 3, but he that’s mine opinion
And if you just watched one episode you are al little bit of a pig to say that the show is’nt good anymore 
1st to many great show2nds same time 2nd HALMARK WHAT A WONDERFUL SHOW BUT BOSTON MARKET IS TOPS had them all beat WISH U COULD START ANY KELLY STORY THEY R GREAT TRY TO START 8 OCLOCK 3-missed the show because Ijust lost my husband of62yrs and staying up in morning I droped to sleep early as my sister Didnt call to get me up to see the hallmark showing of ‘front in class’
Ik always download the shows from monday on tuesday and tuesday is the day that i am downloading the most shows: T:TSCC / Prison Break / Gossip Girl / Privileged(normaly OTH) / Worst week / Heroes
“As for moving TSCC to Fridays and comparing it with BSG – BSG is being cancelled since it ratings have tanked over the last 2 seasons. Fridays will finish TSCC off for good. Of course by then, its purpose, as a tie in for Terminator 4 (expect tons of T4 ads during the episodes this Spring), will have been fulfilled.”
The producers and Universal both agreed to end BSG will its still ahead. Sci-Fi is a niche channel anyway. The have moved forward with Caprica which is a prequal to the New BSG.
prison break is rediculosy excellent. Ilove it. it is the most entertaining programme on tv. Heroes is also good but needs to be much better to survive cancellation. TSCC is to overly complicated to watch, to much irrelevant storylines
Gusar – Thank you for explaining.
And ooh, a showdown between Cameron and Riley next week? SUH-WEET! *holds up GO CAMERON sign*
And Robert, I actually liked last night’s ep too. And I know how Riley is working for Jesse. My WTF was to the part in the preview where Riley said some crap to Jesse like, “I need you… we can be together.”
If that’s referring to what I think it’s referring to… No. Just… no.
Robert, do you have the half-hours for T:SCC?
T:SCC IS UTTER RUBBISH
IT IS DRAGGING DOWN THE MUCH BETTER AND SUPERIOR PRISON BREAK DOWN WITH IT
HOW CAN PEOPLE SLAG PRISON BREAK WHEN ITS BETTER THAN THAT LOAD OF CRAP
Yay for opinions!
Joe Cool you are so right PB sucks now.FOX again dragging ti’ll next year when they could have end it this year already it’s past ridiculous.
Too bad Boston Legal is gone it was very good last night! I hope ABC starts producing better shows’ this new coming year already!!!
half hourly for TSCC: 8pm-8:30p: 5.193mm 1.9/5, 1.5/4. 8:30p-9p: 5.219mm 1.8/5, 1.5/4
Rachel, lol @ No. Just… No.
Yay for Rachel P. lol
Gotta love those PB fans for blaming their shows demise on T:SCC.
Prison Break premiered a week before T:SCC, and it debuted with 6.5 million viewers. It was already showing signs of a downward trend before it got paired with T:SCC.
“Could it fall under 7 million? 6 million? Expecting budget cuts – big time. I didnt think they could turn LOST around after Season 3, so who knows. Maybe HEROES can pull a rabbit out of hat. I watch it now more out of habit and the memories of how good Season 1 was.”
I have to agree that Heroes pailed after the first season but still watchable for me. Speaking of turning Lost around…and I will keep repeating this till I am blue in the face…The producers and writers for Heroes need to plan the end of the show next year,
“IT IS DRAGGING DOWN THE MUCH BETTER AND SUPERIOR PRISON BREAK DOWN WITH IT”
PB is holding its own thank you very much.
The reason Fox and other networks haven’t invested, heavily (for midseason replacements starting in January 2009) is the elephant no one is talking about.
This is the very real possibility of the looming actors strike.
Even if Fox had something outstanding in the gate, I think they would hold back, hence the renewal of TSCC and Fox’s decision not to have already have cancelled the show. It’s all about the $$$.
I actually liked Terminator last night too. I think the writers are putting a lot of depth to these stand-alone episodes. The ironic thing though, is a lot of the fan flack for shoveling out “Terminator of the week” episodes should really be directed at FOX. I read that they were the ones who pushed the producers to make the show less serial and more procedural. In fact it’s why FOX was probably happy with the show creatively, despite the ratings. I also think it’s why they want to try to give the show a shot on Fridays. Not that that will work, but still I hold out hope that 5-6 million on Friday will satiate FOX if Dollhouse can hold steady too. In any case, I’m glad they got season two, and I plan to enjoy as many episodes as FOX will air.
Chuck’s ratings have me a bit concerned though. Last week had a really nice bump, but it looks like the show has stabilized just under 7 million. And last night’s episode was incredible, possibly the best of the season. I can only hope the Super Bowl promotion gets them a bump. NBC taking five hours of programming out of the week just made renewal a lot less likely I think.
Quite heart-breaking to see BL go. One among few shows in *network television* I could call “the best,” over recent years.
I have a bad gut feeling that Kelley’s new dramedy project won’t have a long life at all. That and who knows what happens with it now with all the NBC cut-backs.
So yeah.
DENNY CRANE!!!
Why am I not surprised to see SCC slump right back down in the ratings? It looks like a huge chunk of the viewers who checked it out last week (after DWTS ended) decided they didn’t like it and didn’t come back this week.
Privileged? It’s an okay show but terribly forgettable. Inoffensive, bland, pretty dull. I’d watch if it nothing else was on, but…. I love Gossip Girl, though.
Big Daddy, I’d love for you to explain to me how TSCC is DOA, considering this is its second season and it’s getting a full season, which if it ended, would make its run longer than a lot of shows. Stop acting dense and get a clue, would you?
This question is to anyone who watched “Prison Break” last night. Did anyone else think that the way General Krantz squeezed Michael’s hand was a little odd?
I’m thinking possible familial connection. How about you?
This marks the first time in *30-ish* years that I did not catch Charlie Brown Christmas at its appointed time. Time to break out the DVD I guess!
I remember reading that, first time out, there was a stir around Charlie Brown. Some of the network brass thought the Christmas special was “too religious.” Wow, 40-ish years and still going strong. Yet we still have network brass who think they know what average viewers want to see
.
Blameing Terminator for the lower Prison Break ratings…That’s rubbish. I mean did fans of Prison Break just forget it was on when Terminator showed up? Did they need a giant ratings hog to remind them?
Personally I don’t give one bit of credit to the whole “lead-in” theory. If I watch American Idol and a brand new show starts after it I might leave it on. Only because I don’t know what the show is all about. Existing shows that have been on for sometime I don’t think it means anything.
If Fringe for example were on after Idol I’d quickly turn the set off or run it over with a steamroller. I really don’t believe that people watch one show and then just mindlessly saunter into whatever airs next.
Once a show has been on for more than 2 episodes it doesn’t matter what is on before it. Its audience is its audience and if it suddenly gets a boost from a popular lead-in then it’s just people leaving the TV set on.
That’s just what I think. I might even be wrong. But I will never change my mind.
Well…I will at least enjoy SARAH’s short story season – all the episodes have been great – viewers are missing out – there’s more going on and others are effecting the future and the past – the pregnant woman with the girl that eliminated the deathly desease in the future was another great story.
TV VIEWERS – YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON SARAH CONNOR – IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK -
THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY -
too bad for the viewers – enjoy your Dancing with the Stars when it comes back on —you deserve each other – – -
“TV VIEWERS – YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON SARAH CONNOR – IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK -
THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY -
too bad for the viewers – enjoy your Dancing with the Stars when it comes back on —you deserve each other – - -”
I want to enjoy SCC…but I did not like the story. Even DWTS sounds good right now. Just sign up some ‘Stars’ that get me intrested in watching this show. Oh next year Jack Bauer will be back. The two hour movie last month showed that 24 still has gas in the tank.
Heh – Just like ABC to show a FAMILY classic just before a raunchy TV show of “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER” – I can just see the promos during CHARLIE BROWN as little kids are sitting there – and some sexual comment is being made on a
“HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER” promo- – let me quote LINUS – “GOOD GRIEF”
—
R.G.: How I Met Your Mother is on CBS, not ABC. HIMYM and Charlie Brown were airing against each other.
“24″ movie was pretty good seeing Jack back in action capping people in the knees, though parts of it were unrealistic, but if Day 7 rumors turn out to be true (corporations as villians and Global Warming) it will become a hollow shell of it former self. Now if it is something like environuts taking control of nuclear plant threatening to blow it up if everyone doesnt buy carbon credits or something like that, then Ill watch it. Though Tony coming back gets a thumbs up!
Vader just because you like something doesn’t mean it’s good. It’s called “trending” and there is only one direction that TSCC has gone.
Buy a dictionary and look up the word.
I’m noticing people when watching SARAH CONNOR are complaining that the story is too complicated – let me assist you then:
The future had to do with the past – it had to do with the “baby”…I thought SARAH CONNOR again was awesome—it makes the viewer think and you need to “pay attention”-
but again I guess DANCING WITH (PRETEND) STARS is easier to follow and has a “1st grader” kind of plot…its okay – leave the big shows to the big boys…
P.S. those are not really “stars” in the dancing show.
The only reason that Charlie Brown did so well is because of the nostalgia factor. If their was a brand new Charlie Brown special instead of that vintage one, I doubt very much if the ratings would be there for it.
Holly – Thanks!!! well don’t I feel sheepish – my bad – Hmmm -
Moose, that’s like saying NFL football does well only because of the action, rivalries and excitement. Take that all away and I doubt the ratings would be there for it.
Alde I agree with you about BL one of the actual shows these days that made you think and use your brains about real issues.
AC you are 100% percent correct people always have to blame other shows because “their shows” are doing horrible.So they blame others when the root of the problem is their shows are past dated and simply bad.Even that actor from Prison Break said he doesn’t want to be part of it anymore.He knows this season is very bad and he works on the show LOL.
David E Kelly is just brilliant. From LA Law to Boston Public to the Practice and finally Boston Legal.
When Denny Crane took out those two paint ball guns and started firing randomly at the Chinese, still laugh thinking about that!
Great Show and Cast!
NBC should move chuck to wednesdays or thursdays. House it’s a big competition and chuck would improve the office or life numbers airing weds or thurs
The difference between Lost and Heroes couldn’t be more stark. Lost was never actually “bad.” After DH got dumped on in 2005/06, it was Lost’s turn. In season 3, the series only had one actually “bad” episode (Jack’s tattoo). It was plodding, yes, but never bad. Heroes, on the other hand, is bad. It’s been bad for an entire season now and has lost half of it’s peak audience. I don’t think they can turn this around, frankly.
Marla,
What actor said that he didn’t want to be on Prison Break anymore? Also, I got to make it clear that although I don’t agree that Terminator is responsible for the lower ratings of Prison Break, I am a major, from the beginning fan PB. I didn’t mean to slam Prison Break to big-up Terminator. I love them both, but I still don’t think either show impacts the other shows ratings. That’s just me though.
Anyway, more about the complaining actor from Prison Break please????
Well, we’ll see next Monday with the somewhat-still-new Charlie Brown special. (It is nowhere near as good, of course – all the specials since Schulz dies have been nothing but rehashes of the strips, which aren’t designed to translate well into a longer form story.
Big Daddy, why don’t you look up what DOA stands for. It has nothing to do with trending. Come back when you have a clue what you’re talking about. Thanks!
Well, WW is the weakest of the CBS comedy block, but it still is retaining double figures in viewers and is consistently above 3 in 18-49 demo, which this season is not so easy. It will probably get renewed unless there is a new show CBS feels very confident about.
Also, goodbye Boston Legal. I will miss that show.
When I look at the ratings chart the most blaring fact I see is that a repeat of an animated classic(with a powerful moral lesson)beat the wheels off of all the new series that aired in that hour. My second observation would be that if any network is enjoying an uptick from not having to compete with DWTS, it would be CBS. Two & 1/2 Men had a very mediocre episode last night in comparison to some of the super funny episodes I’ve seen this season and yet this one scores a much higher rating. I’m shocked to say the least. It seems for the most part though that those DWTS viewers have abandoned Monday night network tv in favor of the cable channels or no tv at all.
I’m still perplexed as to why the big decision makers at ABC would move, then cancel Boston Legal. I know it’s somehow all tied up in the Eli Stone, Dirty Sexy Money picture, but gambling a proven hit on a couple of slim possiblities doesn’t make good sense. It’s a good thing they stockplied on midseason replacements as they now have several holes to fill.
I don’t think the TSCC plot is complicated, but I do think it’s convuluted. I also agree with an earlier comment that they just have no place to go creatively with the story so they’re forced to throw in terminators-of-the-week and other assorted mess to fill up episodes. I think they would have been better served if they looked at this series length-wise like a british series (2-3 seasons at the most) and then keep the story arc focused and moving the whole run.
tooltip86,
Chuck is in a bad spot. If Chuck is moved to Wednesday at 8:00pm, it will go up against Bones. Bones has been doing far better in the ratings than House.
The problem with Chuck on Mondays is that it goes up against the CBS sitcoms. I don’t think Fox really is a factor on Monday nights. The Fox dramas aren’t doing all that well.
Only nine points to fight over ten to eleven? What a hollow victory. If NBC could follow up Heroes with a show for 18-49, they could knock off whomever wins the demo on Monday night. Or at least make a good dent in it.
I watched BOSTON LEGAL for the first time since Season 2 last night. All I can say is “no wonder this show fell in the demos.” When did the show eliminate the “young,” lawyers and their story lines?
Despite that problem I really liked the show’s finale. All the jabs at ABC from LIFE ON MARS to “This would make a great TV show, but only on a network with feelings.” The jabs were numerous and grin inducing.
Bill, I agree with you. I am not knocking the ratings that Charlie Brown got. My basic point is that nostalgia is a very powerful thing.
Moose, perhaps in some alternate universe there is a blog that would demonstrate that Bones has been doing far better in the ratings than House, but in *THIS* universe, that’s just WRONG! Bones is a very solid performer for Fox, but…you’re so wrong when it comes to Bones vs.House I don’t want to hear any spin about how you mostly agree with me and I misinterpreted you.
Please take a timeout from commenting for a while.
Yes, thank you for that Robert.
Mighty WTF moment with the “Bones does better than House”. Not a whole lot that I know, but I do know House is a demo and ratings powerhouse, and Bones has been dribbling and drabbling downward since last season. Which is no wonder, since S3 marked the start of mass-crack smoking sessions for the writers.
I think it’s ironic that good ‘ol Charlie Brown, who’s God-knows how old, put an old-school beatdown on all the new shows.
shame on prison breaks ratings its far and away the best show on tv in years yet it hasnt done very well at all, i hope fox though gives it a proper finale
How much better off is chuck compared to terminator? Just wondering Robert or Bill
Is there any chance that Worst Week would get the ax with it’s overall numbers being so good? Everyone keeps saying it’s the weakest link but it got to be a bad move to kill a show with those numbers when it seems hard to get any numbers at all these days.
???
Do you think that there is any chance CBS will move HIMYM to 9:30?
It could posibly get the same demo numbers as Men and at least 12.5 million viewers. CBS fails to understand that they could make HIMYM as this decade FRIENDS.
They already wasted the post superbowl they could’ve given them. At least give HIMYM the lead in they deserve.
Travis, Terminator’s dead barring a miracle on Friday. Before the “Leno at 10″ announcement I’d have said Chuck was a lock for renewal. I have a little bit of uncertainly now, but I still think it’s in good shape.
Thanks for the update Bill.Im a big chuck fan and i really would hate to see the plugged pulled on a great show.So your preatty much saying terminator is just around because of t4 if thats what i got from your statement Bill.I kinda guessed t4 was the only saving grace for the show.Well im praying for chuck to make it threw the leno at 10 crap.He should stay at 12 not at 10.Simple as that.
Travis
I’ve heard a lot of people rend their clothes over Dollhouse being sentenced to Friday night, but I think the pairing with TSCC will help both shows’ ratings, particularly in terms of the delayed viewing audience. I haven’t really mustered the interest to record TSCC in its current slot, but I will likely do so once it’s just before or after Dollhouse. I know that sounds strange, but knowing I’d have both shows to view sometime during the weekend will make it more likely I’ll give both shows an equal shot and not just Dollhouse alone, and viewing over the weekend is within the coveted 3 day time frame for advertisers to still care. So, Friday is a crappy night to have your series on, but the pairing of the shows seems to be a good move. Hopefully Fox will market to the “go out on Friday night” crowd to DVR the shows and watch them over the weekend, perhaps tying in some kind of promotion also, revealing something to enter on the shows’ websites if you watch the episodes between Friday and Sunday night.
@Joe Cool:
It does beat CW thanks to 10-12 million illegal aliens being here.
And the 60 million LEGAL Mexican-Americans, other Hispanics, and Spaniards?
“Not a whole lot that I know, but I do know House is a demo and ratings powerhouse, and Bones has been dribbling and drabbling downward since last season.”
I have been lurking for a few weeks, and enjoy reading the articles and the comments. I must beg to differ here. Not about HOUSE, which I know is FOX’s highest rated scripted show, but about BONES. Last season, if my math is correct, it averaged 8.98 million viewers. So far this season, it’s average is 10.05 million viewers. It’s one of the two shows I watch religiously, (the other being CHUCK) so I keep an eye on the ratings.
Okay. If that’s true about Bones’ averages, then I stand corrected. But looking back before S3 (last season), it had more viewers. S3 was down…thus, my thinking that it was going down.
Basically, Bones isn’t what it was in the first 2 seasons. But what, these days, is?
Mel, no offense but you’ve yet to be right about BONES at all in this thread. Season 1 averaged 8.84 million viewers. Season 2 averaged 9.37 million viewers. Season 3 averaged 8.94 million viewers. Season 4 is averaging 10.03 million viewers. Season 4 is the all time high for viewing for the show. Season 3 like many shows was affected by the strike. BONES generally got a bigger boost during IDOL season. It didn’t get that boost with season 3 due to the strike. Season 4 is doing the best the show has ever done and without the IDOL boost or HOUSE.
It should be interesting seeing how it does on Thursdays this winter.
Bones is by far my favorite show on TV. Thanks Nick C for noticing as have I that it is doing better this season than it hever has been (and I think the episodes are really great too!) and soon it will gain even more viewers and probably take over as Fox’s top scripted show in the near future. If Fox would wise up and place Bones in a prime spot AFTER American Idol then bones would probably start bringing in at least 13 million viewers, and alot more 18-34 (im 21 and like I said think this show is great). Changing the spot to Thursdays really makes no sense to me since other than Season 3 Bones’ home has been on Wednesdays at 8. I just wish Fox would give Bones a chance to get the most viewers it can and give it an ‘Idol’ lead in.
“It does beat CW thanks to 10-12 million illegal aliens being here.
And the 60 million LEGAL Mexican-Americans, other Hispanics, and Spaniards?”
Uh…I doubt illegal aliens are Nielsen families LOL.
“Uh…I doubt illegal aliens are Nielsen families LOL.”
If illegals were able to get subprime loans after the Patriot Act was passed, what makes you think illegals couldn’t be part of the Neilson family where there is no government oversight? Seriously, have you tried to do any new interactions with banks for the past 6 or 7 years, with all the hoops that you have to jump trough to prove that you can legally open an account or get a loan?
Sam, british shows don’t just have 2-3 seasons: that just a random estimate that can really be based on nothing:
- Doctor Who: getting ready for series 5
- Spooks: getting ready for series 8
- Peep Show: getting ready for series 6
But some have had only 2-3 seasons (Extras, The Office est…) but thats more of a minority not all british shows.
I’m so sad that Boston Legal is finished. I absolutely loved that show. Last weeks episode where Betty White sued the network because of no programming for older people was brilliant and that’s how I feel. Sad.
Bill or Robert..if Chuck stays in the 7m mark will it be safe you think?