Comments on: Thursday Ratings: With ABC in repeats, CBS’ ‘CSI’ dominates in Fishburne debut

By: Lara

Lara — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:01:40 +0000

I’m very happy for Eleventh Hour. Consistent week after week.

By: jay

jay — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:20:42 +0000

The more I look at it the more certain I am ABC just plays the 18-49 demo like a violin. They only have two hit scripted shows, both of whom are in decline but still do so well in the demo they may never go off the air. But ever notice how every top thirty show after that is either a football game or a seasonal special? They have a programmer who scrambles like Fran tarkenton. And of course, once Idol is on, they will be competing with NBC ( and in some slots the Latino channels ) for third. Talk about a network held together with chicken wire and Elmer’s glue.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:07:42 +0000

Jose, indeed, the numbers are right, just not the sorting.

By: Jose

Jose — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:03:21 +0000

Shouldn’t Ugly Betty be higher than Smallville. Ugly Betty beat Smallville in total viewers and in both demos.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:07:07 +0000

Ugly Betty’s numbers seem erratic. Do you really think it will be cancelled, especially since ABC doesn’t have much else to offer?

By: Matt2

Matt2 — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 07:15:39 +0000

CSI had one of its best episodes ever. That story was amazingly well crafted! The unique ways they always find to unfold a story each week is so impressive and the changes in the pacing of the music always matches the message each particular segment of the show is trying to convey. Rarely do you find tv series that use motion picture type, edge-of-your seat, tricks to keep the viewer thrilled as CSI does each week. If people stop watching the show because one character leaves the show, that’s their hangup, but the quality of acting by the other performers and the overall storytelling is still above reproach. Shame on the Emmy’s and Golden Globe’s for not acknowledging the talented writers and artists associated with CBS’ shows. More importantly to CBS, how smart of them to take advantage of a Grey’s Anatomy repeat to unveil the new head of CSI in such a fantastic format.

At CBS I have a feeling the motto is always hit ‘em hard when they’re down. It takes a winners mentality to know that in order to be and stay number one you have to always bring your “A” game. It appears ABC and the other 2 big networks have leaders in place who are programming them into nonexistence. The ratings say it all. NBC’s 8pm shows barely pulled in enough viewers to beat a one hour repeat of Ugly Betty and NBC considers those 2 shows as good shows. The same can be said for its 9pm shows versus a Grey’s Anatomy repeat. Even FOX with a new replacement show for Kitchen Nightmares barely registered an uptick. ABC can at least say its repeats performed admirably considering the competition. Even a Private Practice repeat maintained 70% of a GA repeat audience. That definitely bodes well for their night once the both of them are back to new episodes. Still, CBS is like that one gifted child in a classroom with the slightly above average kid, the average kid, and the slow child. Indications are that the other three will never be able to catch up to the head of the class.

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:00:41 +0000

Quick note about CW’s ratings, they weren’t affected by the football in Chicago as we got the game on WPWR, the local MNT affiliate. Not sure about New Orleans though.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 20:37:01 +0000

Chances April is not trolling in some fashion are so close to ZERO you wouldn’t notice the difference. not just because of the “April’s First” thing. A month or so ago, April had never seen the show and was soliciting fan opinions of it. That set off a fairly typical “your show sucks!”, “no it doesn’t!”, “yes it does!”, “no, YOU suck!” commenting pattern.

Now April wants to spearhead the save the show campaign? With Fuller back to NBC, there’s also zero chance the show will be saved. April, why don’t you catch up on Heroes and get in very early on saving it instead? Then when it’s back next year you can claim it was all your doing. I suggest this not because there’s any meaning to it, but because I’m not sure what fans of Heroes would send via the mail. Comic books?

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 20:12:07 +0000

April, assuming you’re not just trolling, and I am bored enough today to respond anyway, and leaving aside the futility of post-Jericho “Save our Show” efforts, your basic premise of “Pushing Daisies has nearly twice the ratings of Smallville.” is simply wrong. (so, in fact no one but you *can* see it)

Through last Sunday:
Pushing Daisies 18-49 avg. 2.419 million
Smallville 18-49 avg. 2.128 million

And Pushing Daisies airs on a network (ABC) that averages almost 3 times the 18-49 adults as Smallville’s CW.

By: nyccine

nyccine — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 20:05:50 +0000

Because everyone’s seeing what you aren’t, April: CW is a small network without nearly the exposure the big nets have; it’s big news if and when CW shows (or, for that matter, cable) start pulling numbers anywhere near the Big Four. Pushing Daisies’ numbers would plummet on the CW, such that it might be looking at half the numbers something like Smallville does, not the other way around. And this is to say nothing of costs (I have no idea what any show’s figures look like there, but I’ve yet to hear any industry pundit not refer to PD as being a very expensive show to produce).

By: Alde

Alde — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:35:50 +0000

I’m with you. Definitely!

By: April's First Post

April's First Post — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:23:05 +0000

How can no one see this but me…

Pushing Daisies has nearly twice the ratings of Smallville.

Pushing Daisies numbers would be a “hit” on the CW.

Pushing Daisies type show is exactly what the programming head honchos want to gear their entire line up towards.

I will be the first to try to rally the troops…let’s send daisy seeds to the CW…
Anyone with me?

By: Kyle

Kyle — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 01:03:31 +0000

Glad to see 30 Rock holdin up!

By: anna

anna — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:29:25 +0000

for being a repeat, Ugly Betty did really good in # of viewers compared to Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy! Im suprised!

By: Julia

Julia — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:58:17 +0000

Qwerty, last week we didn’t get the 18-34 numbers, but I went back a few weeks and it was right in the same range as this week. (The weeks I checked ranged from 3.1-3.3.)

By: Qwerty

Qwerty — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:53:24 +0000

Impressive Office demos, especially 18-34, and CSI in 18-49 [I know, it's 'cause of GA rerun]. CSI is way better 18-34 than last week?

By: R.G.

R.G. — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:17:40 +0000

oh yea…the music soundtrack to the last 3 minutes of CSI was “gripping”

By: R.G.

R.G. — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:10:18 +0000

CSI -was awesome !! I am going to truly miss the “Grissom” charachter…but the supporting cast has done a great job becoming more than a supporting cast – I welcome Fishburne to the cast – I can’t wait until January –

CSI just got another year commitment from me – the stories are great – the mystery themes lock me in everytime!

“Follow the evidence”……20+ million is a continued solid hit!

By: R.J.

R.J. — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:02:56 +0000

WOW, Secrect Millionaire and Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader did worse than before.

By: Jeff G

Jeff G — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:20:39 +0000

I thought CSI was well done last night. I thought the subtle introduction of Mr Fishburne was in keeping with the shows theme. A major “in your face” intro of his character would not have been as interesting. It will be interesting to see how it works out in the future. 20 million plus viewers is a good starting point, but, a high threshold to maintain.

By: DaisiesDeathKnell

DaisiesDeathKnell — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:30:34 +0000

It might be different if the shows are done in-house…like FOX could probably air old Simpsons reruns in prime time if they wanted since they have the rights, I believe…but maybe they would have to pay extra to people like Groening or Gracie Films?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:33:22 +0000

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks! I figured they had to pay for reruns. It makes sense to rerun the one they’ve already payed for.

By: cool

cool — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:32:02 +0000

I think I’m gonna drop CSI.. I dont like Laurence Fishburne character, I dont know.. I wasnt feeling it.

By: Doghouse Reilly

Doghouse Reilly — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:52:51 +0000

My understanding* the networks pay production companies for the right to show each episode three times: the original broadcast and two repeats. With one repeat typically shown during the regular season and one during the summer, that uses up all the available showings.

*Something I remember reading once.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:48:38 +0000

Sarah, my understanding which could be wrong is that current season shows may be rerun a limited number of times at no additional cost. I don’t believe the rules around syndication prohibit the networks from airing older shows, but since they can’t air them for “free”, it may be cost prohibitive.