WWE RAW took the top two spots for the week, but led by an airing of the movie Cars, Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place and Sonny With a Chance, Disney dethroned USA Network as the primetime king for the week.
Much ado was made over Jim Cramer’s appearance with Jon Stewart on Thursday’s The Daily Show, and its ratings, but I didn’t see any of those reports including the information that Wednesday’s Daily Show, perhaps fueled by an improving Important Things with Demetri Martin as a lead-in had more viewers than the Thursday Cramer appearance! Some will say it is the increased anticipation for The Daily Show that is helping out Important Things. Either way Wednesday’s airing of The Daily Show with 2.348 million edged out the Cramer appearance on Thursday that had 2.323 million.
That’s So Raven had some sort of time slot change that impaired its ratings. Why Disney, why?! 
I didn’t look to see how it’s replacement did at midnight, but I took it as a sign and decided to use the best performance of That’s So Raven as some sort of imaginary cut off for the extra shows in the table below. So, I cut it off there, but, in the spirit of knowing I’ll be hounded by a pack of mad dogs, Moonlight got 1.003 million viewers on Friday.
Fans of TNT’s Trust Me - sorry, but your show seems doomed with 876,000 watching last Tuesday at 10pm, but then again, that was better than Damages 703,000 Wednesday at 10pm on FX. TNT is searching for answers with new episodes of Saving Grace just edging out repeats of The Closer (info in the table below).
The penultimate episode of Kyle XY had 1.283 million viewers.
Update: James Hibberd reports Sunday night’s airing of Big Love averaged 2.3 million — it’s second most-watched episode of the season. Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America — A Final Night with George W. Bush also averaged 2.3 million. That’s the best a comedy special has done on HBO since 2004 according to Hibberd. Hibberd also has the Eastbound & Down numbers.
Top 20 cable shows for the week ending March 15, 2009:
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE COMMENTING, THANK YOU!
Please note, all shows outside of the top twenty are sorted by viewers but ARE NOT ranked. If you don’t see a show listed here, the only thing you can conclude for sure is that it wasn’t in the top twenty. The top twenty would include premium cable, if any of those shows ever made the top twenty. But the additional show list is for advertising supported basic cable networks only. We do not see data directly for premium cable channels. I don’t KNOW how Big Love did, but if I see anything I’ll post it here and if you see anything, please post a link in the comments.
There are over 14,000 shows. I’m not taking requests as it would be impossible to please everyone. Sorry! If you make a request in the comments anyway, I will ignore it, sorry.
| Rank | Shows | NET | DAY | Time | Viewers Live+SD (000) |
| 1 | WWE ENTERTAINMENT | USA | Mon | 10:00P-11:08P | 5,643 |
| 2 | WWE ENTERTAINMENT | USA | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 5,165 |
| 3 | CARS | DSNY | Sat | 08:00P-10:10P | 4,650 |
| 4 | HANNAH MONTANA | DSNY | Sun | 07:30P-08:00P | 4,423 |
| 5 | SPONGEBOB | NICK | Sat | 09:30A-10:00A | 4,249 |
| 6 | NCIS | USA | Mon | 07:00P-08:00P | 4,228 |
| 7 | WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE | DSNY | Sun | 08:30P-09:00P | 4,164 |
| 8 | COMEDY CENTRAL ROAST | CMDY | Sun | 10:00P-11:30P | 4,079 |
| 9 | NCIS | USA | Thu | 07:00P-08:00P | 4,006 |
| 10 | SONNY WITH A CHANCE | DSNY | Sun | 08:00P-08:30P | 3,993 |
| 11 | SPONGEBOB | NICK | Sat | 12:30P-01:00P | 3,981 |
| 12 | NCIS | USA | Tue | 07:00P-08:00P | 3,980 |
| 13 | SPONGEBOB | NICK | Sat | 12:00P-12:30P | 3,964 |
| 14 | ICARLY | NICK | Wed | 05:30P-06:00P | 3,875 |
| 15 | BIG EAST BSKTBALL TOURN L | ESPN | Sat | 09:00P-11:18P | 3,874 |
| 16 | NCIS | USA | Wed | 07:00P-08:00P | 3,847 |
| 17 | SPONGEBOB | NICK | Sat | 11:30A-12:00P | 3,725 |
| 18 | CARS | DSNY | Sun | 12:00P-02:05P | 3,724 |
| 19 | PHINEAS AND FERB | DSNY | Fri | 08:30P-09:00P | 3,704 |
| 20 | THE OREILLY FACTOR | FOXN | Mon | 08:00P-09:00P | 3,660 |
| Other Shows (sorted in order but NOT ranked) | |||||
| BACK AT THE BARNYARD | NICK | Sat | 10:00A-10:30A | 3,476 | |
| SOUTH PARK | CMDY | Wed | 10:00P-10:30P | 3,412 | |
| SECRET LIFE/AMERICAN TEEN | FAM | Mon | 08:00P-09:00P | 3,357 | |
| MIGHTY B! | NICK | Sat | 10:30A-11:00A | 3,346 | |
| HOUSE | USA | Wed | 08:00P-09:00P | 3,096 | |
| STAR WARS:CLONE WARS | TOON | Fri | 09:00P-09:30P | 3,009 | |
| FAMILY GUY | ADSM | Wed | 11:00P-11:30P | 2,889 | |
| BIG EAST BSKTBALL TOURN L | ESPN | Fri | 09:30P-11:57P | 2,833 | |
| FAIRLY ODD PARENTS | NICK | Sat | 08:30A-09:00A | 2,797 | |
| GHOST HUNTERS | SCIF | Wed | 09:00P-10:01P | 2,668 | |
| JON & KATE PLUS 8 | TLC | Mon | 09:00P-09:30P | 2,627 | |
| BIG EAST BSKTBALL TOURN L | ESPN | Thu | 09:32P-01:26A | 2,598 | |
| TRUE JACKSON, VP | NICK | Wed | 06:00P-06:30P | 2,580 | |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NAN | Sat | 10:30P-11:00P | 2,572 | |
| IMPORTANT THINGS | CMDY | Wed | 10:30P-10:59P | 2,477 | |
| ROCK OF LOVE 3 | VH1 | Sun | 09:00P-10:00P | 2,407 | |
| BIG 12 CONF TOURNAMENT L | ESPN | Sat | 06:12P-08:16P | 2,387 | |
| DAILY SHOW | CMDY | Wed | 10:59P-11:30P | 2,348 | |
| SAVING GRACE | TNT | Mon | 10:00P-11:00P | 2,337 | |
| CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 2,333 | |
| DAILY SHOW | CMDY | Thu | 10:59P-11:30P | 2,323 | |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA | Thu | 11:00P-12:00A | 2,297 | |
| SEA BEAST | SCIF | Sat | 09:00P-11:00P | 2,201 | |
| WONDER PETS | NICK | Mon | 08:00P-08:30P | 2,110 | |
| FAMILY MATTERS | NAN | Mon | 11:30P-12:00A | 2,087 | |
| I LOVE MONEY 2 | VH1 | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 2,046 | |
| BATMAN:BRAVE & THE BOLD | TOON | Fri | 08:30P-09:00P | 1,997 | |
| TOUGH LOVE | VH1 | Sun | 10:00P-11:00P | 1,953 | |
| BEN 10: ALIEN FORCE | TOON | Fri | 09:30P-10:00P | 1,931 | |
| ACC BASKETBALL TOURNMNT L | ESPN | Sat | 04:08P-06:12P | 1,910 | |
| BIG EAST BSKTBALL TOURN L | ESPN | Thu | 07:00P-09:12P | 1,907 | |
| HOUSE HUNTERS | HGTV | Thu | 09:30P-10:00P | 1,824 | |
| ACC BASKETBALL TOURNMNT L | ESPN | Sun | 01:01P-03:15P | 1,803 | |
| CAVALIERS/SUNS | TNT | Thu | 10:50P-01:33A | 1,788 | |
| ECW | SCIF | Tue | 09:00P-10:00P | 1,784 | |
| DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER | A&E | Wed | 10:00P-10:30P | 1,767 | |
| AX MEN | HIST | Mon | 10:00P-11:00P | 1,763 | |
| IRON CHEF AMERICA | FOOD | Sun | 09:00P-10:00P | 1,663 | |
| BATTLSTR GALACTICA (ORIG) | SCIF | Fri | 10:00P-11:01P | 1,661 | |
| THATS SO RAVEN | DSNY | Sat | 03:30P-04:00P | 1,571 |
We also have weekly rankings of the top advertising supported cable networks.
Nielsen Ratings Data: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved
Trust Me is dead.
RAW is ruling.
Robert, you have an odd obsession with That’s So Raven…
I know you don’t take the request, but please you have forget to write the ratings of Kyle XY ! And do you know what does the series finale of the L World ? Thank you very much !
If I may say, That’s So Raven Rulez.
I love Robert’s Raven Simone obsession. It’s my favorite part of the weekly posts! I look for it every week, hahaha!
Thanks for the information, Robert.
What about From G’s to Gents on Tuesday at 10 on MTV?
So, 2.5 million people watched the 6 overtime game. I wonder what the ratings were from 1am to the end of the game. fyi this is not a request, just wondering out loud
I’m so annoyed I missed it. I was on espn.com watching the scores and I thought about watching the ending of the game since it was so close, but it was 11:00 and I was too tired, so I went to bed. Sad times.
won’t be long now to watch abc familys new shows crash and hopefully burn!!! I think kyleXy being cancelled was a huge mistake!!
Ben 10: Alien Force must have been a rerun because apparently its Cartoon Networks gem show (apart from the Star Wars one) but if Batman beats it then surely theres a proberly happening.
For a show that has been cancelled for I believe about 2 and a half years now, That’s So Raven is doing mind-bogglingly well.
Disney Channel just had a really good week in general.
Even a non in slot repeat of iCarly can crack the top 20/
I watched iCarly for the first time this week because of this site. It was nice but the girl who plays Carly screams too much and too loud.
Was this the Comedy Central Roast with Larry the Cable Guy as the “roastee?” It fared very well for airing fairly late Sunday night
What about RW:Brooklyn? Uve always included it but not now? Why
(
What about RW:Brooklyn? Uve always included it but not now? Why
(
Forgot to say great post. Looking forward to reading the next one!
I’d like to see The Real World numbers too.
You mean you’d like to see MTV air programs that outdraw That’s So Raven! Unfortunately, The Real World is not one of them.
Ooh, I’m pleasantly surprised by Demetri Martin beating Daily Show. Hopefully his building fanbase helps Ang Lee’s film coming out later this year; based on nothing besides the fact that I think Ang Lee is awesome, I’m hoping Taking Woodstock sweeps the Oscars and finally allows a gay-themed film to win the big prize, rather than, say, a mediocre, backwards, bang you over the head, exploitative, disingenuous, dumb, falsely emotional, clichéd, racial stereotyping shlock with bad dialogue and acting. Aka Crash and Slumdog both.
As usual “iCarly” poses a strong showing, enough to enter the top 20 even when it’s a rerun.
A new episode airs this weekend, so I expect another top 5 next week with stronger ratings than all the Disney shows? Y/Y?
They’re currently filming the 28th episode of this seaosn, with only 14 episodes in, this will definitely be a good year for “iCarly.”
On another note, FINALLY “Hannah Montana” finds stability. Looks like airing new episodes at 7:30 PM on Sunday nights is working out for the show. It’s funny to see how many viewers tune out when “Sonny With A Chance” comes on, but return when Wizards is on.
i wonder what scifi is gonna do without battlestar galactica and thats too bad about trust me
Oh god Robert don’t tell me that
so you don’t have an exact number?
Wow, big jump for Demetri Martin.
And, Robert, you didn’t post the Moonlight numbers??? You’re going to have to close the comments soon, I bet.
Julia, LOL you never read the posts. Fortunately Moonlight fans don’t have the short attention span issues (not that they were watching Kings in bulk either, but still).
Life With Derek, a Canadian import, now airs at 11 Central. As for Sonny with a Chance, I wonder if it would be able to sustain viewers without Montana and Wizards bookending it.
Damn, out of two paragraphs I skipped…
wow are those the normal numbers south park pull?…seem high
How did Little People Big World do that week? Its not listed.
Sam, it was the first new episode of South Park since November…
yeah i know but last season, did it pull these numbers?
:’( no The City final
I know I know no request …
sam, more or less. The last new episode of South Park on 11/19/08 averaged 3.286 million.
Christy, the city finale was LAST night. If MTV sends out a press release I will post them, otherwise I won’t probably see anything until next Tuesday. The Monday episodes listed in the above chart are for 3/9, not 3/16.
Looks like TNT have given up on Trust Me as they showing double episodes. I guess they were a little overambitious with their Monday-Wednesdays all originals with Leverage being the only show to sustain decent ratings without The Closer lead in.
They have three new shows coming up with HawthoRNe (the previously titled Time Heals), Dark Blue (the previously titled The Line) and Wedding Day.
You’ve got to be kidding me. How in the world did Damages dip to 703,000? Why is nobody watching this show?
On the plus side, it looks like Important Things is doing well and it deserves it. Very unique and very funny.
Raw should be up next week but great numbers. i think this time last year they were at like 4.9 million viewers so good job WWE! And ECW almost 2 million~
Fin, Ben 10: Alien Force has been in reruns for a while. New episodes start up next week as Cartoon Network is doing a “Ben 10 Week” where new episodes air Tuesday and Wednesday and the hour-long season finale on Friday.
Nice to see Clone Wars do well. This bodes well for the season finale this week.
I’m also curious as how the Clone Wars rerun on Adult Swim this past Saturday did. I hope its above That’s So Raven. =)
Geez, Damages is doing awful and it’s probably in the top 3 best shows out there right now! I’m glad it’s secured for a 3rd season already.
And for another great show, Saving Grace…. I’m not too familiar with cable ratings, but is it really doing bad? I know it’s already renewed for a 3rd season as well, but how much has viewership dropped in this split 2nd season?
And Trust Me– it’s an enjoyable show but unfortunately isn’t catching. Too bad really.. nice performances by McCormack and Cavanaugh
Now Robert, why do you have to be so mean to us Moonlight fans? We’re not a pack of mad dogs, LOL. Thanks for posting the ratings…
Matt, it’s not easy to do fair comparisons with past ratings for Saving Grace. The mid-season finale (8/25/08) had a lot more viewers (4.27M) but it was on in the summer against little competition and it had the season finale of The Closer that had 7.2 million viewers as its lead in.
Overall, I don’t think the numbers are bad. It was TNT’s most-watched show of the week. Still, I’m guessing it is under-performing the expectations TNT had for it. But that is just a guess.
speaking of cable shows… In Treatment is coming back to HBO despite its poor ratings. I was upset at first that this was renewed because it did so poorly and I remember The Comeback being canceled with even higher ratings.. I LOVED THE COMEBACK with Lisa Kudrow.
but in the last week or so I’ve actually watched half of the first season of In Treatment and it is pretty good… strong performances. But I think it was probably renewed because it must be a lot cheaper to produce. It’s basically just fimed in one room with conversation as the whole show.
oh so real world didnt reach the 1,500,000 mark? thats pretty bad for a show like that. Its usually in the 2 million mark.
Hey, well, thanks for calling the Moonlight fans “mad dogs”…we’re just glad at this point the reruns on SciFi are pulling some viewers.
Hey what about Glenn Beck, his ratings are the only thing the other host on FNC are talking about. He had 3m on friday.
Did Spongebob’s ratings go up or did NCIS drop? A few weeks ago, NCIS was everywhere in the top 20 and Spongebob barely made a showing. Now they’re about equal
Brent, fair enough. I think I make the mistake of assuming that we cover the news stuff in our daily cable news posts, but obviously that’s not true for the 5pm hour.
Holly, it’s hard to say since I don’t have a good handle on “the grid” as I do for broadcast as far as what airs when. It seems NCIS is down a little and Sponge Bob’s best episode was up a little, but I think the reason it’s balancing out is probably because with Burn Notice, Monk, Psych, etc. out of new episodes last week, Bob had less competition so he shows up more. That somewhat also explains Disney’s relative success for the week.
The TNT orignals like The Closer or Saving Grace don’t rate as well in January-February as they do in the summer compared to USA who seem to maintain the same ratings for Monk, Psych and Burn Notice but I guess that USA have the splitting the season for a while whereas TNT only did it due to the writer’s strike.
It will be interesting how they schedule the new shows alongside the returning ones, I’m guessing either HawthoRNe and Dark Blue will debut at 10pm after Leverage and/or Raising the Bar or they will air at 9pm. Wedding Day will probably air at 8pm before The Closer.
is mynetwork tv cable?
No, Elliott, it’s broadcast. If you’re looking for ratings from there, TVBTN posts Smackdown numbers on a fairly regular basis, but otherwise Sitcoms Online includes MyNet ratings in its final ratings posts, which appear 2-3 days after an airing.
How does Disney Channel make $ without ads?
Don’t forget about TNT’s upcoming Jada Pinkett drama “Time Heals”
“How does Disney Channel make $ without ads?”
The Disney Channel charges pretty hefty subscriber fees, reportedly 79 cents per subscriber in 2006 and probably more now. That’s high compared to most other cable outlets.
So how is Disney XD doing compared to the old Toon Disney, ratings-wise?
Damages may be the best show on TV, but you actually have to pay attention when you watch it. I think it’s pathetic that shows have to be “dumb” for them to do well.
United States of Tara? How’d it do?
i wacth wwe Raw each week
i LOVE WWE
People wacth star wars the clone wars plz