Tuesday Night 2009-10: Seeing Double; Dancing x2, NCIS x2, Melrose Place & More…

Posted on 07 September 2009 by Bill Gorman

NCIS

Since the CW starts its new show premieres tomorrow, it’s time to look at the the battles that loom on the night for the 2009-10 fall broadcast season. Below are the hourly lineups, including each shows 18-49 demo rating average from the 2008-9 season.

8:00

Shark Tank (ABC), 1.7 adults 18-49 demo  rating for summer 2009 through 8/30.

NCIS (CBS),  3.4 demo rating

90210 (CW), 1.1 demo rating

So You Think You Can Dance (8-10p) (Fox), ~3.5 demo rating for Wed. & Thu. summer 2009 through 8/30

Biggest Loser (8-10p) (NBC), 3.3 demo rating

9:00

Dancing With The Stars (ABC), 3.8 demo rating

After Dancing finishes: Scrubs (ABC) 1.9 demo, Better Off Ted (ABC), 1.8 rating

NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) New

Melrose Place (CW) New

So You Think You Can Dance (8-10p) (Fox), ~3.5 demo rating for Wed. & Thu. summer 2009 through 8/30

Biggest Loser (8-10p) (NBC), 3.3 demo rating

10:00

The Forgotten (ABC), New

The Good Wife (CBS), New

The Jay Leno Show (NBC), New, Fall 2009 Tonight Show averaged about a 1.4-1.5 demo rating

My Guess

I think Tuesday’s night average nightly demo race is going to be very competitive. I like CBS to win if The Good Wife doesn’t completely implode. They’ll have a strong 8pm hour, if 9pm isn’t strong I’d be shocked and one unknown hour. At the beginning of the season it’s easy to see NBC in second place with the early Jay Leno Show tune in. After things settle down, I think NBC’s average could drift down near Fox’s 2 hours of So You Think You Can Dance.

With a weak hour to start the night, a new show at 10pm, and ratings weakness (Scrubs, Ted) at 9pm following Dancing With The Stars, I can’t see ABC finishing better than 4th for the night. Of course the CW’s going to be a distant fifth, but I’d guess that Melrose Place does better than Privileged did in the same slot initially, so the CW will see an uptick for the night to start the season.

Note: I make all my guesses completely unburdened by having read any reviews of any of the new shows, having seen any of the pilots, or knowing any more than the most casual details of their subject matter. Does that make mine better or worse than the typical TV writer which focuses almost solely on those? Your mileage may vary.

Fox caveat: Regardless of their other shows outcome of the major league baseball playoffs can make or break Fox’s fall averages. If they get long series with good matchups their overall averages benefit tremendously. If they get short series with bad matchups, they’ll suffer.

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68 Responses to “Tuesday Night 2009-10: Seeing Double; Dancing x2, NCIS x2, Melrose Place & More…”

  1. zeker says:

    Even if Shark Tank was a good show (and it isn’t) look at the competition it is facing. Three different shows with a 3.3 demo rating or over (plus whatever drek is on Dawn’s estrogenfest).

    My bet is that this is one of the first shows canceled. Experts, yea or neh?

  2. Bill Gorman says:

    zeker, early cancellations usually happen because of a downside surprise. Shark Tank’s certainly got plenty of ratings downside potential, but it’s unlikely to be a surprise since the summer run-up has established a track record. My guess is that while it might not come back next season (extremely hard to predict for unscripted shows) it is very unlikely to get pulled early.

  3. Julia says:

    Zeker, Biggest Loser usually is more in the 2.5-3.0 range for 8 pm, but your point still stands. But it’s hard to think of Shark Tank as the first show canceled when it will probably air more episodes than whatever the second show canceled airs, since it has already aired in the summer.

  4. moraliste says:

    I read the post linking the Wposts’ reviews with initial interest and growing dismay and even revulsion. ( Off-topic, I know.) I don’t remember a review of Melrose Place or got bored before I found it, but on the off-chance of the bone or two of non politisized eroticism its the only new show of all those listed I would watch. ( Hey,I watched the worst movie of the year so far, Van Wilder: Freshman Year,just because of the ten seconds of titillation,and of course ten seconds out of 24,000 or so was all I got. ) Listening to Stl baseball with the only pseudo-male ( not that I’m pseudo, but TV programmers are ) appeal show on for eye candy – Kim, Kourtney and Khloe, three women who if included in the 72-houri package I’d gladly,if not an agnostic infidel, fly a plane into Disneyworld for. When these fools realize 50% of all those employed are women ( duh, does that mean there are 10% more men held hostage by the recession to daytime TV?) maybe TV will stop being an “estrogenfest”. Have these empty suits not yet lost enough of all they care about – do ra mi – to effect profitable programming changes in the five to ten they have left?

  5. Jared says:

    Darn, there’s nothing good on Tuesdays now with Fringe moving to Thursdays, I guess that means I have to actually do something productive.

  6. Don J says:

    Melrose Place is going to do way better than Priviledged last season. I would anticipate it premieres in the 3-3.5M range and stays around 3M.

  7. Tori says:

    I’d be shocked if Melrose Place got anything higher than 3-4 million viewers.

  8. rob says:

    With all the promotion the CW has done, cant be surprised if Melrose Place premieres high. 90210 premiered 5 million viewers last year and the CW didnt even do as much promotion for the shows as they did this year.

  9. Vetinari says:

    If NCIS LA lasts the whole season I’ll be surprised. It has none of the elements that made NCIS work.

  10. Samuel says:

    Well, nothing good on Tuesday… so I’ll be able to go work and do my school things.
    It’s a good Idea for Fox to throw crappy reality show against crappy reality show… better than throwing Fringe anyway. Do you have Monday night somewhere?

  11. Lesli says:

    It’ll be interesting to see if 90210 can get back the viewers it lost last season.

  12. Robert says:

    you would think the creators of Melrose place could come up with a different name. At least with 90210 it was slightly changed.

  13. Jessica says:

    Now that 90210 is back in it’s 8pm timeslot and has taken more of a consistent comedic drama tone, I definitely think it can get viewers back. I’m more concerned about Melrose. I doubt it can keep the tween 90210 viewers tuned in and I don’t see fans of the original liking the twist that happens in the first ten minutes.

  14. rob says:

    Jessica, that concerns me too. Im sure people are happy that Sydney is back but then she just gets killed off again which does stink.

  15. Bill Gorman says:

    Vetinari, while I am unburdened by ever having watched NCIS or knowing anything more about NCIS:LA than it’s a spinoff, you’re in the tiny minority with that call. The conventional wisdom is that NCIS:LA can’t miss. Based on CBS’ audience and their ability to program to it, I agree with the conventional wisdom in this case.

  16. Gina says:

    @Robert, I don’t see why they would have changed the name. It’s supposed to be an updated version of the same show where as 90210 is a spinoff.

  17. moraliste says:

    Au contraire, Veternari: A good friend of mine watches NCIS so I have seen beaucoups episodes. I think upping the sexual tension in LA with gratuitous beach shots, plots involving conniving man trapping ( or female Naval officer trapping ) strippers and all the other only real reasons to set a procedural of any kind in LA or Fla. may be a hit. And don’t tell me crossover episodes with that Goth hottie/geek with the black bangs blue eyes and tatooes of skulls and roses letting it all hang out in a string bikini and causing shock waves of dismay and slow-burning guilty pleasure among the brass … my check from Belisarius (?) will be in the mail, I’m sure.

  18. Robert says:

    NCIS LA will retain most of NCIS’s audience, maybe it’ll even grow in demos. It’s imposible for this show to bomb. And with a good lead The Good Wife will do pretty well, probably Without a Trace numbers

  19. GEORGE 11 says:

    IN MY OPINION MELROSE PLACE WILL HAVE AT LEAST 4 MILLION VIEWERS!!THIS SUMMER IT MP HAD THE BIGGER PROMOTION ON THE CW HISTORY AND I THINK IS THE BUZZIEST NEW SHOW!!!SO IF 90210 PREMIERED LAST YEAR WITH MORE THAN 5 NILLION VIEWERS I THINK THAT MELROSE WILL HAVE AROUND 5,20-5,40 MILLION VIEWERS!!!
    90210 WILL HAVE AN INCREASE FROM LAST SPRING.I THINK THAT IT COULD REACH 3,10-3,20 MILLION VIEWERS BUT NOT MORE!!!

  20. Julia says:

    George, caps lock! Please!

  21. jan & ken says:

    now that the season is over and i dont own a cd player i am going through NCIS, we are going through NCIS withdrawl. this is the most entertaing program televised is a long time. rather than once a week please consider re-runs of the old series. pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaase!!! thanks
    jan & ken NCIS fans

  22. Bill Gorman says:

    jan & ken, have cable? USA is all NCIS “historic” repeats, all the time.

  23. The1337 says:

    From the 2 NCIS episodes that featured the cast of NCIS: LA, I can say that while the show will most likely retain the original’s viewers, it just doesn’t have the dynamic of NCIS or JAG.

  24. sam says:

    i think melrose place will do for quite good for the CW…the good wife is a sure hit along with NCIS LA…The forgotten will be just that…forgotten

  25. Jon says:

    I reckon NCIS LA will be on at 9pm for this season only, I think CBS want to build its audience using NCIS as a lead in and then move to a night and slot where CBS isn’t doing as well such as Wednesdays at 8pm or Sundays.

    I think NCIS could hit series highs with no real competition on the drama until November when V premieres.

  26. Mark says:

    On tuesdays I will be watching 90210, Melrose Place, and The Forgotten. I will be recording The Good Wife!

  27. Mark says:

    And I’ll watch Better Off Ted and Scrubs midseason and V when november comes around.

  28. Don J says:

    NCIS LA is a guaranteed hit. If you think otherwise, then your kidding yourself. It has 2 cool lead stars (O’Donnell and LL Cool J) and has the NCIS name and most importantly it’s a weekly procedural which CBS loves. I think it will premiere with at least 13M viewers and stay in the 12-13M range weekly.

  29. Shem says:

    Mark, you like your women!
    I will be checking out Melrose Place & The Jay Leno Show- will be watching DWTS of course and the good wife looks quite interesting.

    My parents will be watching So you think you can dance…

  30. Catherine says:

    As a long time NCIS viewer I wasn’t too enthused over LA but I I think the addition of Linda Hunt to NCIS:LA added some needed quirk if the ads are to be believed. I can take or leave Chris O’Donnell but I did like LL Cool J in the original two parter. And there will be cross over with some of earlier show’s characters. It should do fine.

    Just saw an ad in the movie theater for for Jay Leno’s show. Exactly why couldn’t they come up with funny bits for the ads? Isn’t Jay funny? I used to like Jay and he was funny. What happened?

    So at 10 on Tuesdays maybe “The Good Wife” might be okay. Not sure what kind of demo CBS wants in that slot. Judging Amy and Without a Trace both had good overall ratings in the time slot. In between they had shows that had few viewers and no demos. I think they want a miracle show. At least they are heavily promoting it.

  31. BJ says:

    Don’t forget Sons of Anarchy.

  32. j36 says:

    Tuesday Night is a huge night for me
    NCIS
    NCIS Los Angeles
    and V

    CBS
    NCIS Defitnitly has a chace of being the number 1 show on TV (18-20million)
    NCIS LA will defitnitly do good (13-15million)
    Not sure on the good wife it look boring (6-8million)

    ABC
    V will defitnitly do good first episodes but it is on the 8pm slot with Idol and NCIS on in January (12-14million)
    Dancing with the stars will stay the same (15-17million)
    The Forgotten is a goner (8-10million)

    NBC
    The Biggest Loser will do well (7-9million)
    Jay leno show will do well at first then go down (4-6million)

    FOX
    SYTYCD will probablly get its summer #s (8-10million)

  33. rob says:

    j36, V premieres on November 3 at 8.

  34. Lizardman says:

    Tuesday night for me will be NCIS, NCIS:LA, and then The Forgotten. Probably DVR it all and come back and watch it when I have time. The big night this year is Thursday with multiple good shows against each other. Better have a Dual DVR handy!

  35. Chis says:

    Thrusday i have Greys Cis Finge at 9 Friday its Ugly Betty, South Land, Law and Oder, Ghosat Wisper, Numbers Mondays at 8 is How i meet your mother, Herose, House, and plus cable shows so everynight is booked for me

  36. Chis says:

    oh and Meduim on fridays

  37. Vetinari says:

    Bill, I may be in the tiny minority among people making calls about whether the show will hit or miss but I’m not in the minority among people who have long watched NCIS, in that nobody I know online or in real life liked the two-part spinoff sampler that aired on NCIS earlier this year. What made NCIS work was ensemble charm, banter, a light touch, Harmon’s carefully drawn and interesting character, a different location than usual (Virginia) and a few other things like seeing an old favorite McCallum from ages ago.

    The spinoff just looks like heavy handed action in same-old same-old LA with lots of techno gadgets. Just as a generic action show it perhaps might work but even then I have my doubts. What is it about LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell that says can’t miss? If anything it says “you’re kidding, right?”

    I expect NCIS LA to do well at first, it’s after an existing hit so it will get that initial boost. But like Parks and Rec it will slowly slide.

    Just my opinion of course, but figured I ought to explain myself a bit.

  38. the128boy says:

    I think NCIS: LA will keep close to NCIS in the demo (maybe a little higher, maybe a little lower), and The Good Wife could keep a good chunk of the preceding hour, too (talk about a show idea relevant to the current times, huh?).

    Biggest Loser will probably continue to do well, even up against the added reality dose of 2hr SYTYCD. I am willing to bet Fox’s “Dance” will hurt ABC’s “Dancing” more than NBC’s “Loser”. Leno is still a big who-knows-how-it-will-turn-out.

    Ted and Scrubs will be D.O.A., and I tend to think Shark Tank will not make it to November. After the summer pass it has enjoyed, it could very well perform as poorly or worse than Opportunity Knocks. Hello 8pm DWTS Recap.

  39. Vetinari says:

    I expect it to perform like The Unit once it settles in, which wasn’t a bomb but it wasn’t good enough for cbs or they wouldn’t have cancelled it. I just think that people don’t realize how carefully constructed NCIS is. Even if one doesn’t like it, the production qualities, how professionally made it is, deserves respect. It’s not an accidental hit or slapped together show. Who knows, I may eat crow on this because as you say a lot of the pros say otherwise and I’m very much not a pro. :)

  40. Carpe says:

    If TV Guide’s magazine article about NCIS LA being less of an ensemble and more of a LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell buddy show is correct, I actually think The Mentalist was a much more compatible lead out. It seems to me CBS originally wanted The Mentalist to be a companion show to NCIS, not for it to prop up CSI on Thursday.

    I’ll still try NCIS LA, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Vetinari’s prediction is correct about it starting well and then slowly declining.

  41. Dan says:

    Here’s my thought

    ABC
    Shark Tank 6-8 million viewers likely air out its run
    Dancing With the Stars 18-22 million viewers
    The Forgotten 9-13 million viewers likely renewed

    CBS
    NCIS 18-20 million
    NCIS LA 15-17 million easily renewed likely to retain most of its lead in
    The Good Wife 10-13 million likely to stick around a while

    CW
    90210 3-4 million
    Melrose Place 2-3 million likely to retain a larger protion of 90210 then Privileged

    FOX
    So You Think You Can Dance 9-12 million viewers

    NBC
    The Biggest Loser 7-10 million viewers

    Bottom line CBS will easily win the night, Dancing in demos, Loser and SYTYCD will probably tie and the CW 90s combo will come in 5th. Good Wife will probably beat The Forgotten but only slightly. I believe NCIS LA will get Mentalist type numbers.

  42. Chucksmom says:

    I bet SYTYCD will bet DWTS.

    Did the ratings drop last season for DWTS?

  43. Buzz says:

    The only thing that’s surprising about NCIS LA is that it’s after the original I would have thought they would put it on another night to build another night up like Fridays at 9PM or heaven forbid, put NEW shows on Saturday night, other than 48 Hours Mystery which pulls in pretty good numbers

  44. steve says:

    I Think putting NCIS:LA on after NCIS is a massive gamble and am worried it wont pay of. For me they should of dont what theyeve done with the CSIs and had it on a different night.

  45. forg says:

    My predictions for the premiere of the new shows:

    NCIS LA: 14-16 million
    The Good Wife: 8-11 million
    Melrose Place: 2.5 – 3.5 million
    The Forgotten: 6-9 million
    Jay Leno Show Tuesday: 8-12 million

    I’m also expecting huge numbers for the NCIS premiere, probably it will cross the 20 million viewers mark base from the excellent performance it had last season.

  46. Cody says:

    I think that CBS is doing something. DWTS will be on top but NCIS will be a close second NCIS LA with CBS’s fortune will succeed beyond all of our wildest dreams as a close second to NCIS. SYTYCD I hope flops and FOX Moves to scripted program for tuesday. CW WHO CARES.
    This makes me think that the reason CBS is so successful is that all they have is CBS and a few other projects (CW, Showtime, CBS Radio) NBC is so big and so diversifed its not focused. There splintering themselves in ratings. Maybe if NBC cuts back on cable operations to 2-3 cable channels and NBC they would be so much more successful.

  47. Holly says:

    I think CBS will win this night. NCIS: LA is a can’t miss. Good Wife will do decent viewers but probably lower demos. Critics have liked it more than they expected to, so it might have a chance to do better, especially with the lack of competition.

    I also think CBS could benefit from the reality over-saturation for the first two hours.

    Fox will do OK with SYTYCD, but with more competition in the fall than the summer, so I wouldn’t expect that average to go up any, but it could hurt the other two reality shows.

    This is one of NBC’s strongest nights and Loser has held up season after season. I expect it to do well again and possibly beat SYTYCD.

    On ABC we already know that Shark Tank will get low numbers and Dancing will be the tent pole. I’m not expecting much out of Forgotten.

    The CW is…well…the CW. It will come in 5th. 90210 keep its low numbers from last spring. Melrose will do better than Privileged and could grow from 90210.

  48. forg says:

    I’m rooting for The Good Wife because it has a likable cast but not really expecting to be a breakout hit.

    SYTYCD might suffer from viewer burnout but I guess it will be steady but nothing spectacular

  49. the128boy says:

    Holly, I agree and definately think Loser will beat SYTYCD in the demos. American Idol barely affects it at all… DWTS will be in more trouble because of Fox’s decision to have a fall version.

  50. Mark says:

    Shem, yes I do! I’ve lost interest in DWTS.

    My parents watch NCIS and So You Think You Can Dance…

  51. joseph says:

    I Think

    8pm NCIS will be in first place. Maybe SYTYCW will tie in demo. TBL will be higher at 9pm as usual.

    Shark Tank is a bomb alredy. 90210 will do very poorly

    9pm NCIS: Los Angeles will win in viewers, TBL in demo, SYTYCD tie in demo with NCIS. Dancing will be in four place in demo, second in viewers

    Melrose Place will be like 90210, high premiere, and falling apart. They should have done again what the did with 90210 last year hiding the pilot from the media

    1opm The Good Wife will win hands down, but the demo will be low. The ABC drama will flop and Leno too

  52. Tommy says:

    I completely agree with Holly and 128Boy, I will say that I think that if The Good Wife was anywhere else on the schedule besides opposite Leno it would be DOA, but given the fact that it’s only broadcast competition is Leno and The Forgotten (which I give a very generous 12 episodes before cancellation) The Good Wife should do very well with the 2 NCIS versions as it’s lead in.

    As for 90210 and Melrose…90210 will do the same numbers it was getting at the end of it’s first season and possible go down from there…it may end up being the CW’s According to Jim (overwhelming should be canceled but keeps getting renewed.) I see Melrose starting high like 90210 did and then fizzling out.

    The only Tuesday night show I’m not sure about is V, I think ABC is making a mistake holding it back until November when the other Networks have strong reality shows and NCIS. Viewers will already be settled into their viewing habits by then and it can be hard to pull people away (Especially when those shows are competition reality shows and a tried and true favorite for many {NCIS}. Shark Tank might pull a 1.0 in the demo once the real TV shows get started and the summer pass is over. So V will definitely have some major hurdles to overcome.

  53. forg says:

    I really don’t think Melrose Place’s premiere would rate as high with 90210’s premiere (roughly 5 million viewers and 2.6 in the demo) . There was more hype with 90210 last year than Melrose Place this year. Yes the show is promoted well but it seems to me that the curiosity for 90210 was higher than MP. There was more anticipation to see Doherty and Garth together again. Let’s face it there was more of the ‘nostalgia’ interest in the show than the new cast. Sure MP brought Sydney but her fate was spoiled and some might be discouraged to watch it. I just see the show to premiere on modest ratings, maybe at 2.0 demo at best. But it should score good in the 18-34 women demo, probably a 3.0

    I think they will really try to get Locklear to guest star and if that happens I’m really curious how will it affect the ratings

  54. Well, there’s nothing on the main networks for Tuesday night for me.

    The only two shows I’m seriously jonesing for their return are Sanctuary on SyFy and Fringe on Fox (two very similar shows in some respects).

    Sanctuary is really the main show I totally am in love with at the moment. October can’t come too soon for me.

  55. vsaint says:

    I’m a NCIS fan, and i’m i liked the spinoff episode.
    It wasn’t perfect, but i saw enough that i’m going to watch NCIS:LA.
    NCIS wasn’t a hit early on, it grew, so i’m thinking the same can happen with spinoff.
    It kind of reminds me of CSI:Miami, it’ll be nicely shot with the LA setting, instead of using sets.

    Also fans of NCIS aren’t likly to go anywhere else, with 3 reality shows & Melrose.
    For me it’s either NCIS LA or no tv at 9pm, since i’m not watching reality.

  56. Boris says:

    “Fox caveat: Regardless of their other shows outcome of the major league baseball playoffs can make or break Fox’s fall averages.”

    Go Rangers!

  57. Kathy B. says:

    I’ve got nothing on Tuesdays as well. I guess I’ll be watching my Monday DVR shows.

  58. Pat says:

    I think NCIS is a horrible show. Seems like they know the writing and acting can’t stand on its own so they have background music thoughout and funky camera work. But CBS has a hit on its hands and now it is on for two hours. Although I really doubt hour two will do quite as well as the Minimalist did last year especially in 18-49

  59. Tom says:

    Again, I want to see just how Fox keeps SYTYCD running during baseball season, when part or all of the show may be preempted, possibly for weeks in a row.

    I said it the day of the upfronts, and I’ll say it again now: Fox airing a fixed duration Fall show, when AI is guaranteed to take over the slots in January, makes sense. But a live competition show, when baseball plays havoc with the schedule for much of the fall, does not. Not to mention viewer apathy, if Fox continues to air summer and fall seasons back to back.

    What Fox should do is air something like Hell’s Kitchen on Tuesdays in Fall only – fixed duration, pre-filmed, no continuity to worry about. Actually, that sounds like a quality reality rotation to me: Hell’s Kitchen in Fall, AI in Spring, SYTYCD in Summer.

  60. Tom says:

    There’s always Sons of Anarchy on FX. And in November, you can watch the probable train wreck that is V.

  61. Eric (Ohio) says:

    Well there is absolutely nothing on Tuesday night broadcast channels that I’ll watch. That sucks.

    Fox screwed up moving Fringe from there. I think House used to be on tuesdays too? then it was moved to mondays?

    /sigh.

  62. Dan says:

    Forg – your predictions for tuesday seem accurate. Its possible that NCIS LA would cross the 20 million mark but but it would have to hold on to a lot of its NCIS audience and do better than the 3 reality/comeptition shows DWTS, SYTYCD and Biggest Loser.

    Eric (Ohio) – House and Fringe used to be be on Tuesdays but this season both series were (in my opinion) smartly moved. House was moved to help out Lie to Me on mondays (which will bring more viewers than the Terminator/Prison Break disaster from last year), and Fringe was moved after Bones on Thursdays. Though Fringe will face heavy CSI, Grey’s and The Office competition, it should hold on to most of its Bones lead in.

    Basically for Tuesdays if you don’t like Dancing/Reality or 90210 frnachise in general than there won’t be anything to watch on Tuesdays. Personally I’mw waiting for December for new Scrubs and Ted.

  63. R.G. says:

    I enjoy SYTYCD – but it’s back on waaaay too soon -I can’t watch the Judge (mary, i think) do all that screaming again…later in the night tv shows may get my most viewership – I may try the Good Wife or The Forgotten…not sure I don’t know what I’ll watch on tuesdays if at all – but I do know i WON’T be watching Beeker from Sesame Street…I mean…LENO (sorry – I can’t understand either of them and i get confused…)

  64. Tony says:

    I think CBS will do well, at least between 8 and 10; The Good Wife is an unknown. Fans certainly stayed away from Juliana as a lawyer in Canterbury’s Law last year. The two dancing shows are likely to cannibalize each other’s ratings, leaving each show with a fraction of what they received when they aired apart from each other. Biggest Loser has a very loyal fan base, and it seems to stay strong, and even get stronger, each year, so I think it will do just as well, if not better, than last year. As for Leno, one of the major marketing consultants picked Tuesday as likely being his strongest night. The argument, I think, is that (a) it will have a strong lead-in from Biggest Loser, and (b) once viewers sample the new dramas on CBS and ABC, if they don’t fall in love with one of those shows quickly, they are likely to default to a comfortable, funny alternative in Jay Leno. Look for CBS at #1, NBC at #2, Fox at #3 and ABC at #4 on Tuesday nights.

  65. Dan says:

    Tony – Canterbury’s Law got a bad deal, it gor a midseason launch and aired after repeats due to the strike. NCIS: LA will be renewed without a doubt or second thought so one new drama likely to be cancelled is either The Good Wife or Three Rivers. However this cancellation is not as obvious as last year’s The Ex List. I’m leaning toward The Good Wife being renewed for a full year or additional episodes because of good buzz, however it does air in the deadly Tuesday 10pm slot, on the other had theres no SVU to slow the series down, theres just ABC’s The Forgotten. Good Wife airing after NCIS: LA might help the seires like Without a Trace airing after The Mentalist brought tuesday 10pm numbers up. Three Rivers is at a worse postition since its at 9pm. Its likely to be axed after 4 airings do to heavy competition and the series bringing down the waning veteran Cold Case. What CBS should do in this case is when Three Rivers gets axed they should move Cold Case back to 9pm and air the remaining Flashpoint at 10pm until CBS could premiere a midseason drama. That way Flashpoint can finish airing its season and there won’t be repeats for a while.

    My final thought

    NCIS: LA – 15-19 million, full season (24 eps), probably this seasons Mentalist.
    The Good Wife – 9-12 million, will likely get additonal episodes (18-20) and could potentially be replaced by midseason like Eleventh Hour was.
    Three Rivers – cancelled after 4 airings, replaced by November.

    *Note – this is all may speculation, the series hasn’t premiered yet so teres no solid evidence of any of this.

  66. Jon says:

    Don’t CBS have Miami Trauma and The Bridge for midseason as well as Flashpoint? I imagine if Three Rivers flops then CBS will slot in Miami Trauma but I don’t know if it is ready or not to air as quickly as November. The Bridge if not used at midseason could be used in the summer.

  67. David says:

    Anyone like Warehouse 13?

  68. Dan says:

    Jon – CBS has 13 episodes a piece for both Miami Trauma and The Bridge. If Three Rivers flops, a quick replacement could be Flashpoint at 10pm and Cold Case Moved to 9 until January. Its likely that when Flashpoint finishes airing, Miami Trauma could premiere in its spot. CBS is the rare network where most of the time slots of tv series stay nearly identical from September-May with minor changes due to cancellations or other factors. If a show gets cancelled CBS will pull it and quickly replace it with a new show or reruns. My prediction is Three Rivers airs for 4 weeks, then it gets axed. CBS moves Cold Case to 9 and airs the remaining 9 Flashpoint episodes at 10. Around January CBS premieres Miami Trauma, sundays at 10. Another thing that might happen is if CBS gives The Good Wife additional episodes, when that series finishes up its first season they may schedule The Bridge to air in its place. Also I strongly believe that this will be the final season for Cold Case.


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