In sharp contrast to Thursday night, where the broadcast networks bring out their heavyweights, Friday night is reserved in most cases for a broadcaster’s misfit shows. They’re not dead yet or they’d be on Saturday, but they aren’t deemed strong enough to put on any night that really matters.
The exception to that Friday broadcast programming rule is CBS, which has in the past fielded two hours of slightly below average (for the network as a whole) ratings performers. This season, they’ve added Medium, which was cast off by NBC, and look to have their strongest Friday line up in several years.
The shows are each misfits in their own “special” ways, Ugly Betty is airing the episodes it needed to produce for syndication minimums, benefiting the Disney empire overall. ‘Til Death, was bad enough to be pulled after 5 episodes last season, but a reportedly “give away” licensing deal by Sony Pictures Television to get it to syndication has resurrected it. Law & Order is here to achieve it’s 20th season and then drift into the sunset. I think Southland’s renewal was realized to be a mistake soon after its announcement, and it’s perhaps thought to be either too expensive or too much of a come down to *start* it off on Saturday night this season. Enough has been written already about Dollhouse’s low ratings and its surprising renewal. Since Fox had no other half hour free anywhere on its schedule for a non-animated show, Brothers gets stuck in front of ‘Til Death. And while Smallville is anything but ratings challenged (at least for the CW), it doesn’t fit with the CW’s “all young women, all the time” demo target, so off it went to Friday. Such are the tales of the Friday misfits.
Below are the hourly lineups, including each shows 18-49 demo rating average (which includes in-slot repeats) from the 2008-9 season as well as my guesses for the fall nightly overall results.
If you enjoyed the Friday’s look ahead for the new season, check out Thursday’s, Wednesday’s and Tuesday’s.
8:00
Supernanny (ABC), 1.7 18-49 demo rating
Ghost Whisperer (CBS), 2.4 18-49 demo rating
Smallville (CW), 1.4 demo rating (on Thursday last season)
Brothers (Fox), New
Law & Order(NBC), 2.1 demo rating (on Wednesday last season)
8:30
‘Til Death (Fox), 1.8 demo rating (on Wednesday last season, just 5 non-repeat episodes)
9:00
Ugly Betty (ABC), 2.3 demo rating (on Thursday last season)
Medium (CBS) 2.4 demo rating (on NBC Monday last season)
America’s Next Top Model Repeats (CW) 0.6 demo rating (last fall’s repeats on Fridays and Sundays)
Dollhouse (Fox), 1.5 demo rating
Southland (NBC), 2.4 demo rating (Thursday last season)
10:00
20/20 (ABC), 1.9 demo rating
Numb3rs(CBS), 2.1 demo rating
The Jay Leno Show (NBC), New, Fall 2009 Tonight Show averaged about a 1.4-1.5 demo rating
My Guess
These posts are getting to be a broken record, but it’s hard not to imagine CBS dominating Fridays. They typically won the night last season, and Medium is a net positive. Second place looks to be a battle between NBC and ABC that I think NBC will likely win. Leno has his easiest competition of the week and should do relatively well.
Fox looks to be well back in 4th, but since their Fridays last season were so screwed up, season to season comparisons may not be that bad. The CW will see a big increase on Fridays, since Smallville, their best 18-49 demo show last season, will do far better than The Game and Everybody Hates Chris that it replaces.
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, the 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 season averages benefit tremendously. If they get short series with bad matchups, they’ll suffer.
This is gonna be the low rated show festival!! (if you close you’re eyes on Ghost whisperer)
CBS will definitely win Friday nights in demo and viewers. ABC should come in 2nd. NBC will probably take 3rd. CW and FOX will be close to each other but Id say FOX comes in 4th with CW not too far behind.
If Ugly Betty can up its game (Most of last season was rather perfunctory writing with recycled plots), The key viewers will watch and then go out for the evening. That is ABC’s only hope for second.
It was different when Ugly Betty was on Thursday at 8. It had competition. Here to me the only real competition for Ugly Betty is Medium. The rest of the shows will barely hit a 1.0 demo.
NUMB3RS is my only Friday show (on network TV). On cable I’ve also got Monk & Psych.
At 8pm Ghost Whisperer will dominate, but L&O will be close. Tied in demo
At 9pm Medium will win hands down. I don’t see Ugly Betty doing great on Fridays. Maybe 5 millons, 3er in demo
Southland i think had a shot.. until Medium came in. But i think will do OK
CBS will not only win Fridays, they will completely dominate.
8:00–Ghost Whisperer comes out on top by a substantial margin. L&O will do respectably, beating Supernanny in viewers. Demos between the two are a toss up. Smallville will come in 4th. The Fox comedies will bomb.
9:00–Medium wins, holding most of its GW lead-in. Ugly Betty will beat out Southland, but not necessarily by much. Dollhouse will limp into last place.
10:00–Numb3rs will win the hour in viewers and demo. 20/20 will often be close in the demo. Leno will trail by a smaller margin than every other night.
friday night is very interesting!!
i will watch
UGLY BETTY(of course)
DOLLHOUSE
GHOST WHISPERER
MEDIUM
@t Bill
in your opinion does Ugly Betty has a chance to survive until may or moreover for a fifth season.
i really enjoy this show.it’s much funnier than all sitcoms!!
Even CBS’ misfits are enough to clean house on Friday, both viewers and demos. I see NBC squeaking into second place over ABC to start, though they will probably lose ground once Southland comes in.
How low can Dollhouse go? Nobody knows! I think they will finish the run, even at the 1.0 to 1.2 they bottom at, but prepare for the Whedonites raging once it ends on ~December 18th. Who knows when ‘Til Death gets yanked again, and I doubt Brothers makes it to January, even with Fox’s apparent minority advancement plan.
(Fox, the Republican (at least in news) channel, hires Wanda Sykes, puts on the only African-American lead show of the season, and now hires a lesbian on their biggest hit? Did I fall into Bizarro World?)
Smallville is down from last year, but presumably synidcation/DVD/international works out positive in the end. I think ANTM numbers could actually be up slightly vs. the repeats last year, due to greater competition in first run slot.
thank god I don’t live in america, I would have to pick between Ghost Whisperer and Smallville (probably record GH) and at 9pm Medium, Ugly Betty and Dollhouse (record Medium but then stuck between Ugly betty and Dollhouse)
zee, thankfully we have DVRs in America!
but Friday my DVR won’t be very active. I will DVR Dollhouse, watch Numb3rs through On Demand or via CBS streaming to iPhone later in the week, and probably use the night to catch up on all the other stuff that has piled up on the DVR Sun-Thursday.
It’s a shame there’s no Flashpoint. Realistically CBS will win, but since I want to believe, I’ll take Dollhouse. Btw, it’s the 16th anniversary of The X-Files.
Dollhouse is the only show that interests me on Fridays.
It will be very interesting to see how the 9:00 slot actually turns out. Medium should have no trouble winning and I’m guessing that Ugly Betty comes in second, but will see noticeably reduced ratings. I’m guessing that Southland’s numbers won’t be at all pretty, but whether they are still enough to beat Dollhouse I’m not sure.
I am very curious to see if Reilly’s reasons for renewing DH hold and if he will indeed be happy with the same ratings as last year (if it can at least maintain those numbers).
I cannot believe that Law and Order will end this year. I wish it would stay on longer.
L&O and 8:00 seems destined to be a major failure. Everytime a L&O show or spin-off has been moved earlier from the 10:00PM slot it has lost viewers. I’m not optimistic for SVU at 9:00.
Unless Leno doesn’t do as well as planned and they have him on 3 nights a week and put the L&O’s at the twp remaining 10:00 pm slots.
*two, sorry
Somehow for this is an exciting night because there is competition. I just don’t like the ANTM repeat because for me its waste of timeslot although probably its cost effective but I would appreciate if the CW risked and put scheduled something there.
Anyway for my predictions;
8pm
GH will win for sure, Law and Order might do decently. Supernanny will be its usual stable performance. Man, I do hope Smallville beats Til Death and Brothers even if in just the demo only, total viewers might still go Fox’s sitcoms. But wow at the survival of Til Death, living up to its name really.
Ghost Whisperer – 10 million (2.4 demo)
Law and Order – 7.5 million (2.0 demo)
Supernanny – 7 million (1.7 demo)
Til Death – 4 million (1.3 demo) / Brothers – 3 million (1.3 demo)
Smallville – 3 million (1.4 demo)
9pm
I hope Ugly Betty comes in second at least.
Medium – 9 million (2.4 demo)
Ugly Betty – 7 million (1.9 demo)
Southland – 5 million (1.7 demo)
Dollhouse – 4 million (1.5 demo)
ANTM repeat – 1 million (0.4 demo)
10pm
Numb3rs – 10 million (2.2 demo)
20/20 – 6 million (1.8 demo)
Jay Leno – 4 million (1.5 demo)
^ Your Ugly Betty #s are very optimistic, considering the show was struggling to get 7 million/1.9 demos near the tail end of its previous season.
^ Yeah, I’m hoping that with lesser competition now, it could get that number because I don’t see Southland and Dollhouse pulling viewers away from Betty.
Speaking of the misfits – will CBS air Rudolph on Friday this Christmas season?
Or, for that matter, we could predict the demos of all the Christmas programs now, for a giant Cornelius doll – but will any of them reach even a 1.0 demo?
As for the night – I feel sorry for Brad Garrett, as he is the Jeopardy answer to this question: “Which Garrett is the least likely to get good ratings and demos for FOX this season at 8 o’clock – Brad, Leif, or Steve Mc?” I feel sorry for him, because there’s something for everybody at 8 – no two genres alike here – and he can’t take advantage.
Only because of CBS being CBS is Ghost Whisperer very likely to finish first. Law and Order and Supernanny could seriously challenge CBS at 8 – even if Jo doesn’t, their demo to dollar ratio is still going to be the best on the night, save for possibly 20/20 and Leno.
Smallville – well, it should do well by CW standards, and possibly a little better. As for ‘Til Death, even MyNetwork TV could put a Smackdown on FOX – but since FOX owns MyNetwork, they won’t mind quite as much. Can I say “h-e-double toothpicks” here, Bill and Robert? When ion beats ‘Til Death, that’s what the FOX board is going to be saying…
9 o’clock (I am being nice, since I live in the Central, and am an hour behind TV Guide
) – Medium has a far better chance to do well than its namesake title would indicate. And, again, something different on every channel, so this hour will also be interesting.
Southland is the key for the hour – if it can get on track, it will finish second here, beating Ugly Betty. If it can’t, Betty has a good chance to take second here. FOX is happier here, as Dollhouse should easily beat America’s Next Top Model repeats – how it does against everyone else is what is worrying the Whedonistas – for good reason.
“It’s…ten o’clock…” – channeling Bill Cosby here, walking across the Ninth Street Bridge…
…and FOX and the CW leave the national ether at this hour, and as Arte Johnson would say, “…verry, veryy interesting…” – once more, something different everywhere on the dial.
A lot of good sensational stories this season? If so, 20/20 has a very good chance to beat Numb3rs and Leno. If not, they still won’t do too badly – remember, their cost to demo ratio is very, very good. Leno, depending on his guest roster, could steal a few nights here. But Numb3rs is on the Eye, and I can’t see it totally collapsing just because of that.
The only thing that could make this night more interesting is if NBC moves Chuck here, replacing Southland (I duck and cover here
)
I think Ugly Betty on Fridays is the show’s last chance as evident with changes being made, if it doesn’t come second behind Medium or beat it in the demos then I think this will probably be the final season.
Jon – it may be Betty’s last season anyway…
…or, perhaps ABC/Disney could try to steal a march on Telemundo (owned by NBC/U), with selected programs broadcast in English, but with some obvious Hispanic appeal – which Betty seems to do rather nicely (although only Disney sees that level of demographic data from Nielsen, so who really knows?)
If Disney was doing this, and those specific demos were fairly good, could that keep Betty on the air as long as the main demo doesn’t drop below 1.8 or so?
We could say that Betty would be a burnt tortilla, and she might be – but ‘Til Death was atomized in the demos, and every other Nielsen measure, and came back anyway…so who knows?!
I think Ugly Betty is going to die like no one’s business. I think it did fair on Thursdays not because the show was good, but because it was a leadin to Grey’s, and across from survivor where people who don’t want reality need somewhere to go. It’s a big TV watching night so the divided audience goes somewhere.
I loved the first season of Betty. But there were very few things on TV last year as wretched as the way Betty ended. My god, it was a complete and total trainwreck. By the end of the season, it was both hard to follow and Betty had turned into a pretty unlikable character.
I have no idea how they pull this show out of the fire considering how poorly it finished… it backed characters into a corner where you just don’t like any of them.
Sad, because it was such a cute show. But it ended as though the people behind “Dirty Sexy Money” wrote it as an afterthought. And that says something.
NBC is the network to watch out for on Fridays. They have really improved the night by adding Law & Order there. CBS Friday is going to start its aging process this year so expect NBC to eat up some of that audience. SouthLAnd could be a huge surprise and possibly going next and neck with Medium by mid-season. The key for SouthLAnd is to really combine it with L&Os audience and the changes to making it more of a procedural will really help and the repeat ratings have improved over the summer.
ABC is a dud and Ugly Betty is done.
Now the race at the bottom could belong to Smackdown! but I really believe the key here for FOX is to remain patient with Brothers and ‘Til Death. I know there are in plans in place to do a 2 hour comedy block in the future on FOX and they really need to be patient and don’t axe anything.
Just like Ugly Betty the veteran Smallville is done.
i just whaced CSi and saw promo for Ghoast Wisper and MEDUIM and they had the song sweet Dreams where made of these i can see this working well as i enjoy both shows
Did u even have to make this article? its obvious what will be axed.
@HotPocket, You expect L&O and Southland to improve on last year despite being moved to a night with much lower viewership?
GHOST ADVENTURES!!!
I think a 2 is a good rating for Fridays. And only CBS shows will get that…2 of 3.
I’m watching every episode of Dollhouse. ‘Tis the only show this fall I will do that for along with sort of Gossip Girl.
Only one I’ll be watching is Dollhouse. Hopefully it doesn’t get its ass kicked in the ratings.
Holly: Southland improve? I don’t think so…
…drop below Dollhouse? I don’t think that will happen, either…
…would repeats of Adam-12 do better? They might…
…as for L&O, they probably will not improve – but, if Dick Wolf gets a great few stories to start the season, and keeps the momentum going, I could see a situation happening similar to what happened to ER last season – it could have a finale with a 3.5 to 4.0 demo. Not near their peak demos in their salad days, but NBC would take it.
Chris – my wife really loves Betty; me, I can tolerate it, and do like it somewhat, but can miss it with no worries. This indicates a definite possibility of renewal once more – if I had really liked it as well as my wife, it would definitely be canceled (ask my wife about Missing, Wild Card, and the Division (all canceled by Dawn Ostroff at Lifetime), only if you want to see her cry, then give you a reverse mohawk).
I think I’d rather watch a series about the toys on the “Island of Misfit Toys” from your thread lead-in photo!
SAVE CHUCK!
CHUCK! CHUCK! CHUCK!
It’s all about CHUCK!
Signed,
Annoying Chuck Fan
@Theoacme, I wasn’t actually suggesting that they would improve. I was questioning HotPocket’s prediction because the only way it would work is if they get better numbers this season on Friday than they got last season on Wednesday and Thursday (something that is highly unlikely).
Can Smallivlle actually do just as well on Friday’s?
they won’t do as well in the 18-34, but 18-49, should stay pretty much the same and total viewers don’t think will take much of hit.
My guesses: CBS first, ABC a decent second, NBC doing okay with L&O, Southland flopping, Jay Leno starting out all right and tailing off badly as the season goes along, and Dollhouse really stinking it up.
I’m guessing that Medium could possibly or probably get a higher number than Ghost Whisperer.
They only extended Ugly Betty to next season (it’s 5th) to complete the recommended 100 episodes for syndication, expect it to falter in ratings next season, and then be canceled by ABC.
Either that or a major budget cut by halting shooting on film in favor of shooting direct to video a la daytime soaps or Rescue Me or Dollhouse.
Oh whoops, Ugly Betty is coming into it’s fourth season, see I haven’t watched it in years, either way, it’s quite the goner or huge budget cuts if it doesn’t do well this year, but i think it’s a goner, I don’t think Vanessa Williams will accept a drastic salary decrease.
I’m an ardent Ugly Betty booster, even if the last part of the second season was crap and the first half of the third season was not much better.
UB has already been bought into syndication by the TV Guide network, so the extra episodes are not necessary.
The ratings were remarkably consistent in 2009. Here they are, from January onwards:
7.5/2.4
7.4/2.3
7.3/2.3
7.4/2.3
7.7/2.3
6.7/2.0*
6.4/1.7*
7.2/2.1
7.6/2.1 DST
Hiatus
6.8/2.0
7.5/2.1
6.8/2.0
6.3/1.9*
* = when it was followed by a GA repeat, or not by GA at all. DST = Daylight Savings Time.
DST is typically very hard on 8pm series, yet UB didn’t lose a whole lot of audience because of it. And even after coming back from hiatus, the show maintained when from an average of 7.3/2.1 to a 6.9/2.0 – a loss of 5% in viewers and adults – not much. Even this summer, Friday repeat ratings are just slight off par with Thursday repeat ratings.
I really think that UB has a reached its base audience. While Fridays can be seen as tougher as there are lower HUT levels, being at 9pm could very well help, as could the lack of established competition (outside of Medium). I predict 6.5 million viewers and a 1.8 rating for the series, off of a 5.0/1.4 for Supernanny, numbers that ABC can be happy about.
I’m also could be grasping at straws. Please excuse from fandom.
I’m with you on Ugly Betty. If the writers and producers can get their “mojo” back and we get compelling episodes once again (Can’t rely on Wilhemina quips alone), the 18-49’s will watch at 9:00 and then go out for the evening.
UB has already been bought into syndication by the TV Guide network, so the extra episodes are not necessary.
Syndication pays off much better with more episodes. It doesn’t matter if one network has already purchased the show. They’ll want to sell it to other nets as well. Plus, the more episodes they make, the more TV Guide will have to pay.
Syfy will have some good shows Friday nights and may pull some viewers with Sanctuary and Stargate Universe. Also USA is putting their new drama White Collar on Friday nights as well.
So I think my Friday will be:
6:00 In my region with Dish Network View Stargate Universe
7:00 View Sanctuary
7:00 DVR White Collar
7:00 DVR Brothers
8:00 View Dollhouse
Lizard
Law and order will not end this season. With the deal with TNT, syndication and international markets it’s like a money machine for NBCU.
And even if NBC won’t pick it up, TNT had stated several times they would pick it up.
Tom, L&O may move to originals on cable as L&O: Criminal Intent did, but this is certainly its last season on NBC. And I’m sure our great grandchildren will be watching Law & Order syndicated repeats though some manner of direct brainwave transmission well after all of us have left this mortal realm.
I can’t believe they canceled Goode Family. Basterds!
CBS a clear first, NBC a clear second, ABC a clear third, and Fox a very, very clear fourth in my book.
But it seems like there’s actually some decent effort being put into the Friday night programming this year. Look at the relatively low percentage of reality programming compared to past seasons. Just Supernanny, Top Model reruns, and I guess 20/20, but that’s different.
I could see Fox’s Friday night blown up at midseason. Although with their lineup it looks like they may have given up on ever being compoetitive on that night. They’re doing just fine every other night of the week, so.
Bill: I can see it now, with individual brainwave transmissions – advertisers could embed the ads, so you could not skip them, ever…
…but Nielsen would have to embed us all with individual “people meter” chips, as the advertisers would not permit Nielsen to provide estimates in that case…
…and how would Nielsen count people who have multiple personalities – say, someone who likes Ugly Betty AND Dollhouse AND Medium AND Smackdown AND Just Shoot Me (local syndication at that hour for me) at the same time…
…and Gorman/Seidman Optimedia will be the next Microsoft with their brainwave transmission technology: “…an audience of one…”
thanks! I love these analyses (sp?) Is there going to be one for the monday too?
I predict CBS will dominate like they did almost every Friday last year.
My only concern is about Numb3rs. I know it was “on the bubble” last year and may have only got renewed because it’s cheaper to make than other shows but I read somewhere that CBS have told the excellent Peter MacNicol (Larry) that there’s not enough budget to have him in every episode this year. Is that cause for concern regarding any possible 7th season of Numb3rs in 2010/11? You know, could the 6th season of Numb3rs be the final season?
Holly: I definitely wasn’t questioning your logic re: Southland…I agree that they will not go up unless something totally weird happens, given the lower Friday HUT levels…
…as for L&O, it is NBC’s version of CSI, and there is some opportunity for a decent ratings finish, despite the lower HUT…
…and as Bill or Robert (I forget – brainwave aide memoires, please, Bill, while you’re about it!) noted elsewhere, a 5 percent drop or so in the demo ratings is basically even these days, so even is the new improvement – and L&O could manage that early on if they get very good performances in writing and acting, and excellent promotion (three big “ifs”)…
…I must have overdosed on Sarcasma and Damitol last night – sorry
Rick Holy: Misfit Toys? I could see that, and frequent crossovers with Lost and Fantasy Island (original voices required)…
…and a 2.0 demo, for both 18-49 ad 18-34, on Adult Swim…
…and Rankin-Bass thanks you – the royalty checks will follow shortly
Dave: the demo numb3rs will tell the tale, I would predict – if it stays level or goes down marginally, and they had budget cuts for this season, it should be as safe as anything can be on Fridays…
…unless CBS does an NBC and starts airing CSI repeats there
House Addict: I guess I didn’t duck in time (owww!)…
…if there is not a Monday analysis, I predict this is what would have happened, and would follow:
1) Bill, Robert, Julia, and Holly would all have been incapacitated, either physically, or legally (say, Nielsen getting a permanent injunction closing TVBTN)…
2) …Chuck fans would run amok throughout Burbank, not realising that NBC moved to the Universal lot…
3) …Subway sales would treble while the Chuck fans ran amok…
4) …Chuckie Sheen would chat up and seduce several hundred of the prettiest girls from the Chuck protests…
5) …Chuck Lorre would fight Nielsen’s permanent injunction, or send Kevin Tighe and Randolph Mantooth to the TVBTN HQ, depending on circumstances, since he would like the good ratings predictions for his two shows to go out…
6) …and Adult Swim would air a 60 minute special, interspersing Chuck protests with voices and footage from the classic Chuck Jones cartoon, “Duck Amuck”…
…oh, btw, my middle name is Charles – or, as the Nerd Herd would say, Chuck
Yes, Virginia, there will be a Monday analysis – bank on it.
I hope Law & Order and Southland do well, because I love Southland. It should hang in there. If Dollhouse has 1.5 in the demo, I think Fox is happy, so I’m happy too.
I maybe treading on dangerous ground here. But I think Dollhouse will collapse on itself in rating. TSCC (uh-oh) although had lower ratings kept dollhouse steady. When it went off and they burned off prison break with it. It collapsed way down past TSCC levels.
TSCC and Dollhouse were a good mix i just think that with problems from the writing and the FOX promotion it flopped.
Smallville, Dollhouse, Stargate Universe, I assume Sanctuary…
Caprica in January.
Wooo, the return of “Sci Fi” Fridays! (it’s just not limited to “SyFy” now!).
I’m excited for SGU even though i have only the big 4 i am definatly watching on hulu
fridays will probabaly be one of the more interesting nights as the networks are putting more establshed shows on fridays instead of reality shows and soon to be canceled shows.
cbs will win but law and order should help nbc gain some ground while abc could also grow if ugly betty doesnt fall too much
When I saw Dollhouse in the title I had to brace myself. I will say this does make Fridays relatively interesting because it is CBS vs. the Island of the Misfit Network shows. Who knows, maybe we’re in for some surprises.
All NBC has to do is put Law& Order on cable along with L&O:CI on USA or they have a deal where TNT airs the episodes first and NBC air repeats in Summer.
A continued successful Sunday night on USA (they could air repeats of Burn Notice @ 7) or even SVU:
8pm- L&O
9pm-L&O:CI
10pm- In Plain Sight
Guess I will be reading a book Friday nights. Absolutely nothing here appeals other than perhaps watching the end of Law and Order…
I really can’t believe that the CW is putting their highest rated show on Fridays with a rerun of Top Model. Why waste that lead-in? Smallville could really give a boost to a new or struggling show.
Dear lord I hope all of these shows see their last season this year. Smallville hasn’t been good since season 3. I guess I’ll just continue watching Smackdown!
Ugly Betty is a comedy-drama.
Here are my guesses for Friday
8:00
Ghost Whisperer – 9-12 million
Law & Order – 6-8 million
Supernanny – 4-5 million
Brothers/Til Death 3-4 million
Smallville 2-3 million
Ghost Whiperer will easily win with around 10 million average. While ratings have lowered, Law & Order will come in second with average 7 million. Third will be Supernanny with around 5 million and the funny thing is that CW’s Smallville may actually been FOX’s combo of Brothers and ‘Til Death.
9:00
Medium – 9-11 million
Ugly Betty – 5-7 million
Southland – 4-6 million
Dollhouse – 2-3 million
ANTM – 1 million
My favorite time period for friday. Two veterans and two sophomore series. As i’ve said many times CBS will easily win with their recently acquired Medium, ABC’s Ugly Betty will likely get second over Southland (although Betty has been sinking), and Dollhouse will get around 2-3 million if its lucky.
10:00
Numb3rs – 9-12 million
20/20 – 5 million
Jay leno Show – 3-4 million
Numb3rs will win 10pm followed by 20/20 then Jay Leno. Pretty simple.
Bottom line: CBS will easily win the night with their ghostly crime solving trio, which is one of their best friday line ups in a while. ABC and NBC may tie for second but NBC looks to win overall. FOX will bomb with Brothers, ‘Til Death and Dollhouse. It looks like to be the final season for 3 veteran series. Law & Order, Smallville are likely to end after this season as well as Ugly Betty (unless ABC finds no new dramas). Southland will probably hold up for the whole season. While everyone says Brothers looks to be axed it won’t be for a few reasons and i’ll explain that further in my next post. Dollhouse will be gone by December. I’ve said it time and time again. It’s ratings will be too low and it will likely run out all 13 episodes. Other than Dollhouse, I don’t know of other friday night series that will be axed in the next few months.
On Friday’s I’ll be watching:
Smallville
and Dollhouse
I will be recording:
Ghost Whisperer
Medium
and Brothers
I will be dvr’ing or watching
8pm-L&O
9pm-Medium/Monk
10pm-Psych/White Collar
I’m glad I have multiple dvr’s.
I think CBS will come out on top on Friday nights. ABC would be my next guess to come in 2nd. NBC could beat ABC.
I do not think Dollhouse will do well. I still can’t believe ‘Til Death is still on. Southland-I’ve never watched but I know that they have retooled the original story. The show does seem to have some strong supporters.
Smallville-I’ll be curious to see it’s ratings when it’s starts. I have not watched the show since the 2nd or 3rd season.
I messaged Michael Cudlitz (Cooper on Southland) on Twitter and they appear to be a little behind schedule. They start shooting episode 4 on Tuesday. It’s September and they only have 3 episodes filmed? So I guess delaying the premiere was a blessing for them.
^Or (more likely) the delay in the premiere was because they are behind.
Janie Jones – CBS WILL without a doubt win friday nights. I believe with the help of Law & Order and the new retooled Southland, NBC could get second with Supernanny and the waning Ugly Betty getting third. Dollhouse will bomb, and while surprising its not that odd that Til Death is still on. Since it premiered, FOX has had no luck with comedies and everything since then has either bombed (Happy Hour, The Winner, Unhitched, Jezebel James, Do Not Disturb) or was too expensive to keep (Back to You) so to prove they still had live action comedies, FOX has paired Til Death with Brothers for fridays this year. Sony offered FOX a really cheap deal for 22 more episodes in syndication so they decided to take it. Despite highly likely low numbers, Brothers will be kept for a full season. If its ratings are slightly better than Til Death, it will be kept just so FOX doesn’t have a repeat of last fall.
I like L&O and hope that it will extend beyond 20th season..It is a show I like because it is upto the point and there are no distractions in the form of parallel stories of lead detectives like that of in Mentalist or Monk
John – This could be L&O’s final season, since it only has 16 episodes, however NBC’s lack of hit drama’s could make it last a little longer.
if ugly betty has the exactly the same numbers as last year will abc cancel it ot it will be good for their friday night???
my friday nights doesnt have any cw show!!
i will watch
ugly betty
dollhouse
ghost whisperer