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Prime-Time Ratings: Weekend Highlights

Mon Oct 26, 8:42 PM ET

-Friday's Winners (keep in mind that the expectations are lower on this evening):
Ghost Whisperer (CBS), Medium (CBS), Dateline (NBC)

-Friday's Losers (excluding repeats):
Supernanny (ABC), Brothers (Fox), 'Til Death (Fox), Smallville (CW), Ugly Betty (ABC), Dollhouse (Fox), The Jay Leno Show (NBC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:

CBS led this fifth Friday of the 2009-10 season, with a first-place finish in every half hour care of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: 8.46 million; A18-49: 2.1 rating/7 share), completely compatible Medium (Viewers: 8.43 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 7) and Numbers (Viewers: 8.05 million; A18-49: 1.9/ 6), which is expected to end next spring. Medium, fortunately, remains a vast improvement over year-ago occupant The Ex List, which averaged 5.33 million viewers and a 1.5/ 5 in the demo on Oct. 24, 2008. But Ghost Whisperer and Numbers are down as follows:

Ghost Whisperer
10/24/08 � Viewers: 10.14 million, A18-49: 2.6/ 9
10/23/09 � Viewers: 8.46 million, A18-49: 2.1/ 7
Percent Change � Viewers: -17, A18-49: -19

Numbers
10/24/08 � Viewers: 9.33 million, A18-49: 2.3/ 7
10/23/09 � Viewers: 8.05 million, A18-49: 1.9/ 6
Percent Change � Viewers: -14, A18-49: -17

Second overall was NBC with its line-up of granddaddy Law & Order (Viewers: #2, 7.17 million; A18-49: #2, 1.5/ 5), Dateline (Viewers: #2, 7.91 million; A18-49: #2, 1.8/ 6), which has now successfully replaced originally announced scripted occupant Southland, and The Lay Leno Show (Viewers: #2, 6.15 million; A18-49: #3, 1.4/ 5). Leno got a minor boost care of the highly promoted appearance of First Lady Michelle Obama, but it still finished third in the time period among adults 18-49 and dipped considerably from lead-in Dateline. Consider The Jay Leno Show the biggest new flop of the young season.

In the number overall three spot was ABC, which opened with the season-premiere of tired Supernanny (Viewers: #3, 4.70 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.1/ 4 at 8 p.m. ET), followed by relocated Ugly Betty (Viewers: #3, 4.55 million; A18-49: #3, 1.2/ 4), which is not too pretty in the ratings, and veteran 20/20 (Viewers: #3, 5.60 million; A18-49: #2, 1.6/ 5), which built from lead-in Betty by 1.15 million viewers and 33 percent in the demo. One year earlier, ABC fared better with its combination of Wife Swap (Viewers: 4.02 million; A18-49: 1.3/ 4), Supernanny (Viewers: 5.00 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 5) and 20/20 (Viewers: 7.50 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 7) on Oct. 24, 2008.

Over at Fox, the Friday news remained bleak care of Brothers (Viewers: #5, 2.35 million; A18-49: #5, 0.8/ 3), which is moving to Sunday at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8, 'Til Death (Viewers: #5, 1.97 million; A18-49: #5, 0.7/ 2), which is going back on hiatus immediately, and Dollhouse (Viewers: #4, 2.15 million; A18-49: #4, 0.9/ 3), which is taking a breather until December. Next week, Fox will fill Friday with a two-hour repeat episode of House. Needless to say, this has always been a troubled night for Fox.

The CW closed the lackluster evening with relocated Smallville (Viewers: #4, 2.52 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.1/ 4) and the unnecessary repeat of America's Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 1.13 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 2). While Smallville remains an improvement over year-ago occupants Everybody Hates Chris and The Game, one year earlier it averaged a considerably stronger 4.16 million viewers and a 1.7/ 4 on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008. It is time for Smallville to call it quits at the end of this season.

Friday 10/23/09
Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data).

HH
Rtg/Shr
CBS 5.2/ 9
NBC 4.7/ 8
ABC 3.4/ 6
Fox 1.3/ 2
CW 1.2/ 2

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 8.32 million, NBC: 7.07, ABC: 4.95, Fox: 2.15, CW: 1.83

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 2.0 rating/7 share, NBC: 1.6/ 5, ABC: 1.3/ 4, Fox and CW: 0.8/ 3 each

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 27 percent at this same point last year to approximately 33 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Saturday's Winners:
Nothing

-Saturday's Losers (excluding repeats):
The night overall (as usual)

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-Ratings Breakdown:

With game five of the American League Championship Series rained out, Fox aired four episodes of Cops. And CBS finished the evening first in total viewers, with Saturday Night Football on ABC No. 1 among adults 18-49.

CBS opened Saturday with a repeat of CSI: NY (Viewers: #3, 3.76 million; A18-49: #3, 0.7/ 2 at 8 p.m.), followed by back-to-back episodes of 48 Hours Mystery, which performed as follows from 9-11 p.m.

48 Hours Mystery (CBS)
9:00 p.m. � Viewers: 5.04 million (#1), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (#3)
10:00 p.m. � Viewers: 6.49 million (#1), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#1)

College Football on ABC averaged 4.41 million viewers and a first-place 1.4/ 4 among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m., with the half-hour breakdown as follows:

College Football (ABC)
8:00 p.m. � Viewers: 5.89 million (#1), A18-49: 1.7/ 6 (#1)
8:30 p.m. � Viewers: 5.37 million (#1), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#1)
9:00 p.m. � Viewers: 4.53 million (#2), A18-49: 1.4/ 5 (#1)
9:30 p.m. � Viewers: 3.35 million (#4), A18-49: 1.1/ 3 (#2t)
10:00 p.m. � Viewers: 3.59 million (#3), A18-49: 1.1/ 4 (#2)
10:30 p.m. � Viewers: 3.77 million (#3), A18-49: 1.3/ 4 (#2)

Elsewhere, the Cops mini-marathon was below average at 3.79 million viewers (#3) and a second-place 1.3/ 4 among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m. And last-place NBC capped off the evening with repeats of just full season-renewed Mercy (Viewers: #4, 2.49 million; A18-49: #4, 0.5/ 2), on-the-fence Trauma (Viewers: #4, 3.30 million; A18-49: #4, 0.6/ 2), which has not been officially canceled yet, and veteran Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #2, 4.65 million; A18-49: #3, 1.1/ 3). As I say every week, what a night!

Saturday 10/24/09
Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data).

HH
Rtg/Shr
CBS 3.4/ 6
ABC 2.7/ 5
Fox 2.3/ 4
NBC 2.3/ 4

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 5.10 million, ABC: 4.41, Fox: 3.79, NBC: 3.48

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 1.4 rating/4 share, Fox: 1.3/ 4, CBS: 1.0/ 3, NBC: 0.7/ 2

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-Yesterday's Winners:
60 Minutes (CBS), Football primetime overrun (Fox), The OT (Fox), American League Championship Series, Game 6 (Fox), Sunday Night Football (NBC), Desperate Housewives (ABC)

-Yesterday's Losers (excluding repeats):
Football Night in America, parts one and two (NBC), Three Rivers (CBS)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Led by the sixth (and final) game of Major League Baseball, The American League Championship Series, Fox won this sports-ignited Sunday, beating second-place NBC by a hefty 4.1 overnight rating points. But keep in mind that the following analysis only includes Fox until the traditional 10 p.m. ET hour. Overnight results for 10 p.m. ET and beyond were not available at press time. CBS finished third, but last-place ABC will clearly have an advantage over the Eye net among key adults 18-49.

Fox opened the evening with an approximate half-hour football overrun at a very dominant 14.6 rating/25 share in the overnights at 7 p.m. That led into post game The OT at an also winning (and approximate) 13.2/22 at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the final game of The ALCS at an estimated 11.0/16 from 8-10 p.m. ET. I stress estimated because these are only the 8-10 p.m. results and ratings for any live sporting event are always approximate. Here is the half-hour breakdown:

American League Championship Series, Game 6 (Fox)
8:00 p.m.: 11.1/17 (#1)
8:30 p.m.: 11.6/17 (#1)
9:00 p.m.: 10.8/16 (#1)
9:30 p.m.: 10.3/15 (#2)

Congratulations, Yankees!

In the battle of baseball versus football, Sunday Night Football on NBC (Arizona at New York Giants) was also on the map, with an estimated 10.2/16 from 8:30-11 p.m. Take a look at the half-hours:

Sunday Night Football (NBC)
8:30 p.m.: 9.1/14 (#2)
9:00 p.m.: 10.7/16 (#2)
9:30 p.m.: 10.6/16 (#1)
10:00 p.m.: 9.5/15 (#1)
10:30 p.m.: 11.2/18 (#1)

Earlier in the evening, pre-game Football Night in America fared on NBC as follows:

Football Night in America (NBC)
7:00 p.m. � part one: 2.1/ 4 (#4)
7:30 p.m. � part two: 2.7/ 5 (#4)
8:00 p.m. � part three: 6.3/10 (#2t)

As always, very few viewers watch NBC in the 7-8 p.m. anchor hour.

CBS had mixed results on this fifth Sunday of the current season, with its combination of granddaddy 60 Minutes (#2: 8.7/15), which the clock will never stop ticking on, young adult friendly The Amazing Race (#4: 6.2/10), recent entry Three Rivers (#4: 5.0/ 7) and relocated Cold Case (#3: 6.2/10), which built from Three Rivers by 24 percent in the overnights. Compared to Cold Case in the 9 p.m. hour one year earlier (8.1/12 on Oct. 26, 2008), waiting-to-be axed Three Rivers dipped by a significant 38 percent.

Last in the overnights, but not least among adults 18-49 was ABC's line-up of veteran America's Funniest Home Videos (#3: 4.4/ 8), aging Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (#4: 6.1/10), down but far from out Desperate Housewives (#3: 8.4/14) and Brothers & Sisters (#2: 6.5/10. Compared to one year earlier, ABC decreased, on average, by 16 percent.

Sunday 10/25/09

HH
Rtg/Shr
Fox 11.9/19
NBC 7.8/12
CBS 6.5/10
ABC 6.3/10

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-Percent Change From the Comparable Year-Ago Period (Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008):

Note: NBC aired theatrical The 40 Year-Old Virgin on the year ago evening, which competed with game four of The World Series (Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay) on Fox.

NBC: +189, Fox: + 3, ABC: -16, CBS: -13

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Note: The fast affiliate results for Sunday will be posted at PIFeedback.com by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night's Results, and Sunday, October 25, 2009.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data