TV Trivia Time:

Prime-Time Ratings:

Weekend Highlights

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

              HH
          Rtg/Shr

CBS: 7.87 million, NBC: 7.00, ABC: 5.90, Fox: 4.00, CW: 1.96

ABC and CBS: 1.8 rating/6 share each, NBC: 1.6/ 5, Fox: 1.2/ 4, CW: 0.9/ 3

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.

-Friday’s Winners (keep in mind that the expectations are lower on this evening):

Law & Order (NBC), 20/20 (ABC)

-Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):

Supernanny (ABC), Ugly Betty (ABC), The Jay Leno Show (NBC)

It was another modest night of results on this second Friday of the Nov. 2009 sweeps, with CBS the most-watched network (with under 8-million viewers) and ABC and CBS tied for first among adults 18-49 (with under a 2-rating in the demo). But the one show worth positively noting was ABC’s 20/20, which featured an interview with Rihanna talking about former boyfriend Chris Brown. The veteran newsmagazine was the top-rated show of the evening with 8.18 million viewers and a 2.7 rating/9 share among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Comparably, that built from relocated lead-in Ugly Betty (Viewers: #3, 4.76 million; A18-49: #3, 1.3/ 4 at 9 p.m.) by a hefty 3.42 million viewers and 108 percent in the demo. And it was 20/20’s best performance among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 (3.1/ 9) since the weeks of March 27, 2009 and Feb. 13, 2009, respectively; and highest among adults 18-49 (2.3/ 9) in almost three years.

Earlier in the evening on ABC was relocated Supernanny at a not so super third-place finish in both total viewers (4.75 million) and adults 18-49 (1.3/ 4) at 8 p.m. 

Elsewhere, two episodes of NBC’s Law & Order inched past CBS’ normally dominant combination of Ghost Whisperer and Medium as follows:

It looks like the older skewing scripted granddaddy still has some life left in it. Even so, 10 p.m. occupant The Jay Leno Show squandered the improved lead-in support with 4.60 million viewers and a 1.2/ 4 among adults 18-49. Considerably stronger was CBS’ second-place Numb3rs at 8.09 million viewers and a 1.8/ 6 among adults 18-49. As reported last week, however, the episode order this season for sure-to-be ending Numb3rs was cut back from 22 to 18.

Over at Fox, repeats of House (Viewers: #4, 3.91 million; A18-49: #4t, 1.2/ 4) and Bones (Viewers: #4, 4.09 million; A18-49: #4, 1.2/ 4) were an improvement over recent occupants Brothers, which now airs Sundays at 7 p.m., ‘Til Death, which is back on hiatus, and Dollhouse, which is returning in December. The CW closed the night with veteran Smallville (Viewers: #5, 2.76 million; A18-49: #4t, 1.2/ 4), which is down significantly from its former Thursday home but an improvement over year-ago occupants Everybody Hates Chris and The Game, and a repeat of America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 1.15 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 2). 

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

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

              HH
          Rtg/Shr

CBS   2.5/ 5

Fox: 1.7 rating/5 share, ABC: 1.5/ 5, CBS: 1.4/ 5, NBC: 1.0/ 3

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.

-Saturday’s Winners:

-Saturday’s Losers (excluding repeats):

Saturday Night Football (ABC), Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers (CBS)

-Ratings Breakdown:

Fox led the typically low-rated Saturday troops with its perennial combination of two episodes of Cops (original and repeat – Viewers: #2, avg. 4.99 million; A18-49: #1, avg. 1.7 rating/6 share from 8-9 p.m.) and America’s Most Wanted (Viewers: #1, 5.49 million; A18-49: #1, 1.7/ 5). It’s sad, isn’t it, that performances this low is still enough to lead the evening?

Saturday Night Football on ABC finished second overall, with an unimpressive 5.05 million viewers and a 1.5/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. Over at CBS, boxing special Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers disappointed with 3.79 million viewers and a 1.7/ 6 in the demo from 9-11 p.m. Here is the half-hour breakdown:

9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 3.50 million (#4), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#3)

9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 3.53 million (#4), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#2)

10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.12 million (#3), A18-49: 1.9/ 6 (#1)

10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 4.01 million (#3), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#1)

Low-rated NBC, meanwhile, aired repeats of Mercy (Viewers: #4, 2.33 million; A18-49: #4, 0.5/ 2), Law & Order (Viewers: #3, 5.15 million; A18-49: #4, 1.1/ 4) and Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #1, 6.22 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.4/ 5). This is all very depressing, isn’t it?

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

              HH
          Rtg/Shr

-Percent Change From the Comparable Year-Ago Period (Sunday, November 9, 2008):

NBC: +17, Fox: - 7, ABC: -17, CBS: -18

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, November 8, 2009.   

60 Minutes (CBS), Football Night in America, part three (NBC), Sunday Night Football (NBC), Desperate Housewives (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):

NASCAR (ABC), Football Night in America, part one (NBC), Brothers (Fox), American Dad (Fox), Three Rivers (CBS)

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NBC stood well above the Sunday competition, with a healthy 33 percent metered market advantage over second-place CBS. Third overall was diluted ABC, followed by Fox, which always picks up steam among target adults 18-49.

Sunday Night Football on NBC, Dallas at Philadelphia, averaged a hefty 14.3 rating/23 share in the overnights from 8:30-11:45 p.m. ET, with the half-hour breakdown in primetime in follows:

Sunday Night Football (NBC)

8:30 p.m.: 13.7/21 (#1)

9:00 p.m.: 14.5/22 (#1)

9:30 p.m.: 15.1/23 (#1)

10:00 p.m.: 13.7/22 (#1)

10:30 p.m.: 14.4/24 (#1)

Earlier in the evening on NBC was Football Night in America as follows:

7:00 p.m. – part one: 3.6/ 6 (#2t)

7:30 p.m. – part two: 5.4/ 9 (#2)

8:00 p.m. – part three: 9.0/14 (#2)

As always, interest builds as the half-hours progress. 

Since CBS’ primetime rotation started about 15 minutes late due to a football overall, all individual program results are approximate and broken out as follows:

7:00 p.m. – NFL Football/60 Minutes: 14.6/24 (#1)

7:30 p.m. – 60 Minutes: 12.1/19 (#1)

8:00 p.m. – 60 Minutes/The Amazing Race: 10.1/16 (#1)

8:30 p.m. – The Amazing Race: 6.7/10 (#2)

9:00 p.m. – The Amazing Race/Three Rivers: 6.6/10 (#3)

9:30 p.m. – Three Rivers: 4.9/ 7 (#3)

10:00 p.m. – Three Rivers/Cold Case: 6.3/10 (#3)

10:30 p.m. – Cold Case: 5.7/10 (#3)

ABC opened the evening with minimal interest for a half-hour portion of NASCAR at a last-place 3.1/ 5 in the overnights at 7 p.m. Next was an abbreviated version of America’s Funniest Home Videos (#3: 3.5/ 6 at 7:30 p.m.), followed by aging Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (#3: 5.9/ 9), Desperate Housewives (#2: 8.2/13) and Brothers & Sisters (#3: 6.3/10), which held 76 percent of the second-half of Desperate Housewives (8.3/13 at 9:30 p.m.). Although Emmy loves to nominate Rachel Griffiths for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama on Brothers & Sisters, it is Calista Flockhart who is more than worthy of being recognized this season. 

Last in the overnights was Fox’s combination of relocated Brothers (#2t, 3.6/ 6), a new candidate in Mr. TV’s annual listing of TV turkeys, a 7:30 p.m. version of American Dad (#4: 2.6/ 4), which tanked without the lead-in support of Family Guy, an 8 p.m. installment of Family Guy (#4: 4.4/ 7), Family Guy special Seth & Alex s Almost Live Comedy Show (#4: 4.0/ 6 at 8:30 p.m.), the regularly scheduled edition of Family (#4: 4.6/ 7) and a 9:30 p.m. airing of The Cleveland Show (#3: 3.9/ 6). 

Ratings Box:

Based on the metered markets, Fox Saturday night talker The Wanda Sykes Show bowed with a 2.2 rating/5 share from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Nov. 7. NBC’s veteran Saturday Night Live, which begins one half-hour later, stood well above Wanda, with a 5.0/13. But compared to former occupant Mad TV in fourth-quarter 2008 (1.9/ 4), that was an increase of 16 percent. 

 -Latin Grammy Awards Scores on Univision:

The 10^th Annual Latin Grammy Awards on Univision delivered 5.99 million viewers on Thursday, Nov. 5 from 8-11:32 p.m. ET, according to the fast national ratings, with growth over the year-ago telecast of as much as 14 percent among women 18-34 (1.14 million). Comparably, Univision placed second for the evening among adults 18-34 (2.01 million) and persons 12-34 (2.33 million), ahead of ABC.

On the Air Tonight:
Prime-Time Programming Options

Night 12 of the Nov. 2009 Sweeps

10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami (part one of a three part CSI franchise crossover)

10:00 p.m. The Jay Leno Show

 9:00 p.m. Gossip Girl

Tonight marks the debut of talker Lopez Tonight, hosted by comedian and sitcom star George Lopez on TBS at 11 p.m. ET. The kick-off guests are Ellen DeGeneres, Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria-Parker, NBA great Kobe Bryant and legendary musician Carlos Santana. For Mr. TV’s thoughts on Lopez Tonight, click here.

TV Tidbits:

Notes of Interest

-Cartoon Network Pick-Ups:

Cartoon Network is broadening its horizons with orders for two live action one-hour dramas -- Tower Prep and Unnatural History. Tower Prep tells the story of a rebellious teen who finds himself trapped at a mysterious prep school. Unnatural History is a mystery series focusing on a teenager with exceptional skills acquired through years of traveling with his anthropologist parents. Production is slated to begin in January 2010 for 13 episodes each.

-Showtime Series Return Dates:

Showtime scripted half-hours Nurse Jackie and The United States of Tara will return for their second seasons on Monday, March 22. Nurse Jackie will air at 10 p.m. ET, followed by The United States of Tara at 10:30 p.m. ET. The forth season of drama The Tudors, meanwhile, will begin on Sunday, April 11 at 9 p.m. ET. 

-The Doctors Get a Special Call:

That “Funny Lady,” Barbra Streisand, will be placing a call to CBS Television Distribution talker The Doctors to discuss heart health for women on Monday, Nov. 16. Appearing on the panel alongside The Doctors during the conversation is Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz, the Director of Women’s Health at Cedars Sinai.

-The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty on A&E:

Cable net A&E will introduce The Jacksons: A Real Life Dynasty, a reality series chronicling the personal and professional lives of Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito as they prepare for a Jackson Five reunion while coping with the passing of brother Michael. It kicks-off on Sunday, Dec. 13 with back-to-back one-hour episodes beginning at 9 p.m. ET. One week later The Jacksons: A Real Life Dynasty airs in its regularly scheduled time period, Sunday at 10 p.m. ET.

-The Goode Family Heads to Comedy Central:

Repeats of short-lived ABC animated sitcom The Goode Family, from King of the Hill creator Mike Judge, will air on Comedy Central beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010 at 10:30 p.m. ET. 

-Curb Your Enthusiasm Sold to Basic Cable:

Emmy nominated HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm, headlined by Larry David, has been sold to both TV Land and TV Guide Network. The run on TV Guide Network begins first, in February 2010, while TV Land could begin airing the series as early as 2013 immediately following its departure on TV Guide Network. 

TV Trivia Time:

Small Screen Youngins’

Which one of the following TV kids was not the youngest sibling in their family?

a)      Nicholas Bradford

b)      Jerry Carmichael 

c)      Prudence Everett

d)      Andrew Keaton

e)      Ben Seaver

The answer to Friday’s question…

Which one of the following actors introduced the first episode of long-running western Gunsmoke to the audience on Sept. 10, 1955?

Is: e) John Wayne, who had actually recommended James Arness for the role of Matt Dillon.    

-Current kudos goes to:
Janice Barney, Ric Beddingfield, Gerry Bixenspan, Barbara Bloomfield, John Brooker, Tom Condosta, Kay Copeland, Reid Davis, Phyllis Epstein, Paul Fox, Karen Gardner, Maureen Goldman, Geoffrey Gordon, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Ken Jobe, David Johnson, Marie LeFevre Karp, Mary Kinoshita, Mark Krause, Steve Kurtzer, Patty Lynch, Monique Martin, Frank Nicotero, Alex Petrilli, Jr., Gordon Purcell, Con Rigg, Colleen Roth, Joe Rubi, David Ruckman, Ron Salmon, Harold Schulman, Michelle Stanton, Joe Swaney, Andrew Trentacosta, Trenna Underhill, Ged Young, Ted Zawislak