America’s Got Talent Leads NBC to Victory; Strong Wipeout on ABC

America’s Got Talent Leads NBC to Victory; Strong Wipeout on ABC

Note: The fast affiliate results for Tuesday will be posted at PIFeedback by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Tuesday, July 1, 2008.   

Wipeout (ABC), NCIS R (CBS), America’s Got Talent (NBC), Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)

The Moment of Truth (Fox), I Survived a Japanese Game Show (ABC),

Led by America’s Got Talent, NBC won Tuesday with a hefty 25 percent metered market advantage over second-place CBS. Third was ABC, followed by Fox and lowly the CW.

Week two of ABC’s Wipeout (which finished first for the week of June 23 among adults 18-49 -- see results two sections below) held up well, with a first-place 5.8 rating/10 share in the overnights from 8-9 p.m. Comparably, that dipped by only six percent from its debut one week earlier (6.2/11 on June 25). Week two of NBC’s competing Celebrity Family Feud (which tied Wipeout last week for dominance in the overnights) dropped to a third-place 5.2/10 -- 16 percent below its premiere average in the metered markets.

Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour was a repeat of CBS’ NCIS (#2: 5.7/10), Fox’s fading The Moment of Truth (#4: 3.4/ 7) and a repeat of benched Beauty and the Geek on the CW (#5: 1.0/ 2).

NBC’s America’s Got Talent stood well above the competition, with an average 7.8/13 in the overnights from 9-11 p.m. Take a look at the half-hour breakdown:

 9:00 p.m. 7.4/12 (#1)

 9:30 p.m. 7.7/12 (#1)

In week two news, ABC’s I Survived a Japanese Game Show came tumbling down, with a fourth-place 3.8/ 7 in the overnights from 9-10 p.m. Comparably, that was down by 24 percent from it’s week-ago launch (5.0/ 9 on June 25), with retention out of the second half of lead-in Wipeout (6.0/10 at 8:30 p.m.) of just 63 percent.  

Also airing in the 9 p.m. hour was CBS’ 48 Hours Mystery (#2: 5.5/ 9), Hell’s Kitchen on Fox (#3: 5.3/ 9), and a repeat of Reaper on the CW (#5: 1.0/ 2). As always, Hell’s Kitchen is a shoo-in to dominate the time period among adults 18-49.

In the No. 2 spot at 10 p.m. behind the second-half of America’s Got Talent on NBC was a repeat of CBS’ recently relocated Without a Trace (5.4/ 9), followed by ABC’s Primetime: The Outsiders at a disappointing 4.1/ 7.

With second quarter 2008 a wrap, here are some of the individual highlights of note by cable network:

Feel-good ABC Family finished with its most-watched second quarter on record in prime-time based on total viewers (1.1 million), adults 18-34 (271,000), adults 18-49 (510,000), viewers 12-34 (442,000), women 18-34 (176,000), women 18-49 (320,000) and females 12-34 (295,000). In total day, ABC Family also reached a new second quarter zenith in total viewers (643,000), adults 18-34 (174,000), women 18-34 (123,000), adults 18-49 (297,000), women 18-49 (202,000) and viewers 12-34 (294,000). 

Bravo rose to its best performance in prime-time among total viewers and adults 18-49, with gains of 23 and 45 percent, respectively, from one year earlier. This marked Bravo’s 11th consecutive quarter of year-to-year gains in the demo.

Ignited by the debut of Camp Rock, Disney Channel extended its winning streak to 13 consecutive quarters in kids 6-11, and three straight years among tweens 9-14.

E! increased to its most-watched second quarter ever, with 344,000 total viewers in total day and 516,000 total viewers in prime-time. Comparatively, that performance in prime-time was up by 15 percent from one year earlier. E! also reached a new zenith in households, adults 18-34, women 18-34, adults 18-49 and women 18-49.

G4, the destination for young men, has extended its growing streak to 20 consecutive months among target men 18-34 in total day. G4 also scored its second strongest quarter ever among total viewers and men 18-34 in total day.

Family friendly Hallmark Channel rose to its highest rated second quarter ever in households, women 18-49, women 25-54, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 based on total day. And it ranked No. 9 overall among all basic cable networks in prime-time in households (1.1 rating), homes (901,000) and total viewers (1.20 million).

History Channel broke the second quarter record books among adults 25-54 (575,000), with growth of 15 percent from one year earlier, and adults 18-49 (527,000), with an increase of 23 percent.

Ignited by Army Wives and made-for movies The Memory Keeper’s Daughter and The Tenth Circle, Lifetime Television posted its biggest second quarter audience since 2005 in total viewers, women 18-49, women 25-54 and adults 25-54 in both prime-time and total day. 

Year-to-year, Lifetime Movie Network increased by a significant 40 percent in households, 50 percent in women 18-34 and 33 percent among women 18-34.

Oxygen scored its 12th consecutive quarter of year-to-year gains in prime-time among adults 18-49, women 18-49 and women 18-34, with a rise of as much as 34 percent in adults 18-34 and a record performance in each category. Oxygen also extended its growing streak in total day to 17 consecutive quarters in total viewers, adults 18-49 and women 18-49.

Led by Battlestar Galactica and Ghost Hunters, Sci Fi Channel finished second quarter 2008 ranked No. 6 among all basic cable networks in adults 25-54, and No. 10 among adults 18-49. Comparably, it was Sci Fi Channel’s best second quarter ever in total viewers, adults 18-49, adults 25-54, adults 18-34, women 18-49, women 24-54 and men 18-34.

Style posted its most-watched second quarter ever, with an average 100,000 total viewers. Comparably, that is an increase of 25 percent from one year earlier.

Fueled by the successful launch of drama In Plain Sight, USA Network scored its eighth consecutive quarterly prime-time victory in households (2.04 million), total viewers (2.73 million), adults 25-54 (1.27 million) and adults 18-49 (1.25 million). It was also the most-watched second quarter in USA’s history in those four categories, with growth of 5 to 8 percent.

It was a low-rated week of three-way leadership, with CBS first in households and total viewers, Fox No. 1 among adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, and NBC inching past Fox by one-tenth of a rating point in adults 25-54. ABC finished fourth in households and total viewers, third in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, and second among adults 18-34 for the week of June 23, but the network grew year-to-year by margins of 10 to 27 percent thanks to positive starts for Wipeout and I Survived a Japanese Game Show. CBS, NBC and Fox were all close to year-ago levels, but sinking the CW cannot stop the bleeding. Excluding no change among adults 18-49, last-place MyNetworkTV also gained some traction.

In series-premiere news, ABC had mixed results. Non-scripted Tuesday entries Wipeout and I Survived a Japanese Game Show were amply sampled (as was NBC’s Celebrity Family Feud and Baby Borrowers), with Wipeout the top-rated show of the week among adults 18-49. See results below. But reality/competition Dance Machine was left at the Friday 8 p.m. starting gate, with a mere 3.61 million viewers (#62 overall) and a 0.9 rating/4 share among adults 18-49 (tied for #69). Instead of over-exposing the genre, the network would be better off showcasing only Dancing With the Stars (and resting the category in between seasons). ABC game show Duel returned to the schedule out of Dance Machine with a similarly lackluster 3.25 million viewers (#69) and a 1.0/ 4 in the demo (tied for #63).

In series-finale news, the CW’s Farmer Wants a Wife exited with 2.48 million viewers (#74) and a 1.0/ 3 among adults 18-49 (tied for #63) in the Wednesday 9 p.m. hour. As weak as that sounds, it was a double-digit improvement over an encore telecast of lead-in America’s Next Top Model.

Here are the final national ratings for the week of June 23, 2008 (with percent change versus the comparable year-ago week in parentheses), followed by the summer series scorecard and the top 20 ranked programs of the week.   

CBS: 4.4 rating/8 share (- 4), NBC: 4.0/ 7 (+ 8), Fox: 3.5/ 6 (no change), ABC: 3.3/ 6 (+10), CW: 1.1/ 2 (no change), MNTV: 0.7/ 1 (+17)

CBS: 6.59 million (- 4), NBC: 6.30 (+11), Fox: 5.66 (+ 2), ABC: 5.08 (+13), CW: 1.67 (- 6), MNTV: 960,000 (+25)

Fox: 2.0 rating/7 share (- 9), NBC: 1.9/ 6 (no change), ABC: 1.7/ 5 (+13), CBS: 1.5/ 5 (- 6), CW: 0.6/ 2 (-14), MNTV: 0.4/ 1 (+33)

NBC: 2.3/ 7 (+ 5), Fox: 2.2/ 7 (no change), ABC: 2.0/ 6 (+18), CBS: 2.0/ 6 (- 9), CW: 0.6/ 2 (-14), MNTV: 0.4/ 1 (+33)

Fox: 1.9/ 7 (-14), ABC: 1.4/ 5 (+27), NBC: 1.4/ 5 (-12), CBS: 0.9/ 3 (no change), CW: 0.6/ 2 (-14), MNTV: 0.3/ 1 (no change)

So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) – Wednesday 8 p.m. (two hours)

I Survived a Japanese Game Show (ABC) – Tuesday 9 p.m. (premiere)

Farmer Wants a Wife (CW) – Wednesday 9 p.m. (season or series finale)

America’s Got Talent (NBC): 11.68 million, Wipeout (ABC, premiere): 9.98, 60 Minutes (CBS): 9.42, Two and a Half Men R (CBS): 9.22, Celebrity Family Feud (NBC, premiere): 8.82, So You Think We Can Dance – Thursday (Fox): 8.61, Million Dollar Password (CBS): 8.49, So You Think You Can Dance – Wednesday (Fox): 8.29, CSI: Miami R (CBS): 8.19, I Survived a Japanese Game Show (ABC, premiere): 8.00, Baby Borrowers (NBC, premiere): 7.95, NCIS R (CBS): 7.85, Hell’s Kitchen (Fox): 7.80, CSI: NY R (CBS): 7.70, 48 Hours Mystery R (CBS, Tues. 9 p.m.): 7.55, The Bachelorette (ABC): 7.52, House R (Fox):7.45, Dateline – Sunday (NBC): 7.44CSI R (CBS): 7.33

Wipeout (ABC, premiere): 3.7 rating/12 share, Hell’s Kitchen (Fox): 3.6/10, America’So You Think You Can Dance – Wednesday (Fox): 3.1/10, America’s Got Talent (NBC), I Survived a Japanese Game Show (ABC, premiere) and So You Think You Can Dance – Thursday (Fox): 3.1/ 9 each, Two and a Half Men R (CBS): 3.0/ 9, Baby Borrowers (NBC, premiere): 2.9/ 9, The BAchelorette (ABC): 2.5/ 8, House R (Fox), Rules of Engagement R (CBS) and Primetime: The Outsiders (ABC, season premiere): 2.5/ 7 each, Celebrity Family Feud (NBC, premiere): 2.3/ 8, CSI: Miami R (CBS) and Dateline – Sunday (NBC): 2.2/ 6 each, Last Comic Standing (NBC): 2.1/ 7, Celebrity Circus (NBC) and How I Met Your Mother R (CBS): 2.0/ 6 each, America’s Most Wanted (Fox): 1.9/ 7, Swingtown (CBS): 1.9/ 6, Primetime: Crime (ABC, season premiere): 1.9/ 5

 8:00 p.m. Wife Swap (R)

 9:00 p.m. Supernanny (R)

 8:00 p.m. The Price is Right

 9:00 p.m. Criminal Minds (R)

 8:00 p.m. Baby Borrowers (time period premiere)

 9:00 p.m. Celebrity Circus

 8:00 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance (two hours)

 8:00 p.m. America’s Next Top Model (R)

 9:00 p.m. Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (R)

 8:00 p.m. Under One Roof

 8:30 p.m. Whacked Out Videos (R)

 9:00 p.m. Masters of Illusion: Impossible Magic 3 (R)

 8:00 p.m. Quantum Leap (R)

 9:00 p.m. Dead Zone (R)

TV Land has renewed seasoned beauty pageant She’s Got the Look for a second season, with an order for eight additional episodes.

Last Friday I recommended a new book about television, “Truth and Rumors – The Reality Behind TV’s Most Famous Myths,” written by my TCA colleague Bill Brioux. Did Josh Saviano, who played geeky Paul on The Wonder Years, grow up to become Marilyn Manson? Was Jerry “The Beaver” Mathers killed in Vietnam? Did Soupy Sales really ask his young audience to send him money? Now that I have really sunk my teeth into it, I can guarantee you will be glued to the pages of this book that dares to answer some of TV’s most famous myths. For more information, click on www.amazon.com.

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Remember when Nell, Addie, Little Joey and Grandpa Kanisky moved from California to New York in the final season of sitcom Gimme a Break? Who played their new neighbor Maggie?

Which actress was the original choice to play Carrie Heffernan on The King of Queens?

.Is: d) Megan Mullally, who of course found long-running success (and two Emmys to boot) on NBC’s Will & Grace. All together now…

I'm sitting here in traffic on the Queensborough Bridge tonight.

Gerry Bixenspan, Larry Collins, Audrey Davis, Steve Domier, Phyllis Epstein, Maureen Goldman, Scott Groneman, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Greg Janover, Deb Kainer, Adam Maloney, Rachel Rosenblat, Ronnie Tallant