Regularly scheduled programming was no match for major sporting events this weekend, with the Yankees’ playoff-clinching victory over the Angels winning Sunday night for Fox with 14.8 million viewers, according to early estimates from Nielsen. NBC’s Sunday Night Football was in the game as well with 12.8 million viewers. Saturday Night Football on ABC pulled in 4.4 million viewers, though it was no match for CBS’ 48 Hours Mystery‘s 5.8 million. The Eye net killed on Friday as well with its unstoppable Ghost Whisperer/Medium/Numb3rs combination (averaging 8.3 million for the night), which the likes of Fox’s ‘Til Death (2 million) and ABC’s relocated Ugly Betty (4.5 million, down 500,000 from its season premiere last week) couldn’t match.
| Time | Show | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. | 60 Minutes (CBS) America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC) Football Night in America (NBC) |
12.2 8.4 5.5 |
| 8 p.m. | 2009 American League Baseball Playoffs (Fox) Sunday Night Football (NBC) The Amazing Race XV (CBS) Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) |
14.8 12.8 11.0 10.6 |
| 9 p.m. | Desperate Housewives (ABC) Three Rivers (CBS) |
13.8 7.9 |
| 10 p.m. | Brothers & Sisters (ABC) Cold Case (CBS) |
10.0 8.8 |
Move BETTY pronto – Wednesday at 10 pm after Modern Family and Cougar Town… oh, and move the Middle to 8 and follow it with Samantha Who. Perfect Wednesday night.
Samantha Who was cancelled. You might as well team it with Fantasy Island or Full house. I agree with moving Betty. If it’s gotta go out, let it go out with some class.
Cancel “Hank” and move “Better Off Ted” with the Wednesday night comedies.
I don’t think ABC should cancel Hank yet. It finally had a breakout episode. It was Modern Family funny. Seriously, never laughed that hard during a Hank show this season. If Hank can come with the quantity of laughs and quality of heart it showed this past week, then it will be able to hang with the rest of the big dogs on ABC’s Wednesday night block of fun. Overall though, I would give the number one spot to Cougar Town last week. That was crazy good, double over hold your belly funny!
Please please move Betty. I don’t watch it live but DVR and watch Sunday mornings. ABC you are killing me with your bonehead moves!