Fox’s airing of Game 5 of the World Series proved no match for ABC’s Dancing with the Stars last night, according to preliminary overnight ratings. The Yankees/Phillies match-up yielded 15.5 million viewers compared to Stars‘ 16.2 million during the 8-10pm slot. Elsewhere, CBS’ comedy block performed solidly, particularly Two and a Half Men (13.6 million) and The Big Bang Theory (12.7 million).
| Time | Show | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 8pm | Dancing with the Stars (ABC) 2009 World Series (Fox) How I Met Your Mother (CBS) Heroes (NBC) One Tree Hill (The CW) |
16.2 15.5 9.1 6.2 2.4 |
| 8:30pm | Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) | 8.5 |
| 9pm | Two and a Half Men (CBS) Trauma (NBC) Gossip Girl (The CW) |
13.6 6.2 2.0 |
| 9:30pm | The Big Bang Theory (CBS) | 12.7 |
| 10pm | CSI: Miami (CBS) Castle (ABC) The Jay Leno Show (NBC) |
12.5 9.7 4.3 |
Source: Nielsen
So a difference of .7 means that Dancing with stars crushed the baseball world series. This must mean that Castle should be taken off the air because it is being annihalated by CSI. Just joking.
I doubt ratings analysts were expecting the status quo event that occurred in last night’s ratings. Afterall, the World Series had just posted a +20 million viewer night Sunday. To lose +5 million viewers in one night and finish 2nd to DWTS shows just how powerful that vehicle still is after 9 seasons on the air. Until last night the World Series hadn’t been beaten by programming on any other network. It is indeed an impressive defeat by DWTS. Not only did they take the bodyblow. They pushed back! And I bet ABC’s feeling real fine with both DWTS and Castle’s ratings.
I hope that Dancing with the stars comes back in 2010.Its a great show to watch.Its better than Modern family.Also cougar Town.
Trauma is doing better. It’s getting the same number of viewers as Heroes and still NBC thinks it can do better. I am so mad that they canceled this great show.