Image Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC; Monty Brinton/CBS; Douglas GorensClearly, viewers have yet to decide what shows they want to commit to this fall: After an auspicious premiere week, the CBS comedies took a hit in the key demographics on Thursday and NBC’s The Office posted its lowest rating among adults 18-49. Grey’s Anatomy on ABC rang in with its lowest-rated fall telecast ever for the second week in a row, and NBC’s The Apprentice is still on the brink of cancellation – if not a much-needed move to another night.
First, some good news for Fox. Dramas Bones (2.6 rating/8 share) and Fringe (2.0/5) actually posted single-digit gains among adults 18-49 versus the previous week and are keeping the network competitive on a tough night for broadcast (each 18-49 ratings point represents 1.3 million viewers). In total viewers, Bones averaged 9.13 million and came in second for its timeslot while Fringe averaged 5.15 million and came in fourth. Overall, the network ended up in third place for the night in viewers (7.17 million) and adults 18-49 (2.3/7).
CBS still dominated the night in adults 18-49 (3.0/9) and viewers (12.5 million). Though it dipped in the key demo, Big Bang Theory won its timeslot among men and women and viewers (12.4 million), as did $#*! My Dad Says (9.7 million), and The Mentalist (14.2 million). CSI (12.29 million), however, was overshadowed by Grey’s Anatomy (12.45 million), which still took the 9 p.m. timeslot in adults 18-49 and viewers.
ABC was second for the night among adults 18-49 (2.9/8) and viewers (8.24 million).
It was another tough evening for NBC. Community only averaged 4.29 million, followed by 30 Rock (4.91 million), The Office (6.89 million) and Outsourced (5.23 million). At least three of those comedies have ongoing support from critics. Nothing seems to be propping up the latest installment of The Apprentice, which only averaged 3.75 million and was one of the show’s lowest rated-telecasts ever among adults 18-49 (a mere 1.3/4). Somebody put The Donald out of his misery!
Overall, NBC finished the night fourth in viewers (4.80 million) and 18-49 (2.1/6). As for the CW, The Vampire Diaries showed some gains in women 18-34 and women18-49 versus the previous week and averaged 3.5 million – its second-largest audience this season. It won its timeslot among female teens. Nikita also built from the previous week in women and added 11% more viewers, averaging a total of 3.0 million.
Is it possible that some viewers were watching the baseball playoffs on Wed and Thurs? I know I was!
But, let’s face it, NBC has sucked for quite a while now.
Not really. NBC has some quality shows, some of the best on network TV. It’s just a shame that most people would rather watch the generic crap that CBS has to offer.
“Big Bang” is generic crap?
Yes, it is.
I loathe the Yankees.
ME TOO
The Donald has slipped into CW territory.
Big mistake doing a regular Apprentice. With unemployment so high, who thought it would be a good idea to watch unemployed people get “fired” on TV for entertainment? And this group of contestants are a pretty reprehensible bunch…as I said in another thread, the economy isn’t responsible for alot of these losers being unemployed.
It’s a shame more people aren’t watching the first 90 minutes on NBC Thursdays. Not sure what it says when Bleep My Dad Says gets double the ratings of 30 Rock but it just makes no sense.
It really is a shame that more people aren’t watching Community and 30 Rock. They are hilarious! I caught the last 10 minutes of $#*! My Dad Says last week and it was so over-the-top and unfunny–I saw every joke coming from a mile away.
It’s the delivery. I don’t want to like S#*! My Dad Says, but I’ve left it while doing other things and found myself laughing. The Shat isn’t bad, but the brother and his wife should be written out ASAP. Just have them move.
Totally agree with you about “The Apprentice”. I had never watched it before last spring’s celebrity edition, and I liked that so much I decided to give this one a try. But these contestants are so unlikeable that the show is almost unwatchable.
I agree with your comment on watching people getting fired for entertainment value.
OK EW, can you start recapping the top-rated The Mentalist and drop The Apprentice (why is this show still on)?
I agree the Apprentice is dull. Can’t understand why 30 Rock isn’t more popular but each to his own.
Can’t stand Tina Fey and haven’t ever liked any of the Baldwin brothers except William.
Agree Sonja, i love the Mentalist. It’s definitely must see on Thursday nights. Love Community too. I actually broke up with TBBT this year b/c it was competing against it and I could only record one (I watch Bones in that same time slot). I would rather put my support behind Community. Here’s hoping it stays!!
I love the Mentalist but it really doesn’t need a recap every episode. It’s a by the numbers crime procedural with a great leading actor. The same thing happens pretty much every episode. I mean it has a theme of revenge and vengenance in the crimes that parallels Jane’s issues with getting revenge sometimes but I don’t think it’s enough for a recap every episode. Maybe we can get an article on a above average epsiode now and then instead.
nikta rocks
Vampire Diaries is my guilty pleasure every Thursday night. If you are not watching this show, you should be. It is FANTASTIC!
Nothing to be guilty about.
I have to agree. Good writing, GREAT charachters…beats the pants off anything else on TV at the moment. You don’t have to be a teenager or into Twilight to enjoy it.
Regarding the statement “Clearly, viewers have yet to decide what shows they want to commit to this fall” — that’s exactly right! Viewers don’t want to commit to a show that will likely be cancelled if it’s not number one after a single airing. Networks cancel so quickly — if they’d give their shows a chance, we might too!
Why the big delay in starting Human target on it’s new night?
I really wish more people would watch communnity. I’m gonna cry when it gets cancelled in may. Here’s hoping it gets some recognition at the golden globes/next year’s emmys to give it a chance to be renewed.
I’m an occasional Community watcher, but will start watching more often. Didn’t realise it was on the bubble (so is my beloved Chuck).
I’ll start watching chuck to thank you. Hopefully both our shows will make it to next fall.
I am debating whether to watch it. I have the free Itunes pilot sitting on my computer unwatched. But I don’t want to get attached to a show that is gonna get cancelled.
They cancel SOME quickly. Donald must have some kind of dirty on somebody at NBC to still have his show on.
I think NBC has to be committed to The Apprentice because it is a competition show. If it was just a game show it would have been gone after the first episode. Donald Trump is a moron, couldn’t understand why people actually watched a show with him in it.
It’s kind of sad that Big Bang Theory and Sh*t My Dad Says are getting twice as big (or more) an audience than the far superior sitcoms on NBC, Community and 30 Rock.
While I don’t watch it, the coupel of times I’ve caught BBT I found it at least be amusing. But Bleep My Dad Says is just awful.
Yes, Bleep was absolutely horrible the first two episode, but last night’s episode was actually pretty decent. I love the addition of Tim, the gay housekeeper, and the scenes in the gay pancake house were absolutely hilarious. HOLLA!
However, Will Sasso and Nicole Sullivan just drag the show down. They need to ditch them and add other supporting characters.
I think BBT is the superior comedy (While Bleep is… pure Bleep.) That’s my opinion, notice I said “I think”. Love your favorites, wish them well, but remember—opinion.
The Apprentice is just so much nonsense now – we all know the formula, the sniping and criticism … and please, couldn’t one of the tasks reflect the type of job they’re after? Yawnfest – I’ve found other things to do now that ER is gone …
Donald… your fired!
Really like Community, but that said also watch & enjoy TBBT & S**T Dad Said. But I watch Bones & flip to the others when Bones is on commerial.
I bet Donald still calls it “the number one show on TV,” though.