Things have gotten crazy lately. Almost every network, except ABC it seems, is cancelling shows or moving shows around. This is all due to the ratings that certain shows have gotten. It’s not always that the shows are horrible either. Some shows have been critically acclaimed, but they ended up in the wrong timeslot. I have a lot to discuss even before we get to the top shows this week, so lets get started.
As the networks prepare for November “sweeps” time, FOX made the first adjustments. They released their “Post-MLB Baseball Lineup” and there have been some changes. All of their shows seem to be returning, but if one show is to go first it may be Happy Hour, which airs on Thursday night. For now, it’s still around. However, the first change for FOX is the introduction of a new reality TV show called The Rich List, which will air on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT. It’s a quiz show, where you can win money so FOX is trying to go the Deal or No Deal route. Justice, which did air in that Wednesday night spot will now air on Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Vanished, which was in that Monday night spot will now be in the Friday night 8 p.m. ET/PT slot, which will now be followed by Trading Spouses. Finally, the Tuesday night shows will switch spots. Standoff will now air at 8 p.m. and lead into House at 9 p.m., which makes little sense to me, except for maybe to help the ratings of House which was up against Dancing with the Stars.
Next to switch things up was The CW. They decided to switch their Monday night and Sunday night lineups for some unknown reason. Their Sunday night comedies Everybody Hates Chris, All of Us, Girlfriends, and The Game will all move to Monday night starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT. They will be going up against the top-rated CBS Monday Night Comedy Lineup, which will probably hurt these shows. 7th Heaven and Runaway, which were on Monday night will now move to Sunday night starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT. That may help the ratings of 7th Heaven, but it will hurt Runaway even more now as it goes up against Desperate Housewives on ABC.
Speaking of CBS and Monday night, The Class and How I Met Your Mother will switch spots that night. How I Met Your Mother will leadoff the night at 8 p.m. and The Class will follow the more popular show. That’s the way I thought it always should be, so good move. In addition, CBS decided to cancel its new show, Smith effective immediately. It will be replaced in its Tuesday night, 10 p.m. ET/PT spot by reruns of other popular CBS shows.
NBC pretty much did the same thing to Kidnapped, one of their new serialized dramas. They are sticking with the show for its initial 13 episodes, however NBC sent it to the dreaded Saturday night 9 p.m. ET/PT slot. It will be replaced on Wednesday nights by Dateline.
As far as new shows finding spots on the TV lineup, NBC and ABC have some news regarding that. First, NBC will debut ANOTHER reality TV quiz game show on Friday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It’s called 1 vs. 100 and 1 person has to outlast 100 others by answering trivia questions to try and win millions of dollars. That will start on October 13. ABC’s new show, Big Day will take over the Tuesday night 9 p.m. ET/PT spot on ABC, following Dancing with the Stars. That spot was originally supposed to go another new ABC comedy, Knights of Prosperity, but that show got pushed back into next year. Big Day will start on November 28 and it’s about the various problems that can occur on the day of a wedding for a young couple.
Since that is all said and out of the way, it’s time to get to the full report of all of the shows on Network TV right now. Here is how this past week went down…
Monday (10/2/06)
Overall:
#1 – CBS – 8.9
#2 – NBC – 7.2
#3 – ABC – 5.8
#4 – FOX – 5.0
#5 – The CW – 2.1
Adults 18-49 Demographic:
#1 – CBS – 4.6
#2 – NBC – 4.2
#3 – ABC – 3.3
#3 – FOX – 3.0
#5 – The CW – 1.2
Top Shows for Day:
#1 – CSI: Miami (CBS) – 11.1
#2 – Two and a Half Men (CBS) – 10.2
#3 – The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) – 9.0
#4 – Deal or No Deal (NBC) – 8.1
#5 – Heroes (NBC) – 7.6
#6 – The Bachelor (ABC) – 6.4
#7 – How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – 6.2
#8 – Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC) – 6.0
#9 – Prison Break (FOX) – 5.7
#10 – The Class (CBS) – 5.5
#11 – Vanished (FOX) – 4.3
#12 – 7th Heaven (The CW) – 2.8
Tuesday (10/3/06)
Overall:
#1 – ABC – 9.5
#2 – CBS – 7.8
#3 – NBC – 7.5
#4 – FOX – 5.1
#5 – The CW – 2.7
Adults 18-49 Demographic:
#1 – ABC – 4.1
#2 – NBC – 4.0
#3 – CBS – 3.6
#3 – FOX – 2.5
#5 – The CW – 1.7
Top Shows for Day:
#1 – Dancing with the Stars – Hour 2 (ABC) – 13.2
#2 – Dancing with the Stars – Hour 1 (ABC) – 11.4
#3 – NCIS (CBS) – 9.7
#4 – Law & Order: SVU (NBC) – 9.5
#5 – The Unit (CBS) – 8.2
#5 – Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC) – 8.2
#7 – Boston Legal (ABC) – 7.1
#8 – Help Me Help You (ABC) – 7.0
#9 – MLB Playoff Baseball (FOX) – 5.7
#10 – Smith (CBS) – 5.6
#11 – Friday Night Lights (NBC) – 4.7
#12 – Gilmore Girls (The CW) – 3.3
#13 – Veronica Mars (The CW) – 2.1
Wednesday (10/4/06)
Overall:
#1 – ABC – 10.1
#2 – CBS – 8.9
#3 – FOX – 5.5
#4 – NBC – 3.9
#5 – The CW – 2.9
Adults 18-49 Demographic:
#1 – ABC – 5.5
#2 – CBS – 4.1
#3 – FOX – 3.0
#4 – NBC – 2.2
#5 – The CW – 2.1
Top Shows for Day:
#1 – Dancing with the Stars – Results (ABC) – 11.6
#2 – Lost (ABC) – 11.0
#3 – CSI: NY (CBS) – 10.2
#4 – Criminal Minds (CBS) – 9.9
#5 – The Nine (ABC) – 7.8
#6 – Jericho (CBS) – 6.8
#7 – House (FOX) (Rerun) – 5.9
#8 – Bones (FOX) – 5.1
#9 – The Biggest Loser (NBC) – 4.7
#10 – Kidnapped (NBC) – 3.7
#10 – America’s Next Top Model (The CW) – 3.7
Thursday (10/5/06)
Overall:
#1 – CBS – 10.7
#2 – ABC – 10.3
#3 – NBC – 7.2
#4 – FOX – 4.1
#5 – The CW – 2.4
Adults 18-49 Demographic:
#1 – ABC – 5.8
#2 – CBS – 5.5
#3 – NBC – 4.4
#4 – FOX – 1.8
#4 – The CW – 1.8
Top Shows for Day:
#1 – Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – 14.8
#2 – CSI (CBS) – 13.3
#3 – ER (NBC) – 9.6
#4 – Ugly Betty (ABC) – 9.5
#5 – Survivor: Cook Islands (CBS) – 9.4
#6 – Shark (CBS) – 9.2
#7 – Six Degrees (ABC) – 6.6
#8 – Deal or No Deal (NBC) – 6.3
#9 – My Name is Earl (NBC) – 6.0
#10 – The Office (NBC) – 5.4
#11 – MLB Playoff Baseball (FOX) – 4.4
#12 – Smallville (The CW) – 2.8
#13 – Supernatural (The CW) – 2.2
Friday (10/6/06)
Overall:
#1 – CBS – 7.1
#2 – NBC – 6.1
#3 – ABC – 4.4
#4 – FOX – 2.7
#5 – The CW – 2.4
Adults 18-49 Demographic:
#1 – CBS – 2.9
#2 – NBC – 2.7
#3 – ABC – 2.0
#3 – FOX – 1.6
#5 – The CW – 1.4
Top Shows for Day:
#1 – Close to Home (CBS) – 7.7
#2 – Numb3rs (CBS) – 7.2
#3 – Deal or No Deal (NBC) – 6.6
#4 – Ghost Whisperer (CBS) – 6.4
#5 – Law & Order (NBC) – 6.2
#6 – Dateline (NBC) – 5.6
#7 – Men in Trees (ABC) – 4.8
#8 – 20/20 (ABC) – 4.6
#9 – Nanny 911 (FOX) – 2.6
#10 – WWE Friday Night Smackdown (The CW) – 2.5
Sunday (10/8/06)
Overall:
#1 – ABC – 8.7
#2 – CBS – 7.9
#3 – NBC – 7.3
#4 – FOX – 6.5
#5 – The CW – 1.7
Adults 18-49 Demographic:
#1 – ABC – 5.4
#2 – NBC – 4.8
#3 – FOX – 3.5
#4 – CBS – 3.4
#5 – The CW – 1.1
Top Shows for the Day:
#1 – Desperate Housewives (ABC) – 12.9
#2 – Without a Trace (CBS) – 9.7
#3 – Sunday Night Football (NBC) – 8.6
#3 – Brothers and Sisters (ABC) – 8.6
#3 – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) – 8.6
#6 – Cold Case (CBS) – 8.5
#7 – 60 Minutes (CBS) – 7.1
#8 – The Amazing Race (CBS) – 6.4
#9 – America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC) – 5.6
#10 – Football Night in America (NBC) – 5.1
#11 – MLB Playoff Baseball (FOX) – 4.1
#12 – Girlfriends (The CW) – 1.7
#12 – The Game (The CW) – 1.7
#14 – Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) – 1.5
#14 – All of Us (The CW) – 1.5
Networks:
#1 – ABC
#2 – CBS
#3 – NBC
#4 – FOX
#5 – The CW
Top 10 Shows:
#1 – Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
#2 – CSI (CBS)
#3 – Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
#4 – Desperate Housewives (ABC)
#5 – CSI: Miami (CBS)
#6 – Lost (ABC)
#7 – Two and a Half Men (CBS)
#7 – CSI: NY (CBS)
#9 – Criminal Minds (CBS)
#10 – NCIS (CBS)
#10 – Without a Trace (CBS)
ABC regains the top spot this week as they edge out CBS. That makes it 2-1 for ABC. They can thank the return of Lost for this victory as it added another top show to the already successful trio of Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars, and Desperate Housewives. If you look at the top then this week, it’s all CBS and ABC shows. There are more CBS shows, which proves that that network is more consistent. However, the top ABC shows are watched by so many more people that it helps out ABC in the long run. This battle will only get better as the season goes on. I’m sure it will be back and forth until the new year.
Grey’s Anatomy is still the #1 show on TV and they won by a bigger margin over CSI. I really don’t see that changing that much as everything seems pretty standard. I will be interesting to see what happens next month in the “sweeps” period, but for now it’s the same old thing. Oh, and as a sidenote here, FOX has not been helped ANY by MLB Playoff Baseball in this first week. We’ll see if that changes as the we get closer to crowning a champion there.
