(12/14 – 12/21)
This week, the other networks just made it easy for CBS. After taking second on Sunday night, to NBC’s Sunday Night Football, the Tiffany network went on to win the next five nights in viewers and the demo. Granted, there were more repeats than usual, but even the CBS repeats were in on the game, as replays of CSI and Eleventh Hour more than doubled the viewers of their repeat competition. For the rest of the networks, the news was not quite as bright.
CBS - Let’s start with the good stuff this week. Survivor (13.76m/4.4)took a hit from the football game, but still managed to wrap up the season on a strong note. Things just got better on Monday. Big Bang Theory (11.2m/4.1), HIMYM (11.37m/4.6), 2½ Men (17.91m/5.6), Worst Week (12.04m/3.6), and CSI:Miami (14.56m/3.9) ran away with the night. Tuesday night brought more of the same with NCIS (19.94m/4.0), The Mentalist (19.31m/4.2), and Without A Trace (14.48m/3.2). The weak spot on the schedule was the Wednesday comedy block. Old Christine (7.29m/2.0) and Gary Unmarried (7.38m/2.3) fell short of the Muppet Christmas, but the night was saved by Criminal Minds (15.16m/3.9) and CSI:NY (13.38m/3.6).
NBC - Sunday Night Football is often an up and down affair, just depending on who is playing. Cowboys vs. Giants, that’s an up game (23.05m/8.6). Unfortunately, the rest of the week didn’t even approach that lofty bar. Chuck (7.66m/2.6) and Heroes (7.86m/3.7) headed off to winter break with typical lowered numbers. It is interesting that Chuck is now closing in on Heroes in total viewers. The biggest non-football news was once again The Biggest Loser (11.83m/4.6). Fortunately, for viewers, Momma’s Boys (6.01m/2.5) wasn’t able to take advantage of the big Loser lead in. A repeat on Friday (3.18m/1.0) didn’t do anything to make one think that Momma’s Boys has much of a future. The one other notable bit was the Muppet Christmas (7.47m/2.4). Not stellar numbers, but enough to win the time slot.
ABC - With no new Housewives, Grey’s, or Dancing, it was going to be a tough week at ABC no matter what. Think of it as the karmic bitch-slap for renewing According To Jim (5.22m/1.8) again. Even without a full slate of competition, the Wednesday lineup continued to struggle – Pushing Daisies (4.67m/1.6), Private Practice (6.61m/2.3), and Dirty Sexy Money (5.13m/1.7). Giving Private Practice a shot after Grey’s is a good idea, but as much as I’ll miss it, it’s hard to argue against canceling Pushing Daisies. As bad as those numbers are, they were far from the worst showing of the week. A special 20/20 (2.91m/.9) broadcast on Monday took those honors. If not for One Tree Hill being a repeat, that would have been the last place show at 9.
FOX - Much like ABC, with the only new scripted programming for FOX being Terminator:TSCC (5.07m/1.9) and Prison Break (5.37m/2.1), the week was never going to be a winner. Elsewhere, Secret Millionaire (6.71m/2.2 – 5.81m/1.9) continued to lose steam.
CW - What can you say about CW this week? The only new hour of programming was Stylista (1.39m/.6). And that was actually behind repeats for Gossip Girl (1.61m/.7), Smallville (2.13m/.7), and Supernatural (2.07m/.8). Sadly, the highest rated program of the week was a repeat of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (2.44m/.9).
For the coming week, it’s more of the same. Monday’s only new entry will be the two hour Momma’s Boys. Go ahead and open that DVD-shaped present early. You’ll be glad you did. Tuesday brings Home For The Holidays with Faith Hill to CBS, and the questionable ABC duo of Rediscovered and The List. Howie gets a free run on Christmas, with Deal Or No Deal the only new programming Thursday night. With nothing new on Friday, the interesting bit will be seeing how a repeat of the Top Chef Christmas episode does for NBC, compared to what Crusoe and Lipstick Jungle managed.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Dec 22, 2008 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
