Ratings Clack – The holidays bring good news for NBC

by Brett Love

With 'The Sing Off' hitting new highs, and 'The Biggest Loser' rebounding from what has been a tough fall, NBC took full advantage of the weakened pre-holiday schedule. On cable, 'Burn Notice' went out on a high note.

NBC – It’s been another tough year for the peacock. It seems that each week of ratings brings with it another laundry list of shows that are just not up to their network competition. The pre-holiday gutting of the schedules, combined with some well timed reality programming, did bring a brief respite for the most troubled of the major networks. After Sunday Night Football (25.73m/9.5) started it all off with a great week, The Sing Off (9.51m/3.3) kept things rolling by going up in week two on Monday. Minute To Win It (7.66m/2.3) and Biggest Loser (11.05m/4) were both up on Tuesday as well. Another edition of The Sing Off (8.45m/2.9) finished off the week, making for four solid days in a row. Of course, none of that really does anything to help the scripted schedule, but NBC is at the point that it should cherish the little victories.

CBS – The only other network attempting anything resembling a normal schedule, CBS started off with a full Sunday slate of Amazing Race (12.12m/3.7), Undercover Boss (11.09m/3.1), and CSI Miami (9.89m/2.3). Monday was all new as well, with How I Met Your Mother (9.7m/3.6), Rules Of Engagement (9.59m/3.2), 2 ½ Men (13.95m/4.2), Mike & Molly (11.96m/3.6), and Hawaii Five-O (10.91m/2.8) making for easy wins in all three hours. Tuesday brought NCIS (19.87m/4), NCIS LA (16.82m/3.3), and The Good Wife (11.84m/2.2). Wednesday was all new as well, with the penultimate Survivor (12.32m/3.5), Criminal Minds (13.77m/3.3), and The Defenders (10.83m/2). And the week finished with Big Bang Theory (13.24m/4) and $#*! My Dad Says (10.3m/2.9).

ABC – A front loaded week started with Extreme Makeover (8.67m/2.4), Desperate Housewives (11.6m/3.6), and Brothers & Sisters (8.76m/2.5). Monday was mostly new as well, although a selection of repeats might have been a better idea. Nobody wants to watch Skating With The Stars (3.79m/.8). Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas To You (4.94m/1.1) wasn’t much better. The rest of the week came down to repeats of I Want A Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown (5.57m/1.6) and Charlie Brown Christmas (6.4m/1.9).

FOX - The week started with the animation block getting a slight boost from a one hour Family Guy (8.03m/3.9). The Simpsons (7.19m/3.2) and American Dad (6.22m/3.1) were along for the ride. That was followed by new episodes from Human Target (5.81m/1.6) and Hell’s Kitchen (5.86m/2.6) on Wednesday.

CW - It was an all Vampire Diaries repeat week.

CABLE - Burn Notice (4.77m/1.5 – 5.11m/1.7) finished up its season on a good note. The second hour was the highest rated episode for the fall run. The double shot of Psych (2.43m/1 – 2.53m/1) wasn’t nearly as successful. It will be interesting to see if that one gets a boost for the finale this week. And, of course, both of them were left looking up at Pawn Stars (6.38m/2.5), which continues to amaze me. I thought the shine would have worn off quicker with that one.

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