Sunday, February 10, 2013
Not including the third highest rated show of all time in the Best of the Week feature would be an insult. The Super Bowl totaled a whopping 108.69 million viewers and a 39.7 demo, down just a tad from the Super Bowl of the past two years. Had the game been closer and the blackout not occurred, it is quite possible that the Super Bowl could have broken last years 111.3 million viewer record. Oh well, I'm sure CBS will take the highest rated primetime night in television history.
I thought about including individual shows, but NBC had an embarrassing week. Only three shows topped the 2.0 demo mark: The Biggest Loser, Parks and Recreation, and The Office. Everything else was low...very low. Deception (1.1), Smash (1.2), Whitney (1.2), Guys with Kids (1.2), 1600 Penn (1.1), and Do No Harm (0.7) all had numbers that shout cancellation (and in the case of Do No Harm - it was cancelled). NBC is eagerly counting down the days until The Voice returns.
The comedy that remained on the bubble for years had an impressive night on Monday. After living in the shadows of the 9pm comedy, How I Met Your Mother broke out: the highest rated comedy on the night for CBS. Its 10.30 million viewers and 4.0 demo made it the third highest rated comedy on the week, behind The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, but ahead of ABC's number one comedy, Modern Family. For a show ending next season, this was pretty impressive.
CBS' latest reality show attempt was another bust. The series premiere of The Job recorded a measly 4.11 million viewers and a 0.9 demo (final numbers not yet available). The debut trailed last weeks episode of Undercover Boss by 59% among total viewers and 42% in the demo. If CBS' track record is any indication, The Job will not be on the air for much longer. Note to CBS: stick with dramas and comedies and stay away from reality shows.
CBS is all over the place this week: it has winners and losers (at least on complete opposite sides of the spectrum). The Big Bang Theory aired its first new episode of the season against American Idol last night and the show took a hit. The second week against American Idol was a different story: its second highest rating ever. Get this: 18.98 million viewers and a 6.2 demo - the highest rated comedy on the week. The epic season for The Big Bang Theory continues, but will it get any bigger?
Congratulations CW, I finally decided to include your shows in the weekly feature! Unfortunately, the selection goes into the Worst of the Week. 90210 had a woeful 790,000 viewers and a paltry 0.4 demo, the lowest rated original on the week for any of the broadcast networks. If the CW goes for a "Final Season" (similar to Gossip Girl) they will be regretting the decision. It is time for the network to alert the cast and crew that the end is near and to plan for the finale now.
