Today in TV History
Lucy (Lucille Ball) created havoc on a movie set in a 1955 episode of I Love Lucy titled “Lucy Gets Into Pictures.” The Jackson 5 made their debut on American Bandstand in 1970. And David Letterman returned to his late night CBS talker in 2000 after a five-week absence for successful quintuple bypass surgery.
In Today’s Issue
NETWORK
-Metered Market Monday Ratings
-CBS Wins Quiet Sunday
-Classic Cable Nets Relive CBS’ Legendary 1973-74 Saturday Night Line-Up
-Academy Awards Pick’em is Now Available at TVMI
CABLE
-Spike Axes Blue Mountain State
-Sean Combs to Launch Music Cable
SCHEDULE BOX
-On the Air Tonight
TRIVIA CHALLENGE
-A New You Bet Your Life
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NETWORK
Metered Market Monday Ratings
The Voice Leads NBC to Victory, but Smash Continues to Erode
Monday 2/20/12
Metered Market Results
Household
Rating/Share
NBC 7.7/12
CBS 7.2/11
ABC 6.3/10
Fox 4.4/ 6
CW 1.1/ 2
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-Percent Change from Year-Ago Evening – Monday 2/21/11
NBC: +97, CBS: + 6, ABC: -10, CW: -15, Fox: -28
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-Winners:
The Voice (NBC), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), 2 Broke Girls (CBS), Two and a Half Men (CBS), Mike & Molly (CBS), Castle (ABC)
-Ready to Retire:
House (Fox)
-Losers (excluding repeats):
Gossip Girl (CW), Alcatraz (Fox), Hart of Dixie (CW), Smash (NBC)
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-Ratings Breakdown:
NBC took center stage on Monday once again thanks to The Voice, which was the top-rated show of the evening at a 9.2 rating/14 share in the overnights from 8-10 p.m. Compared to the year-ago combination of Chuck (3.5/ 5 on 2/21/11) and short-lived drama The Cape (2.6/ 4), this was an increase of a mammoth 202 percent. One week earlier, The Voice scored a 9.8/15, and that translated into 16.28 million viewers and a 6.0 rating/15 share among adults 18-49. Here is the half-hour breakdown:
The Voice (NBC)
8:00 p.m.: 8.5/13 (#1)
8:30 p.m.: 9.0/13 (#1)
9:00 p.m.: 9.7/14 (#1)
9:30 p.m.: 9.8/15 (#1)
Personally, you can include me as one of the fans of this fresh and positive singing competition. Move over, American Idol. You too, Simon Cowell.
Unfortunately, not all the news on NBC was positive last night. Highly touted musical drama Smash dipped to a 4.7/ 8 in the overnights at 10 p.m., which placed it third behind ABC’s Castle (#1: 6.7/11) and Hawaii Five-O on CBS (#2: 6.6/11). Comparably, Smash dropped by 18 percent from week two (and 39 percent from its debut on Feb. 6), with retention out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of The Voice of only 48 percent. One year earlier, older-skewing drama Harry’s Law scored a 5.8/ 9 on 2/21/11.
While Smash certainly is ambitious, the sad reality of the show itself were the bloated expectations. It is always better to debut under the radar rather than with the type of hype you just cannot live up to. Three-week overnight track for Smash: 7.7/13 – 5.7/10 – 4.7/ 8.
Opposite The Voice, CBS’ sitcom block finished second in each of the four half-hours with solid performances from How I Met Your Mother (6.7/10: + 6 percent from one year earlier), 2 Broke Girls (7.5/11: +42 percent from failed Mad Love), Two and a Half Men (8.6/13: +12 percent from a repeat) and Mike & Molly (7.1/11: – 5). 2 Broke Girls, which continues to push the envelope at 8:30 p.m., featured a guest appearance by the always outstanding Renee Taylor. Aforementioned Hawaii Five-O capped off the evening for the Eye net second in the overnights at 10 p.m. (6.6/11), with an expected first-place finish among adults 18-49. One year earlier, the revival scored a 7.0/11 on 2/21/11.
On ABC, ongoing interest in The Bachelor (6.1/ 9 from 8-10 p.m.: down 18 percent from one year earlier) proves that three successful shows can co-exist in a time period. But will returning Dancing With the Stars, which announces its spring cast on Good Morning America next Monday, take a hit opposite The Voice? Here is the half-hour breakdown for The Bachelor:
The Bachelor (ABC)
8:00 p.m.: 6.1/ 9 (#3)
8:30 p.m.: 5.9/ 9 (#3)
9:00 p.m.: 6.0/ 9 (#3)
9:30 p.m.: 6.2/ 9 (#3)
Aforementioned Castle at 10 p.m., which skews older, inched past Hawaii Five-O on CBS for first in the overnights with a 6.7/11. Compared to one year earlier (6.2/10 on 2/21/11), that was an increase of eight percent.
With The Voice on NBC now in the competitive mix, Alcatraz continues to dwindle. Week six of the Fox drama dipped to a series-low 4.1/ 6 at 9 p.m., which was down by 21 percent from failed year-ago occupant The Chicago Code (5.2/ 8 on 2/21/11). Earlier in the evening on Fox was soon-to-conclude House at a 4.7/ 7 (#4) at 8 p.m. — 33 percent below one year earlier (7.0/10 on 2/21/11). In casting news, Peter Jacobson, who plays Chris Taub on House, has landed a part on the pilot for Showtime drama Ray Donovan. The proposed scripted hour features Liev Schrieber as a trouble-shooter who is hired to solve the complicated and often confidential problems of L.A.’s elite.
The CW closed the night with its uneventful combination of Gossip Girl (#5: 1.1/ 2) and a freshman drama Hart of Dixie (1.2/ 2), which was equal to Gossip Girl on the year-ago evening. Compared to former Monday 8 p.m. anchor 90210 (1.4/ 2 on 2/21/11), Gossip Girl dropped by 21 percent. That said, shouldn’t the drama call it quits this spring?
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
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OTHER NETWORK NEWS
CBS Wins Quiet Sunday
It was an atypical night for CBS courtesy of an estimated 30-minute golf overrun in the 7 p.m. half-hour. But the Eye net still managed to reign supreme on now football-less Sunday, with an average 10.46 million viewers and a 2.2 rating/6 share among adults 18-49 for February 19, based on the fast affiliate results. And that included the 20th opening edition of The Amazing Race at an estimated 9.90 million viewers (#1 in the time period) and a 2.6/ 7 in the demo (#2) from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Comparatively, The Amazing Race built from the year-ago season-opening edition (Viewers: 9.15 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 7 on 2/20/11) by 750,000 viewers and four percent in the demo. (Any prior rating results are based on the Live Plus Same Day numbers).
Second overall for the evening in total viewers was ABC with 7.29 million, followed by NBC (6.26) and Fox, with a below-average 4.07 million. The pecking order among adults 18-49 was ABC and NBC tied for No. 2 behind CBS (2.1/ 5 each), followed by Fox, which dipped to a 1.9/ 5.
In the evening’s second season-premiere, NBC guilty pleasure Celebrity Apprentice won the 9-11 p.m. block among adults 18-49 with a 2.7/ 7 in the demo. Results in total viewers placed Donald Trump’s band of “C” and “D” listers at third with 6.59 million viewers. One year earlier, Celebrity Apprentice opened slightly stronger at 7.93 million viewers and a 2.8/ 7 in the demo on March 6, 2011.
In series-finale news, freshman drama Pan Am on ABC earned its walking papers at just 3.88 million viewers and a 1.2/ 3 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m., which was about half the audience of diluted lead-in Desperate Housewives (Viewers: #2, 7.55 million; A18-49: #2t, 2.2/ 5 at 9 p.m.).
Over at Fox, animated The Simpsons celebrated a milestone, episode No. 500, but there was no spike in the ratings at 5.79 million viewers (#4) and a 2.6/ 7 in the demo (#2) at 8 p.m. Family Guy at 9 p.m. was Fox’s highest show of the night in the demo, at a below-average (but still dominant) 2.7/ 7 at 9 p.m. Results among total viewers placed it fourth at 5.39 million.
Classic Cable Nets Relive CBS’ Legendary 1973-74 Saturday Night Line-Up
Remember when Saturday was a relevant night of television? Recall the days of CBS in the 1973-74 season when All In the Family, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart and Carol Burnett populated the line-up? TV critic Ed Martin of TVworthwatching.com offers a way to recapture the past. Click here for his stellar piece: http://tinyurl.com/77s7w92
Academy Awards Pick’em is Now Available at TVMI
As we countdown to The 84th Annual Academy Awards, which airs live on ABC this Sunday, now is your chance to chime in with your picks. Is The Artist the movie to beat as Best Picture? Will Viola Davis beat two-time winner (and perennial nominee) Meryl Streep for Best Actress? Will either George Clooney or Brad Pitt snag the trophy for Best Actor? Click on the following for Douglas Pucci’s Oscars Pick’em at TV Media Insights: http://bit.ly/TVMIdg.
Source: Nielsen Media Research
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CABLE
Spike Axes Blue Mountain State
Spike TV will not move forward on a fourth season of scripted comedy Blue Mountain State, which officially concluded in November. The series, which followed the misadventures of a Pennsylvania college football team, showed promise in seasons one and two, but a drop in audience in season three to under one million viewers (about 900,000, to be more specific) was not enough to keep it afloat Distributor Lionsgate considered shopping it elsewhere, but decided it was not worth the effort.
Thirty-nine episodes were produced over the three-season run of Blue Mountain State. It premiered on Spike on Jan. 11, 2010.
Sean Combs to Launch Music Cable
According to an item in yesterday’s New York Times, music mogul Sean Combs will unveil today his plans to launch a music-driven cable network called Revolt. Comcast is expected to carry Revolt on some of its local cable systems, while talks are ongoing with Time Warner Cable. More details to follow.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
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SCHEDULE BOX
Tuesday, February 21
ABC
8:00 p.m. Last Man Standing
8:30 p.m. Cougar Town
9:00 p.m. The River
10:00 p.m. Body of Proof
CBS
8:00 p.m. NCIS
9:00 p.m. NCIS: Los Angeles
10:00 p.m. Unforgettable
NBC
8:00 p.m. The Biggest Loser (two hours)
10:00 p.m. Parenthood
Fox
8:00 p.m. Glee
9:00 p.m. New Girl
9:30 p.m. Raising Hope
CW
8:00 p.m. Hart of Dixie (R)
9:00 p.m. Ringer
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TRIVIA CHALLENGE
A New You Bet Your Life
Who hosted the remake of classic Groucho Marx game show You Bet Your Life in 1992?
a) Bill Cosby
b) Howie Mandel
c) Wink Martindale
d) Regis Philbin
e) Rosie O’Donnell
Yesterday’s answer was…
What was the name of the club that Lucy and Ethel were co-presidents of on I Love Lucy?
a) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
b) The Society of Arts and Leisure
c) The Lady’s Auxiliary Aide
d) The Manhattan Association of Female Philanthropists
e) The Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League
…e) The Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League. Lucy, of course, was none too pleased when Ethel was nominated for the position, so she squeezed her way in with the help of Carolyn Appleby and they became co-presidents.
-Today’s Trivia All-Stars:
David Ballarotto, Mary Bancroft, Barbara Beach, Mark Binda, Gerry Bixenspan, Kimay Bloch, Larry Collins, Tom Condosta, Audrey Davis, Reid Davis, Darlene Dorman, Maureen Goldman, Michelle Harrington, Michael Hoffman, Julie Hurwitz, Bob Ingersoll, Tom Joyce, Synda Kollman, Ally Lattman, Marie LeFevre, Lisa Mateas, Lee McMichael, Tony Naldrett, Alan Perris, Gordon Purcell, Kimberly Rowland, Anthony Salerno, Michelle Stanton, Michael Stern, Ken Stowe, Bob Webb, Linda Weeks, Todd York
