RATINGS RECAP: 12/28/13

ABC 
8:00 Movie: Just Go With It
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:30 Trophy Wife (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

CBS
8:00 Mike & Molly (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
8:30 Mom (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 48 Hours
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

NBC 
8:00 WWE Tribute to the Troops
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 The Blacklist (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
10:00 Saturday Night Live (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

FOX
8:00 Almost Human (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
9:00 Bones (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4 

YEAR IN REVIEW: The Top 20 Episodes of 2013

My regular Weekend Rewind looking at past CBS seasons will return next week but this week is my third annual Top 20 episodes of the year post. (Check out my past Top 20 episodes lists from 2012 and 2011).

I will provide my regular disclaimer that there are certain shows like Parenthood and How I Met Your Mother that I am behind on and have not watched new episodes in 2013. There are also many cable shows I do not watch even though I'm sure I'd love them. So this is my Top 20 episodes of the shows I watch, enjoy!

20. Nashville #21 "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" (May 22, 2013)
There probably aren't any Nashville episodes that deserve to be on this list. In fact, this episode almost worked its way off this list thanks to the ridiculous daytime soap opera-like ending of a car crash. But it made the list for two reasons. One was a dynamic performance by Charles Esten as his character, Deacon, fell off the wagon with his battle with alcoholism. But the bigger reason was the performance of the year by Hayden Panettiere and her heartbreaking song "Nothing in this World Will Ever Break My Heart Again." With Juliet having gone through ups and downs throughout the season culminating in her mother's death, Panettiere delivered a powerful moment that was not only the best scene of this mediocre show but quite possibly the most moving moment I watched on TV in 2013.

19. Go On #22 "Urn-ed Run" (April 11, 2013)
Go On was an underrated gem from the 2012-13 TV season. It wasn't always on point but when it was working, it was a nice mix of comedy and drama as it wasn't afraid to deeply explore a topic most sitcoms confine to one or two episodes in their run: death. Matthew Perry's Ryan King spent the entire season either avoiding his grief over his lost wife or in denial about it. But when time came to let go and spread her ashes, he needed help from the support group he made fun of for most of the season. In the end, they were there for him when he needed it most. While I wish this show had gotten a second season, it was a satisfying end to a show that I kept watching for its entire run.

18. New Girl #52 "Double Date" (October 1, 2013)
After a brilliant second season, season three of New Girl has been up and down. But one episode that stands out so far was a hilariously madcap episode that involved a race to a restaurant where Schmidt (Max Greenfield) tried to avoid two women find out he was dating both of them. It was a throwback to a silly feel of slapstick comedies from years past. Another highlight in the episode were Winston's (Lamorne Morris) attempts to keep the table at the swanky restaurant while everyone was delayed in their arrival. Finally the episode ended on quite possibly the best moment in the Nick and Jess (Jake Johnson and Zooey Deschanel) relationship so far as they tried to preemptively keep Schmidt from breaking them up by discussing their differences (Nick thinks the moon landing was a fake) and their similarities (they both think horses are from outer space).

17. Smash #27 "Opening Night" (April 20, 2013)
Smash was the biggest tease of any show I've watched since starting this blog. It had a brilliant pilot followed by many laughably bad scenes, characters, and episodes. Then it revamped for season two and showed some progress only to continuously be slowed by bad writing and shallow character development. For one episode in season two, however, it all came together and delivered its best episode since the pilot. Centered on opening night of the musical Bombshell, the episode featured great musical performances (highlighted by a fantastic duet of "That's Life" by Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty) and promising directions for storylines such as a potential split between Tom and Julia (Christian Borle and Debra Messing). Of course by the time this episode aired, the writing was on the wall for Smash, but this episode showed all the show could be. It was a little sad that it could never get to that level on a regular basis but it also made for a very entertaining episode.

16. The Middle #105 "The Christmas Tree" (December 11, 2013)
The best Christmas episode of the year belonged to a show that remains the sweetest family sitcom on the air even as this fall brought tons of new family sitcoms. As usual, the holidays appeared to be a disaster for the Hecks with Sue (Eden Sher) discovering she's allergic to live Christmas trees, Axl (Charlie McDermott) wanting to spend more time with his friends than at home, Brick (Atticus Shaffer) running a mini Ponzi scheme, and Frankie (Patricia Heaton) forcing the family to watch a foreign version of White Christmas. But a sentimental discussion with Dad (Neil Flynn) using the song "Cats in the Cradle" kept Axl at home and the Hecks ended their Christmas sweetly sitting on their porch while an equally sweet tag scene had Axl explaining the song "Cats in the Cradle" to younger brother Brick. This show works because its so relatable and it's not afraid to tug at the heart strings in a way that doesn't come across as flashy or ironic.

15. Modern Family #96 "Goodnight Gracie" (May 22, 2013)
After episodes in the Top 10 the last two years, this is the only Modern Family to make my list this year as I think it hasn't been quite as sharp as it has in years past. But the season finale in May delivered every signature feature of Modern Family to make it a classic. In an episode that centered on the family traveling to Florida for Phil's mom's funeral, it had layered storylines that were loosely connected at first and more connected as the episode went on. The subplots were top notch including Cam (Eric Stonestreet) playing bridge and gossiping with a group of catty old ladies and Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) defending every small issue in a sweltering Florida courtroom. It also had a series of misunderstandings as many great Family episodes do. And finally it had a touch of sentimentality at the end. It's too bad there weren't more Modern Family episodes this year that could pull everything together the way they did with ease in the first several seasons. 

14. Chicago Fire #31 "No Regrets" (November 19, 2013)
Chicago Fire has quietly emerged as one of the most consistently strong dramas on TV right now but it's not getting nearly the attention it deserves. There has been a great storyline this season surrounding a near forced departure of Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker). It came to a head in an action packed episode that featured a horrific crash between a tanker and commuter train. When Chicago Fire premiered, I worried that it would run out of ways to tell stories about fighting fires but here we are halfway through season two and life or death situations like the accident in this episode are just as riveting. As the hardworking gang of Firehouse 51 worked without much help, Boden was preparing to say goodbye to his men and women. This episode captured everything that works so well about the show.

13. The Middle #100 "The 100th" (October 23, 2013)
As I already discussed in #16, one thing that makes The Middle so great is its dysfunctional but heartwarming family. The other great thing about this show is the setting, smack dab in the midwest with the small town of Orson, Indiana and its little abnormalities. The 100th episode of this show celebrated the 100th anniversary of Orson and its colorful cast of characters. As Frankie and Mike reminisced about how they ended up in Orson, it was a great commentary on small town life. This show's setting is a modern day Mayberry as it celebrated the little things like its anniversary. In many ways, this is the larger theme of the show - celebrating the little things - and a 100th episode is quite a milestone for the little show that could.

12. Brooklyn Nine-Nine #1 "Pilot" (September 17, 2013)
This fall brought 14 new comedies to the networks, the most in a very long time. Without a doubt, the freshest and funniest new sitcom is Brooklyn Nine-Nine from the creators of Parks and Recreation. Comedies almost always have a tough time in the early part of their run. Even all time classics like I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Friends, and The Office took awhile to hit their stride. But Brooklyn came out firing in a way that few sitcoms are able to. Aside from the necessary exposition, it felt like a show that was well into its run because the characters were so well-defined and the writing was sharp and well suited to the actors, particularly the odd couple pairing of Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher. The best news of all is that most of the episodes that have followed so far have been equally as strong. I hope Brooklyn is around for a long time.

11. Criminal Minds #180 "Restoration" (April 3, 2013)
Like Modern Family, I don't feel as though this was the best year for Criminal Minds. But one episode stood above the pack thanks to a strong performance from Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan. When the BAU travels to Morgan's old stomping grounds in Chicago, a case is connected to a man who molested Morgan. When he's at it again, Morgan has to come to grips with what happened to him while advising the young men who are now the victims to come forward against this threat. In the age of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, it was a strong episode in general but Morgan battling his inner demons made it an especially memorable one.

10. Scandal #38 "YOLO" (December 5, 2013)
Scandal has delivered thrills all year long and it's not slowing down at all halfway through the third season. In this episode, Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) discovered her mother was alive and well and spent the entire episode trying to safely send her out of the country while avoiding her father's attempts to thwart the plan. Meanwhile, Cyrus (Jeff Perry) wrestles with inner demons after setting up his partner to catch the overly ambitious vice president's gay husband in the act. These storylines seemed solid and intense for most of the episode then, in true Scandal fashion, everything was turned upside down at the end of the episode. Olivia realized it was her mother, not her father, who was the monster. And in an even more shocking twist, the vice president Sally Langston (Kate Burton) murdered her cheating husband and called Cyrus in a panic as she declared "I have committed a sin." Scandal never fails to deliver shocking moments just when you think the episode is coming to a close.

9. The Blacklist #1 "Pilot" (September 23, 2013)
The best new drama of the year is easily The Blacklist. It's a great mix of procedural with a villain of the week and an engaging overarching plot as it slowly pieces together the details surrounding the criminal at the center, Red Reddington (James Spader) and his connection to young FBI agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). While every episode has been exciting, the best one so far remains the pilot as it set up the story very well while still catching a criminal for the week. Spader's performance as Reddington may be the best of the year and the episode set up lots of potential plot lines which are still being explored ten episodes in. With tons of thrilling moments and strong performances, this show did what a drama pilot needs to do: hook the audience. I hope this show continues to go Person of Interest style with its nice mix of procedural and serial drama. Of the many drama pilots this year, no show seemed as sure of what it plans to be than The Blacklist and it's important it sticks to that plan.

8. Chicago Fire #19 "A Coffin That Small" (March 27, 2013)
I had watched Chicago Fire all of its first season but I think this is the episode where I finally got hooked. Most episodes have the gang of Firehouse 51 playing the heroes but occasionally things don't work out and this episode explored that with the tragic death of a little boy who was stuck in a garbage chute. There were other interesting storylines in this episode including a stolen ambulance and a touching storyline involving Hermann (David Eigenberg) and his dad but it's really all about the main storyline involving the young boy. When the boy's mother tells Chief Boden that the boy wanted to be a firefighter, Boden organizes a fire truck salute. As the funeral procession goes by, the entire firehouse is there in the snow saluting the boy in a very moving moment.

7. Brooklyn Nine-Nine #6 "Halloween" (October 22, 2013)
As I already said, I think Brooklyn Nine-Nine is off to a stellar first season. The best episode of its run so far though has to be the Halloween episode because it dealt with the best dynamics in the show: the relationship between Detective Peralta and Captain Holt (Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher). In this episode, Peralta bets Holt he'll be able to steal his Medal of Valor, locked in a safe in Holt's office, before midnight. Peralta spends the entire episode dressed in ridiculous costumes and creating red herrings. This episode was pure madcap comedy and no show is doing better physical and silly comedy this season than Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It's not coming across as stupid because the show is well-written but this is definitely a show that's not taking itself too seriously and that's refreshing.

6. Parks and Recreation #82 "Leslie and Ben" (February 21, 2013)
Leslie Knope's (Amy Poehler) happy ending with Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) came in this episode but, as expected, it was never easy. They decide to get married at a gala instead of two months later like they planned but Knope's arch enemy, Councilman Jamm (Jon Glaser) nearly spoiled the whole thing. But the best episodes of Parks and Recreation throughout its entire run have been the episodes where the whole gang needs to work together under a deadline and this was the perfect example of that: Ron (Nick Offerman) makes rings, Jerry (Jim O'Heir) is an ordained minister, and Ann (Rashida Jones) makes a dress out of Leslie's accomplishments (yes, a wedding dress made out of paper). When they finally said their vows, the viewers were treated to a montage of past Parks moments which was a bit cheesy but mostly sentimental. TV's eternal optimist (Leslie) ended the episode by saying "I love my husband, I love my job, and I love my friends."

5. Scandal #29 "White Hat's Back On" (May 16, 2013)
Scandal is famous for its breakneck pace of storylines. Plots that would last half a season on other shows last half an episode on Scandal. Every once in a while they tie up some long standing plots though only to turn in another direction like a whiplash and that certainly happened in the season finale. As always, tons of things happened in this episode: Olivia Pope's crew figured out who the mole was, Cyrus had a heart attack, etc. It seemed like things were leveling off for the season when all of the sudden it was revealed to the media that Olivia was the mistress to President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn). That seemed like it was the final twist for the season but oh no, not on Scandal. Just when Olivia was ready to face the hounding media, she was whisked away to a car and a simple line by Olivia - "Dad?" - revealed that the mysterious and powerful head of B613 (Joe Morton) was Olivia's father. So much has happened since then this season that it's hard to remember what a big moment that was - but it was quite the final twist in a season that was full of them.

4. The Office #200 "Finale" (May 16, 2013)
It's been awhile since The Office was a really good show - several years actually. And it really went downhill after Steve Carell left in 2011. So I was more than ready for the show to be done when it was announced that 2012-13 would be the final season. I just hoped it would go out on a strong note and it did in a way that paid tribute to its longtime fans. Everything that made the show one of the funniest and best written sitcoms in its early years was back for the finale: sentimentality with a touch of irony and sarcasm. Best of all the episode brought back the brilliant Carell as Michael Scott. Though he only had two lines in the entire episode, they were arguably the two funniest moments of the episode. In the final scene, the Dunder Mifflin gang gathered back in the office for a final goodbye and they talked about how their work family was like a real family - just as Mary Tyler Moore famously did in her iconic show's finale. I wasn't too sad The Office was over but I'm glad it went out on a high note.

3. New Girl #36 "Cabin" (January 8, 2013)
The single episode that made me laugh harder than any other this year was actually one of the first as it aired way back in January. It was two excellent plots that made this episode so hilarious. First up was the trip Nick and Jess took to a cabin with their significant others at the time. The cabin trip led to the hilarious moment of Jess shooting a gun very poorly and then the gang getting into absinthe. Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson nailed the comedy as they were drunk off the absinthe (particularly Johnson at the dinner table). It also was a great next step in the slow building Nick and Jess relationship. A nearly equally funny subplot involved Schmidt trying to help Winston connect to his "inner blackness" which led to a very funny attempt at buying crack cocaine. New Girl had so many top notch episodes in season two but above all, a comedy should make people laugh. And as I said, nothing made me laugh harder than this episode.

2. The Following #1 "Pilot" (January 21, 2013)
My favorite pilot of the year belonged to The Following. This show was up and down as the season went on and I'm skeptical about what season two will look like when it returns this January. But no show had a better or creepier start than this one which I remember watching on a chilly January night. Everything was eerie and unsettling as notorious serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) escaped and retired FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) was brought back in the fold. In the first episode, it was impossible to know who to trust and the show was so creepy and violent, it looked like something network TV hadn't seen before. I did enjoy this show all season but I also recognized that it never quite lived up to the pilot. But that doesn't take away from what a well-constructed and chilling show it originally set out to be.

1. Person of Interest #54 "The Crossing" (November 19, 2013)
Person of Interest has been one of my favorite shows since it premiered over two years ago. But it has never been a "must see TV" type of show like Scandal where I just had to watch it as soon as I can so I didn't miss out on any twists or turns. But this year, Person of Interest gave a twist that most network shows are too afraid to try. Detective Carter (Taraji P. Henson) had spent the last several episodes trying to take down the infamous HR group who murdered her boyfriend. She had finally captured the elusive leader of HR and worked with John Reese (Jim Caviezel) to bring him in. As this was happening, it looked like Detective Fusco (Kevin Chapman) was in serious danger as he was being tortured. But Fusco escaped and Carter and Reese successfully completed their mission. It looked like a new day was dawning without HR when in the final seconds of the episode, Detective Carter was shot and killed by another member of HR. In one swoop, this show went from being a good procedural with interesting overarching plotlines to a show that was not afraid to take chances by killing off a major character. It got the show tons of buzz that it usually doesn't get and it earned respect from me in a way that others haven't (like The Following, which didn't actually kill off James Purefoy's character). It was so shocking and so sudden, but it was good TV. Person of Interest took their game to the next level with this episode and it deserves episode of the year honors for that reason.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/27/13

ABC
8:00 Last Man Standing (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
8:30 The Neighbors (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 Shark Tank (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

CBS
8:00 Undercover Boss (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Garth Brooks: Live from Las Vegas
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

NBC
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 What We Wasted Our Year On
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
10:00 Grimm (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

FOX 
8:00 Bones (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
9:00 Raising Hope (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:30 Raising Hope (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4

RATINGS RECAP: 12/26/13

ABC
8:00 Shark Tank (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 20/20: Secrets of the Castle
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 11.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
8:30 The Millers (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:00 The Millers (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:30 The Millers (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Elementary (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 Parks and Recreation (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6 
9:00 The Women of SNL
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

FOX
8:00 Glee (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 Glee (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.3

RATINGS RECAP: 12/25/13

ABC 
8:00 The Middle (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:30 Trophy Wife (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Modern Family (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:30 Super Fun Night (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
10:00 Nashville (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

CBS
8:00 I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
10:00 Blue Bloods (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

NBC
8:00 Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Tale
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Michael Buble's 3rd Annual Christmas Special
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
10:00 Hollywood Game Night (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

FOX
8:00 Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
8:30 Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury
Viewers: 1.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 Raising Hope (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.3
9:30 Raising Hope (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4 

RATINGS RECAP: 12/24/13

ABC
8:00 How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:30 Movie: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS
8:00 NCIS (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
10:00 Person of Interest (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

NBC
8:00 Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

FOX 
8:00 Dads (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
8:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 New Girl (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.3
9:30 The Mindy Project (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4 

RATINGS RECAP: 12/23/13

ABC
8:00 Shrek the Halls
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
8:30 A Chipmunk Christmas
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 The Great Christmas Light Fight
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS
8:00 How I Met Your Mother (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
8:30 2 Broke Girls (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Mike & Molly (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:30 Mom (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
10:00 Elementary (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

NBC
8:00 The Sing-Off
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 Hollywood Game Night
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

FOX
8:00 Almost Human (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 Sleepy Hollow (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5 

RATINGS RECAP: 12/22/13

ABC
7:00 Movie: The Sound of Music
Viewers: 6.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS
7:00 NFL Overrun
Viewers: 24.2 million, 18-49 demo: 7.1
7:56 60 Minutes
Viewers: 12.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
8:56 The Good Wife (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:56 The Mentalist (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

NBC
7:00 Football Night in America
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:00 NFL Pregame
Viewers: 10.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.6
8:30 Sunday Night Football
Viewers: 18.3 million, 18-49 demo: 6.2

FOX 
7:00 Bob's Burgers (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
7:30 American Dad! (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
8:00 The Simpsons (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:30 The Simpsons (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Family Guy (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:30 Animation Domination High-Def
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 

RATINGS RECAP: 12/21/13

ABC 
8:00 I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
10:00 Castle (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

CBS
8:00 Two and a Half Men (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
8:30 Two and a Half Men (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 48 Hours
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

NBC
8:00 The Sing-Off (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 Saturday Night Live (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

FOX
8:00 Almost Human (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 Bones (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4 

RATINGS RECAP: 12/20/13

ABC 
8:00 Shark Tank (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Shark Tank (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

CBS
8:00 I Love Lucy Christmas Special
Viewers: 8.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Hawaii Five-0
Viewers: 9.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Blue Bloods
Viewers: 10.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

NBC
8:00 Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

FOX
8:00 Bones (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown
Viewers: 1.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

The top show on broadcast TV Friday night was a show that's been off the air for over 50 years. The I Love Lucy Christmas special skewed old but had a good total viewer count and was still the top demo for the night with a 1.4. I think it'll definitely be rebroadcast next Christmas with these numbers. Later in the night for CBS, Hawaii Five-0 was up half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo while Blue Bloods was down seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. 20/20 was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for ABC while the annual airing of It's a Wonderful Life on NBC did slightly better than it's been doing on Saturdays in recent years.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/19/13

ABC
8:00 A Charlie Brown Christmas
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 The Year
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 11.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
8:30 The Millers (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 The Crazy Ones (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:30 Two and a Half Men (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Elementary (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 The Sing-Off
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 SNL Christmas
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7 

FOX 
8:00 The X Factor
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7 

Thursday night had the season finale of The X Factor. It was up a nice 1.3 million viewers and half a demo point from last week and posted its best Thursday demo since October. However, the finale demos were a 3.1 last year and a 3.8 in 2011 so this is massive erosion. I'm not sure if this show is profitable for FOX or not but it continues to seem like a bust and each year is getting work. Simon Cowell is convinced it'll be renewed but we'll see. On ABC, the second airing of A Charlie Brown Christmas did almost as well as the first airing this year while The Year did OK from 9-11pm. NBC saw The Sing-Off drop a tenth in the demo against the finale of The X Factor. The second airing of SNL Christmas this season did well as these SNL specials do well for NBC in primetime.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/18/13

ABC
8:00 The Middle (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 The Goldbergs (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Modern Family (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:30 Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013
Viewers: 8.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

CBS
8:00 A Home for the Holidays with Celine Dion
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 CSI (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

NBC
8:00 The Sing-Off
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Michael Buble's 3rd Annual Christmas Special
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3 

FOX
8:00 The X Factor
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3 

Friday night had the last performance night for The X Factor. It was even in viewers and down a tenth in the demo from last week and it was down a whopping 1.4 demo points from last year's performance finale. Nobody cares about this show anymore, there is just so little buzz. Over on ABC, the last Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People special was up just slightly from 2012. This has always been a decent end-of-year performer for ABC so they will miss it as an annual special. NBC had a win as The Sing-Off beat The X Factor head-to-head but it was down two tenths in the demo from last week. A Michael Buble NBC special at 10pm did better than a CBS Celine Dion special at 8pm.

RENEWAL ALERT: Masterchef Junior

FOX announced today that it has renewed Masterchef Junior for a second season. The latest Gordon Ramsey cooking show aired from September until November on Friday nights and got a second season. I'm guessing it will be back on Fridays again next fall as it did decently enough there for a cheap unscripted show. Masterchef Junior joins other official FOX renewals Sleepy Hollow, Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, and Glee.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/17/13

ABC
8:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 The Goldbergs (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:30 Trophy Wife (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
10:00 Primetime: What Would You Do?
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

CBS
8:00 NCIS
Viewers: 19.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles
Viewers: 15.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
10:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 12.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0

NBC
8:00 The Biggest Loser
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 The Voice
Viewers: 14.0 million, 18-49 demo: 4.0 

FOX
8:00 Dads (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
8:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 New Girl (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:30 The Mindy Project (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

Tuesday night had the finale of The Voice. But first for NBC, The Biggest Loser was up eight tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 9pm, The Voice was up a big 2.5 million viewers and nine tenths in the demo from last week. But it was down four tenths in the demo from the spring finale and a big nine tenths from last fall's finale. It will return at the end of February, following NBC's Winter Olympics coverage and it will have Shakira and Usher filling in for Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green as they did last spring. CBS held up pretty well despite competition from The Voice. At 8pm, NCIS was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. At 9pm, NCIS: Los Angeles was up the same despite tougher competition. At 10pm, Person of Interest was up half a million viewers but down two tenths in viewers from its last episode three weeks ago. 

RATINGS RECAP: 12/16/13

ABC
8:00 Prep & Landing
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
8:30 Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 The Great Christmas Light Fight
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
8:00 How I Met Your Mother
Viewers: 7.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
8:30 2 Broke Girls
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
9:00 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 8.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
9:30 Mom
Viewers: 7.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 Hostages
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 12.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3
10:00 The Sing-Off
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0

FOX
8:00 Almost Human
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6 
9:00 Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:30 Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8 

Monday night had the final performance night for The Voice. It was actually down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo from last week for a series low as far as finale nights go. This was a disappointing performance especially considering the competition wasn't too strong. At 10pm, The Sing-Off was down 1.1 million viewers and four tenths in the demo from last week's premiere. The drop isn't too bad when you consider last week's installment also aired in the 9pm hour. Over on ABC, week two of The Great Christmas Light Fight followed two low-rated specials. It was down 1.5 million viewers and four tenths in the demo as it looks like it will have a quickly forgotten holiday run. On FOX, it looks like last week's rise for Almost Human may have been a mirage as it was down eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for a series low.

Only CBS had its full regular lineup. At 8pm, How I Met Your Mother was down three tenths in viewers and the demo for a season low. It's been hovering right around a 3.0 demo all season, this is the first time it's been significantly below that. At 8:30pm, 2 Broke Girls was down nine tenths in viewers and four tenths in the demo. The last time it was this low in the demo was its last time airing at 9pm. I think it'll bounce back a little bit after the new year. At 9pm, Mike & Molly was up 1.1 million viewers and two tenths in the demo from last week, when it was surrounded by repeats. At 9:30pm, Mom fell three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo, tying its series low. This show swings up and down more than most. At 10pm, Hostages was up four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo for its best performance since October.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/15/13

ABC
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
Viewers: 6.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:00 Once Upon a Time
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 Revenge
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 Betrayal
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 10.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 10.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
10:00 Survivor: Blood vs. Water Reunion
Viewers: 7.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9

NBC
7:00 Football Night in America
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
8:00 NFL Pregame
Viewers: 10.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
8:30 Sunday Night Football
Viewers: 16.4 million, 18-49 demo: 5.6

FOX
7:00 NFL Overrun/The OT
Viewers: 27.8 million, 18-49 demo: 8.8
8:00 The Simpsons
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
8:30 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:00 Family Guy
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0
9:30 American Dad!
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4  

Sunday night had the bi-annual Survivor finale. First up on CBS was 60 Minutes which was down a big 1.2 million viewers and half a demo point even though neither week had a direct football lead-in. The two hour Survivor finale was solid as usual but it was a series low for a finale and it actually had a couple Wednesdays where it did as well or better in the demo. Overall, it could have been better but it wasn't bad for a show in its 27th edition. The reunion show did OK at 10pm. FOX's animated lineup was up to season highs across the board as it may have been helped by the lower football numbers. The Simpsons was up four tenths in the demo while Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, and American Dad! were each up three tenths in the demo.

Everything was below a 2.0 on ABC. At 7pm, America's Funniest Home Videos was down four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 8pm, Once Upon a Time fell half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo for its fall finale, tying a series low. It will not be back until March after a disappointing fall. At 9pm, Revenge was up two tenths in viewers and down a tenth in the demo. It was also supposed to return when Once did but then ABC decided to run three episodes in January where it could wilt against awards and playoff football. At 10pm, Betrayal was up half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo. On NBC, Sunday Night Football saw a season low for the Bengals-Steelers matchup, which is not too surprising.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/14/13

ABC
8:00 The Great Christmas Light Fight (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 CMA Country Christmas (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

CBS
8:00 Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Frosty the Snowman
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:30 Frosty Returns
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 48 Hours
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

NBC
8:00 The Sound of Music Live! (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

FOX
8:00 UFC Fight Night
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 

RATINGS RECAP: 12/13/13

ABC 
8:00 Last Man Standing
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:30 The Neighbors
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

CBS
8:00 Undercover Boss
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Hawaii Five-0
Viewers: 9.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Blue Bloods
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

NBC
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Grimm
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

FOX
8:00 Bones (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Raising Hope
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:30 Raising Hope
Viewers: 1.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6 

It was a quiet Friday night. ABC started off with its comedy hour. Last Man Standing was even in viewers but down two tenths in the demo while The Neighbors was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. At 9pm, Shark Tank was the best demo of the night as usual. It was down four tenths in viewers but even in the demo. At 10pm, 20/20 was up nine tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo. NBC started with Dateline NBC and it was down 1.1 million viewers and three tenths in the demo. A two hour Grimm followed. It was down a rough 1.4 million viewers and four tenths in the demo though some of that could be due to airing in the 10pm hour. This show seems to have been negatively impacted by the return of the CBS lineup but this is a surprising drop for a two hour event that was pretty well promoted.

CBS had its lineup back after a couple weeks off but everything was down. At 8pm, Undercover Boss was up half a million viewers and even in the demo but that was a clip show. It was down three tenths in the demo from its last regular episode a month ago. At 9pm, Hawaii Five-0 was down eight tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo for a series low. It seems like the momentum this show was building was dulled during these couple weeks off as Shark Tank has been stronger again lately in the hour. At 10pm, Blue Bloods was down a million viewers and three tenths in the demo as it fell with Hawaii. Two episodes of Raising Hope on FOX were each down a tenth in the demo from last week.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/12/13

ABC
8:00 Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 8.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
10:00 Scandal
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
Viewers: 17.7 million, 18-49 demo: 5.1
8:30 The Millers
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
9:00 The Crazy Ones
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:30 Two and a Half Men
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 Elementary
Viewers: 9.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

NBC
8:00 The Sing-Off
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 Sean Saves the World
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:30 The Michael J. Fox Show
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Parenthood
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 

FOX 
8:00 The X Factor
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Glee (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

Thursday night had no major musical event on NBC so many shows were up a little bit while NBC was of course back to its low numbers. On CBS, The Big Bang Theory started things off up 1.9 million viewers and three tenths in the demo. At 8:30pm, The Millers was up 1.7 million viewers and two tenths in the demo. Raw numbers remain pretty good for this show but the retention continues to hover near 50%. At 9pm, The Crazy Ones was up three tenths in viewers but down two tenths in the demo to disappointingly tie a series low. The worst performance came at 9:30pm where Two and a Half Men was even in viewers and down a rough four tenths in the demo for a series low. It has never dipped below a 2 demo in its eleven year history. Despite its weak showing this year, I think it'll be back because CBS won't want both this and How I Met Your Mother to end this season. At 10pm, Elementary was up eight tenths in viewers but down a tenth in the demo.

On NBC, the third night of The Sing-Off was its weakest yet but it still beat The X Factor in the hour. At 9pm, Sean Saves the World was up four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from its last airing three weeks ago while The Michael J. Fox Show was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. What a disappointment these two comedies have been. At 10pm, Parenthood was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. On FOX, The X Factor results show was even in viewers but down two tenths in the demo ahead of next week's finale. These numbers have been continuously bad since the baseball break and I just can't see FOX bringing this show back next fall. If they do, it certainly won't take up three hours on their schedule.

Over on ABC, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland was up a tenth in viewers but down a tenth in the demo for a new series low. As of now, ABC is advertising it as returning in March but that must be to just finish the episode order. There's no way this show is getting more episodes. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy rebounded nicely from last week's series low as it was up 1.4 million viewers and four tenths in the demo for its best number in over a month. At 10pm, Scandal was up nine tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best performance since October 17. Both Grey's and Scandal are done with new episodes until February 27. Limited series The Assets will fill in for Scandal starting in January. 

RENEWAL ALERT: Survivor

CBS announced today that it has renewed Survivor for next season, both cycles, making it the veteran reality show's 29th and 30th editions! Survivor has been a staple on CBS since the summer of 2000 and made a successful move from Thursday nights to Wednesday nights a few years back. It is usually one of the first shows renewed by CBS as it requires more lead time for filming and production. Survivor joins NBC's The Blacklist and a whole list of FOX shows (Glee, Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, and Sleepy Hollow) as early renewals for next season.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/11/13

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
8:30 Back in the Game
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 10.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
9:30 Super Fun Night
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 11.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
10:00 CSI
Viewers: 10.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8 

NBC
8:00 The Sing-Off
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4 

FOX
8:00 The X Factor
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

ABC was all new on Wednesday night with Christmas episodes of its comedies and the fall finale of Nashville. At 8pm, The Middle was up seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. Back in the Game followed with its last scheduled episode. It was up a million viewers and a tenth in the demo. And so it ends for Game, which was the odd comedy out of the newbies on ABC. It has three remaining episodes but they aren't scheduled to air anytime soon. At 9pm, Modern Family rebounded nicely as it was up 1.1 million viewers and three tenths in the demo for its best numbers in nearly a month. At 9:30pm, Super Fun Night was up six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. At 10pm, Nashville was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo, tying a series low. It's been doing OK in recent weeks by holding on to its numbers but to dip like this for the fall finale is a disappointment. 

CBS had disappointing numbers. Survivor was down seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo ahead of Sunday's finale. The dramas that followed did not do any better than their Thanksgiving Eve airings two weeks ago as Criminal Minds was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo while CSI was actually down seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. A repeat of CSI was only three tenths below that with a 1.5 demo last week so I'm not sure what happened to these two crime dramas this week. On NBC, The Sing-Off was well below Monday's numbers after The Voice. However, it was a decent performer like NBC wants it to be for the holiday season. A Kelly Clarkson special didn't do much at 10pm but it did manage to tie Nashville. FOX had another bad week with The X Factor as it was down four tenths in viewers and even in the demo with a low 1.4.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/10/13

ABC
8:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 The Goldbergs
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:30 Trophy Wife
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Primetime: What Would You Do?
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS
8:00 NCIS
Viewers: 19.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles
Viewers: 15.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
10:00 The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.4

NBC
8:00 The Biggest Loser
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 The Voice
Viewers: 11.5 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1
10:00 Chicago Fire
Viewers: 9.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

FOX 
8:00 American Country Awards
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4 

On Tuesday night, CBS had a powerful lineup of the NCIS twins and the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. First up, NCIS was down four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from its last new airing three weeks ago. At 9pm, NCIS: Los Angeles was up 2.9 million viewers but just even in the demo from two weeks ago. This show skews a lot older when its following the original NCIS. At 10pm, the annual Fashion Show was slightly below last year but strong as always with a dominant 3.4 demo. On NBC, The Biggest Loser was down six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. At 9pm, The Voice was down six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo even with the finals coming next week. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was up 1.1 million viewers for a series high but down a tenth in the demo. It may have gotten some of the older Person of Interest viewers this week who weren't interested in seeing models parading around on CBS.

On ABC, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. took a huge tumble as it was down a mammoth 3.6 million viewers and half a demo point from its last new episode two weeks ago for a series low. This show has a huge crossover audience with NCIS as apparent by how it performed two weeks ago against Rudolph instead of NCIS and then tonight with the NCIS competition back. At 9pm, The Goldbergs was up two tenths in viewers and the demo from last week when it had to follow a repeat of Marvel. At 9:30pm, Trophy Wife was even in viewers but up a tenth in the demo. ABC should have considered moving these sitcoms to Wednesday, Suburgatory to Friday (in place of The Neighbors) and Marvel to 9pm Tuesdays. But they won't do that now since they've already announced their midseason plans. At 10pm, Primetime: What Would You Do? was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. FOX saw little interest in the American Country Awards, which are no CMAs.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/9/13

ABC
8:00 Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:00 The Great Christmas Light Fight
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 Castle (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
8:00 How I Met Your Mother (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:30 2 Broke Girls (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 7.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:30 Mom (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Hostages
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1 

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 13.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
9:00 The Sing-Off
Viewers: 8.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4 

FOX
8:00 Almost Human
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 Sleepy Hollow
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

On Monday night, NBC had The Voice just in the 8pm hour and it was up 1.2 million viewers and a tenth in the demo. That bodes well for the finale next week. At 9pm, the return of The Sing Off delivered positive numbers for NBC. It did drop off a lot over two hours but it was still a solid performance and well above the numbers it was getting during its poorly-rated fall run in 2011. This show belongs as a holiday special and it seems like it will be a decent December performer though we'll see what it can do without The Voice. On FOX, Almost Human was actually up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. For one week at least, it has defied the downward trend which makes me less inclined to continue to call for Bones to come back to the slot. That being said, the smarter thing would have been to leave Bones here and let Almost Human take Glee's slot. At 9pm, Sleepy Hollow was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo.

On ABC, the series premiere of holiday reality show The Great Christmas Light Fight delivered numbers that did not make it a flat out flop but also not encouraging enough to think it will be a new holiday tradition for ABC. We'll see how the next couple episodes do. CBS only had new episodes of Mike & Molly and Hostages amidst repeats. Mike & Molly was down nine tenths in viewers and four tenths in the demo. While it was a season low, it was not a horrible performance considering it was airing after repeats. Hostages was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/8/13

ABC
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
8:00 Once Upon a Time
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Revenge
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Betrayal
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 11.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
8:00 The Amazing Race
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 10.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8

NBC
7:00 Football Night in America
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
8:00 NFL Pregame
Viewers: 11.5 million, 18-49 demo: 4.0
8:30 Sunday Night Football
Viewers: 19.1 million, 18-49 demo: 6.9 

FOX
7:00 NFL Overrun
Viewers: 27.7 million, 18-49 demo: 9.1
7:30 The OT
Viewers: 14.6 million, 18-49 demo: 5.2
8:00 The Simpsons
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1
8:30 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Family Guy
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
9:30 American Dad!
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1

On Sunday night, CBS had the fall edition finale of The Amazing Race. Up first for them though was 60 Minutes which was down big from last week's football-infused edition, but it did hit a season high among the weeks with no direct football lead-in. At 8pm, the 23rd finale of Race was down 1.1 million viewers and even in the demo. It hit a series low for a finale as this franchise has been showing its age this season. At 10pm, The Mentalist was up four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while starting an hour earlier. This was a season high for a show that's been having a small renaissance in recent weeks which is helping its case for renewal. The Panthers-Saints Sunday Night Football matchup was up from last week but not to the dizzying heights of a couple earlier contests. Despite being good teams, it's probably partly due to lesser market teams and the fact that it wasn't all that close.

Over on ABC, the full lineup was back for the first time in three weeks. At 7pm, America's Funniest Home Videos was up three tenths in viewers and the demo for a season high. At 8pm, Once Upon a Time recovered a bit from its last couple weeks of season lows. It was up three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. At 9pm, Revenge was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. The good thing is it was off for two weeks and returned slightly up when breaks are often problematic for this show. At 10pm, Betrayal was down three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for a series low. With a 0.7 demo, it shouldn't even be finishing its run. FOX's animated lineup was up across the board thanks to a strong NFL lead-in and a fully new lineup. It was a season high for The Simpsons and Family Guy.

RATINGS RECAP: 12/7/13

ABC
8:00 College Football
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

CBS
8:00 College Football Overrun
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
8:30 Mike & Molly (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 48 Hours Presents: Nelson Mandela, Father of a Nation
Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
10:00 College Football
Viewers: 1.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

NBC
8:00 Christmas in Rockefeller Center (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
9:00 The Blacklist (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 Saturday Night Live (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

FOX
8:00 College Football
Viewers: 13.9 million, 18-49 demo: 4.5

RATINGS RECAP: 12/6/13

ABC 
8:00 Last Man Standing
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 The Neighbors
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

CBS
8:00 Frosty the Snowman
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
8:30 Yes Virginia
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
10:00 Grammy Nominations Concert Live
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1 

NBC
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Grimm
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Dracula
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

FOX 
8:00 Bones
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Raising Hope
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:30 Raising Hope
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

It was a good Friday night for most shows as CBS was airing specials and repeats and the other networks benefited. CBS aired the classic special Frosty the Snowman and the newer special Yes Virginia as well as the Grammy Nominations concert. Everything did OK but not as well as their usual drama lineup. On ABC, Last Man Standing was up a tenth in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best demo in nearly a month while The Neighbors was up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. At 9pm, Shark Tank was up half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo as it definitely seemed to be help by not having Hawaii Five-0 in the same timeslot. At 10pm, 20/20 was up even in viewers and up two tenths in the demo.

On NBC, Dateline NBC was up two tenths in viewers and the demo. The drama combo of Grimm and Dracula had a nice rally. Grimm was up six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo while Dracula was up a million viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best numbers since its second episode. On FOX, Bones was up 1.1 million viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best Friday numbers yet. It was even with what Almost Human got on Monday in its old slot. Time for FOX to admit mistake and switch the two shows? Raising Hope was up two tenths in the demo at 9pm and a tenth at 9:30pm.

GOOD WEEK/BAD WEEK: December 7, 2013

GOOD WEEK: NBC
It has been a pretty wonderful week for NBC. On Monday, they had the always powerful The Voice and then The Blacklist scored its best numbers since September for its fall finale. On Tuesday, things were up across the board with Chicago Fire posting its best numbers since mid-October. On Wednesday, their annual combo of Christmas in Rockefeller Center and the SNL Christmas special led to a rare Wednesday win. The best news of all came on Thursday when The Sound of Music Live! shattered expectations with huge numbers that held up well throughout the entire three hour event. NBC is being smart about airing their regular specials and they're protecting their strongest shows. They made a gamble with Sound of Music but it paid off in a big way and will help NBC with its event programming since this production was getting tons of buzz in and out of TV circles. NBC still has problems (like their usual Wednesday and Thursday nights) but with the hot The Blacklist, an improving Chicago Fire, the always strong Sunday Night Football and The Voice, and a huge event win for The Sound of Music, NBC has had more things to smile about this season.

BAD WEEK: "GLEE"
The last two weeks for FOX's Glee have been pretty miserable and a horrible fall for a show that was once one of the hottest on TV. It dipped to a 0.9 demo on Thanksgiving night - horrible but perhaps understandable. Then against NBC's The Sound of Music Live, it climbed only two tenths to a 1.1 demo and a mere 3.3 million viewers. You can make excuses like the holiday and the similar appeal on NBC drawing viewers away but the numbers are so low now it's a moot point. This show is dead but FOX renewed it for two more seasons last year meaning it's still coming back in 2014-15. It's not going to get any better, the show has been on a consistent downward trend since it broke out in the spring 2010 when the second half of its freshman season followed American Idol. It was once one of the most talked about shows on TV but how many people do you know still even watch it? This show's done, as is its lead-in The X Factor, and FOX should cut its losses with both shows.