RATINGS RECAP: 4/29/14

ABC 
8:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 The Goldbergs
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:30 Trophy Wife
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
10:00 Celebrity Wife Swap
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

CBS 
8:00 NCIS
Viewers: 17.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles
Viewers: 14.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 11.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 11.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
9:00 About a Boy
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:30 Growing Up Fisher
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 Chicago Fire
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8

FOX 
8:00 Glee
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 New Girl
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:30 The Mindy Project
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

Tuesday night was pretty rough for NBC. At 8pm, The Voice was down a tenth in viewers and the demo for another season low. Once again, The Voice is slipping pretty badly as the edition goes on. At 9pm, About a Boy was down six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo for a new series low. This was a pretty rough drop for a show that's been building a lot of goodwill. It really calls into question if it can do anything at all without The Voice lead-in. Growing Up Fisher was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo for a new series low as well. For a show on the bubble, this wasn't a good showing. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was not impacted as it was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. 

On ABC, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. started out the night even in viewers and up two tenths in the demo. After its early slide, it has been very stable for several months now. At 9pm, The Goldbergs was up three tenths in viewers and the demo. Not only did it beat New Girl but it also beat About a Boy for the first time. Just when it looked like it was slipping again with its 1.4 demo last time, it had a nice rise again. Put this show on Wednesdays already! At 9:30pm, Trophy Wife was up four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The rise shouldn't matter for a renewal at this point. Celebrity Wife Swap did not follow the upward trend as it was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo.

On CBS, NCIS recovered nicely from its season low as it was up two tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo from its last airing. At 9pm, NCIS: Los Angeles did not follow suit as it was up a tenth in viewers but even in the demo. Person of Interest was up six tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo at 10pm. Will NCIS: Los Angeles or Person of Interest be on the move next season? Because it seems certain that one of them will. On terrible FOX, Glee was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. New Girl was even in viewers and down a tenth for another series low. The news is just getting worse by the week for this show. It was almost beat by The Mindy Project for the first time until it adjusted up in the finals. The Mindy Project was up a tenth in viewers and the demo.

UPFRONTS 2014: What ABC Should Do

ABC has had a rough year with their new shows from underperformers like Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Goldbergs to several straight up bombs. They do have one of TV's top success stories in Scandal though and they also have several cornerstone shows. I think ABC needs to shake up its schedule for than they usually do because they can't keep letting shows fail in the same slots (like three of them bombing on Tuesday at 10pm).

Past Years: 2013   2012   2011

MONDAYS
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
10:00 DANGEROUS LIASONS
I have often advocated for ABC to move Castle and I'm saying it again. This is not because I think Dancing with the Stars is a great lead-in but because Castle is needed elsewhere. Plus, if NBC does in fact move The Blacklist, there may be a chance for a new show to gain some ground here. I would propose the soapy Dangerous Liasons, which would be a good fit out of both Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor. Part of me still thinks The Bachelor should be the show airing two cycles but Dancing has done alright this spring and it might keep The Bachelor fresher to just do one cycle a year.

TUESDAYS 
8:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
9:00 AMERICAN CRIME
10:00 Castle
The comedy block on Tuesday hasn't worked for a couple years now so I think it's time to abandon that idea. Despite underperforming, I would give Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. one more chance on Tuesday at 8pm and hope it can at least level off. At 9pm, I would try a new drama and the dark, gritty American Crime would be an interesting choice, even if it seems more like a 10pm show. ABC had three failed new dramas in the 10pm slot this year with Lucky 7, Killer Women, and Mind Games. All three bombed horribly and so it's time for ABC to move an established show here. I think the best bet to get ABC out of the doldrums in this slot is for them to move Castle over a night.

WEDNESDAYS
8:00 The Middle
8:30 The Goldbergs
9:00 Modern Family
9:30 FAR EAST ORLANDO
10:00 HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
First of all, ABC needs to correct one of the most egregious errors of this year and put The Goldbergs where it belongs: on Wednesdays between The Middle and Modern Family. I don't blame them for trying to jump start Tuesdays but when it was clear it wasn't working, this show should have moved because it has surprised at times on Tuesdays. It is a perfect fit with the existing anchor shows. At 9:30pm, ABC needs to add another family show - not a show like Super Fun Night or Mixology. I think the 90s-set Far East Orlando could be an interesting addition. I think ABC needs to save either Revenge or Nashville for midseason. Both shows have some serious issues and ABC needs to take more chances in the fall. I would bench Revenge and ship Nashville to Sundays so I could launch the new Shonda Rhimes drama How to Get Away with Murder. It shouldn't be with the other two Shonda Thursday dramas but it should be nearby. It could be an upgrade from Nashville if it catches on.

THURSDAYS
8:00 CRISTELA
8:30 KEEP IT TOGETHER
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
10:00 Scandal
Pretty much the only thing ABC has not tried in the Thursday 8pm slot is comedies so why not give it a try with two new multi-camera sitcoms? They might be able to carve out an audience before The Big Bang Theory returns after CBS' eight weeks of football. Cristela has been testing well and Kevin Hart is attached to Keep It Together and he's a huge name right now. Both have minority leads and that population is underrepresented on sitcoms right now. Basically what is there to lose? Another drama here would be ridiculously foolish and Shark Tank has proven to be better on Fridays. The hit Shonda dramas should stay from 9-11pm. Some think Scandal should be a lead-in somewhere else but this is one of those "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" situations for me. There's no saying that Scandal will be as strong elsewhere or that a different drama would do as well. People have made Thursday 10pm appointment viewing for Scandal. No reason to mess with that.

FRIDAYS
8:00 Last Man Standing
8:30 THE WINKLERS
9:00 Shark Tank
10:00 20/20
I would keep Fridays mostly the same except I think ABC can do better than The Neighbors at 8:30pm and a multi-camera family comedy like Last Man Standing makes more sense. Henry Winkler's vehicle The Winklers is a great fit with Last Man because it also features an aging sitcom veteran in a new family sitcom. It seems like it could have the same type of audience. I wouldn't move Shark Tank or 20/20.

SATURDAYS
8:00 College Football
As usual.

SUNDAYS
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00 Once Upon a Time
9:00 Resurrection
10:00 Nashville
I think Sundays need to not be the main focus because 8pm is solid with Once Upon a Time. 9pm is a question mark with Resurrection because it has been consistently falling, but it could revitalize itself if it has a big season finale and can market itself well over the summer. I would save Revenge for midseason and instead put Nashville at 10pm. I guess Nashville could live another season but I would maybe only give both it and Revenge a half-season and see which one is stronger or if both need to go if ABC can find some new drama success stories. Let them duke it out in the Sunday 10pm slot between the two halves of the season. Maybe one will surprise.

MIDSEASON: AGATHA, AN AMERICAN EDUCATION, THE ASTRONAUTS WIVES CLUB, THE CLUB, IRREVERSIBLE, SECRETS & LIES, The Bachelor, Revenge
I don't think ABC needs to keep a lot of its bubble shows. In fact, I would only save The Bachelor and Revenge for midseason unless they want to keep a filler show like Celebrity Wife Swap or The Great Christmas Light Fight. ABC could do some split seasons again with fillers in-between. It didn't work great this year but it might work better if they have better fillers. That's where I see the dramas potentially going while sitcoms An American Education and Irreversible could go any number of places especially since I had four hours of sitcoms on the fall schedule.

CANCELLED: The Assets, Back in the Game, Betrayal, Black Box, Celebrity Wife Swap, The Great Christmas Light Fight, Killer Women, Lucky 7, Mind Games, Mixology, The Neighbors, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Suburgatory, Super Fun Night, The Taste, Trophy Wife
ABC's bubble shows like Suburgatory, The Neighbors, Mixology, and Trophy Wife should not survive. It's time for ABC to be more aggressive.

Tomorrow: CBS!

CANCELLATION ALERT: Almost Human

We are getting close to upfronts which means we'll start seeing cancellations and pickups soon. The first one came down tonight with FOX cancelling bubble drama Almost Human. The show got off to a strong start airing after football for one Sunday but then it was up and down on Mondays. At first it appeared to be a much weaker option that damaged the Bones/Sleepy Hollow combo that had previously been airing on the night. Then it started to perform a little better despite erratic scheduling. I thought FOX might give it another chance, especially since it fits into their half season model that so many dramas have, but that didn't happen.

Almost Human joins Raising Hope and The X Factor as official FOX cancellations with Rake and Enlisted sure to join them. Officially renewed are Bob's Burgers, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bones, Family Guy, The Following, Glee, Masterchef Junior, The Mindy Project, New Girl, The Simpsons, and Sleepy Hollow. With American Idol, Hell's Kitchen, and Kitchen Nightmares sure to join that list, the only true bubble shows remaining are Dads and Surviving Jack. I guess it depends on what kind of direction FOX wants to go with its comedies.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/28/14

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 15.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
10:00 Castle
Viewers: 10.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0

CBS
8:00 2 Broke Girls
Viewers: 7.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
8:30 Friends with Better Lives
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
9:30 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 Person of Interest (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 11.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0
10:00 The Blacklist
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7

FOX
8:00 Bones (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 The Following
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

It was a good Monday night as most shows were up week-to-week. The best news came for Dancing with the Stars on ABC. It was up a strong 1.8 million viewers and four tenths in the demo for its best numbers since the spring premiere. It is significantly up year to year which is impressive for a reality franchise that seemed on a continuous downward spiral. It looks like airing one day a week may be a "less is more" situation for ABC and it's finding an audience again. The big rise also helped Castle, which was up six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best showing since February 3. On NBC, The Voice was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo while The Blacklist was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo.

FOX had the season finale of The Following. It was up just four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo and was down 1.2 demo points from last year's season finale. The wheels really came off of this show this year and I don't think it's going to be any better next year for FOX. Finally on CBS, 2 Broke Girls continues to do pretty admirably in its new 8pm slot. It was up seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. At 8:30pm, Friends with Better Lives was up seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo as well. It has held up pretty well in its first four weeks, but will it be enough to get a renewal? I'm not so sure. At 9pm, Mike & Molly with guest star Susan Sarandon was up three tenths in viewers and the demo for its best performance since March 3.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/27/14

ABC 
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
Viewers: 6.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:00 Once Upon a Time
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
9:00 Resurrection
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 Revenge
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 10.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:00 The Amazing Race
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 The Good Wife
Viewers: 9.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 

NBC
7:00 American Dream Builders
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Believe
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
10:00 Crisis
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

FOX 
7:00 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
7:30 American Dad!
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:00 The Simpsons
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:30 Family Guy
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4 

It was a busy Sunday night but only two shows went above the 2 demo. On ABC, America's Funniest Home Videos started things off up nine tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo for its best performance since January 5. Not bad at all for a late April 7pm showing. At 8pm, Once Upon a Time proved that last week's Easter dip was an aberration as it went back up 1.3 million viewers and half a demo point. That must be a sigh of relief for ABC. The news was not nearly as good for Resurrection as it was up four tenths in viewers but down two tenths in the demo for another series low. It has now dropped almost two full demo points since its March 9 premiere. At 10pm, Revenge was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. On FOX, Bob's Burgers was up a strong eight tenths in viewers and half a demo point. It's trying its best with the horrible position FOX has put it in. American Dad! was even in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. The Simpsons was down a tenth in viewers and the demo and Family Guy was down four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Finally, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey was dead even with last week despite a much better lead-in.

On CBS, 60 Minutes was up 1.5 million viewers and two tenths in the demo. This show still does very well with total viewers, even when it doesn't have a football lead-in. At 8pm, The Amazing Race was up eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The Good Wife was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo while The Mentalist was down a tenth in viewers and two tenths in the demo to tie a series low. Not a good time for this show to be going to series lows as many consider its chances of coming back very very small. Nothing topped a 1.0 demo on NBC's pathetic lineup. American Dream Builders was up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Dateline NBC was up 2.1 million viewers and two tenths in the demo. Believe was even in viewers and down a tenth in the demo while Crisis was up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo.

UPFRONTS 2014: What FOX Should Do

This week, I am sharing what I think each network should do with their fall lineup. This is not a prediction but a suggestion. I have not seen any of the pilots so it's just based on descriptions, pedigree, etc. Since FOX is in a different model of development, most of the shows have already been picked-up and FOX is full of limited series models. They need a lot of new shows because this year was a rough one this side of Sleepy Hollow. The X Factor was cancelled and American Idol, The Following, and New Girl are all fading fast.

Past FOX suggestions:   2013   2012   2011

MONDAYS
8:00 Bones
9:00 Sleepy Hollow
FOX has a lot of things to consider with the cancellation of The X Factor and so many shows with smaller orders. I think the best thing for Mondays is to keep some stability with the other nights changing up. That means Bones at 8pm all season long in what should probably be its final season. Like this year (except for that brief Friday run of Bones), it can be paired with Sleepy Hollow in the fall and The Following in the spring. That will allow FOX 9pm Mondays to be new all season and stability is necessary on a network where there's a lot of upheaval.

TUESDAYS
8:00 BACKSTROM
9:00 New Girl
9:30 The Mindy Project
Honestly, I don't know what to do with Tuesdays. Comedies haven't worked and Glee hasn't either. I guess I would keep New Girl and The Mindy Project in the 9pm hour if only because I wouldn't want to subject a new comedy to this night. At 8pm, I would try something completely different - maybe Rainn Wilson's Backstrom, though that could be the second coming of failed dramedy Rake. Tuesdays are going to be a problem no matter what and there's a lot of directions they can go in.

WEDNESDAYS 
8:00 HIEROGLYPH
9:00 Almost Human
FOX still has American Idol coming in the winter so I think their best bet is to air two shows with limited orders and the ambitious Hieroglyph would be a great lead-off. If any new show could be a self-starter, this might be it and they need something to do that with The X Factor gone. Almost Human hasn't been renewed for a second season yet but I think it should get another chance. Considering how things have been on Mondays since it's been gone, it really wasn't doing that bad. It may crash and burn but it deserves a second chance. 

THURSDAYS
8:00 Masterchef Junior
9:00 MULANEY
9:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine
FOX also has the American Idol results show to consider at midseason so I think they should try to carve out a comedy/reality presence here (which they are sort of trying this spring). I would move Masterchef Junior over from Fridays but any Gordon Ramsey series would suffice at 8pm. At 9pm, I would pair the promising new comedy Mulaney with the critically acclaimed Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Brooklyn isn't going to get any better with New Girl on Tuesdays. Why not give it a chance somewhere else?

FRIDAYS
8:00 Glee
9:00 WEIRD LONERS
9:30 Surviving Jack
FOX foolishly renewed Glee for two years a year ago and now the wheels have come off completely on the once hugely popular show. Since they have one more year of it, it needs to be buried on Fridays. It doesn't belong anywhere else. Since they're already committing to Fridays, I would pair it with two comedies that can be easily cancelled if things go south but they could be a better option than this year's failed Raising Hope and Enlisted. Weird Loners sounds like it might be a tonal fit with Glee while I would really like to see Surviving Jack get a second chance, even if that means Fridays.

SATURDAYS
8:00 College Football/Encores
As expected.

SUNDAYS
7:00 NFL Overrun/The OT/Animated Encores
8:00 GOTHAM
9:00 Family Guy
9:30 The Simpsons
I think it's time for FOX to use the big fall football lead-in on something other than The Simpsons. Yes, it's not every week but I think they need the exposure for a new show and the one that might draw football fans in the most is the dark sounding, ambitious Gotham. I would save Bob's Burgers for midseason and let Family Guy and The Simpsons share the 9pm hour. FOX has a huge lead-in with the late NFL games and they need to utilize it on a show that's newer than 25 years old.

MIDSEASON: BORDERTOWN, CABOT COLLEGE, EMPIRE, GRACEPOINT, LAST MAN ON EARTH, WAYWARD PINES, American Idol, Bob's Burgers, The Following, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares
With the short season orders and newer approaches, FOX should have a lot on deck. I already discussed the existing returning shows. As for the new ones, Cabot College and Last Man on Earth can be comedy or a third comedy with the Idol results show. Bordertown, Empire, and Wayward Pines are all tricky to schedule but maybe Idol should only be an hour on Wednesdays for much of its run and a drama could follow it. FOX will likely save at least one or two dramas for summer 2015 and Empire sounds like it could be an effective summer drama.

CANCELLED: Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, Dads, Enlisted, Raising Hope, Rake, The X Factor
Nothing surprising on the cancellation list.

Tomorrow: ABC!

UPFRONTS 2014: What NBC Should Do

It's hard to believe that it's Upfront season already! This week, I am writing what I think each network SHOULD do based on some already-known things like renewals and pickups. I have not seen any pilots so this is purely based on reading about them and what I feel might be best for each network. Today is NBC!

Check out what I said NBC should do in past years: 2013   2012   2011

MONDAYS
8:00 The Voice
10:00 STATE OF AFFAIRS
NBC needs to use The Voice to launch new dramas while it's still a viable hit. The Blacklist has proven itself as a stand alone success. NBC has several epic, mini-series type dramas on the docket for next year but this slot needs to belong to a long term show with a procedural element to it, much like The Blacklist. Looking at their list of pilots, I think the best option is State of Affairs, a political drama starring Katherine Heigl. Maybe it can capture the DC drama that Scandal has on Thursdays. If all goes well, it can run the full season here like The Blacklist. If not, NBC has plenty of other dramas to launch with the spring edition of The Voice.

TUESDAYS
8:00 The Voice
9:00 A TO Z
9:30 About a Boy
10:00 Chicago Fire
The best news for NBC on Tuesdays this year is that Chicago Fire has proven to be a capable self-starter at 10pm and it doesn't need The Voice as a lead-in. Therefore, I would keep The Voice at 8pm as it has been this spring instead of sliding it back to 9pm where it was last fall. The comedies at 9pm have been serviceable and I think NBC's best bet is to renew both of them but only air one in the fall. About a Boy has been the stronger show but it has also had the 9pm post-Voice slot. I would move it back half an hour to 9:30pm and give the 9pm slot to a promising comedy such as A to Z, which is described as a "whimsical" comedy set at an online dating company. It sounds like it could be a tonal fit with About a Boy. Chicago Fire should, and probably will, stay at 10pm.

WEDNESDAYS
8:00 MISSION CONTROL
8:30 TOOKEN
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
10:00 Chicago PD
Wednesday nights are interesting. I think the 9-11pm hours should stay put assuming NBC can get Law & Order: SVU removed. It's clear that SVU doesn't have many years left with these contract issues for a veteran show. Hopefully another year would be enough time for Chicago PD to be ready to take the 9pm slot. Revolution has done OK in the 8pm hour but NBC can't keep all their dramas and that show likely has nowhere to go but down. I would try a comedy block on Wednesdays instead of the typical NBC night of Thursdays. I would save Parks and Recreation as a filler and try new sitcoms here. The 60s space comedy Mission Control and the sitcom from Tina Fey, Tooken, seem like a fun pairing. NBC needs to try to carve out a comedy presence somewhere and they might have better success going against the ABC Wednesday block instead of the CBS Thursday block.

THURSDAYS 
8:00 The Biggest Loser
9:00 The Blacklist
10:00 EMERALD CITY
It's time for NBC to fully give up the "Must See TV" dream on Thursday nights. Comedies haven't worked here in a very long time and it's time to end them for now. The 8pm hour needs to be stronger and it will have to deal with competition from football and then The Big Bang Theory on CBS. A show that can handle that, in my opinion, is The Biggest Loser. It's the best option for a tough hour - better than sitcoms or a drama. The Blacklist has to go somewhere because it needs to vacate the Monday 10pm slot for a new drama. Looking at NBC's whole schedule, I think their best bet is Thursday at 9pm with hopes it can stand on its own and launch a new 10pm drama. Moving a hit show here has worked before with CBS (CSI) and ABC (Grey's Anatomy). It's time to strike while it's hot and maybe NBC can be competitive again on Thursdays. I would use the 10pm slot for one of NBC's limited series - they have several on deck: Emerald City, The Slap, and Heroes: Reborn. I think the biggest swing (and the one to try in the fall) is Emerald City. Maybe the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz can help build some momentum for this show.

FRIDAYS 
8:00 Dateline NBC
9:00 Grimm
10:00 Parenthood
NBC moved Dateline NBC to 8pm this year and that worked out pretty well. They tried to air some cult shows after Grimm in Dracula and then Hannibal and that didn't work out so well. NBC has two major bubble shows around right now in Parenthood and Revolution. I think they should renew one of them, that one being Parenthood, and air it on Fridays. I think it would be a slight upgrade to the slot and Parenthood probably wouldn't do much worse on Fridays at 10pm than it is on Thursdays at 10pm. It would even have a better lead-in than it's had most of this year!

SATURDAYS 
8:00 Encores
Of course. Now is not the time to start worrying about Saturdays.

SUNDAYS 
7:00 Football Night in America
8:30 Sunday Night Football
Football is of course the Sunday plan. The problem, as usual, is midseason. With Celebrity Apprentice coming back, that might be good for Sundays and maybe something they can launch after the Super Bowl like Heroes: Reborn?


MIDSEASON: AQUARIUS, COERCION, EPIC FUNNIES, HEROES: REBORN, MR. ROBINSON, THE PRO, SALVATION, THE SLAP, Celebrity Apprentice, Growing Up Fisher, Hollywood Game Night, Parks and Recreation, The Sing Off
NBC should have lots of deck for midseason as they have to bridge the seasons of The Voice and fill in Sunday night plus account for potential flops. Among returning shows, Celebrity Apprentice can go to Sundays while Hollywood Game Night and The Sing Off can be December/January fillers. Growing Up Fisher and Parks and Recreation can be on tap for a comedy block somewhere if things don't go well on Tuesday at 9pm or Wednesday at 8pm. They could also take the Thurs 8pm slot if NBC only does one edition of The Biggest Loser. As for the new shows, I would launch one of their new miniseries premieres directly after the Super Bowl and Heroes: Reborn is the most name brand. The other dramas (Aquarius, Coercion, Salvation, The Slap) can go wherever there's a need while comedies The Pro and Mr. Robinson could be late season entries if a block finishes its season early. NBC could also consider split seasons for some shows with some of these entries having shorter replacement runs. Epic Funnies is an already picked up comedy show like America's Funniest Home Videos and can easily be a filler anywhere.

CANCELLED: American Dream Builders, Believe, Community, Crisis, Dracula, Hannibal, Ironside, The Michael J. Fox Show, Revolution, Sean Saves the World, Welcome to the Family
Aside from the obvious choices, it is time for Community to end. It's had enough years of squeaking out renewals for very low ratings. Revolution is a tough call but I think it'll only go lower if it stays. Same with Hannibal, which has a ton of critical love but can't get any traction.

PILOT REVIEW: Black Box

BLACK BOX

Starring: Kelly Reilly, Ditch Davey, David Ajala, Ali Wong, Laura Fraser, David Chisum, Siobhan Williams, with Terry Kinney, and Vanessa Redgrave

Created by Amy Holden Jones
Written by Amy Holden Jones, Directed by Simon Curtis

Black Box is a new drama focusing on an interesting topic not often explored on TV: bipolar disorder. Catherine Black (Kelly Reilly) is a brilliant neurologist who secretly has bipolar disorder. She talks regularly to her therapist, Dr. Helen Hartramph (Vanessa Redgrave) and her brother Josh (David Chisum). In the pilot, she reveals her condition to boyfriend Will (David Ajala) but it's still a secret from those she works with including showboat new surgeon Dr. Ian Bickman (Ditch Davey). Rounding out the main cast is Josh's wife Regan (Laura Fraser), co-worker Dr. Ina Lark (Ali Wong), and Josh and Regan's daughter (or is she?) Esme (Siobhan Williams).

THE GOOD: This show is really an interesting look at bipolar disorder. It's cleverly crafted and Kelly Reilly convincingly plays Catherine both as an intense neurologist and an unhinged woman suffering from a debilitating disorder during manic episodes. There was a lot going on the pilot and lot of characters to introduce but the show did it effectively, which can be hard to do with first episodes. I felt like we got to know each character well and they set up several plotlines including Catherine's troubling relationships with Dr. Bickman and boyfriend Will as well as the family element and the conversations with her therapist. That is a lot of ground to cover in one episode yet I didn't feel lost nor did I feel like they shafted some story and character development.

THE BAD: There were some procedural elements in this show that caused some eye rolling from me. First of all, there was an unnecessary amount of medical jargon thrown around and that always just seems like a show is trying to brag. Secondly, is Catherine the only doctor who can really figure things out? For example, no one else in the medical center was able to handle the boy with the brain tumor except Catherine? Seems like it's trying to play her as the hero too much when in reality, she would be one of many brilliant minds. The jazz music was interesting and gave the show a unique feel but it too often made me feel like I was eating lunch at Panera.

BOTTOM LINE: I feel like ABC completely blew it with the advertising for this show because it was not what it seemed. They tried to play up the scintillating side for the Scandal audience, but that is really not what the show is about. Judging from the pilot, it is more about bipolar disorder than anything else. That may be a turn off to some people but I find it pretty interesting!

RATINGS RECAP: 4/26/14

ABC
8:00 Movie: Despicable Me
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Nightline Prime
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

CBS 
8:00 Two and a Half Men (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
8:30 Bad Teacher (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 NCIS (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 48 Hours
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 Dateline Saturday
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Saturday Night Live (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX 
8:00 NASCAR Racing
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

RATINGS RECAP: 4/25/14

ABC
8:00 Last Man Standing
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 Last Man Standing (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

CBS
8:00 Unforgettable
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Hawaii Five-0
Viewers: 9.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Blue Bloods
Viewers: 11.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

NBC
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Grimm
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Hannibal
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX
8:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 

It was a typical Friday night with nothing topping a 1.8 demo. On CBS, Unforgettable was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Hawaii Five-0 was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. At 10pm, Blue Bloods was dead even with its last airing. On ABC, the season finale of Last Man Standing was up seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. This show should, and most likely will, be renewed next season. At 9pm, Shark Tank was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while 20/20 closed out the night down a big 2.5 million viewers and four tenths in the demo. On NBC, Grimm was down three tenths in viewers but up a tenth in the demo from its series low two weeks ago. Hannibal was down three tenths in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. On FOX, the 8pm episode of Kitchen Nightmares was on par with last week while the 9pm episode was up three tenths in the demo.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/24/14

ABC
8:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 8.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
10:00 Black Box
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
Viewers: 16.4 million, 18-49 demo: 4.5
8:30 The Millers
Viewers: 10.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:00 Two and a Half Men
Viewers: 9.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
9:30 Bad Teacher
Viewers: 7.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Elementary
Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

NBC
8:00 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 SNL Shorts
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 

FOX 
8:00 Hell's Kitchen
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 American Idol
Viewers: 7.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:30 Surviving Jack
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 

There were two series premieres and a season finale on a busy Thursday night. First up on CBS, The Big Bang Theory was up a tenth in viewers and down two tenths in the demo for its worst performance since a year ago this week. It tends to swoon a bit in the spring and after a week or more off so this isn't too surprising. At 8:30pm, The Millers was down a tenth in viewers and the demo as it held up pretty well. At 9pm, Two and a Half Men built on its lead-in as it was down two tenths in viewers but up a tenth in the demo. This show should have been at 9pm all along. At 9:30pm, the series premiere of Bad Teacher got off to a decent start. It did better than any show in this slot since Two and a Half Men on January 9 and it easily outperformed anything The Crazy Ones was getting here. However, this was a series premiere so it could easily be the next Crazy Ones in a week or two. For now, it was a solid start. At 10pm, Elementary was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo despite no Scandal or Parenthood in the hour.

On ABC, Grey's Anatomy was down half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo for its lowest numbers since March 13. It appears that Grey's is impacted by the lack of Scandal more than I thought it would be. At 10pm, the series premiere of Black Box took Scandal's place and the results were not very good. It had a disappointing 1.5 demo number, which is less than half of what Scandal got last week. I thought it would be able to get a better sampling. It will suffice for the end of the season but that's probably all we'll see from it. On NBC, the season finale of Parks and Recreation was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. It will be back next season, but will it be in the fall or midseason? Finally on FOX, Hell's Kitchen was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo, American Idol was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo, and Surviving Jack was down four tenths in viewers and even in the demo.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/23/14

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
8:30 Suburgatory
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 9.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
9:30 Mixology
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 Nashville: For the Record
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
9:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 CSI (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

NBC
8:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
10:00 Chicago PD (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 9.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1 

ABC's comedy lineup was back in full force on Wednesday. At 8pm, The Middle was even in viewers and down a tenth in the demo, which is not bad since it usually comes back weak after a couple weeks off. At 8:30pm, Suburgatory was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. At 9pm, the Modern Family trip to Australia was up six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo while Mixology benefited from a new lead-in and was up four tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo. Elsewhere, Survivor was dead even with last week on CBS while FOX's American Idol inched back up half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo.

PILOT REVIEW: Bad Teacher

BAD TEACHER

Starring: Ari Graynor, Sara Gilbert, Ryan Hansen, Sara Rodier, with Kristin Davis, and David Alan Grier

Developed for television by Hilary Winston, Based on characters created by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky
Written by Hilary Winston, Directed by Don Scardino

Bad Teacher is a new sitcom based on the hit 2011 movie starring Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. The watered-down sitcom version has a similar premise but a little more suitable to network television and a continuing series. Trophy wife Meredith Davis (Ari Graynor) has just been through a divorce and is looking for a new rich husband. Despite a complete lack of qualifications, she takes a job at a school with lots of rich and single dads thanks to a friend's daughter (Sara Rodier). Rounding out the main cast is other school staff members: the emotionally unstable principal Carl Gaines (David Alan Grier), uptight enemy of Meredith's, Ginny (Kristin Davis), nerdy Irene (Sara Gilbert), and easygoing gym teacher Joel (Ryan Hansen).

THE GOOD: The absolute best part of this show is Ari Graynor. I haven't seen the movie so I can't compare her to Cameron Diaz, but I thought she was genuinely funny and entertaining in this show. Her comedic timing was top notch, especially in her speech during the Job Day when she's called out for faking her resume and when she is trying to get to the bottom of how many cars are in a boy's garage. Her character is nothing more than a caricature and she probably could have given it a little more depth, but on the surface level it was very funny. There were other small moments that were very funny too including the introduction of Ginny's student teacher. This was nothing but fluff but it did make me laugh.

THE BAD: Given that I am a teacher, I always have problems when schools are not depicted accurately. I'm not saying they can't poke fun at a school, because they certainly can. But how Meredith got and kept her job seems a little far-fetched with her behavior and lack of qualifications, and I have a hard time accepting the premise because of that. This must be how firefighters feel about Chicago Fire. The worst member of the ensemble is Sara Gilbert, who is trying WAY too hard here. I know her character is supposed to be annoying, but she should be annoying to other characters not the viewers. She can do better than this and I groaned every time she opened her mouth during the pilot. I came close to saying the same thing about David Alan Grier.

BOTTOM LINE: Bad Teacher felt much more like an ABC show than a CBS show. I don't think it will last very long but I thought the humor and Ari Graynor were strong enough for the show to have a solid foundation. It could also be a one trick pony but if Graynor can give her character some depth to match her humor, this could be a really fun show.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/22/14

ABC
8:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 The Goldbergs (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:30 Trophy Wife (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
10:00 Celebrity Wife Swap
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS 
8:00 NCIS (Repeat)
Viewers: 10.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat)
Viewers: 10.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 Person of Interest (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 11.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
9:00 About a Boy
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:30 Growing Up Fisher
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 Chicago Fire (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9 

FOX 
8:00 Glee
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 New Girl (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:30 The Mindy Project
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

Tuesday night had a mix of repeats and originals. On NBC, The Voice was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo for a season low. The good news was it didn't have a negative impact on About a Boy as that show was down a tenth in viewers but up a tenth in the demo. This show is certain to get renewed. At 9:30pm, Growing Up Fisher was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. On ABC, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was up half a million viewers but down two tenths in the demo from last week, when it aired at 9pm. Celebrity Wife Swap was down a tenth in viewers and the demo from last week's season premiere. Finally on FOX, Glee was up a tenth in viewers and down a tenth in the demo while The Mindy Project was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/21/14

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 14.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
10:00 Castle
Viewers: 9.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8

CBS
8:00 2 Broke Girls
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
8:30 Friends with Better Lives
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:30 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9 

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 11.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0
10:00 The Blacklist
Viewers: 11.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8 

FOX 
8:00 Bones
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 The Following
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4 

CBS Mondays are hurting without How I Met Your Mother, but it probably could be worse. At 8pm, 2 Broke Girls was down a tenth in viewers and two tenths in the demo for a series low, but a 2.1 at 8pm is not the worst thing. Week three of Friends with Better Lives was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. Mike & Molly was down two tenths in viewers and the demo. On NBC, The Voice was down seven tenths in viewers and a rough four tenths in the demo for its first live show, but The Blacklist was down only two tenths in viewers and even in the demo despite a weaker lead-in so it was a good night for NBC's drama hit. On ABC, Dancing with the Stars was down seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. This show has held up very well this spring. At 10pm, Castle was dead even with its last new airing almost a month ago. Finally on FOX, Bones was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while The Following was dead even for a third straight week. It has had the same demo for six straight weeks.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/20/14

ABC 
7:00 It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
8:00 Once Upon a Time
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Movie: In My Dreams
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 8.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
8:00 The Amazing Race
Viewers: 7.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 The Good Wife
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 8.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

NBC
7:00 American Dream Builders
Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Believe
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
10:00 Crisis
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9 

FOX
7:00 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 1.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
7:30 American Dad! (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
8:00 The Simpsons (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
8:30 Family Guy (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4 

Easter Sunday had a mix of new and repeat episodes along with a few specials and that led to low numbers. CBS saw The Amazing Race fall 1.1 million viewers and a tenth in the demo, The Good Wife drop six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo to tie a series low, and The Mentalist drop three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. On ABC, Once Upon a Time tumbled half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo for a series low. We can maybe chalk this up to Easter and a different lead-in and lead-out, but it needs to recover next week. NBC's Believe was one of two shows to rise as it was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo, but Crisis was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The only other riser was Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey on FOX, which was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/19/14

Check below this post for a Weekend Rewind for CBS 2003-04!

ABC
8:00 Movie: The Ten Commandments
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

CBS
8:00 Mike & Molly (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
8:30 The Millers (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
10:00 48 Hours
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 Dateline Mystery
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Saturday Night Live (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX
8:00 UFC Fight Night
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

RATINGS RECAP: 4/18/14

ABC 
8:00 Last Man Standing
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:30 Last Man Standing (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 6.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 8.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8

CBS
8:00 Unforgettable
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
10:00 Blue Bloods (Repeat)
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 6.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Hannibal
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

FOX
8:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

On a quiet Friday night, there was a mix of repeats and new episodes. On ABC, Last Man Standing was down half a million viewers and even in the demo while Shark Tank was down two tenths in viewers and a tentha in the demo. 20/20 had a strong night as it was up 2.6 million viewers and three tenths in the demo. On CBS, Unforgettable was down four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while Hannibal was up half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo on NBC. Finally on FOX, each episode of Kitchen Nightmares was down two tenths from last week's season premiere.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/17/14

ABC 
8:00 Grey's Anatomy (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
10:00 Scandal
Viewers: 10.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.4

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
8:30 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
9:00 The Crazy Ones
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:30 The Crazy Ones
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 NCIS (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
8:30 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Hollywood Game Night
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Parenthood
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

FOX 
8:00 Hell's Kitchen
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 American Idol
Viewers: 8.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:30 Surviving Jack
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0  

It was a night full of season finales on Thursday night and ABC's Scandal easily towered above them all. First up on ABC though, Grey's Anatomy was up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. At 10pm, the season finale of Scandal was up a big 1.4 million viewers and four tenths in the demo. The demo was the best since the midseason premiere while the viewer total is a series high. Scandal is showing no signs of slowing down as it ends its season early due to Kerry Washington's pregnancy. New show Black Box premieres next week and will take the last couple weeks of the season. CBS had the final two episodes of The Crazy Ones. The 9pm episode hit a series low (it followed a repeat but that repeat had better numbers than its usual new lead-in). At 9:30pm, it fell even further. This is probably the final nail in the coffin for this show as CBS soured on it as the season went on. It premiered to 15.5 million viewers and a 3.9 demo and ended with 5.2 million viewers and a 1.3 demo. I'd be surprised if this one came back. New comedy Bad Teacher replaces it for the final couple weeks.

On NBC, the season finale of Community was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. The perennial bubble show is firmly there again this year. My gut tells me it will squeak out one final 13 episode season thanks to its creative resurgence this season. At 8:30pm, Parks and Recreation was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo for a new series low. Its own season finale, featuring Michelle Obama, is next week. At 9pm, Hollywood Game Night was slightly up from last week's repeat. It doesn't seem to matter much in the ratings whether this show is new or a repeat. At 10pm, the season finale of Parenthood was up three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo despite going against the Scandal finale. I also think this show will squeak out a final season and the rise for the season finale can't hurt. On FOX, Hell's Kitchen was up eight tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo. American Idol was up four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo, and Surviving Jack was even in viewers but down two tenths in the demo for a series low.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/16/14

ABC
8:00 The Middle (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:30 Suburgatory (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Modern Family (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:30 Mixology
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Nashville (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

CBS 
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
9:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 CSI (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

NBC
8:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Chicago PD (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9

Almost everything was in repeats on Wednesday nights except for three shows, but they weren't helped by the lack of competition. On FOX, American Idol was down four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo for a new Wednesday low. So yes, we are at the point now where Idol is below a 2.0 demo on Wednesdays. This is getting to be a horrible problem for FOX and it may not be salvageable even a year or two from now at this rate. On CBS, Survivor was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. Mixology on ABC was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. It has gotten a 1.2 demo every time it has followed a Modern Family repeat this season. 

RATINGS RECAP: 4/15/14

ABC
8:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Celebrity Wife Swap
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
8:00 NCIS
Viewers: 17.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles
Viewers: 14.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 10.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8 

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 11.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0
9:00 About a Boy
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:30 Growing Up Fisher
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 Chicago Fire
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

FOX 
8:00 Glee
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 New Girl
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:30 The Mindy Project
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0 

It was a pretty soft Tuesday as spring is definitely upon us. ABC aired Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. at a special time (9pm), and it was up a tenth in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best demo in a month. Is this a sign that ABC is thinking about moving this show to 9pm next year? It might not be a horrible idea. At 10pm, the season premiere of Celebrity Wife Swap was DOA, but above recent numbers for Mind Games (not to mention Killer Women and Lucky 7). This will suffice for the rest of the season but ABC needs to figure out this slot. It was a down night for CBS with NCIS down three tenths in viewers and a rough four tenths in the demo for its lowest performance since May 4, 2004 (its first season). At 9pm, NCIS: Los Angeles was up a tenth in viewers but down a tenth in the demo, tying a season low. At 10pm, Person of Interest was down eight tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo.

NBC inched up for the first part of the night. At 8pm, The Voice was up seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 9pm, About a Boy was up a tenth in viewers and the demo. It needed to rise after last week's troubling drop so this is a good thing. At 9:30pm, Growing Up Fisher was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. I still like this show's chances to come back, at least for a midseason order. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was down a tenth in viewers and the demo for a season low. FOX was a mess as usual. At 8pm, Glee was down four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. At 9pm, New Girl was down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. The overall trend for these two shows is absolutely terrible. To round out the night, The Mindy Project was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from last week's 9:30pm episode.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/14/14

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 14.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
10:00 Castle (Repeat)
Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS
8:00 2 Broke Girls
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
8:30 Friends with Better Lives
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 7.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:30 Mom
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 Person of Interest (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 11.9 million, 18-49 demo: 3.4
10:00 The Blacklist (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

FOX 
8:00 Bones
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 The Following
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4 

Monday night had the first regular CBS Monday lineup without longtime anchor How I Met Your Mother, and the results were not as horrible as I thought they might be. 2 Broke Girls took over the 8pm slot. While obviously down from Mother levels, it was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo from its last airing, which was following a 3.5 demo for Mother three weeks ago. This is an encouraging sign for 2 Broke Girls as an 8pm lead-off. At 8:30pm, the second episode (and timeslot premiere) of Friends with Better Lives was down 1.9 million viewers and eight tenths in the demo from its premiere, which followed the Mother finale. It was the weak link of the lineup, but not a disaster. At 9pm, Mike & Molly was down three tenths in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. Finally at 9:30pm, the season finale of Mom was down four tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo from when it followed with Friends premiere. It is already renewed for next season, but will it stay on Mondays, and at this time? On FOX, Bones was down eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo while The Following was dead even with last week. On NBC, The Voice was down a tenth in viewers and the demo while on ABC, Dancing with the Stars was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. 

RATINGS RECAP: 4/13/14

ABC
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:00 Once Upon a Time
Viewers: 6.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 Resurrection
Viewers: 7.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Revenge
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS 
7:12 60 Minutes
Viewers: 11.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:12 The Amazing Race
Viewers: 8.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:12 The Good Wife
Viewers: 9.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:12 The Mentalist
Viewers: 9.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

NBC
7:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
8:00 American Dream Builders
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Believe
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
10:00 Crisis
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1 

FOX 
7:00 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
7:30 American Dad!
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
8:00 The Simpsons
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
8:30 Family Guy
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3 

On Sunday night, CBS' lineup was delayed by 12 minutes because of the Master's tournament. 60 Minutes was up nine tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo, perhaps due to some Master's viewers sticking around. The Amazing Race was down seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The Good Wife was down 1.2 million viewers and three tenths in the demo from its last airing two weeks ago. The Mentalist was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. On FOX, Bob's Burgers was down half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo for a series low. American Dad! was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. The Simpsons was down seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo and Family Guy was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The downward trend continued with Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey as it was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo.

On ABC, America's Funniest Home Videos was down half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 8pm, Once Upon a Time was down eight tenths in viewers and a rough four tenths in the demo. This show has been up and down lately. At 9pm, Resurrection was down six tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. The good news was it built on its lead-in, unlike last week. The bad news is it dropped for a sixth consecutive week. ABC is most certainly still going to renew this show but I don't think season two will be pretty at this rate. At 10pm, Revenge was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. On NBC, American Dream Builders was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Believe was dead even with last week while Crisis was down four tenths in viewers but up a tenth in the demo.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/12/14

ABC 
8:00 Castle (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
9:00 20/20 Saturday
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 Nightline Prime
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
8:00 Two and a Half Men (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
8:30 Friends with Better Lives (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 48 Hours (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 48 Hours
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

NBC
8:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
10:00 Saturday Night Live (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX
8:00 NASCAR Racing
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

RATINGS RECAP: 4/11/14

ABC 
8:00 Last Man Standing
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:30 The Neighbors
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

CBS 
8:00 Unforgettable
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Hawaii Five-0
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Blue Bloods
Viewers: 11.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

NBC
8:00 Brian Williams Reporting
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Grimm
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
10:00 Hannibal
Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

FOX
8:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

It was a rough night on Friday in the ratings as the weather is getting warmer and schools are on spring break. FOX had the return of Kitchen Nightmares to the schedule. It didn't do much but it was up from recent numbers that the disastrous Rake/Raising Hope/Enlisted lineup was getting. This can be a decent Friday performer as FOX can reliably keep the Gordon Ramsey shows rotating on Fridays. On CBS, Unforgettable was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from last week's return to the schedule so that's a little promising. At 9pm, Hawaii Five-0 was down half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 10pm, Blue Bloods was down six tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo.

On ABC, Last Man Standing was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo, tying a series low. At 8:30pm, the season finale of The Neighbors was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. This show is on the bubble and a 0.9 demo for it season finale does not bode well. I think ABC will try to do something different with this slot next year. At 9pm, Shark Tank was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo. At 10pm, 20/20 was down seven tenths in viewers and even in the demo. NBC saw a low rated Brian Williams special followed by Grimm, which was down two tenths in viewers and a rough three tenths in the demo for a series low. At 10pm, Hannibal was up a tenth in viewers and down a tenth in the demo.

GOOD WEEK/BAD WEEK: April 12, 2014

GOOD WEEK: "LAW & ORDER: SVU"
Word on the street is that Law & Order: SVU is in danger of being cancelled due to its high costs for a show in its 15th season. But for a show in its 15th season, it's doing pretty well. In a season with an arc for star Mariska Hargitay, it has risen to the occasion multiple times. This week it hit at least a 2.0 demo for a sixth time. Last year, it did that just three times. We'll see what happens with this show but it's still capable of helping a new show (last year Chicago Fire, this year Chicago PD). It's also still a reliable performer for a network that is still climbing out of a hole it dug for itself. If it does indeed end its run, it's doing it on a high note creatively and in the ratings.

BAD WEEK: "AMERICAN IDOL"
What in the world is FOX going to do with American Idol? A show that takes up two and a half hours on the FOX schedule is still down 30% year to year. The Wednesday night episodes are hovering around a 2.0 demo and the results show is below that. This week, the 9pm hour on Wednesday was below both Criminal Minds and SVU in the demo. And that was with Modern Family being a repeat or it could have been fourth in the 9pm half hour. FOX is committed to this show with the cancelling of The X Factor, but they have a major problem with this show because it's only going to get worse.

RATINGS RECAP: 4/10/14

ABC
8:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 8.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
10:00 Scandal
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
Viewers: 16.3 million, 18-49 demo: 4.7
8:30 The Millers
Viewers: 10.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
9:00 Two and a Half Men
Viewers: 9.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:30 The Crazy Ones
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 Elementary
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6 

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
8:30 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Hollywood Game Night (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Parenthood
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1 

FOX
8:00 Hell's Kitchen
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 American Idol
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:30 Surviving Jack
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2 

ABC aired a special episode of Shark Tank at 8pm and it was below its usual Friday numbers but up significantly from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. If ABC were to move this show here, it could fix its long-time Thursday 8pm problems, but it would be at the expense of the Friday lineup. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was down a tenth in viewers and the demo. At 10pm, Scandal was up a tenth in viewers and the demo ahead of next week's season finale. On FOX, Hell's Kitchen was the most affected by Shark Tank as it was down eight tenths in viewers and a rough four tenths in the demo. At 9pm, American Idol was down a tenth in viewers but up a tenth in the demo. It actually went up for once! At 9:30pm, Surviving Jack was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. This show could be a surprise renewal with the deck stacked against it.

On CBS, the 8pm hour took a hit. The Big Bang Theory was down 1.4 million viewers and two tenths in the demo for a season low. The Millers was down 1.3 million viewers and three tenths in the demo. At 9pm, Two and a Half Men was up four tenths in viewers but down a tenth in the demo. The Crazy Ones was the only sitcom to not drop in the demo as it was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. It still has a small chance to return if both Friends with Better Lives and Bad Teacher bomb badly. At 10pm, Elementary was up a tenth in viewers and the demo. NBC had a terrible night. At 8pm, Community was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo while Parks and Recreation was down a tenth in viewers and the demo, tying a series low. At 10pm, Parenthood was down a tenth in viewers and the demo, also tying a series low. This is not a good time for a bubble show to be exploring new lows.