RATINGS RECAP: 5/30/16

ABC

8:00 The Bachelorette

Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

10:00 Mistresses

Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

CBS

8:00 Scorpion (Repeat)

Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

9:00 Scorpion (Repeat)

Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

10:00 Person of Interest

Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

NBC

8:00 NHL Stanley Cup Finals Game 1

Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

FOX
8:00 So You Think You Can Dance

Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

9:00 Houdini & Doyle

Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

RATINGS RECAP: 5/29/16

ABC

7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos (Repeat)

Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

8:00 Movie: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes

Viewers: 6.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

8:00 Undercover Boss (Repeat)

Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

9:00 The Good Wife (Repeat)

Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.3

10:00 Elementary (Repeat)

Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.3

NBC

7:00 Dateline: On Assignment

Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4

8:00 The Carmichael Show

Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4

8:30 The Carmichael Show (Repeat)

Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.3

9:00 American Ninja Warrior Special

Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX
7:00 NASCAR Sprint Cup

Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

RATINGS RECAP: 5/27/16

ABC
8:00 500 Questions
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Shark Tank (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

CBS
8:00 Undercover Boss (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 Blue Bloods (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

NBC
8:00 Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX
8:00 The Simpsons (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
8:30 The Simpsons (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
9:00 Coupled (Repeat)
Viewers: 0.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.3

RATINGS RECAP: 5/26/16

ABC
8:00 500 Questions
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Modern Family (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
10:30 Black-ish (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 Life in Pieces (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Mom (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:30 The Odd Couple (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Code Black (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

NBC
8:00 Strong
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Red Nose Day
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

FOX
8:00 Bones
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 American Grit
Viewers: 1.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

RATINGS RECAP: 5/25/16

ABC
8:00 Movie: Finding Nemo
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS
8:00 The Price is Right Primetime Special
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
10:00 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

NBC
8:00 Heartbeat
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Chicago PD
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

FOX
8:00 Rosewood
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Wayward Pines
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

On Wednesday night, ABC said goodbye to Nashville after four seasons. It didn't get much attention but did rise half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo. The studio is shopping the show elsewhere but it's definitely the end of the road on ABC for the music drama. Earlier in the night, a showing of Finding Nemo before its sequel hits theaters in June outperformed everything except the NBC crime dramas. On CBS, the final Price is Right special did decently. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these down the road. The final two episodes of the season of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders saw series lows. On NBC, the series finale of cancelled Heartbeat was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Season finales of the crime dramas followed. Law & Order: SVU had a nice spike, rising 1.4 million viewers and three tenths in the demo for its best performance since March 2. Chicago PD was even with last week. Without Empire as a lead out, the season finale of Rosewood crashed 1.3 million viewers and six tenths in the demo to a series low. This is probably a preview of what its Thursday ratings will be in the fall. At 9pm, the return of Wayward Pines did not get much attention but it did build on its lead-in.

RATINGS RECAP: 5/24/16

ABC
8:00 Fresh Off the Boat
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:30 The Real O'Neals
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 10.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

CBS
8:00 The Price is Right Primetime Special
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 The Voice Recap Special
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 The Voice
Viewers: 10.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

FOX
8:00 Hotel Hell
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Coupled
Viewers: 1.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

On Tuesday night, it was finale night for the two big competition franchises but they once again seemed to tear each other down resulting in disappointments for both. On ABC, Dancing with the Stars had a decent 10.5 million viewers but a very old skewing and disappointing 1.6 demo. It had a 2.4 demo for its fall finale (though that did not face the finale of The Voice). Earlier in the night, Fresh Off the Boat was up seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo and The Real O'Neals was up nine tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best performance since its first Tuesday airing on March 8. It was a little better for The Voice, which was at least up from its Monday episode with a 2.2 demo and 10.6 million viewers. Will one of these networks blink first and not pit the finales against each other? On CBS, two episodes of Person of Interest got 0.9 demos following another old skewing Price is Right special. Finally on FOX, Hotel Hell was mostly ignored for its first airing since the summer of 2014 while Coupled was down six tenths in viewers and even in the demo from its weak premiere last week.

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2015-16 Miscellaneous Awards

Today is the final day of the 2015-16 season and that means time for some miscellaneous awards that I always end the season with. The blog will updated but quiet this summer as usual. Have a great summer!

Past Miscellaneous Awards: 2014-15   2013-14   2012-13   2011-12   2010-11

BEST RETURNING COMEDY
New Girl (FOX) - Now two years removed from its horrible third season, New Girl has come all the way back to being the irreverent, hilarious comedy it appeared to be the first two seasons. New Girl hit all the right marks this year with the wonderful arc leading up to Schmidt and Cece's wedding. Zooey Deschanel was gone on maternity leave for several episodes and the show didn't miss a beat. The departure of Damon Wayans Jr. from the cast also was a win for me because I never liked his character. They didn't try to replace him, they just focused on the core five characters and had a fantastic season from top to bottom.

RUNNER-UP: Fresh Off the Boat (ABC)

BEST RETURNING DRAMA
Scandal (ABC) - I had a hard time with this award because I don't think any of the dramas I watch had their best seasons ever. But I ultimately went with Scandal only because its highs were higher than any other returning drama. That's not to say it didn't have its low moments because there were several points in the season where Scandal seemed to be going off the edge. But when it focused on the upcoming election, in particular the primary fights, it seemed like a show moving in a direction with wild twists and turns. As long as the new season continues to follow the election without going too fast through it, I think Scandal still has some life.

RUNNER-UP: Chicago Fire (NBC)

THE "REVENGE" AWARD (BIGGEST SEASON 2 DISAPPOINTMENT)
Gotham (FOX) - There's always a show that can't regain its magic from season one. This year, it was Gotham which just got too bogged down in its own mythology, something it was headed toward in season one. There are just far too many characters in Gotham as they seem to feel the need to head a million directions at once. With no focus or direction, Gotham became even more of a scattered mess. Despite some strong individual performances, I finally gave up on it about halfway through the season.

THE "SECOND CHANCE" AWARD
The Catch (ABC) - ABC gave The Catch a surprise reprieve when it was renewed for a second season. This was a show that I enjoyed but I wasn't attached to it and quickly gave up on it when the ratings came in. Well since it got renewed, I decided to start binging season one and I'm hooked. I love the more lighthearted feel but still with Shondaland elements. Peter Krause and Mirielle Enos are both very strong here and now I find myself excited that there will be a season two!

THE "I'M ALMOST DONE WITH YOU" AWARD
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC) - Speaking of Shondaland, this show was close to receiving my "Biggest Disappointment" award but I did watch it for the entire season and couldn't quite tear myself away. But it's close to the chopping block and it's going to have to have a New Girl type revival to avoid being one of the casualties when I find new shows I like in the fall. Season two of How to Get Away with Murder felt like more of the same and going for shock value and edgy storylines just for the sake of being edgy. It's already lost sight of the show it could be.

THE "BEST SHOW THAT DOESN'T FIT INTO A CATEGORY" AWARD
Making a Murderer (Netflix) - I couldn't let the whole season go by without mentioning my favorite guilty pleasure of the year. But a documentary isn't really a sitcom or a drama though there was plenty of drama. The story of Steven Avery - at times heartbreaking and at times very confusing, was perfectly fit for a binge TV era. With a cast of characters even the best TV dramas couldn't cook up, it was well deserving of all its hype and attention.

THE DEFINITIVE RANKING OF TV KIDS
From the sitcoms I watch: The Middle, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, Life in Pieces
Sue Heck (The Middle)
Diane Johnson (Black-ish)
Axl Heck (The Middle)
Haley Dunphy (Modern Family)
Jack Johnson (Black-ish)
Adam Goldberg (The Goldbergs)
Emery Huang (Fresh Off the Boat)
Ericka Goldberg (The Goldbergs)
Sophia Hughes (Life in Pieces)
Evan Huang (Fresh Off the Boat)
Eddie Huang (Fresh Off the Boat)
Brick Heck (The Middle)
Barry Goldberg (The Goldbergs)
Andre Johnson Jr. (Black-ish)
Zoey Johnson (Black-ish)
Alex Dunphy (Modern Family)
Lily Tucker-Pritchett (Modern Family)
Samantha Hughes (Life in Pieces)
Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family)
Joe Pritchett (Modern Family)
Tyler Hughes (Life in Pieces)
Luke Dunphy (Modern Family)

RATINGS RECAP: 5/23/16

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 12.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 The Bachelorette
Viewers: 6.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0

CBS
8:00 The Price is Right Primetime Special
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 The Odd Couple
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:30 The Odd Couple
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 10.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
10:00 Blindspot
Viewers; 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

FOX
8:00 Gotham
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Houdini & Doyle
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

On Monday night, The Bachelorette got ABC's summer season off to a good start. With a 2.0 demo, it topped the night and beat both performance finales of Dancing with the Stars and The Voice. Like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette is a beast in the demo. Speaking of Dancing, it was up seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best performance since April 11. Meanwhile, The Voice on NBC was up eight tenths in viewers but down a tenth in the demo for a Monday low. Not an encouraging sign for a performance finale. This show needs a boost, maybe Miley Cyrus will provide that. At 10pm, Blindspot was up six tenths in viewers and even in the demo. On CBS, a Price is Right special did OK at 8pm but it seemingly took down The Odd Couple, which crashed to series lows with its final two episodes of the season. At 10pm, Person of Interest was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Finally on FOX, Gotham was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo for its season finale while Houdini & Doyle was up two tenths in viewers and down a tenth in the demo.

WEEKLY RECAP: May 16-22, 2016

Here is my weekly recap for Week #35. Please note this only covers regularly scheduled shows (no sports, specials, repeats, or Saturday shows)

TOP 10 SHOWS (18-49 DEMO)
1. Empire (FOX, Wednesday 9:00pm) - 4.1    18th week
2. NCIS (CBS, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 2.6    20th week
3. Grey's Anatomy (ABC, Thursday 8:00pm) - 2.3    21st week
4. The Voice (NBC, Monday 8:00pm) - 2.1    24th week
    Modern Family (ABC, Wednesday 9:00pm) - 2.1    22nd week
    Survivor (CBS, Wednesday 8:00pm) - 2.1    21st week
7. The Goldbergs (ABC, Wednesday 8:30pm) - 1.9    17th week
8. NCIS: New Orleans (CBS, Tuesday 9:00pm) - 1.8    5th week
    The Voice (NBC, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 1.8    22nd week
10. Dancing with the Stars (ABC, Monday 8:00pm) - 1.7    5th week
     Mike & Molly (CBS, Monday 8:30pm) - 1.7    1st week
     Chicago Fire (NBC, Tuesday 10:00pm) - 1.7    8th week
     Mom (ABC, Thursday 9:00pm) - 1.7    5th week

TOP 10 SHOWS (TOTAL VIEWERS)
1. NCIS (CBS, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 18.0 million    23rd week
2. NCIS: New Orleans (CBS, Tuesday 9:00pm) - 13.3 million    23rd week
3. Dancing with the Stars (ABC, Monday 8:00pm) - 11.6 million    19th week
4. Empire (FOX, Wednesday 9:00pm) - 10.9 million    18th week
5. The Voice (NBC, Monday 8:00pm) - 9.5 million    24th week
    Survivor (CBS, Wednesday 8:00pm) - 9.5 million    13th week
7. The Voice (NBC, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 9.1 million    20th week
8. Mike & Molly (CBS, Monday 8:30pm) - 8.5 million    1st week
9. 60 Minutes (CBS, Sunday 7:00pm) - 8.3 million    26th week
10. Grey's Anatomy (ABC, Thursday 8:00pm) - 8.2 million    1st week

BOTTOM 10 SHOWS (18-49 DEMO)
1. Crowded (NBC, Sunday 9:30pm) - 0.4    8th week
    Bordertown (FOX, Sunday 7:00pm) - 0.4    10th week
3. Coupled (FOX, Tuesday 9:00pm) - 0.5    1st week (NEW SHOW)
    The Carmichael Show (NBC, Sunday 9:00pm) - 0.5    3rd week
5. Strong (NBC, Thursday 8:00pm) - 0.6    5th week
    Game of Silence (NBC, Thursday 10:00pm) - 0.6    6th week
    American Grit (FOX, Thursday 8:00pm) - 0.6    6th week
    Dateline: On Assignment (NBC, Sunday 7:00pm) - 0.6    2nd week
9. Houdini & Doyle (FOX, Monday 9:00pm) - 0.7    3rd week
    Heartbeat (NBC, Wednesday 8:00pm) - 0.7    6th week
    Undercover Boss (CBS, Friday 9:00pm) - 0.7    1st week
    Dateline NBC (NBC, Sunday 10:00pm) - 0.7    4th week

BOTTOM 10 SHOWS (TOTAL VIEWERS)
1. Bordertown (FOX, Sunday 7:00pm) - 1.2 million    12th week
2. Coupled (FOX, Tuesday 9:00pm) - 1.8 million    1st week (NEW SHOW)
3. American Grit (FOX, Thursday 9:00pm) - 1.9 million    6th week
4. Bob's Burgers (FOX, Sunday 9:30pm) - 2.0 million    Special Airing
5. Crowded (NBC, Sunday 9:30pm) - 2.1 million    3rd week
6. Bob's Burgers (FOX, Sunday 8:30pm) - 2.2 million    16th week
7. Houdini & Doyle (FOX, Monday 9:00pm) - 2.4 million    3rd week
8. Strong (NBC, Thursday 8:00pm) - 2.5 million    3rd week
    The Simpsons (FOX, Sunday 8:00pm) - 2.5 million    7th week
10. The Carmichael Show (NBC, Sunday 9:00pm) - 2.6 million    1st week
      Family Guy (FOX, Sunday 9:00pm) - 2.6 million    15th week

WINNERS OF THE NIGHT
Monday - Castle (ABC)    1st week
Tuesday - NCIS (CBS)    7th week
Wednesday - Empire (FOX)    7th week
Thursday - Grey's Anatomy (ABC)    7th week
Friday - 20/20 (ABC)    4th week
Sunday - None

LOSERS OF THE NIGHT
Monday - Person of Interest (CBS)    1st week
Tuesday - Coupled (FOX)    1st week (NEW SHOW)
Wednesday - Modern Family (ABC)    1st week
Thursday - The Catch (ABC)    2nd week
Friday - Undercover Boss (CBS)    2nd week
Sunday - The Carmichael Show (NBC)    2nd week

MY TOP 5 EPISODES OF THE WEEK
1. The Goldbergs #71 "Have a Summer"    16th week
2. The Middle #168 "The Show Must Go On"    11th week
3. Chicago Fire #92 "Superhero"    10th week
4. Chicago Med #18 "Timing"    9th week
5. Law & Order: SVU #388 "Intersecting Lives"    3rd week

RATINGS RECAP: 5/22/16

ABC
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
8:00 Billboard Music Awards
Viewers: 9.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 8.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
8:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Undercover Boss
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
10:00 Undercover Boss
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

NBC
7:00 Dateline: On Assignment
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
8:00 Little Big Shots (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 The Carmichael Show
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
9:30 Crowded
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
10:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

FOX
7:00 Bordertown
Viewers: 1.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4
7:30 The Simpsons (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
8:00 The Simpsons
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
8:30 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Family Guy
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:30 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

On Sunday night, ABC had the Billboard Music Awards which were down but still dominated among broadcast networks (though they lost to HBO's Game of Thrones). Earlier in the night, the season finale of America's Funniest Home Videos was down seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. CBS had 0.8 demos across the board with a double dose of 60 Minutes and a double dose of Undercover Boss. NBC's comedies crashed with another repeat lead-in. The Carmichael Show was down a million viewers and three tenths in the demo. A 0.5 demo and it got renewed? Yikes. The series finale of the cancelled Crowded was also down a million viewers and three tenths in the demo. Comparatively, the season finale night of FOX's lineup held up better with The Simpsons and Family Guy each dropping a tenth in the demo and two episodes of Bob's Burgers on par with last week.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: None
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: The Carmichael Show (NBC)

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2015-16 New Dramas

Here is my recap of the new dramas of the 2015-16 season! Tomorrow, check back for my final season in review post with some miscellaneous awards!

Past Years: 2014-15   2013-14   2012-13   2011-12   2010-11

BEST NEW DRAMA
American Crime Story (FX) - I don't usually include cable shows on here because I don't usually watch cable shows. But I watched this one and it's more than deserving of the "Best New Drama" title. It'll be hard to top the gripping first season of this show, focused on OJ Simpson and the "Trial of the Century." Painstakingly detailed and evocative of its mid 1990s setting, this show had brilliant performances from top to bottom. Even though everyone knew how this story ended, it didn't make it any less gripping or fascinating with its very balanced yet very pointed look at the biggest news story in a generation.

RUNNER-UP: Chicago Med (NBC) - I am not even going to apologize for liking the Chicago shows. I know they are not critical darlings but all three are well acted and have good stories. Chicago Med was a great addition to that list, it's probably better than PD but not as good as Fire.

Worth Mentioning: The Catch (ABC)/Code Black (CBS)

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A NEW DRAMA
Courtney B. Vance, American Crime Story (FX) - As Johnnie Cochran, Courtney B. Vance gave a very layered performance. At one moment, he was the villain using every trick in the book to turn the OJ trial in a circus. At the next moment, he was a sympathetic character because of the larger race issues he was so passionate about and trying to address. Vance was so dynamic and so perfectly cast in the larger than life role.

RUNNER-UP: Ray Liotta, Shades of Blue (NBC) - Liotta is no stranger to playing corrupt characters and he did so with bravado in Shades of Blue. I didn't watch this show through the whole first season but he was the most interesting part of what I did watch.

Worth Mentioning: Nick Gehlfuss, Chicago Med (CBS)/Cuba Gooding Jr., American Crime Story (FX)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A NEW DRAMA
Sarah Paulson, American Crime Story (FX) - As Marcia Clark, Sarah Paulson gave what should be an Emmy award winning performance. Among the many great actors in this show, Paulson stood above the rest. She played Clark sympathetically but never as a victim. She gave her hard edges but ultimately enough warmth to make Clark a very complicated person. At various points, it was easy to feel sorry for her. At other points, you wanted to scream "what are you doing?!"

RUNNER-UP: Marcia Gay Harden, Code Black (CBS) - Marcia Gay Harden brought class and strength to what otherwise could have been a routine medical drama. She had authority and an emotional depth.

Worth Mentioning: Melissa Benoist, Supergirl (CBS)/Torrey DeVitto, Chicago Med (NBC)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A NEW DRAMA
Oliver Platt, Chicago Med (NBC) - As chief of the psychiatry department, Dr. Charles, Oliver Platt has turned in a great performance this year in Chicago Med. He has such a relaxed approach to his role where you feel at ease watching him deal with the patients because he exudes a authoritative yet calm demeanor. With a developing backstory & personal life too, he's becoming one of the most interesting characters in the show.

RUNNER-UP: Sterling K. Brown, American Crime Story (FX) - As Christopher Darden, Sterling K. Brown plays perhaps the most sympathetic character in the entire OJ saga. He seems like the good guy getting a raw deal and plays it in heartbreaking fashion.

Worth Mentioning: Kenneth Choi, American Crime Story (FX)/David Schwimmer, American Crime Story (FX)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A NEW DRAMA
S. Epatha Merkerson, Chicago Med (NBC) - As Dr. Goodwin, the chief administrator at Chicago Med, S. Epatha Merkerson brought authority and humor to the important boss role. She was someone you wish was in charge of your local hospital: always looking out for the best for everyone and not afraid to call people out when they make mistakes. Like Oliver Platt, she has an interesting developing personal story too.

RUNNER-UP: Rachel DiPillo, Chicago Med (NBC) - As the young medical student, Rachel DiPillo is one of the most underrated (and so far underused) characters on the show. I hope her character goes somewhere because she seems to have the acting chops for it.

Worth Mentioning: Calista Flockhart, Supergirl (CBS)/Charity Wakefield, The Player (NBC)

WORST NEW DRAMA
Blood & Oil (ABC) - I'm not sure if this was actually the worst new drama but it was easily the most disappointing. What could have been a soapy new Dallas like show was an absolute snooze with cookie cutter characters, no real drama, and actors like Don Johnson sleepwalking through the part. ABC wanted this to be a steamy new drama and instead they got a whole lot of nothing. I'm glad they didn't pick up the pilot this year that sounded exactly like Blood & Oil.

RUNNER-UP: Of Kings and Prophets (ABC) - This was an odd show that I didn't even finish the pilot of. Seemingly trying to mix the Bible with Game of Thrones, it seemed like a retread of what many other shows, even NBC's A.D. did better.

Worth Mentioning: Second Chance (FOX)/The Family (ABC)

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2015-16 New Comedies

To close out the 2015-16 season, here is the first of three days of recaps... first, a look at the new comedies of the year!

Past Years: 2014-15   2013-14   2012-13   2011-12   2010-11

BEST NEW COMEDY
Superstore (NBC) - NBC's comedy department got a pulse again with the arrival of Superstore, a fresh workplace sitcom that has all the ingredients to be a classic in the making. It has great performances, hilarious characters, ample opportunities for funny moments with extras, and even some heartfelt moments. While it is reminiscent of The Office, it has a sweeter edge to it. It didn't hit its mark in every episode of its freshman season but all the tools are there and I have a feeling this could be a show that gets even better in season two.

RUNNER-UP: Grandfathered (FOX) - I enjoyed Grandfathered but I'm also not mourning its demise. I watched the full season and enjoyed it but I could take or leave it. It had a very strong cast and that helped make it more enjoyable than it probably should have been.

Worth Mentioning: Life in Pieces (CBS)/The Grinder (FOX)

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A NEW COMEDY
John Stamos, Grandfathered (FOX) - John Stamos returned to TV in a role that was tailor made for him. But just because he was playing into his type doesn't mean he didn't do a good job. As Jimmy Martino, he was charming but also self-deprecating. The show and Stamos did a nice job of finding a way to make fun of the "John Stamos type" while still making the character believable and one you found yourself rooting for.

RUNNER-UP: Fred Savage, The Grinder (FOX) - It seemed as though The Grinder was all about Rob Lowe at first but it was Fred Savage in his return to acting who made the show as a very funny straight man with great timing to Lowe's antics.

Worth Mentioning: Ben Feldman, Superstore (NBC)/Rob Lowe, The Grinder (FOX)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A NEW COMEDY
America Ferrera, Superstore (NBC) - Often playing the straight woman to the wacky cast of characters around her, America Ferrera returned to TV as the heart of Superstore. Shows with an ensemble like Superstore's only work if there's a stable center of the show and Ferrera as Amy Dubanowski provided that. On top of that, she had funny line delivery and great chemistry with Ben Feldman.

RUNNER-UP: Paget Brewster, Grandfathered (FOX) - Paget Brewster, long known as Prentiss on Criminal Minds, returned to comedy many years after her memorable Friends arc and she was a perfect foil to John Stamos on the show.

Worth Mentioning: Maggie Lawson, Angel From Hell (CBS)/Jenna Fischer, You Me and the Apocalypse (NBC)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A NEW COMEDY
Mark McKinney, Superstore (NBC) - As the awkward boss of Cloud 9, Glenn Sturgis, Mark McKinney was often a scene stealer in Superstore. Though he has no idea how to interact with people, he truly strives to be a good boss and encourage others. He's like a more awkward and less socially aware Michael Scott, if that's even possible to imagine. Coupled with his high pitched voice, he is the most memorable of a strong cast of characters in Superstore.

RUNNER-UP: Josh Peck, Grandfathered (FOX) - Josh Peck was another in the strong group of cast members of Grandfathered. Always earnest and well-meaning, he played the wide-eyed and innocent part quite well.

Worth Mentioning: Thomas Sadoski, Life in Pieces (CBS)/William Devane, The Grinder (FOX)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A NEW COMEDY
Giselle Eisenberg, Life in Pieces (CBS) - The precocious youngest child is something of a stereotype in family sitcoms but that doesn't mean it can't be done very well and Giselle Eisenberg accomplished that as a wise beyond her years Sophia Hughes. Showing more comedic timing than many of her much older fellow actors, Eisenberg stole every scene she was in with a sarcastic quip here or there. I hope they give her more to do next season.

RUNNER-UP: Nichole Bloom, Superstore (NBC) - As I've mentioned already, Superstore had a fantastic cast of characters. Nichole Bloom played the ditzy pregnant teen very well. I hope they give her character more depth in the future but she had a funny arc this year.

Worth Mentioning: Mary Elizabeth Ellis, The Grinder (FOX)/Lauren Ash, Superstore (NBC)

WORST NEW COMEDY
Dr. Ken (ABC) - The most cringe-worthy new show of the season was Dr. Ken. I admit I didn't watch anything beyond the pilot so maybe it got better but the pilot was just horrible with Ken Jeong horribly overacting and mugging in every single scene. What was an OK premise and decent supporting cast was intolerable because of Jeong. Since it got renewed maybe I'll see if it got any better but it had a long, long way to go from my perspective.

RUNNER-UP: Telenovela (NBC) - I just didn't get this soap opera parody at all. Maybe you have to be a soap fan to appreciate what they were trying to do here but I have the feeling it was just an ill-conceived, poorly acted show.

Worth Mentioning: Truth Be Told (NBC)/Crowded (NBC)

RATINGS RECAP: 5/20/16

ABC
8:00 Beyond the Tank
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

CBS
8:00 I Love Lucy Superstar Special
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Undercover Boss
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
10:00 Blue Bloods (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

NBC
8:00 Grimm
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

FOX
8:00 Movie: Easy A
Viewers: 1.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

On Friday night, NBC had a two hour season finale of Grimm. It was up six tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. That led into Dateline NBC, which was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. On ABC, Beyond the Tank was up four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. The season finale of Shark Tank was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while 20/20 surged six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo. Finally on CBS, an I Love Lucy colorized special skewed ancient as expected but did alright in total viewers. At 9pm, Undercover Boss hit a new series low with its Friday airing.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: 20/20 (ABC)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Undercover Boss (CBS)

RATINGS RECAP: 5/19/16

ABC
8:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 8.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
9:00 The Catch
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
8:30 The Odd Couple
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 Mom
Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:30 The Odd Couple
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 Rush Hour
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 Strong
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 The Blacklist
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Game of Silence
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

FOX
8:00 Bones
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 American Grit
Viewers: 1.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6

On Thursday night, Grey's Anatomy on ABC wrapped up a fantastically successful season by rising four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its season finale. I think this show may have had the most impressive season of anything on TV. At 9pm, the two hour finale of The Catch did little to inspire its recent renewal. Despite having a bigger lead-in, it was down two tenths in viewers and the demo for a series low. On CBS, The Big Bang Theory was a repeat to lead off but The Odd Couple held up well, dropping 1.3 million viewers but just a tenth in the demo. At 9pm, Mom was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo for its season finale. A second episode of The Odd Couple at 9:30 was slightly lower than the earlier one. On NBC, the season finale of The Blacklist was up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Finally on FOX, Bones was even in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. It was announced today that Bones will not premiere its new season until January while drama Pitch is now moved up to a fall debut on Thursday nights at 9pm.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: The Catch (ABC)

QUICK HITS: Ranking of the Trailers

Here is my snap judgment of the new shows based on their trailers. Of course not all trailers are available (NBC's entire midseason) but of the ones that are available, here's my favorite to least favorite!

1. Designated Survivor (ABC, Wednesdays 10pm) - Looks gripping and fascinating. Love the premise.

2. Making History (FOX, Midseason) - I didn't expect to like this but I thought it was the funniest comedy trailer.

3. Pitch (FOX, Midseason) - Love the concept, looks like it has the potential to be a beautiful character drama.

4. This is Us (NBC, Tuesdays 9pm) - Same creator as Pitch and you can tell. This has been a huge hit on the internet in the past couple days and I can see why.

5. Speechless (ABC, Wednesdays 8:30pm) - I didn't think this seemed very funny but I am fascinated by the premise.

6. Bull (CBS, Tuesdays 9pm) - Another interesting premise, Michael Weatherly looks great in this.

7. Shots Fired (FOX, Midseason) - All star cast and a potentially rich story.

8. Conviction (ABC, Mondays 10pm) - Seems like the perfect new foray into procedurals for ABC. Hayley Atwell looks strong.

9. Downward Dog (ABC, Midseason) - So so odd but I bought the concept and want to see more.

10. The Great Indoors (CBS, Thursdays 8:30pm) - Another one that caught me off guard but I thought the characters seemed strong and it's a good premise.

11. Star (FOX, Midseason) - I liked Empire at first but this seems like it might be more type of show.

12. Pure Genius (CBS, Thursdays 10pm) - I was left wanting to see more of this one though I'm not quite sure what to make of it yet.

13. Timeless (NBC, Mondays 10pm) - I liked the trailer but I wasn't completely sold on the mythology for this show.

14. A.P.B. (FOX, Midseason) - This seems a lot like Pure Genius with cops and it didn't look quite as interesting.

15. Man With a Plan (CBS, Mondays 8:30pm) - I didn't cringe as much as some. I thought Matt LeBlanc had some good moments in the trailer.

16. The Good Place (NBC, Thursdays 8:30pm) - I didn't enjoy this trailer very much but it's as high as it is because I can't imagine a show with Kristen Bell and Ted Danson from the Parks and Rec people could be bad.

17. Son of Zorn (FOX, Sundays 8:30pm) - It's so weird but I'm at least intrigued by this.

18. American Housewife (ABC, Tuesdays 8:30pm) - I wasn't sold on this but warmed up to the trailer as it went on so it may win me over.

19. The Mick (FOX, Midseason) - Had a funny moment or two but doesn't seem like my type of show.

20. Time After Time (ABC, Midseason) - I didn't really buy this premise and the trailer was completely uninteresting to me.

21. Still Star-Crossed (ABC, Midseason) - This could be a great show for fans of this type, but it's not my type of show.

22. The Exorcist (FOX, Fridays 9pm) - I'm not really into horror but I think it is a good fit for Fridays at 9pm.

23. Notorious (ABC, Thursdays 9pm) - I hope this is better than the trailer looked but I didn't like it at all at first glance.

24. Kevin Can Wait (CBS, Mondays 8pm) - I'm not a Kevin James fan so that should tell you all you need to know about my feelings here.

25. Imaginary Mary (ABC, Midseason) - I'm also not a Jenna Elfman fan and this comedy seems by far the weakest of the new ABC comedies.

26. Lethal Weapon (FOX, Wednesdays 8pm) - Yawn.

27. Training Day (CBS, Midseason) - Even more yawn.

28. MacGyver (CBS, Fridays 8pm) - This is the opposite of what we need on TV.

RATINGS RECAP: 5/18/16

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:30 The Goldbergs
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 6.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:30 Black-ish
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Survivor Live Reunion Show
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

NBC
8:00 Heartbeat
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Chicago PD
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

FOX
8:00 Rosewood
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Empire
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 4.1

On Wednesday night, many shows said farewell for the season but Empire trounced them all. The hit FOX drama was up 1.1 million viewers and a strong four tenths in the demo for its season finale. This was its best performance since April 6. Of course, it's nowhere near the 6.8 demo last year's finale got but it's so far and above anything else on network TV. Earlier in the night, Rosewood was up half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo for a nice spike of its own. It still has one more week, though. Given no Empire next week and its fall timeslot, it may never reach this demo again. On CBS, the Survivor finale was even with last week. It doesn't get extra viewers anymore for the finale but it is still a top 10 show in the demo. It was just a tenth in the demo below the fall finale. The live reunion show did OK at 10pm.

On ABC, it was a night of season finales for the comedies. At 8pm, The Middle was even with last week. At 8:30pm, The Goldbergs was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Modern Family was down four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. The demo tied the series low last week while the viewer total is an outright series low and the first time Modern has ever gone below seven million viewers. At 9:30pm, Black-ish was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. At 10pm, the penultimate episode of Nashville was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Finally on NBC, Heartbeat was down four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Law & Order: SVU got whacked by Empire and was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 10pm, Chicago PD was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: Empire (FOX)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Modern Family (ABC)

UPFRONTS 2016: CBS's Official Fall Schedule

Here is the CBS schedule! Check back next week for my end of season wrap-up posts!

Past CBS schedules: 2015   2014   2013   2012   2011

MONDAYS
8:00 (Sep) The Big Bang Theory (10th Season)/(late Oct) Kevin Can Wait
8:30 (Sep) KEVIN CAN WAIT/(late Oct) MAN WITH A PLAN
9:00 2 Broke Girls (6th Season)
9:30 The Odd Couple (3rd Season)
10:00 Scorpion (3rd Season)

CBS is completely reversing course on Mondays in their biggest move. A year after abandoning comedies on the night completely for the first time since the 1940s, CBS is going back to two hours of comedy as it did for years. As usual, they have decided to use The Big Bang Theory to launch a new sitcom before it heads back to Thursday. It will air for a couple weeks on Monday to lead into Kevin Can Wait starring Kevin James. When Big Bang moves back to Thursdays, Kevin will slide up to 8pm and lead into the new Matt LeBlanc sitcom Man with a Plan, making a nostalgic 8pm hour. After being fillers last year, 2 Broke Girls and The Odd Couple get regular fall slots in the 9pm hour. The show getting the short end of the stick in this swing back to comedy is Scorpion, which is bumped back to 10pm. It seems to be losing some of its luster with CBS.

TUESDAYS
8:00 NCIS (14th Season)
9:00 BULL
10:00 NCIS: New Orleans (3rd Season)

CBS made a smart move by letting their new drama launch at 9pm. After his big exit from NCIS last night, Michael Weatherly will return just an hour later with his new drama series Bull. This is given an excellent chance to succeed and will have to face little competition from ABC and FOX and an unknown from NBC. It could be in position to be a big success story. To make room for the new drama, NCIS: New Orleans slides back to 10pm. It only got two years directly behind the mothership compared to five for NCIS: Los Angeles, but it does get to stay on the same night.

WEDNESDAYS
8:00 Survivor (33rd Edition)
9:00 Criminal Minds (12th Season)
10:00 Code Black (2nd Season)
Wednesdays look identical to the start of the 2015-16 season as Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders will take a seat again and CBS brings Code Black back to the night. This shows a lot of faith in a show that barely got a second season because it seems like they would give the show they believe in the most of the two the fall slot. As has been the case for six years now, Survivor and Criminal Minds occupy the first two hours of Wednesdays.

THURSDAYS
(Sep)
8:00 Thursday Night Football

(late Oct)
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (10th Season)
8:30 THE GREAT INDOORS
9:00 Mom (4th Season)
9:30 Life in Pieces (2nd Season)
10:00 PURE GENIUS

Thursday nights will have football in the fall as usual. In late October, the comedy lineup will take over. It's worth noting that five of the seven nights this fall with have two hour comedy blocks by the time this lineup starts. Getting the prime post-Big Bang Theory slot is Joel McHale's The Great Indoors. It will probably have to at least equal Life in Piece's retention to have a shot. Mom continues as the 9pm anchor while Life in Pieces slides back an hour to 9:30, which will be a tall task. A new medical drama, Pure Genius, takes over the 10pm slot but the late October start in a difficult slot might prove difficult.

FRIDAYS
8:00 MACGYVER
9:00 Hawaii Five-0 (7th Season)
10:00 Blue Bloods (7th Season)

In a very surprising move, CBS is holding off on The Amazing Race and instead going with MacGyver on the night as a lead off. The reboot of the popular 80s show is undergoing major retooling so I suspected it would be held for midseason but CBS is giving it a chance. However, they're also only giving it a chance on Fridays at 8pm so they're definitely hedging their bets. Friday mainstays Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods are continuing in the 9pm and 10pm slots.

SATURDAYS
8:00 Encores
10:00 48 Hours (30th Season)
No surprise here.

SUNDAYS
7:00 60 Minutes (49th Season)
8:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (8th Season)
9:00 Madam Secretary (3rd Season)
10:00 Elementary (5th Season)
Sunday nights are not seeing a major revamp but they are seeing the arrival of NCIS: Los Angeles to the night. This show does not have the prestige that Sunday nights have been going for but it seems like it could capture the football audience well on overrun nights. Madam Secretary slides back to the slot formerly held by The Good Wife while Elementary gets the "screw you" slot that sometimes gets started close to 11pm.

MIDSEASON: DOUBT, TRAINING DAY, The Amazing Race, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Undercover Boss
CBS has the least amount of shows saved for midseason and they have no comedies on deck so they must hope everything works for them. Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders may share a slot with Code Black again while The Amazing Race will probably come back to Fridays at some point and Undercover Boss will be filler. The new dramas will probably air wherever something doesn't work.

CANCELLED/ENDED: Angel From Hell, CSI: Cyber, The Good Wife, Limitless, Mike & Molly, Person of Interest, Rush Hour
It's also worth noting that Supergirl is headed to the CW.

TO SUM UP:
I like the CBS schedule but not as much as the ABC one. They have the most new shows premiering - six - but three of them will not premiere until late October. Overall, I think they made good changes to Tuesday and I like the ambitious swing to go back to four comedies on Monday. I think this is a coherent schedule that's right on brand for CBS. They may not be the most exciting network for their shows but there's less "big swings" than last year and that's probably a good thing. Every network needs to have an identity in today's fractured viewing and CBS does that well.

RATINGS RECAP: 5/17/16

ABC
8:00 Fresh Off the Boat
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
8:30 The Real O'Neals
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

CBS
8:00 NCIS
Viewers: 18.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
9:00 NCIS: New Orleans
Viewers: 13.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 9.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 Chicago Med
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Chicago Fire
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

FOX
8:00 Megyn Kelly Presents
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Coupled
Viewers: 1.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5

On Tuesday night, NCIS had a huge spike for its season finale and Michael Weatherly's farewell. It was up two million viewers and half a demo point for its best performance since January 5. This certainly is a good omen for next year when Weatherly's new show Bull will follow NCIS on the CBS lineup. At 9pm, the season finale of NCIS: New Orleans was up a tenth in viewers and the demo. At 10pm, Person of Interest was down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. On NBC, The Voice was even before the season finales of the Chicago shows. At 9pm, Chicago Med was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was down a tenth in viewers but up a tenth in the demo.

I couldn't have been more wrong about the Megyn Kelly special on FOX. I thought the ongoing news between those two and the fact that Trump is a ratings magnet would mean big numbers, especially in total viewers, for her highly publicized sit down interview. But it was not a big draw at all, drawing just 4.8 million viewers and an anemic 0.8 demo. I guess the FOX news audience does not transfer over to the big network. It led into the series premiere of reality show Coupled, which was completely ignored with a 0.5 demo. Finally on ABC, Fresh Off the Boat was up three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo, recovering from last week's poor showing. At 8:30pm, The Real O'Neals was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. It will be interesting to see how these shows do in the 9pm hour next year. At 9pm, the two hour finale of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was up a tenth in viewers and the demo.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: NCIS (CBS)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Coupled (FOX)

RATINGS RECAP: 5/16/16

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 11.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 Castle
Viewers: 7.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS
8:00 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:30 The Odd Couple
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Blindspot
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

FOX
8:00 Gotham
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 Houdini & Doyle
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

There were two series finales on Monday night. On CBS, Mike & Molly bid farewell after six seasons with two final episodes. The 8pm episode was down two tenths in the demo from last week's 8pm edition but the series finale at 8:30pm was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. This was never a spectacular performer but always a reliable show for CBS. It's kind of surprising given their comedy expansion for next season that they didn't keep it as a plug-in option. At 9:30pm, The Odd Couple was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. At 10pm, Person of Interest fell below a 1.0 demo for the first time ever, dropping half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo.

On ABC, Dancing with the Stars was up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. The series finale of Castle was up a million viewers and two tenths in the demo. It probably would have spiked more had there been more time to promote it as a series finale but it was a season high nonetheless. Castle has had a great eight year run on ABC but it was time for it to be done. On NBC, The Voice and Blindspot were both down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Finally on FOX, Gotham was up a tenth in viewers and the demo while Houdini & Doyle was even in viewers and up a tenth in the demo.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: Castle (ABC)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Person of Interest (CBS)

UPFRONTS 2016: ABC's Official Fall Schedule

Here is the ABC schedule!

Past ABC schedules: 2015   2014   2013   2012   2011

MONDAYS
8:00 Dancing with the Stars (23rd Edition)
10:00 CONVICTION

Well we all knew it would finally not be Castle on Monday nights at 10pm for the first time since the 2008-09 season. ABC is replacing it with another procedural - Conviction, which looks like it could be right on brand for ABC. It is expected to air for the full year if it works so it will get the benefit of following a total viewer powerhouse in Dancing with the Stars and one of the demo leaders in The Bachelor. It has been so long since a new show got this prime slot on the ABC schedule. It's about time for this change and Conviction seems like a show that could work here.

TUESDAYS
8:00 The Middle (8th Season)
8:30 AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE
9:00 Fresh Off the Boat (3rd Season)
9:30 The Real O'Neals (2nd Season)
10:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (4th Season)

ABC is finally taking the big swing on Tuesdays and going with a four comedy block which I have advocated for years. With eight returning sitcoms and four new sitcoms ordered, this was the time. And they are not going halfway with it, they are bringing The Middle over to Tuesdays after seven years on Wednesdays. They needed to bring one of their big shows over to the night and they are counting on this veteran show to change course for them on Tuesdays. The Middle will lead into the new American Housewife. I'm skeptical of this but they also have comedies on the bench. The 8pm hour from this past season shifts to 9pm where Fresh Off the Boat will be asked to be the 9pm anchor. It's a tall order but I think it can benefit from being in the midst of a comedy block. It is followed by The Real O'Neals, which will have to show some signs of life after a narrow renewal. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will move to 10pm which is the right call as the audience is pretty narrow at this point.

WEDNESDAYS
8:00 The Goldbergs (4th Season)
8:30 SPEECHLESS
9:00 Modern Family (8th Season)
9:30 Black-ish (3rd Season)
10:00 DESIGNATED SURVIVOR

ABC is revamping its Wednesday lineup. After two years being carefully nurtured, The Goldbergs has blossomed into a hit and now will be tasked with starting the Wednesday night lineup in a slot that The Middle has held since 2010. I think it's ready for this and it has a lot of life left. At 8:30pm is the new Speechless, which must be ABC's favorite comedy project given the prime slot. At 9pm, Modern Family remains in the only slot it has ever known while Black-ish continues at 9:30pm. This is a smart move because Black-ish wasn't strong enough to move and become an anchor, and ABC is launching a new drama at 10pm. That new drama is the highly anticipated Designated Survivor starring Kiefer Sutherland. This is a tough slot but the show has a lot of buzz and it won't have to do much to be an improvement on Nashville.

THURSDAYS
8:00 Grey's Anatomy (13th Season)
9:00 NOTORIOUS
10:00 How to Get Away with Murder (3rd Season)

TGIT will no longer be all Shondaland in the fall as Scandal will be held until midseason where it can have an uninterrupted run starting in January. I know part of that is due to Kerry Washington's pregnancy but ABC would have found a way to make it work if it was still a stronger show. Grey's Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder will keep their slots but in between is Notorious, a Shonda-like show but not from Shondaland. It's a risk but it is on brand. As of now the plan is for Scandal to get its slot back in January. That could change if Notorious is a hit, but I'm skeptical of that happening. The Catch will eventually take over for How to Get Away with Murder again.

FRIDAYS
8:00 Last Man Standing (6th Season)
8:30 Dr. Ken (2nd Season)
9:00 Shark Tank (8th Season)
10:00 20/20 (35th Season)
With the Friday comedies renewed, Fridays will stay exactly the same as they should. Last Man Standing and Dr. Ken were an excellent pair and Dr. Ken is the first show to get a second season following Last Man Standing. Shark Tank has lost some luster but remains a solid Friday option while 20/20 will be heading into its 35th season.

SATURDAYS
8:00 College Football

SUNDAYS
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos (27th Season)
8:00 Once Upon a Time (6th Season)
9:00 Secrets and Lies (2nd Season)
10:00 Quantico (2nd Season)
ABC is not being very aggressive on Sundays with America's Funniest Home Videos, Once Upon a Time, and Quantico all returning to the same slot. ABC is looking to upgrade the 9pm slot though and they will try with Secrets and Lies, a show that has now not been seen for over a year. In Spring 2015, it had a so-so start in this same slot after the Oscars but built momentum and ended on a high note, earning it a renewal. But that second season never aired and ABC will wait until fall for us to finally see the next installment of the anthology series. I don't think any good will from the first season will carry over here, it's going to have to do it on its own. It's basically like launching a new show again on ABC. Since it's an anthology, it has a limited order and the plan is for genre drama Time After Time to replace it at midseason.

MIDSEASON: DOWNWARD DOG, IMAGINARY MARY, STILL STAR-CROSSED, TIME AFTER TIME, American Crime, The Bachelor, The Catch, Scandal
ABC doesn't have as much on deck for midseason as some networks. I already mentioned the plans for Time After Time, The Bachelor, The Catch, and Scandal. ABC is planning to move away from the lengthy hiatuses and "bridge" shows that they have done so much of in recent years. The comedies can be backups in case either new comedy or The Real O'Neals fails. Still Star-Crossed will be an interesting placement while American Crime could still be a bridge series if they pick one or two shows to have a long break (perhaps Designated Survivor).

CANCELLED/ENDED: Blood & Oil, Castle, The Family, Galavant, Marvel's Agent Carter, The Muppets, My Diet is Better Than Yours, Nashville, Of Kings and Prophets, Wicked City
ABC is still deciding on Beyond the Tank while I couldn't find any information on The Great Christmas Light Fight or The Great Holiday Baking Show, but I think they'll be back for a short December run.

TO SUM UP:
I really like this ABC schedule. It is so much better than past schedules from this network and the schedules released by NBC and FOX. Thursdays are now a question mark and Sundays still could be weak but they without question put themselves in position to improve on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10pm and I absolutely love the switch to four comedies led by The Middle on Tuesdays. I also love that they could finally part with Castle and Nashville. Even if Conviction or Designated Survivor flop, it's still the right (and long overdue) move. Kudos to ABC!

WEEKLY RECAP: May 9-15, 2016

Here is my weekly recap for Week #34. Please note this only covers regularly scheduled shows (no sports, specials, repeats, or Saturday shows)

Check out Week #34 from last year.

TOP 10 SHOWS (18-49 DEMO)
1. Empire (FOX, Wednesday 9:00pm) - 3.7    17th week
2. The Big Bang Theory (CBS, Thursday 8:00pm) - 3.4    23rd week
3. The Voice (NBC, Monday 8:00pm) - 2.1    23rd week
    NCIS (CBS, Monday 8:00pm) - 2.1    19th week
    Modern Family (ABC, Wednesday 9:00pm) - 2.1    21st week
    Survivor (CBS, Wednesday 8:00pm) - 2.1    20th week
    Grey's Anatomy (ABC, Thursday 8:00pm) - 2.1    20th week
8. The Goldbergs (ABC, Wednesday 8:30pm) - 1.9    16th week
9. The Voice (NBC, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 1.8    21st week
    Scandal (ABC, Thursday 9:00pm) - 1.8    11th week
    Mom (CBS, Thursday 9:00pm) - 1.8    4th week

TOP 10 SHOWS (TOTAL VIEWERS)
1. NCIS (CBS, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 16.0 million    22nd week
2. The Big Bang Theory (CBS, Thursday 8:00pm) - 14.7 million    23rd week
3. NCIS: New Orleans (CBS, Tuesday 9:00pm) - 13.2 million    22nd week
4. Dancing with the Stars (ABC, Monday 8:00pm) - 11.3 million    18th week
5. 60 Minutes (CBS, Sunday 7:00pm) - 10.9 million    25th week
6. The Voice (NBC, Monday 8:00pm) - 9.8 million    23rd week
    Empire (FOX, Wednesday 9:00pm) - 9.8 million    17th week
8. Survivor (CBS, Wednesday 8:00pm) - 9.5 million    12th week
    60 Minutes (CBS, Sunday 8:00pm) - 9.5 million    Special Airing
10. The Voice (NBC, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 9.1 million    19th week

BOTTOM 10 SHOWS (18-49 DEMO)
1. Bordertown (FOX, Sunday 7:00pm) - 0.5    9th week
2. Houdini & Doyle (FOX, Monday 9:00pm) - 0.6    2nd week
    Grandfathered (FOX, Tuesday 8:30pm) - 0.6    14th week
    The Grinder (FOX, Tuesday 9:30pm) - 0.6    21st week
    American Grit (FOX, Thursday 9:00pm) - 0.6    5th week
    Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon (NBC, Friday 8:00pm) - 0.6    10th week
7. Heartbeat (ABC, Wednesday 8:00pm) - 0.7    5th week
    Strong (NBC, Thursday 8:00pm) - 0.7    4th week
    Game of Silence (NBC, Thursday 10:00pm) - 0.7    5th week
    Crowded (NBC, Sunday 9:30pm) - 0.7    7th week

BOTTOM 10 SHOWS (TOTAL VIEWERS)
1. Bordertown (FOX, Sunday 7:00pm) - 1.3 million    11th week
2. Grandfathered (FOX, Tuesday 8:30pm) - 1.6 million    18th week
    The Grinder (FOX, Tuesday 9:30pm) - 1.6 million    22nd week
4. American Grit (FOX, Thursday 9:00pm) - 1.8 million    5th week
5. New Girl (FOX, Tuesday 9:00pm) - 2.2 million    3rd week
    The Last Man on Earth (FOX, Sunday 9:30pm) - 2.2 million    18th week
7. New Girl (FOX, Tuesday 8:00pm) - 2.3 million    15th week
    Bob's Burgers (FOX, Sunday 8:30pm) - 2.3 million    15th week
9. Houdini & Doyle (FOX, Monday 9:00pm) - 2.4 million    2nd week
10. Strong (NBC, Thursday 8:00pm) - 2.6 million    2nd week

WINNERS OF THE NIGHT
Monday - Mike & Molly (CBS)    1st week
Tuesday - NCIS (CBS)    6th week
Wednesday - The Goldbergs (ABC)    4th week
Thursday - Scandal (ABC)    3rd week
Friday - Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)    2nd week
Sunday - Once Upon a Time (ABC)    1st week

LOSERS OF THE NIGHT
Monday - Houdini & Doyle (FOX)    2nd week
Tuesday - Fresh Off the Boat (ABC)    1st week
Wednesday - Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (CBS)    2nd week
Thursday - American Grit (FOX)    2nd week
Friday - Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon (NBC)    2nd week
Sunday - Undercover Boss (CBS)    1st week

MY TOP 5 EPISODES OF THE WEEK
1. New Girl #116 "Landing Gear"    13th week
2. Black-ish #47 "Daddy Dre-Care"    9th week
3. Scandal #90 "That's My Girl"    13th week
4. Chicago Fire #91 "Where the Collapse Started"    9th week
5. The Goldbergs #70 "Big Orange"    15th week