Overnights
ABC's new sitcoms hold up in week two
By Toni Fitzgerald
Oct 1, 2009 - 11:18:26 AM

ABC's new sitcoms "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" slipped in their second outings, but they were still the highest-rated shows of the evening last night.

"Modern" averaged a 3.7 adults 18-49 rating at 9 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, the night's top-rated show and off 12 percent from last week's 4.3 for its debut.

At 9:30, lead-out "Cougar Town" averaged a 3.6, dropping a bit more, 18 percent, but still tying with CBS's "Criminal Minds," its timeslot companion, for the No. 2 program of the evening.

The combination of "Modern" and "Cougar" finished just ahead of "Minds" in the timeslot with a 3.7, with some of last week's viewers possibly drifting back to Fox's "Glee." The comedy saw its ratings rise week to week for the first time in its brief four-week run, up 7 percent to a 3.2, equaling its average the week before ABC premiered its comedies.

The debuts of ABC's 8 p.m. comedies did not do as well. Kelsey Grammer's "Hank" averaged a 2.2 at 8 p.m. and Patricia Heaton's "The Middle" rose slightly, to a 2.5. Still, that was better than ABC managed in the hour last year.

ABC placed second in the 8 p.m. timeslot to Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" against middling competition on NBC (week two of new drama "Mercy," off 9 percent from last week but still up over last year's timeslot average) and CBS ("The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "Gary Unmarried").

At 10 p.m., ABC's "Eastwick" also slipped compared to last week, to a 2.4 from a 3.0, down 20 percent. CBS's "CSI: NY" was down 20 percent as well, from a 4.0 for last week's premiere to a 3.2. It still won the timeslot.  

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CBS and Fox tied for the lead for the night among 18-49s, each with a 3.0 average overnight rating and an 8 share. ABC was third at 2.8/8, NBC fourth at 2.1/6, Univision fifth at 1.6/5 and CW sixth at 1.0/3.

As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback. Seven-day DVR data won’t be available for several weeks. Thirty-two percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.

At 8 p.m. Fox was first with a 2.7 for “Dance,” followed by ABC with a 2.3 for “Hank” (2.2) and “Middle” (2.5). CBS and NBC tied for third at 2.1, CBS for “Christine” (2.0) and “Gary” (2.3) and NBC for “Mercy,” with the CW fifth with a 1.5 for “America’s Next Top Model” and Univision sixth with a 1.3 for “El Nombre del Amor.” "Model" did have its best 18-34 rating this season, a 1.8.

ABC took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 3.7 18-49 rating for “Modern” (3.7) and “Cougar” (3.6), with CBS second with a 3.6 for “Minds.” Fox was third with a 3.2 for “Glee,” NBC fourth with a 2.5 for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” Univision fifth with a 2.3 for “Mañana Es para Siempre” and CW sixth with a 0.5 for a repeat of “Melrose Place.”

At 10 p.m. CBS was first with a 3.2 for “CSI: NY,” while ABC slid to second with a 2.4 for “Eastwick.” NBC was third with a 1.9 for “The Jay Leno Show” and Univision fourth with a 1.2 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”

CBS led the night among households with a 7.2 average overnight rating and a 12 share. ABC was second at 5.2/9, NBC third at 4.7/8, Fox fourth at 4.2/7, Univision fifth at 2.1/3 and CW sixth at 1.5/2.



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