Overnights
Halloween spooks ratings to new lows
By Toni Fitzgerald
Nov 1, 2007 - 11:36:31 AM

There were numerous Halloween-focused episodes on television last night, but apparently TV viewers were more interested in experiencing the holiday themselves than watching others do it on the tube.

With kids out trick-or-treating and adults handing out candy, several new shows fell to series lows and every Big Three broadcast program was off from last week, according to Nielsen overnight ratings.

Meanwhile, Fox and the CW loaded the night with little-watched repeats or, for “America’s Next Top Model,” a clip show, as television usage levels declined week to week.

ABC’s “Pushing Daisies” slipped to a series-worst 2.6 among adults 18-49, though it still won its timeslot by a hefty 30 percent in front of NBC’s “Phenomenon” and CBS’s “Kid Nation,” which matched a series low with a 2.0.

And ABC’s “Private Practice,” the top-rated new drama this season, also sank to a series-low 3.8, though it too won its timeslot and helped ABC tie for first on the night.

Every network saw its nightly rating fall week to week, with NBC especially hurt because it replaced an original “Bionic Woman,” its highest-rated show of the night, with an extra hour of “Phenomenon.” NBC’s “Life,” without the benefit of a “Bionic” lead-in, dipped to a 1.9 at 10 p.m., a point behind second-place ABC.

ABC and CBS tied for first place on the night among 18-49s, each with a 3.1 average overnight rating and a 9 share. NBC was third at 2.2/6, Fox fourth at 1.7/5, Univision fifth at 1.6/5 and CW sixth at 1.1/3.
 
ABC began the night in the lead with a 2.6 rating at 8 p.m. for “Daisies,” while CBS and NBC tied for second at 2.0, CBS for “Kid Nation” and NBC for the first half of a two-hour “Phenomenon.” Fox was fourth with a 1.7 for repeats of “Back to You” and “’Til Death,” CW fifth with a 1.5 for “Model” and Univision sixth with a 0.9 for “Amar sin Limites.”
 
At 9 p.m. ABC led again with a 3.8 for “Practice,” followed by CBS with a 3.5 for “Criminal Minds.” NBC was third with a 2.6 for another hour of “Phenomenon,” Univision fourth with a 2.2 for “Destilando Amor,” Fox fifth with a 1.8 for a repeat of “Kitchen Nightmares” and CW sixth with a 0.6 for a repeat of “Gossip Girl.”
 
CBS took the lead at 10 p.m. with a 3.6 for “CSI: NY,” with ABC falling to second with a 2.9 for “Dirty Sexy Money.” NBC was third with a 1.9 for “Life” and Univision fourth with a 1.6 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”
 
Among households, CBS led the night with a 7.5 average overnight rating and a 13 share. ABC was second at 6.4/11, NBC third at 3.8/7, Fox fourth at 2.9/5, Univision fifth at 2.0/3 and CW sixth at 1.6/3.