Softer premiere
for 'Celebrity Apprentice'
Returning NBC reality show averages 3.2 in 18-49s
By Toni Fitzgerald
Mar 15, 2010
NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" returned to give the network a victory in its timeslot, though it was down from the previous year's premiere, on a night when yet another new Fox comedy fizzled.
"Apprentice" averaged a 3.2 adults 18-49 rating from 9 to 11 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, down 16 percent from a 3.8 last year.
"Apprentice" will nonetheless be NBC's second-highest-rated show of the week, behind only "The Office," and should give its weekly average a boost. In its first full week after the Olympics, NBC averaged a mere 2.0 rating.
"Apprentice" did take some bite out of the competition on a night where NBC has been weak since "Sunday Night Football" ended in early January.
CBS's new hit show "Undercover Boss" sank to a series low at 9 p.m., averaging a 3.8 rating, though still willing the timeslot. ABC's "Desperate Housewives" fell to another series low as well, a 3.6.
"Apprentice" averaged a 2.8 at 9 p.m. against the tougher competition before rising to a 3.6 in its final hour, giving it the two-hour timeslot win.
Meanwhile, Fox's "Sons of Tucson" had a lackluster debut at 9:30 p.m., leading out of "Family Guy." "Tucson" averaged a 2.1, off 40 percent from "Family's" 3.6 lead-in. Fox has struggled to program a successful live-action comedy, as "Tucson" is, while its animated comedies have flourished.
Of note, last night was also the first day after the clocks rolled back, which has led to declines in ratings each of the last few years and may have hurt the networks last night, even though it was raining in parts of the East Coast.
CBS was first for the night among 18-49s with a 2.8 average overnight rating and an 8 share. ABC and NBC tied for second at 2.6/7, with Fox fourth at 2.0/6 and Univision fifth at 0.9/2.
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-six percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.
At 7 p.m. ABC was first with a 1.9 for “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” followed by CBS with a 1.8 for “60 Minutes.” NBC was third with a 1.5 for the series premiere of “Minute to Win It,” Fox fourth with a 0.8 for “Til Death” and Univision fifth with a 0.6 for “Hora Pico.”
CBS took the lead at 8 p.m. with a 3.0 for “The Amazing Race,” with Fox second with a 2.5 for “The Simpsons” (2.6) and “The Cleveland Show” (2.5). NBC was third with a 2.4 for more “Win It,” ABC fourth with a 2.3 for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and Univision fifth with a 0.8 for its first half of “Nuestra Belleza Latina.”
At 9 p.m. CBS led again with a 3.8 for “Boss,” while ABC moved to second with a 3.6 for “Housewives.” NBC and Fox tied for third at 2.8, NBC for “Apprentice” and Fox for “Family” (3.5) and “Tucson” (2.1), with Univision fifth with a 1.0 for more “Latina.”
NBC moved to first place at 10 p.m. with a 3.6 for another hour of “Apprentice,” with ABC and CBS tied for second at 2.5, ABC for “Brothers & Sisters” and CBS for “Cold Case.” Univision was fourth with a 1.0 for “Imagenes de Impacto.”
Among households, CBS led the night with a 6.8 average overnight rating and an 11 share. ABC was second at 5.6/9, NBC third at 4.3/7, Fox fourth at 2.5/4 and Univision fifth at 1.2/2.
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