Media Life Magazine - Forever young: CW's 'One Tree Hill'

Homepage

Alternative media

Cable

Classifieds

Magazines

Media economy

New media

Newspapers

Out of Home

People

Rachel speaks

Radio

Research

Television

TV Reviews

Webinars

Media Economy Newsletter

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Last week

Yearly Archives

About us

Subscribe

Advertise

Contact us

Write to the editor

Press releases

Post a classified

Forever young:
CW's 'One Tree Hill'

Six years old yet its ratings are reaching new highs

By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Oct 27, 2008

Share |

There are only a handful of broadcast shows seeing ratings increases this year, and perhaps the most surprising is the CW’s “One Tree Hill.”

While “90210” gets the buzz and “Gossip Girl” gets the press coverage, “Hill” has slipped past both to become one of the network’s top shows in its target demographics.

“Hill,” which airs tonight at 9 p.m., tied a series high among adults 18-34 last week, averaging a 3.0 rating. It also had its second-best outing ever among women 18-34, averaging a 4.4.

By comparison, the CW’s No. 1 show among total viewers, “America’s Next Top Model,” averaged a 2.3 and 3.5 in those demos last week.

It’s unusual in these days of continuously eroding ratings for a show to hit series highs in its sixth season, but “Hill’s” success stems from two decisions made last season. The first was to send the show, which had followed a clique of high school students, forward four years into the future, essentially fast-forwarding through the kids’ college years.

The second was to pair “Hill,” which led out of “Model” during the CW’s first season after starting its run on the WB, with “Gossip Girl” on Mondays. The experiment began at the end of last season, and almost immediately the two shows scored the network’s best-ever ratings in its target demo on the night.

The pairing may have the best flow on the CW schedule.

“Girl” has seen its ratings shoot up this season after loads of summer publicity. That in turn seems to have helped “Hill,” which already had a fairly loyal audience. “Hill” routinely outrates its 8 p.m. “Gossip” lead-in.

Tonight on “Hill,” Lucas’ second novel becomes a bestseller.

A look at this week’s top TV draws
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	ABC	“Dancing with the Stars” (R)	The first group dances of the season, this one a hip-hop performance.
8 p.m.	CW	“Gossip Girl” (D)	Jenny becomes friends with a model who motivates her.
8:30 p.m.	ESPN	“Monday Night Football” (S)	The Colts take on the undefeated Titans in Tennessee.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Heroes” (D)	Angela tries to convince Syler to save Peter.
9 p.m.	CW	“One Tree Hill” (D)	Nathan makes a basketball comeback.
9 p.m.	History	“Primal Fear” (N)	A psychological look at people’s greatest fears.
10 p.m.	VH1	“Scream Queens” (R)	The contestants take part in a movie poster photo shoot.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	CBS	“The Early Show” (N)	R&B singer John Legend performs.
8 p.m.	ABC	“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (K, A)	The classic “Peanuts” special from 1966.
8 p.m.	CBS	“NCIS” (D)	A killer gives clues about his next victim online.
8 p.m.	Fox	“House” (D)	A single father who suffers blackouts is also a sleepwalker.
9 p.m.	CBS	“The Mentalist” (D)	A girl is caught holding a murder weapon, but she doesn’t remember anything.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (D)	The crew looks into the case of a baby with AIDS.
10 p.m.	MTV	“Paris Hilton’s My New BFF” (R)	The final eight contestants have a pool party.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Jada Pinkett Smith guests.
8 p.m.	CBS, Fox, NBC	“Barack Obama Political Message” (A)	Obama’s highly publicized half-hour buy.
8 p.m.	CW	“America’s Next Top Model” (R)	The models head to Europe and compete in a scavenger hunt.
8 p.m.	ESPN	“NBA Basketball” (S)	The Suns take on the Spurs in the season opener for both.
9 p.m.	CBS	“Criminal Minds” (D)	A serial killer targets people who live near a railway.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Private Practice” (D)	Sam and Naomi face off against each other in an office election.
10 p.m.	MTV	“Real World/Road Rules Challenge” (R)	Season finale. The final eight compete in a race for the $300,000 prize.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	CW	“Smallville” (D)	Clark is worried his identity will be revealed.
8 p.m.	TNT	“NBA Basketball” (S)	The Rockets versus the Mavericks in Dallas.
9 p.m.	NBC	“The Office” (C)	Pam shows up at corporate wearing a Halloween costume, but she’s the only one.
9 p.m.	CBS	“CSI” (D)	A murder victim has more than one blood type in her body.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Grey’s Anatomy” (D)	Bailey tries to remove an inoperable tumor from a young girl.
10 p.m.	TLC	“LA Ink” (R)	Kat prepares to be on the cover of Latina magazine.
10 p.m.	NBC	“ER” (D)	An old friend surprises Neela with a visit.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	No costume for tonight? Don’t worry, the crew will give you some last-minute ideas.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Ghost Whisperer” (D)	The ghost of a high-school athlete is haunting a family that’s not her own.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Crusoe” (D)	Crusoe and Friday try to defend their home from mutineers.
9 p.m.	CBS	“The Ex List” (D)	Bella gives an ex a second chance after she finds out he doesn’t live with his mom anymore.
10 p.m.	Starz	“Crash” (D)	The police step up their efforts in the search for Axel’s shooter.
10 p.m.	USA	“The Starter Wife” (D)	Molly and Zach’s relationship is moving along smoothly until she gets a visit from Lou.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Time	Network	Program	Description
2:30 p.m.	NBC	“College Football” (S)	Pittsburgh battles Notre Dame.
3:30 p.m.	CBS	“College Football” (S)	Important SEC game between Florida and Georgia.
8 p.m.	Fox	“Cops” (R)	Cops in California respond to a shooting, and then a witness acts ignorant.
8:15 p.m.	ABC	“College Football” (S)	Big game between Texas and Texas Tech.
9 p.m.	Fox	“America’s Most Wanted” (R)	Focusing on Los Angeles’ “Grim Sleeper.”
11:30 p.m.	NBC	“Saturday Night Live” (C)	Ben Affleck hosts and David Cook performs.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Time	Network	Program	Description
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“NASCAR Racing” (S)	Another Chase for the Cup race, this one in Fort Worth.
8 p.m.	Fox	“The Simpsons” (C)	The “Treehouse of Horror” episode, spoofing “Transformers” and others.
8:15 p.m.	NBC	“Sunday Night Football” (S)	One of the league’s best rivalries is renewed as the Patriots take on the Colts.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Desperate Housewives” (D)	Lily Tomlin guests as Mrs. McCluskey’s sister.
9 p.m.	Showtime	“Dexter” (D)	Dexter has a feeling that Miguel is on to him.
10 p.m.	National Geographic Channel”	“Calling All Aliens” (N)	A look at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute in California.
10 p.m.	HBO	“Entourage” (C)	Vince is nervous for his first day on “Smokejumpers.”
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.