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This sad summer,
a bit more laughter


More network sitcoms rank among the top shows

Jul 5, 2007

Blame it on this summer’s new crop of reality shows, which are bombing. Blame it on the sagging reruns of aging network dramas.  

The sitcom is making a modest comeback this summer.

Animated and live-action comedy repeats took eight of the top 25 spots among adults 18-49 last week, the week ended July 1, on the English-language broadcast networks, according to Nielsen data.

That’s compared with just two sitcoms finishing in the top 25 during the recently ended regular TV season, and that’s double the number of comedies that made the list the same week a year ago.

This comes at a time, moreover, in which the sitcom has been declared dead and buried. The networks have ordered the smallest number of new fall comedies in recent memory, just six. Among the returning broadcast comedies, only one improved during the regular season over the prior year.

The higher standing of comedies is due in large part to the poorer performance of dramas and reality this summer, but not entirely.

Some comedies are actually seeing higher ratings, and there are more comedy repeats airing.

“The Office,” for example, has been airing loads of repeats in the run up to the premiere of star Steve Carell’s new movie “Evan Almighty.” Not surprisingly, the show had two episodes in the top 25 last week compared to zero the same week last year, with ratings improvement of 25 to 30 percent.

Also, this year Fox has both “Simpsons” and “Family Guy” in the top 25, whereas last year the network knocked them off the schedule to air a movie.

As for dramas, it's no doubt been a dismal summer, having the dual effect of raising comedies' standings. Last week, just two dramas, NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and CBS’s “CSI: Miami,” made the top 10, and both rated a 2.7 or lower. That's compared to four drama reruns in the top 10 in 18-49s for the same week last year, all averaging a 2.9 or better.

Network dramas are suffering for various reasons. One is that so many of them, such as the “L&O” and “CSI” franchises, are now airing as reruns daily on cable, sometimes even competing directly with broadcast repeats.

But also cable this summer is airing a number of high-quality original dramas as alternatives, such as TNT’s “The Closer,” Lifetime’s “Army Wives,” FX’s “Rescue Me” and HBO’s “Big Love.”

Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended July 1:
 
Among adults 18-49, Fox led with a 2.2 average rating and a 7 share, followed by NBC at 1.9/6, Univision at 1.7/5, CBS at 1.6/5, ABC at 1.5/5, CW at 0.7/2, Telefutura at 0.5/2, Telemundo at 0.4/1, MyNetworkTV at 0.3/1, Ion at 0.1/0 and Azteca at 0.0/0.
 
Among adults 18-34, Fox led with a 2.2 average rating and an 8 share, followed by Univision at 1.9/7, NBC at 1.6/6, ABC at 1.1/4, CBS at 0.9/3, CW at 0.7/2, Telemundo and Telefutura at 0.5/2, MyNetworkTV at 0.3/1, Ion at 0.1/0 and Azteca at 0.0/0.
 
Among adults 25-54, Fox led with a 2.2 average rating and a 7 share, followed by NBC and CBS at 2.2/6, ABC at 1.7/5, Univision at 1.5/5, CW at 0.7/2, Telefutura at 0.5/1, Telemundo at 0.4/1, MyNetworkTV at 0.3/1, Ion at 0.2/1 and Azteca at 0.0/0.
 
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): Tie-1. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance -- Wednesday” 3.8; 3. Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” 3.6; 4. Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance -- Thursday,” 3.4; 5. Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance – 6/27” 3.3.
 
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” 11.51 million; 2. CBS’s “CSI” 9.91 million; Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance – Wednesday” 9.83 million; 4. Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance -- Thursday” 9.39 million; 5. Fox’s “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader” 9.32 million.
 
Bottom five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): Tie-98. CW’s “Hidden Palms,” “Hidden Palms – 6/27,” “The Game” and “Gilmore Girls” 0.5; Tie-102. CW’s “Supernatural – Sunday,” “Veronica Mars” and “7th Heaven” 0.4.
 
Bottom five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 100. CW’s “The Game” 1.35 million; 101. CW’s “Gilmore Girls” 1.04 million; 102. CW’s “7th Heaven” 0.98 million; Tie-103. CW’s “Supernatural -- Sunday” and “Veronica Mars” 0.82 million.
 
Show on the rise: “The Next Best Thing: Who is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator,” ABC, Wednesday 8 p.m. During a slow TV week in which just about everything on broadcast was down versus the previous week, “Next Best Thing” posted a 2.2 rating among viewers 18-49, up 10 percent versus a 2.0 the week before.
 
Shows on the decline: “Standoff,” Fox, Friday 9 p.m. Fox’s already-canceled Friday night drama tumbled 27 percent among viewers 18-49 last week, posting a 0.8 rating in the demo compared to a 1.1 the previous week.

PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 1

Network

Households

People 2+

Adults 18-49

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

CBS

4.6

5160

9

2.4

6830

7

1.6

2080

5

NBC

3.7

4170

7

2.0

5670

6

1.9

2530

6

FOX

3.5

3890

6

2.0

5550

6

2.2

2820

7

ABC

3.0

3340

6

1.6

4480

5

1.5

1930

5

UNI

1.9

2100

3

1.3

3720

4

1.7

2160

5

CW

1.1

1270

2

0.6

1760

2

0.7

890

2

TEL

0.6

660

1

0.4

1040

1

0.4

580

1

MNT

0.6

630

1

0.3

770

1

0.3

400

1

TF

0.5

590

1

0.3

980

1

0.5

620

2

ION

0.5

500

1

0.2

670

1

0.1

170

0

AZA

0.1

70

0

0.0

100

0

0.0

50

0

* Each rating point is equivalent to 1.114 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 1

Network

Households

People 2+

Adults 18-49

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

CBS

7.5

8350

12

4.2

11770

11

3.5

4510

10

ABC

6.0

6690

10

3.3

9280

9

3.3

4270

9

FOX

6.0

6710

10

3.5

9850

9

3.8

5010

11

NBC

5.5

6110

9

3.0

8440

8

2.9

3830

8

CW

2.0

2200

3

1.1

3040

3

1.2

1620

3

UNI

2.0

2190

3

1.3

3620

3

1.6

2050

4

MNT

0.6

680

1

0.3

840

1

0.3

410

1

TEL

0.5

590

1

0.3

890

1

0.4

520

1

ION

0.4

480

1

0.2

630

1

0.1

170

0

TF

0.4

400

1

0.2

620

1

0.3

390

1

AZA

0.1

100

0

0.1

150

0

0.1

90

0

* Each rating point is equivalent to 1. 114 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research 

TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 1

#

PROGRAMS

Net

HOUSEHOLDS

PERSONS 2+

Rtg%

Shr

(000)

#

Rtg%

(000)

1

AMERICA 'S GOT TALENT

NBC

7.2

13

8012

1

4.1

11514

2

CSI

CBS

6.6

11

7346

2

3.5

9913

3

CSI: MIAMI

CBS

6.2

11

6866

6

3.2

8947

4

SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-WED

FOX

6.0

10

6646

2

3.5

9829

4

TWO AND A HALF MEN

CBS

6.0

10

6685

6

3.2

9117

6

LAW AND ORDER:SVU

NBC

5.9

10

6576

8

3.1

8648

6

PRINCESS DIANA TRIBUTE(S)

NBC

5.9

11

6607

8

3.1

8818

6

SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-THU

FOX

5.9

10

6534

4

3.3

9393

9

NCIS

CBS

5.8

11

6484

11

3.0

8445

10

CSI: NY

CBS

5.7

10

6377

12

2.9

8171

10

SMARTER THAN 5TH GRADER

FOX

5.7

11

6341

4

3.3

9319

12

COLD CASE

CBS

5.5

10

6108

12

2.9

8327

13

SHARK

CBS

5.4

10

5993

14

2.7

7729

13

SO YOU THINK CN DNCE-6/27(S)

FOX

5.4

10

6029

8

3.1

8654

15

60 MINUTES

CBS

4.9

10

5424

15

2.6

7324

15

WITHOUT A TRACE

CBS

4.9

9

5435

15

2.6

7279

17

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

CBS

4.8

8

5367

20

2.5

7084

18

CRIMINAL MINDS

CBS

4.6

8

5138

22

2.3

6524

18

NEXT BEST THING, THE

ABC

4.6

8

5138

15

2.6

7234

20

HELL'S KITCHEN

FOX

4.5

7

5021

15

2.6

7426

21

48 HOURS MYSTERY

CBS

4.4

9

4946

26

2.2

6156

21

CBS SATURDAY MOVIE-SP(S)

CBS

4.4

9

4884

22

2.3

6414

21

NUMB3RS

CBS

4.4

8

4887

21

2.4

6756

21

OLD CHRISTINE

CBS

4.4

8

4913

22

2.3

6505

25

48 HOURS MYSTERY TUESDAY

CBS

4.3

7

4755

26

2.2

6205

Source: Nielsen Media Research

TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending July 1

Rank

Program

Net

Rtg%

(000)

1

AMERICA 'S GOT TALENT

NBC

3.8

4965

1

SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-WED

FOX

3.8

4990

3

HELL'S KITCHEN

FOX

3.6

4742

4

SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-THU

FOX

3.4

4474

5

SO YOU THINK CN DNCE-6/27(S)

FOX

3.3

4345

6

FEA MAS BELLA MON

UNI

3.2

4158

7

SMARTER THAN 5TH GRADER

FOX

3.0

3916

8

COPA AMERICA 2007 04 UNI(S)

UNI

2.7

3582

8

CRISTINA-MON

UNI

2.7

3484

8

FAMILY GUY

FOX

2.7

3557

8

LAW AND ORDER:SVU

NBC

2.7

3527

8

TWO AND A HALF MEN

CBS

2.7

3489

13

CSI: MIAMI

CBS

2.6

3391

14

COPA AMERICA 2007 10 UNI(S)

UNI

2.5

3299

14

CSI

CBS

2.5

3286

14

LAST COMIC STANDING 5

NBC

2.5

3282

17

SIMPSONS

FOX

2.4

3112

18

AGE OF LOVE

NBC

2.3

2985

18

AMERICAN INVENTOR

ABC

2.3

3035

18

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

CBS

2.3

3042

18

OFFICE 6/28-B(S)

NBC

2.3

2965

22

CSI: NY

CBS

2.2

2935

22

FAMILY GUY SP-6/25 8:30P(S)

FOX

2.2

2820

22

HOUSE

FOX

2.2

2823

22

MY NAME IS EARL

NBC

2.2

2828

22

NEXT BEST THING, THE

ABC

2.2

2933

22

OFFICE

NBC

2.2

2880

22

PRINCESS DIANA TRIBUTE(S)

NBC

2.2

2830

22

SCIENCE OF LOVE(S)

NBC

2.2

2894

Source: Nielsen Media Research

  

SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION (WEEKLY COLLAPSED)
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 1

#

PROGRAMS

Net

NHTI

P2+ (000)

1

FEA MAS BELLA M-F

UNI

28.5

6712

2

CRISTINA-MON

UNI

24.6

5250

3

COPA AMERICA 2007 04 UNI(S)-06/27/2007

UNI

22.3

4826

4

FEA MAS BELLA 6/25(S)-06/25/2007

UNI

19.7

4565

5

DESTILANDO AMOR M-F

UNI

17.0

3685

6

DUELO DE PASIONES M-F

UNI

15.0

3042

7

AQUI Y AHORA-THU

UNI

13.5

2769

8

YO AMO JUAN QUERENDON M-F

UNI

13.2

2805

9

CASOS VIDA R: ED. ESP FRI

UNI

12.6

2591

9

VER PARA CREER-TUE

UNI

12.6

2781

11

SABADO GIGANTE-SAT

UNI

11.3

1945

12

PRIMER IMP E C AME 1 6/27(S)-06/27/2007

UNI

10.3

1851

12

COPA AMERICA 2007 06 TF(S)-06/28/2007

TF

10.3

2163

14

BUSCANDO TIMBIRICHE SUN

UNI

9.8

2128

15

MARINA M-F

TEL

7.6

1429

16

ZORRO M-F

TEL

6.7

1261

17

MARINA FINALE RR 6/29(S)-06/29/2007

TEL

6.4

1464

18

TODOS JUAN QUERENDON 6/30(S)-06/30/2007

UNI

6.0

1139

19

ESCLAVA ISAURA M-F

TEL

5.8

1016

20

COPA AMERICA 2007 02 TF(S)-06/26/2007

TF

5.7

977

20

DAME CHOCOLATE M-F

TEL

5.7

1002

22

CONTACTO ESPECIAL 6/28(S)-06/28/2007

TF

5.5

966

23

CINE LAS ESTREL2 SUN

TF

5.0

990

24

COPA AMERICA:INAUG 6/26(S)-06/26/2007

TF

4.3

768

25

CONTACTO ESPECIAL 6/26(S)-06/26/2007

TF

4.2

608

1

FEA MAS BELLA M-F

UNI

28.5

6712

* Nielsen Hispanic Television Index; ratings based on 11.63 million Hispanic TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

HISPANIC ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VIEWING
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 1

#

PROGRAMS