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TV This Week

Calling a new play on Thursday night

By Toni Fitzgerald

November 29, 2012

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The broadcast networks made a number of changes on Thursday this fall, including moving buzzy shows like “Glee” and “Two and a Half Men” to the night and adding big-buzz new programs like “Elementary.”

But the change with the biggest impact came on cable.

NFL Network, which has long aired Thursday night games during the final seven weeks of the season, began carrying contests every Thursday night, making the night much more competitive early in the fall.

Tonight on the network the 5-6 New Orleans Saints and 10-1 Atlanta Falcons square off at 8:20 p.m. with the Saints needing a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

NFL Network has gotten a big ratings kick from its games. Season to date they’re averaging 7.2 million total viewers, according to Nielsen, compared to 7.3 million for last year’s more limited schedule.

Its primetime viewership has soared 90 percent this fall.

No surprise then that the NFL Network regularly wins the night on cable and often outdraws at least one or two of the Big Five.

Ratings for a number of broadcast shows are down this season against this increased competition, including NBC’s comedies and Fox’s “The X Factor.”

NFL Network’s success is just the latest sign that cable is capable competing with broadcast on once-untouchable Thursday night. For the past two years MTV’s “Jersey Shore” has also regularly won its Thursday 10 p.m. timeslot against broadcast competition among adults 18-49.

A look at this week's top TV draws
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	CBS	"The Big Bang Theory" (C)	Sheldon has a fit when the school gives Wolowitz his parking spot.
8:20 p.m.	NFL Network	"NFL Football" (S)	Interesting NFC game between New Orleans and Atlanta.
9 p.m.	NBC	"The Office" (C)	Angela finds out about her husband's affair, then turns to Dwight.
9 p.m.	VH1	"The Greatest" (N)	A countdown of the 100 greatest child stars.
10 p.m.	A&E	"Panic 9-1-1" (R)	Series premiere. New show reenacts dramatic emergency calls.
10 p.m.	FX	"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (C)	Episode titled "Frank's Back in Business."
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	Fox	"College Football" (S)	The Pac-12 title game, won last year by Oregon.
8 p.m.	Speed	"NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards" (S, A)	The 2012 event, live from Las Vegas.
8:30 p.m.	ESPN	"College Basketball" (S)	A rare out-of-state nonconference game for Syracuse against the Razorbacks of Arkansas.
9 p.m.	CBS	"CSI: NY" (D)	The team targets a Latin gang after Lovato's cover is blown.
9 p.m.	Investigation Discovery	"Deadly Women" (N)	Season finale. Stories about women looking for revenge against men they once loved.
10 p.m.	E!	"Fashion Police" (T)	The show celebrates its 100th episode.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1
Time	Network	Program	Description
4 p.m.	CBS	"College Football" (S)	The SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama, which will decide who plays Notre Dame in the BCS national championship.
8 p.m.	Fox	"College Football" (S)	The Big Ten title game from Indianapolis.
8 p.m.	NBC	"It's a Wonderful Life" (M)	The classic 1946 movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.
8 p.m.	Hallmark Channel	"A Bride for Christmas" (M)	A man tries to woo a woman who has had three failed engagements.
9 p.m.	Disney XD	"Kickin' It" (C)	Rudy sells the dojo but ends up regretting it.
10 p.m.	TBS	"Wedding Band" (C)	Rutherford wants to throw a prom for adults.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2
Time	Network	Program	Description
8:20 p.m.	NBC	"Sunday Night Football" (S)	NFC East rivalry game between the Eagles and Cowboys.
9 p.m.	HBO	"Boardwalk Empire" (D)	Season finale. Nucky concedes a bit to Rothstein in a grander effort to take control of Atlantic City.
9 p.m.	AMC	"The Walking Dead" (D)	The prison gang deals with a new threat in the fall finale.
10 p.m.	A&E	"Be the Boss"	Series premiere. Employees at chains compete to win their own franchise.
10 p.m.	Food Network	"Iron Chef America" (R)	Holiday-themed episode pitting Food Network stars against stars from Cooking Channel.
10 p.m.	TLC	"Suddenly Single" (N)	A group of people in their 40s deal with failed marriages.
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.