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TV This Week

In hour of laughs, drama trumps them all

'NCIS: Los Angeles' is doing so well that CBS is mulling a spinoff

By Louisa Ada Seltzer

November 20, 2012

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Coming into the season one of the biggest questions was how the six new or newish comedies vying for viewers’ attention in the 9 p.m. Tuesday timeslot would fare.

The answer is they’re all getting whupped by a veteran drama.

“NCIS: Los Angeles,” now in its fifth season, is well ahead of the comedies in the hour in both total viewers and adults 18-49, one of the few bright spots on an uncharacteristically unstable CBS schedule this fall.

In fact, “NCIS: LA” is doing so well that CBS is mulling a spinoff of the show, which is itself a spinoff of “NCIS,” the No. 1 drama this season in total viewers.

“NCIS: LA” is averaging a 3.1 in 18-49s this season, according to Nielsen, No. 18 on broadcast. Among total viewers it’s averaging 15.84 million total viewers, No. 3 behind only NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” and “NCIS.”

The comedies in the slot, by contrast, are struggling. ABC’s “Happy Endings” and “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23” are barely holding on with a 1.3 and a 1.1, respectively, last week.

Fox’s “New Girl” and NBC’s “Go On” tied for second behind “NCIS” in the slot with a 2.2 apiece, while lead-outs “The Mindy Project” and “The New Normal” drew a 1.6 and 1.8, respectively.

The lesson here is that smart counterprogramming can be hugely effective. With three of the Big Four networks offering sitcoms similar in tone (four focus on young people navigating through single life), the show that’s the clear alternative is drawing the most viewers.

It’s a sure bet that not all of the six comedies will survive, which could be credited as another takedown for “NCIS: LA’s” law enforcement team.

A look at this week's top TV draws
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	NBC	"The Voice" (R)	Two singers from each team are eliminated.
8 p.m.	Science Channel	"Fringe" (D)	The Fox drama makes its cable syndication premiere.
8 p.m.	Sundance Channel	"Iconoclasts" (N)	Season finale. Former NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rapper Chuck D guest.
9 p.m.	CBS	"NCIS: Los Angeles" (D)	The team looks into a crime that ends up on the internet.
10 p.m.	ABC	"Private Practice" (D)	Jake deals with a high maintenance patient, and separately he plans to meet with Henry's social worker.
10 p.m.	FX	"Sons of Anarchy" (D)	In a special 90-minute episode, Jax tries to get things in order while Nero runs into his old crew.
10 p.m.	USA	"Covert Affairs" (D)	Season finale. Annie attempts to rescue a spy in Amsterdam.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	ABC	"Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (A)	Annual special includes a special cartoon that takes place on the Mayflower in 1620.
8 p.m.	Fox	"The X Factor" (R)	The top finalists deliver another round of performances.
9 p.m.	Food Network	"Restaurant: Impossible" (R)	Season premiere. Helping a struggling Latin restaurant in Kansas City.
9 p.m.	Discovery Channel	"Moonshiners" (R)	Mark and Jeff build a new copper still, while Josh and Bill make progress with their underground still.
10 p.m.	Showtime	"Jim Rome on Showtime" (T)	Series premiere. The TV and radio sports personality launches a new cable program.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Time	Network	Program	Description
12:30 p.m.	CBS	"NFL Football" (S)	The Lions host the Texans in the first of three Thanksgiving Day games.
3:30 p.m.	AXS	"College Basketball" (S)	Minnesota takes on Duke in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas.
4:30 p.m.	Fox	"NFL Football" (S)	RGIII and the Redskins take on the Cowboys in Dallas.
7:30 p.m.	ESPN	"College Football" (S)	Not into the pros? Good college game between TCU and Texas.
8:30 p.m.	NBC	"NFL Football" (S)	Another solid matchup, this between the Patriots and Jets.
9:30 p.m.	ABC	"Bad25" (N)	Spike Lee documentary celebrating the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's "Bad" album.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Time	Network	Program	Description
12 p.m.	ABC	"College Football" (S)	Big Ten clash between Nebraska and Iowa.
8 p.m.	CBS	"Frosty the Snowman" (K)	The classic holiday special narrated by Jimmy Durante.
8 p.m.	Nickelodeon	"iCarly" (C)	Series finale. Spencer goes to a dance with Carly, whose dad can't make it.
9 p.m.	Discovery Channel	"Gold Rush" (R)	Episode titled "The Ultimatum" will no doubt result in some drama.
9:30 p.m.	CBS	"It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" (K)	New holiday special based on the long-running Nickelodeon cartoon.
11 p.m.	CMT	"CMT Crossroads" (A)	A mash-up between the Avett Brothers and Randy Travis.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24
Time	Network	Program	Description
3:30 p.m.	ESPN	"College Football" (S)	Rivalry game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
8 p.m.	CBS	"Made in Jersey" (D)	The network starts burning off episodes of the canceled drama.
8 p.m.	ABC	"College Football" (S)	If Notre Dame wins at USC they will likely earn a spot in the BCS national championship game.
8 p.m.	Hallmark Channel	"Naughty or Nice" (M)	A woman comes across Santa's "Naughty or Nice" book.
10 p.m.	CBS	"48 Hours" (N)	Looking back at a 1984 murder in South Pasadena.
10 p.m.	MSNBC	"Lockup: Louisville – Extended Stay" (N)	Following inmates at a prison in Louisville.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Time	Network	Program	Description
4:30 p.m.	Speed	"Formula One Racing" (S)	The season-ending Grand Prix of Brazil, with the championship still up for grabs.
8 p.m.	ABC	"Once Upon a Time" (D)	Cora tries to get the compass from Emma and Mary Margaret.
8:20 p.m.	NBC	"Sunday Night Football" (S)	Game between the past two Super Bowl champs as the Packers face the Giants.
9 p.m.	AMC	"The Walking Dead" (D)	Rick has to make a decision about somebody who shows up at the prison.
10 p.m.	Travel Channel	"Instant Christmas" (N)	Dollywood in Tennessee makes the list of holiday vacation ideas.
10 p.m.	TLC	"Extreme Cougar Wives" (N)	Looking at a handful of strange relationships, including one between a 76-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man.
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.