The surprise deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett made for a strange week in the numbers, as the networks quickly moved things around to get news programming on the air. The results were improved numbers, but that’s not saying much, given how a lot of the summer programming is going. There were some notable premieres this week. America’s Got Talent, The Superstars, Merlin, and The Philanthropist met differing fates. The big news on cable was either Jon & Kate‘s breakup episode, or the return of The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, depending on your particular point of view. Both did big numbers.
NBC - After a start that looked like another troublesome week, there is some light at the end of the NBC tunnel. Merlin (5.46m/1.4 – 5.23m/1.4) debuted to rather lackluster numbers, despite being the only new programming on the night. And I’m A Celebrity didn’t offer any help with its final three nights of programming (4.37m/1.6 – 4.27m/1.4 – 4.4m/1.5). Fortunately for the network, America’s Got Talent was back on Tuesday (10.26m/2.9) and Wednesday (10.39m/3.1), with very good numbers. The Philanthropist (7.41m/2) had a solid, if not spectacular, debut. The news team took over on Thursday (MJ 5.25m/1.7 – FF 5.83m/1.6) and Friday (FF 4.62m/1.2 – MJ 6.64m/2) with a host of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett specials. And finally, the week wrapped up with another Kings (1.54m/.4) disappointment.
ABC - The Bachelorette (6.63m/2.2) kicked off the week with a solid performance, followed by the shrinking Here Come The Newlyweds (5.05m/1.4). On Tuesday, The Superstars (4.48m/1.5) were something less than super, although I’m all for more shows with supermodels telling T.O. to shut the fuck up. That led in to the most puzzling bit of the schedule last week for me, the return of Better Off Ted (1.87m/.8). That’s just shockingly bad, and I have to wonder why the network didn’t just hold those episodes for the fall. Things were better on Wednesday. Wipeout (7.71m/2.7) is a genuine summer hit at those levels. I Survived A Japanese Game Show (4.18m/1.6) isn’t. Then Ted got some company, as Thursday found Samantha Who? (3.73m/1) and In The Motherhood (2.69m/.7) also struggling mightily. That led into ABC’s own Fawcett/Jackson news programming (MJ 5.71m/1.7 – FF 5.83m/1.6). And, much like NBC, the week came to a disappointing close with another new Eli Stone (2.69m/.5).
FOX - There wasn’t near the amount of new programming from FOX as we’ve come to expect. Although, the limited schedule was enough for the network to win four of the seven nights in the demo. First up was Mental (3.69m/1.2) which is just not gaining any traction. The kids from So You Think You Can Dance were strong on Wednesday (7.49m/2.8) and Thursday (6.86m/2.5). And things finished up with the Virtuality (1.81m/.5) pilot, which, given those numbers, is now officially not going to make it to series.
CBS – Not much to report here. The new programming for the week boiled down to Harper’s Island (3.53m/.8). That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Despite only one new hour, CBS was the most watched network on five of the seven nights.
CABLE - The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (4.7m) returned, setting records. That marked the largest audience ever in the hour for ABC Family. That’s good news for Make It Or Break It (2.5m), which recorded the second most watched premiere ever for the network, after Secret Life.
As good as those numbers are, they are no match for what TLC had cooking. Apparently, Jon Minus Kate Plus 8 equals huge ratings. The big breakup episode was good for 10.6 million viewers! Good grief. In other cable news, True Blood remains strong for HBO, with episode two coming in at 3.4 million. Hawthorne (3.8m) and Saving Grace (3.2m) also remained steady for TNT.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Jun 29, 2009 @ 10:00 EST5EDT
