TV Ratings: Big 'Private Practice' can't keep CBS from winning Thursday

'Big Bang Theory' rises and kicks off CBS' demo and overall wins

By Daniel Fienberg Friday, Nov 5, 2010 11:46 AM

Jim Parsons and Eliza Dushku of 'The Big Bang Theory'

Credit: CBS

Fast National ratings for Thursday, November 4, 2010.

It's time for ABC to get some viable programming in that 8 p.m. Thursday hour. "Grey's Anatomy" and a heavily promoted episode of "Private Practice" both controlled their hours for ABC, at least in the young adult demos, but thanks to CBS' strong 8 p.m. comedy hour and ABC's repeat, CBS was able to win the night in most key measures.

Among adults 18-49, CBS won the night with a 3.4 rating, edging the 3.1 rating for ABC in the key demographic. NBC's 2.3 rating and the 2.2 rating for FOX followed, still beating the 1.2 rating for The CW.

Overall, CBS won commandingly, averaging an estimated 13.52 million viewers to go with an 8.3 rating/14 share. ABC's 5.9/10 and 8.754 million viewers were good for a distant second. FOX finished third for the night with a 4.3/7 and 7.035 million viewers, topping NBC's 3.2/5 and 5.215 million. The CW was fifth with 3.01 million viewers and a 1/8/3.

8 p.m. -- CBS ruled the 8 p.m. hour with "The Big Bang Theory" (13.88 million viewers and a 4.6 rating) and "$#*! My Dad Says" (10.94 million and a 3.4 demo rating), both up from last week. FOX's "Bones" was a distant, but solid, second with 9.1 million viewers and a 2.5 demo. NBC was third with "Community" (4.57 million and a 1.9 demo) and "30 Rock" (5.29 million and a 2.4 demo) in line with season averages. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" repeat averaged 4.39 million viewers and a finished fifth for the hour in the demo. The CW's "The Vampire Diaries" averaged 3.56 million viewers and a 1.6 demo.

9 p.m. -- "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" kept CBS in first overall in the 9 p.m. hour with 13.874 million viewers and in second in the demo with a 3.3 rating. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" was up with week with 11.67 million viewers and a 4.3 demo rating. NBC's "The Office" (7.605 million viewers and a 3.7 demo) and "Outsourced" (5.775 million and a 2.7 rating) finished third. After two weeks away, FOX's "Fringe" returned with 4.97 million viewers and a 1.8 demo rating. Fifth place went to The CW's "Nikita," with 2.455 million viewers.

10 p.m. -- "The Mentalist" won the 10 p.m. hour overall for CBS with 14.27 million viewers. ABC's "Private Practice" was second overall with 10.2 million viewers, but delivered a 3.9 demo rating to win the hour commandingly. NBC's "The Apprentice" continued a less-than-meteoric rise, getting its audience above 4 million (4.024 million, to be exact) for the first time in weeks.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.

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Marc

Next week is the last GREYS encore at 8p. The following week its "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving". Then other holiday specials assume the hour til Christmas. (GREYS and PP have only 3 more original eps til Break)

Jan 6th Winter Wipeout assumes the Thu 8p slot ABCV never issues a release (yet) but on their mediasite calender and the Wipeout page at ABC.com it is confirmed.
November 5, 2010 at 12:36PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Marc - ABC issued a scheduling release on the "Winter Wipeout" premiere date weeks ago. It is, indeed, January 6. It's also yet another stop-gap solution in that hour, albeit one that's certain to do far better than "My Generation," "FlashFoward" and "The Deep End." So there's that...
  
  -Daniel
  November 5, 2010 at 12:39PM EST
- Marc Their only real option in that slot is reality, so whether you call Wipeout a stop gap, I personally think ABC would be foolish to try anything other tha reality there. There are strong comedies and dramas in that slot already. The last 3 dramas flopped and when they tried comedies there it didn't work either. Between TBBT/Shit and 30 Tock?community, reality is the only route. PLus its the only 8p slot on television now with no reality show. Reality into Desperate Housewives has worked for them for 7 years now.
  
  I fully expect Wipeout (after its Jan/Feb) run to be followed by the upcoming reality show "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" (formely titled Obese).
  
  Just like ABC alternates DWTS with The Bachelor franchise, I wouldnt be surprised to make this Thu 8p slot a reality wheelhouse as well.
  November 5, 2010 at 1:10PM EST
- dan Marc - "FlashForward" flopped because "FlashForward" sucked, not because it was a drama. The show got a strong Week One sample and a respectable audience in its second week. Had "FlashFoward" delivered a show that audiences cared about in the slightest, it would have been fine. Audiences weren't reticent to watch drama in that time slot. They were reticent to watch "FlashForward," "The Deep End" and "My Generation." And having watched every single episode of all three shows? I don't blame them.
  
  Regardless, a reality wheel makes sense in that slot, as much as anything.
  
  -Daniel
  November 5, 2010 at 1:32PM EST
- Marc I predicted that would be your response. Ive also watched every show in that slot. The bottom line is this: They've also had shows that didnt suck (anbd were great like Pushing Daisies) that struggled for ratings in easier slots. Plus there are shows that do get hurt from competition. I'm not saying No Ordinary Family would be a smash hit anywhere, but the fact that it's airing Tues at 8p is hindering some of its ratings growth in my humble opinion. I do think there are normal kinks to be worked out and its not perfect but its not the mess Flash Forward was at this point. I'll just assume you'll disagree.
  
  I stronghly diasgree that ABC would have an easy time carving out a sizeable audience with the competition at Thu at 8p with a new drama/comedy. On paper Off The Map might make sense Thu at 8p, but I bet it would get hurt strongly by the competition and will have an easier time finding an audience Wed at 10. There is a reality audience being underserved here and that is what ABC should concentrate on here. As is, all the reality hits from Sun-Thu at 8p dont get less than a 2.3-2.5.
  November 5, 2010 at 1:49PM EST
Marc

Sorry for my typos. I actually can spell, I just type fast and didn't proofread.
November 5, 2010 at 12:38PM EST Reply to Comment
forg

The Big Bang Theory's ratings are up significantly. People miss Penny I bet :D The 4.6 rating is close to Two and a Half Men's 4.7 this week so I'm glad TBBT is performing well on its own now :)

Private Practice's 18-49 is huge, the last time a 10pm show did that well on the demo was the series premiere of Hawaii 5-0. It's an impressive performance for an episode that isn't a Grey's crossover
November 5, 2010 at 12:59PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan forg - Did CBS promote this episode as Kaley Cuoco's return? I hadn't really remembered, but I was perfectly happy to have her back.
  
  And yes, that was a high number for "Private Practice." The show's bumps for "Grey's Anatomy" crossover episodes have never carried over into subsequent episodes, so we'll see if this one does...
  
  -Daniel
  November 5, 2010 at 1:03PM EST