TV Ratings: CBS rolls on slow Sunday

ABC's 'Defying Gravity' premieres to soft numbers

By Daniel Fienberg Monday, Aug 3, 2009 12:02 PM

Ron Livingston appears to have just seen the ratings for 'Defying Gravity'

Credit: ABC

Fast National ratings for August 2, 2009.

Nobody was really watching TV on Sunday night, but most of that "nobody" was watching CBS. Certainly a real nobody tuned in for ABC's two-hour "Defying Gravity" premiere.

Among adults 18-49, FOX and CBS both averaged a 1.5 rating, beating the 1.1 rating for ABC and the 1.0 rating for NBC. The CW was last in the key demographic with a 0.6 rating.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 7.26 million viewers to go with a 4.7 rating/9 share, far ahead of the 2.7/5 for both ABC and NBC. FOX's 2.0/4 was fourth, doubling up the 1.0/2 for The CW.

CBS started the night in first with a 6.0/12 for "60 Minutes." NBC's "Dateline" was second with a 3.3/7, beating ABC's "America's Funniest Home Video." FOX was fourth with "'Til Death" and "American Dad." On The CW, a new "Easy Money" had a 0.4/1.

"Big Brother 11" helped CBS stay in first at 8 p.m. with a 4.3/8. ABC's "Ty's Great British Adventure" was second with a 2.8/5, nipping the 2.7/5 for NBC's "Merlin." FOX's "The Simpsons" repeats were fourth with a 2.3/4, ahead of The CW's inexplicably high ratings for "Overboard."

"Cold Case" ruled the 9 p.m. hour with a 4.3/7, while FOX's "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons" finished second overall and first in the key demographic. NBC's "The Storm" was third with a 2.5/4, nipping the 2.4/4 for ABC's "Defying Gravity" (demo numbers for the premiering space soap weren't any more encouraging). The CW's "Overboard" had a 1.4/2, which has to be skewed by a live sporting event somewhere.

At 10 p.m. "Without a Trace" stayed even with its hourly predecessors. NBC's "The Storm" took second with a 2.5/4, while ABC's "Grey's Astronomy" was third with a 2.3/4.

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

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.