The third weekend of 2013 should total about $106 million for the top 12 films, down a bit from the same weekend the past few years.  Three movies open Friday and an Oscar hopeful expands into wide release, but no film should gross much more than $15 million Friday-Sunday. Opening in about 2,400 theaters Friday, […]

No major movements on the night as we await some finales and arrivals over the next few weeks. NBC:  PARENTHOOD, the Rodney Dangerfield of network television, won its hour with a steady 1.9, and was the network’s highest rated show of the night.  (Even though it’s getting a bit contrived as it heads toward next […]

Not a good night for newcomers. NBC:  Even though THE BIGGEST LOSER was steady from last week at 2.4, DECEPTION fell a heavy 0.4 to a third-place 1.6 in its hour.  Worse yet, it slid during the course of the broadcast, with a 1.5 at 10:30PM suggesting that it hasn’t yet found its level.  At […]

  Despite strong competition in every direction on Sunday night, Showtime had a very strong start for its winter line-up, setting new records for SHAMELESS, HOUSE OF LIES and CALIFORNICATION.  Demo numbers aren’t yet available, but in total viewers for its initial airing, Shameless reached the 2M mark, up 400,000 from last season’s premiere and […]

This past sports weekend was dominated by four Divisional playoff games.  The first game in the Saturday doubleheader, traditionally the weakest matchup, turned out to be one of the best games (an exciting contest finally settled in double overtime). The Ravens and Broncos game Saturday at 4:30 (21.6 HH rating in the 56 large markets with […]

Ricky who? NBC:  Separately, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are stars of ratings-challenged (although beloved by fans) sitcoms.  Together, though, they’re a powerhouse hosting duo, and between the two of them, some wild surprises (Argo for Best Drama) and some sheer wildness (Bill Clinton presenting a clip from Lincoln, and of course Jodie Foster’s Lifetime […]

THE WEEK.  For the recently completed week ending Sunday (January 7-13, 2013), CBS pulled into first place with a preliminary 3.18 adult 18-49 rating, doubling last week’s 1.58 rating.  Two hours this week were unusual, non-recurring events (NFL playoff overrun on Saturday from 8-9 pm and Sunday 7-8 pm, at an 11.6 and 12.4 adjusted fast national […]

  Verbal Kint once noted that that greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.  Just as impressively, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has accomplished the exact opposite:  against all evidence, its members have convinced a major television network, countless media outlets and millions of viewers that it does exist, […]