OPENINGS:  The $114M launch of WICKED (Universal) (which included “fan event” screenings throughout the previous week) set a new high for Broadway musical adaptations, and indeed for live-action musicals in general, while still being slightly behind sky-high expectations.  For those doing the 2023 vs 2024 comparison, it was also about 30% under the opening […]

> It’s not all that unusual for a situation comedy to change directions in the midst of its initial season and emerge a different, and better, show:  The Office and Parks & Recreation both took that journey (the US Office was trying too hard at first to ape the Ricky Gervais original, and Parks was […]

The ratings below are household ratings from the 56 television markets with local Nielsen meters for Saturday May 3 and Sunday May 4, 2014. The 56 markets (out of 210 total) cover about 70% of the US television population.   Triple Crown: Kentucky Derby Saturday 4.0 rating NBC 4:30-5:00 pm (-2% from 4.1 last year; […]

>Last network standing: would you believe NBC? NBC: Not only did the network tie for the lead on the night, but all 3 of its shows were up. THE VOICE's results hour was the highest rated show of the evening, and, BIGGEST LOSER had its 2d highest rating in 6 weeks, and FASHION STAR hit […]

  From the start, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (DreamWorks/Reliance/Universal) was perceived as a lower-intensity version of the Gone Girl phenomenon, and that’s holding with the opening of its film version.  Where Gone Girl had a $13.2M Friday start on its way to a $37.5M weekend, preliminary numbers at Deadline give Train $9.3M on Friday, […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  The release of Neighbors has pushed Universal out of the Paramount and Lionsgate/Summit pack to 5th place among Hollywood studios year to date in worldwide box office (with just under $800 million).  Sony sits at #1 with close to $1.3 billion worldwide in 2014 to date, with Amazing Spider-Man 2 still producing significant overseas revenue. […]

> Greg Garcia’s RAISING HOPE, like his My Name Is Earl, has a very particular chaotically surreal good-naturedness.  (The 2 shows exist in the same meta-universe, and Hope often nods to Earl–in tonight’s season finale, Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee and Jaime Pressley all made cameo appearances, repeating roles they’ve played in earlier episodes.)   Unlike Community, […]

DEMOGRAPHIC DETAIL: For each broadcast program (or hour segment), the chart below displays preliminary key advertiser demographics (adult 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 ratings), audience skews (women 18-49, men 18-49 and adults 50+ shares) and total viewership (thousands of people over the age of 2). ###