The first big volleys of the Fall TV season were… inconclusive. NBC:  The network would be delighted if MYSTERIES OF LAURA could duplicate last night’s 2.1 rating when it airs in its regular timeslot.  On the face of it, the show did a solid job of retaining its 2.3 lead-in from the season finale […]

Weekend #38 of 2014 is looking like $104 million for the top 12 films this weekend, up 20% from the norm for this weekend. Opening at around 3,500 theaters Friday (above the 2,886 average theater count for opening weekends the last two years), Maze Runner from 20th Century Fox should average a solid $9,800 per theater […]

  NETWORK UPDATE:  The NEW GIRL season premiere and DANCING WITH THE STARS each gained 0.1 in final numbers. TUESDAY CABLE:  Ratings for the Top 25 original cable telecasts Tuesday (plus a few other noteworthy programs) in key demos are below: SONS OF ANARCHY (FX) was off last week’s blistering 3.19 season premiere pace, falling […]

  THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA:  Wednesday 8PM on NBC starting September 24 (premieres 10PM on September 17) – Change the Channel PLAYERS:  Star Debra Messing, and central co-stars Josh Lucas and Laz Alonso.  The Spanish TV series on which it’s based.  US series creator Jeff Rake, who’s worked on an assortment of shows over the past decade […]

  RED BAND SOCIETY:  Wednesday 9PM on FOX – If Nothing Else Is On… PLAYERS:  The Fault In Our Stars, which opened studio and network eyes to the commercial appeal of seriously ill teenagers.  Amblin Television, the small-screen wing of Steven Spielberg’s production empire.  The Spanish series that originated this project’s concept.  US series creator Margaret […]

  At this point, FOX will take what it can get. FOX:  No one expected the season premieres of NEW GIRL or THE MINDY PROJECT to come close to last fall’s 2.9/1.9 premieres, but at 1.6/1.3, but at least New Girl was above last May’s 1.2 finale, and Mindy was above last spring’s 1.0 low […]

  NETWORK UPDATE:  DANCING WITH THE STARS hung on better than expected in adjusted network numbers, retaining all of this morning’s 2.4 (still a season premiere low).  AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR gained 0.1. Ratings for Monday’s Top 25 original cable telecasts (now with all three individual hours of wrestling on USA and a few additional programs added): ESPN’s […]

  Dancing With the Stars lost another step. ABC:  DANCING WITH THE STARS had its worst season premiere ever, down 0.8 from last fall and 0.2 from Spring 2014 to 2.4–and it’s only going to get worse, because the ABC station in Indianapolis carried a simulcast of the ESPN Monday Night Football game.  That will […]