Network Programmer conversation today:  “OK, Niagara Falls on a high wire worked–next time, let’s do someone walking on his hands across the Grand Canyon.” “Hopping across the Sahara Desert!”  “Swimming across the Atlantic Ocean–one hand tied behind his back.”  “Book it for Sweeps!” ABC:  MEGASTUNTS was a big hit for ABC last night, its 2.5 […]

NBC wins a night it would have won even without the Olympics. NBC:  AMERICA’S GOT TALENT was the highest rated show of the night with the same 2.7 rating it had before the Olympics.  A cutdown version of the STARS EARN STRIPES premiere was at 1.4 against weak competition at 10PM. FOX:  HOTEL HELL built […]

  A superhero comes to the rescue. CW:  ARROW gave the beleagurered little network the best news it’s had literally in years, with a colossal (for CW) 1.3 rating that beat NBC in its first half-hour and was only narrowly behind in its second.  That also lifted SUPERNATURAL to a snappy 1.0 at 9PM. ABC:  You couldn’t call NASHVILLE a […]

Even more than most Sundays, last night there was football… and everything else. ABC:  A dismal night for the network’s scripted shows.  With a football overrun stretching into the 8PM hour on FOX, ONCE UPON A TIME (featuring an episode that strayed from the path of the season’s central storyline for an hour about the […]

Not so Amazing. CBS:  The cycle finale of THE AMAZING RACE tied its all-time finale low at 2.6, down more than a ratings point from last fall’s finale.  Instead of Race boosting THE MENTALIST at 10PM, that show was down 0.2 for the week to 1.6. ABC:  A night of Christmas specials, with 1.4s for […]

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 (February 11-17, 2013), FOX won with a preliminary 2.11 adult 18-49 rating in prime time, down from last week’s 2.25 rating but still ahead of the horrible performances by the other networks. CBS will fall to second place with a preliminary 1.89 adult 18-49 rating, down from last week’s Grammy-boosted 3.32 […]

  March Madness takes a toll on American Idol.   CBS:  Per Mitch Metcalf:  The CBS numbers are adjusted fast nationals (ShowbuzzDaily estimates of what the live telecast will look like in the official nationals when the Pacific and Mountain time zones are properly counted).  The second prime time game at 9:30 was one of the […]