> From the Department of “Duh”:  CBS has worked out deals with Ashton Kutcher, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones to return for another season of  2 1/2 MEN.  There had been reports that the cast and show creator Chuck Lorre wanted the new 10th season to be the finale, while CBS wanted 2-year deals, […]

Something finally goes right for ABC this fall. ABC:  This was what the network had in mind when it announced its Friday schedule.  LAST MAN STANDING debuted to a 1.9, above the mid-1 numbers it was doing on higher-viewing Tuesdays.  It also proved to be an effective lead-in to the launch of MALIBU COUNTRY, which […]

Chart updated with persons 2+ audiences for the four games played Saturday and Sunday March 28-29, 2015 (the Elite Eight Round): Telecast 61: TBS Saturday 6:00 pm #1-Wisconsin 85 #2-Arizona 78 (Arizona up 33-30 at half) Telecast 62: TBS Saturday 8:40 pm #1-Kentucky 68 #3-Notre Dame 66 (Tied 31-31 at half) Telecast 63: CBS Sunday 2:20 pm #7-Michigan State 76 #4-Louisville 70 (Louisville up 40-32 at half) Telecast […]

  BROADCAST FINALS ABC:  SHARK TANK ticked down to 0.45, and 20/20 was up 0.05 to 0.35. CBS:  COME DANCE WITH ME gained 0.02 to 0.21, followed by reruns at 0.21/0.26. NBC:  THE BLACKLIST dropped 0.04 to 0.22, and DATELINE ticked down to 0.31. FOX:  WWE SMACKDOWN fell 0.06 to 0.40. CW:  CHARMED ticked up […]

  The combination of the final game of the World Series and Sunday Night Football did nothing to dent the numbers on cable’s showcase night of the week. AMC:  A pivotal episode of THE WALKING DEAD, which also happened to be the series’ best episode since it first started, was naturally the night’s big winner, incredibly up […]

  It has to be demoralizing for programmers to watch 3 networks’ worth of original summer programming get soundly beaten by a sitcom rerun. NBC:  The new mystical/medical soap SAVING HOPE flatlined with a 0.7.  Believers in glasses half-full can note that this did tie the network’s high number on the night, with ROCK CENTER. […]

On a night when a pulse-pounding hour of HOMELAND conclusively answered the question “Can this season be as good as the first?” (the answer is Yes), the broadcast networks continued their fall in more ways than one. ABC:  666 PARK AVENUE now has to be considered officially in trouble, with a 1.7 that’s well below […]

NBC comes up with a Wednesday night formula that works:  air against no competition. NBC:  With reruns on three other networks and a weak reality show on the fourth, NBC went to town on Wednesday night, with season highs galore.  WHITNEY (which has been adjusted creatively a great deal from last season, but to little […]