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A football appetizer, compared to next week’s all-you-can-eat buffet.
NBC: The PRO BOWL, aka the NFL All-Star Game, won the night, but at nowhere near the ratings for regular games, let alone the bonanza the network will reap next week for the Super Bowl, aka The Most Expensive Smash Promo Ever.
ABC: ONCE UPON A TIME did a very nice 3.4, higher than its last couple of originals (which faced NFL playoff games), but then the night collapsed with a 1.5 for the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, which did not give network executives A Smile As Big As the Moon.
CBS: UNDERCOVER BOSS had a solid 3.0, then GOOD WIFE and CSI MIAMI were both in the midranges of their season’s ratings with twin 2.2s (which are better than they sound because their seasonal highs reflect NFL overrun nights).
FOX: All the numbers were way, way down from their last originals, thanks to the lack of an NFL lead-in. THE SIMPSONS was only 0.1 above its season low with a 2.4, and while NAPOLEON DYNAMITE was an unimpressive 2.1, that was a strong hold of the Simpsons number. Similarly, FAMILY GUY was only 0.2 above its season low, and then AMERICAN DAD held onto 80% of that rating.
We’re a few days from the start of February sweeps, and it’s not an exciting night for the networks. CBS is all-repeat, ABC has a rerun CASTLE at 10PM, and NBC will endure its final pre-Voice/Smash Monday, while FOX hopes ALCATRAZ can keep its momentum going. The closest thing to an event is the much-hyped 100th episode of GOSSIP GIRL on CW.
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