Articles

October 25, 2012
 

UPDATED: THE SKED’S WEDNESDAY NETWORK SCORECARD – 10/24/12

World Series Game 1 won the night, but didn’t seem to affect anyone else very much.

ABC:  After a slightly increased 2.6 (in final numbers) steady 2.5 from its THE MIDDLE lead-in, THE NEIGHBORS was up a tick to 2.0, still nothing to be thrilled about (3rd place in the half-hour), but appreciably ahead of NBC in the battle of the sitcoms.  It was also Neighbors‘ first half-decent episode, although one might fairly say that if that show couldn’t pull off a Halloween (or Halloween-ween) episode, what could it do?  MODERN FAMILY was up slightly to 4.9, then SUBURGATORY was down 0.1 to 2.7, another result ABC can live with without being too happy about.  NASHVILLE held even at 2.0, probably enough for a back order, although substantially behind CBS in the hour.

NBC:  The essentially dead ANIMAL PRACTICE was up a bit to 1.2, which won’t be enough to save it.  More worrisome for NBC is that GUYS WITH KIDS, which received an additional script order and which the network would like to see survive, held at 1.4 in final numbers fell again to 1.3, leaving more daylight between it and ABC for 3d place than between it and CW for 5th.  SVU‘s much-hyped 300th episode (why do these milestones mean anything to anyone who isn’t a profit participant?) gave the show an 0.3 boost to 1.9 in final numbers 0.2 boost to 1.8, and that may have helped CHICAGO FIRE to reach 1.8, still in 3rd for the hour but up 0.3 from last week.

CBS:  Little movement from last week, with SURVIVOR even at 2.8, CRIMINAL MINDS even at 3.1 in final numbers down a tick at 3.0, and CSI up a tick at 2.4.

FOX:  In final numbers, WORLD SERIES GAME 1 rose, but only to 3.6, tying the lowest-rated Game 1 ever (2006:  Detroit/St. Louis)–and that aired on a Saturday, the least-watched night of the week.  It was about even with a typical Wednesday X Factor rating.  Preliminary numbers for WORLD SERIES GAME 1 have the game at 3.2.  San Francisco’s participation (and win) means the west coast numbers will increase that later in the day, but it’s still likely to be at least close to a historic low.

CW:  The ARROW didn’t fly quite as true this week, down 0.2 to a 1.1 that’s still great for this network.  SUPERNATURAL was also down, by 0.3 to 0.7 (a high end number nonetheless in CW terms).

We’re still in the part of the season where all the networks air fresh episodes, so aside from the World Series on FOX, all tonight’s regular schedules are new.



About the Author

Mitch Salem
MITCH SALEM has worked on the business side of the entertainment industry for 20 years, as a senior business affairs executive and attorney for such companies as NBC, ABC, USA, Syfy, Bravo, and BermanBraun Productions, and before that, at the NY law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. During all that, he has more or less constantly been going to the movies and watching TV, and writing about both since the 1980s. His film reviews also currently appear on screened.com and the-burg.com. In addition, he is co-writer of an episode of the television series "Felicity."