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While ABC was away, the other networks did play (a little).FOX: The network seized the opportunity afforded by ABC’s all-repeat night to launch the last new series of the “fall” season, I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER. The result was a 2.8 that was both far more than the show deserves and unlikely to be repeated when ABC returns to the field. Despite the lack of competition, X FACTOR had its lowest rating outside of Thanksgiving Eve, but that was still enough to give FOX the win for the night.
NBC: Even though viewers seem to be in the mood for holiday classics, with The Grinch and Rudolph recently scoring very well, there was little interest in CHRISTMAS AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER, which couldn’t manage a 2 and was down from last year. However, the absence of competition on ABC and an atypical non-procedural 10PM on CBS boosted HARRY’S LAW and SVU to hit or match season highs–which in this case means a still-terrible 1.4 and still-mediocre 2.2.
CBS: Not a big night for The Eye: a season-low tie for SURVIVOR, a CRIMINAL MINDS repeat that didn’t even do as well as an October repeat of the show had done, and the GRAMMY NOMINATIONS SPECIAL, which scored at the level of a normal CSI repeat.
ABC: All the regular shows took a rest for the night with repeats, and big drops followed. The worst-hit, not surprisingly, was the serialized REVENGE; least-damaged was HAPPY ENDINGS, which fell less than 35% from its last non-holiday original, drawing the viewers who took a look at the Teenage Daughter promos and ran for cover.
CW: A MUPPETS CHRISTMAS repeat special actually did pretty well by CW standards with a 0.8, and AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL held that number.
Tonight it’s CBS’s turn to go the rerun route, while ABC will air another holiday chestnut in 1970’s Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town along with a 2-hour CMA Country Christmas.
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