Peacock delivers key demos
Auds flock to Eye, 'CSI' boosts net to best start in years
According to Nielsen in-home viewing estimates for Oct. 14-20, NBC delivered a winning 4.8 rating in the key demo of adults 18-49 (even with last year) -- well ahead of CBS (4.0, up 3% vs. last year), Fox (3.9, down 3%) and ABC (3.7, down 5%).
NBC won three nights in 18-49 (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday), Fox took two (World Series on Saturday and Sunday), and ABC (Tuesday) and CBS (Monday) one apiece.
The Peacock, which also won in adults 18-34 and adults 25-54 and was a close second in total viewers, delivered six of the week's top 10 shows in adults 18-49 (CBS had the other four).
Net's reliable vets "Frasier" and "West Wing" may have slipped, but the "Law & Order" franchise continues to thrive on three nights and other returnees like "Third Watch" and "Will & Grace" are performing well. Its new series (except for "In-Laws") are also contributing nicely.
CBS won in total viewers for a fourth straight week -- its best stretch to open the season by this measure in at least 15 years. The Eye also remains the only major net to show year-to-year improvements in key demos, although those gains are now being driven almost entirely by the "CSI" franchise.
Monday's "CSI: Miami" is the season's top-rated new drama, while its progenitor, "CSI," again surged to its largest aud ever (30.81 million), the week's most-watched program.
"CSI" is performing at such a high level that last week it became the Eye net's most-watched episode of a scripted entertainment series of the past 10 years, topping a 1993 seg of "Murder, She Wrote" (30.8 million).
Net has problems with some of its new shows, though, including Friday's "Robbery Homicide Division" and Sunday's "Bram & Alice."
Fourth-place ABC was done in by another anemic Thursday but otherwise continues to be competitive. Last week, it placed first or second in adults 18-49 on five of seven nights, highlighted by another strong Tuesday and Wednesday (series highs for "George Lopez") and its best Friday in seven months.
Fox, with repeats on one-third of its sked due to short baseball playoff series, saw the World Series get off to a record low start. Fall Classic was averaging 17.5 million viewers through two games, down 12% from last year.
The WB, whose "Birds of Prey" came back to earth after its boffo bow a week earlier, continues to perform ahead of last year's level. UPN is still showing declines but saw its most competitive week of the season.
Sunday
Fox's World Series dominated the night, averaging 19.37 million viewers and a 6.6/17 in adults 18-49.
ABC did well with "Alias," which drew its highest 18-49 rating in three weeks (4.7/10) and scored a series high in men 18-34 (4.9/12). NBC's new dramas "American Dreams" (4.2/10) and "Boomtown" (4.1/10) were both up week-to-week.
CBS' comedy block, especially the new "Bram & Alice" at 8:30, is really struggling. "Becker" and "Bram" averaged a mere 2.2 rating among adults 18-49 in the hour, below what "Max Bickford" did a year ago (2.7) and just half of what "Touched by an Angel" pulled two years ago (4.4).
"Bram" (8.27m, 1.9/5 in A18-49) retained just 76% of its "Becker" 18-49 aud, placing fifth in its slot in 18-49.
"Angel" is doing well for the WB, for the first time drawing more viewers in a week than UPN's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (5.07m vs. 5.04m).
Saturday
The World Series powered Fox, while CBS moved up to second in 18-49 (2.5/8), with "Touched by an Angel" drawing its largest aud in the 8 o'clock hour (8.14m) since March.
Friday
Just days before its announced cancellation, NBC's "Providence" (10.64m, 2.9/10 in A18-49) drew its best numbers since April.
The return of Fox's "John Doe" and a stronger perf from ABC (with "Home Videos" at 9) sunk CBS' "Hack" to a fourth-place finish in 18-49 (2.1/7) just two weeks after it led the hour with a 3.4/10. "John Doe" (6.61m, 2.7/9), back after baseball preemptions, looks like a keeper for Fox.
At 10, CBS' "Robbery Homicide Division" (6.25m, 1.7/6 in A18-49) fell to another low, dropping behind USA's "Monk" in 18-49 (1.8/6). Even "Touched by Angel" is doing better male demos than "Robbery."
The WB's comedy lineup set or equaled season highs in target demos of persons 12-34 (1.8/7), women 12-34 (2.3/9) and teens (2.5/12).
Thursday
"Friends" (12.7/33) and "ER" (12.3/32) were again the night's -- and week's -- top draws in 18-49, helping NBC show year-to-year gains (10.7 vs. 10.1). CBS was up even more (8.6 vs. 6.7) and won the night in total viewers for a second straight week.
CBS is really making strides among adults 18-34, with "CSI" hitting a series high (9.5/26) and "Survivor" posting a best since-premiere score (8.3/23) and moving ahead of "Scrubs" at 8:30 for the first time (9.4 to 9.3). "CSI" also saw a series high in 18-49 (11.6/28).
The WB is really struggling here, as its 2.1 million viewers ranks among the least-watched nights of firstrun programming in net history.
Wednesday
The tough 9 p.m. hour saw ABC's "The Bachelor" (12.56m, 5.9/15 in A18-49) again beat NBC's "West Wing" (15.90m, 5.1/13) in 18-49, while CBS' "Amazing Race" (9.16m, 3.9/10) closed the gap. The WB's "Birds of Prey" (5.10m, 2.7/7) fell about 30% from its big preem.
UPN had its strongest Wednesday this season, with "Enterprise" delivering its best scores (6.26m, 3.1/9 in 18-49) in more than eight months.
Tuesday
ABC won in 18-49 for a third straight week, with "According to Jim" (5.3/14) tying NBC's "Frasier" as the night's top-rated comedy. At 8, NBC's shaky "In-Laws" (2.5/7 in 18-49) is about on par with last year's "Emeril."
Another best-ever perf from "Smallville" lifted the WB to first on the night in adults 18-34 (4.5/13).
Monday
"CSI: Miami" (19.03m, 7.3/18) took advantage of a subpar "Monday Night Football" matchup on Oct. 14 to post its best scores since its preem.
