| Scoreboard |  |
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 |
 |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating/Share: Adults 18-49 | 5.2/14 | 3.3/9 | 2.9/8 | 1.8/5 | 1.6/4 | 1.4/4 |
| Rating/Share: Adults 18-34 | 3.4/11 | 2.2/7 | 2.5/8 | 1.9/6 | 1.7/5 | 1.2/4 |
| Total Viewers (million) | 14.34 | 11.99 | 7.98 | 4.36 | 3.54 | 4.54 |
Updated with data table below.
Those who said my ratings predictions for ER were too low were right. I bow down to you! 
But those who were predicting more than 20 million will be disappointed!
Last night's ER averaged 16.2 million viewers and a 6.0 rating with adults 18-49 in the preliminary overnight numbers. The ER retrospective between 8pm-9pm averaged 10.6 million viewers and a 3.5 rating with adults 18-49.
I think CBS did the crew at CSI a disservice by airing CSI's 200th episode against the ER finale, which according to James Hibberd was the most-watched drama finale since Murder She Wrote in 1996! Last night's CSI averaged 14.4 million and a 3.7 adults 18-49 rating last night, a series low.
ABC took most (ok, all) of the night off with the second installment of In the Motherhood down ~27% from its debut last week with a 1.6/5 adults 18-49 rating, and Samantha Who? with a series low 1.5/4. In the Motherhood was surely toast as soon as ABC cut its order for shows in half. Needless to say In the Motherhood isn't the sort of lead-in Samantha Who? is accustomed to. ABC aired repeats of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice from 9pm-11pm.
I really enjoyed last night's episode of Supernatural. I like it when shows poke fun at themselves and poke fun at the shows' fans, and last nights episode of Supernatural did both brilliantly.
Another update: based on new data from CW, it appears that Smallville and Supernatural tied in the 18-34 demo (1.7), and we will have the rare treat of a CW press release on Smallville and Supernatural! In the meanwhile, here are the notes that will likely be highlighted in the press release:
Facing the ER finale, Supernatural delivered its best adults 18-34 (1.7/5) in two and a half years (Oct. 06). It was also Supernatural's best adults 18-49 (1.6/4) and women 18-34 (1.5/4) in two months (since Jan 29, 09).
Supernatural also held on to an impressive 100% of its Smallville lead-in in adults 18-34, and a strong 94% of Smallville's adults 18-49 lead-in.
Smallville also hit its best adults 18-34 (1.7/6) since January 16, 2009.
The half hourly ER data has been included below.
For reference you can check out past Thursday night fast affiliate ratings reports here.
Full details:
| Time | Net | Show | 18-49 Rating/Share | 18-34 Rating/Share | Viewers (Millons) |
| 8:00 | NBC | ER (Retrospective) | 3.5/10 | 2.4/8 | 10.56 |
| CBS | Survivor: Tocantins | 3.6/11 | 2.1/7 | 11.21 | |
| FOX | Bones | 2.6/8 | 2.2/7 | 8.98 | |
| UNI | Cuidado con el Ángel | 1.8/5 | 1.9/6 | 4.62 | |
| CW | Smallville | 1.6/5 | 1.7/6 | 3.80 | |
| ABC | In the Motherhood | 1.6/5 | 1.5/5 | 5.00 | |
| 8:30 | ABC | Samantha Who? | 1.5/4 | 1.4/4 | 4.90 |
| 9:00 | NBC | ER Finale | 5.5/14 | 3.7/10 | 15.07 |
| CBS | CSI | 3.7/10 | 2.7/8 | 14.38 | |
| FOX | Hell's Kitchen | 3.2/8 | 2.9/8 | 6.98 | |
| UNI | Mañana Es Para Siempre | 2.2/6 | 2.5/7 | 5.11 | |
| CW | Supernatural | 1.5/4 | 1.7/5 | 3.28 | |
| ABC | Grey's Anatomy (R) | 1.5/4 | 1.3/4 | 4.90 | |
| 10:00 | NBC | ER Finale | 6.6/18 | 4.5/13 | 17.40 |
| CBS | Eleventh Hour | 2.5/7 | 1.8/5 | 10.38 | |
| UNI | Rosa de Guadalupe | 1.4/4 | 1.6/5 | 3.35 | |
| ABC | Private Practice (R) | 1.2/3 | 1.0/3 | 3.82 | |
| Half hour data for ER | |||||
| 8:00 | NBC | ER (Retrospective) | 3.3/10 | 2.2/8 | 10.23 |
| 8:30 | NBC | ER (Retrospective) | 3.7/10 | 2.5/8 | 10.88 |
| 9:00 | NBC | ER Finale | 5.3/14 | 3.5/10 | 14.79 |
| 9:30 | NBC | ER Finale | 5.6/14 | 3.7/11 | 15.35 |
| 10:00 | NBC | ER Finale | 6.7/18 | 4.5/13 | 17.77 |
| 10:30 | NBC | ER Finale | 6.4/18 | 4.3/13 | 17.02 |
Shows are sorted from highest 18-49 rating to lowest in each time slot.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Definitions:
Fast Affiliate Ratings: These first national ratings, including demographics, are available at approximately 11 AM (ET) the day after telecast, and are released to subscribing customers daily. These data, from the National People Meter sample, are strictly time-period information, based on the normal broadcast network feed, and include all programming on the affiliated stations, sometimes including network programming, sometimes not. The figures may include stations that did not air the entire network feed, as well as local news breaks or cutaways for local coverage or other programming. Fast Affiliate ratings are not as useful for live programs and are likely to differ significantly from the final results, because the data reflect normal broadcast feed patterns. For example, with a World Series game, Fast Affiliate Ratings would include whatever aired from 8-11PM on affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, following the live football game, but not game coverage that begins at 5PM PT. The same would be true of Presidential debates as well as live award shows and breaking news reports.
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Time Shifted Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs which are currently in approximately 24.4% of all U.S. TV households. Live+Same Day (Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
For more information see Numbers 101 and Numbers 102.
did better than I expected
I was expecting better numbers
ah, contrast!
wow julia was really off.
ER beat CSI.
Never thought that would happen. Ever.
Much better than I was expecting (and I’m disappointed that we miss out on ER loses to The Sopranos post), but let’s remember that NBC was selling spots for $425k. I have to think that this number disappointed NBC and very likely pissed off advertisers. (SNF was reportedly going for $435k at the beginning of this season.)
Indeed. The biggest news last night is not the performance of ER per se but that it beat CSI.
btw, the real story here is CSI.. wow, those numbers are HORRIBLE.
Poor CSI!
“Fast Affiliate Ratings: … For example, with a World Series game, Fast Affiliate Ratings would include whatever aired from 8-11PM on affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, following the live football game….”
They’ve changed the format of the World Series?
NBC won the night. That’s rare.
On the other hand CSI is still going to be on the air and the ER finale was a one time deal. The comment above was right. CBS should have held off on the 200th episode and the finale of Eleventh Hour. Both were good shows last night. CSI was extra creepy. The Eleventh Hour finale ended on a note that would either be a good wrap up if canceled or a good continuation if renewed.
The CSI repeat should pull good numbers later on.
I’m a huge fan of all “CSI” series. I watch all three every week. It’s really a tough choice for me but “ER’ won, i really have to watch the final epidode.
Just curious since people were saying earlier in the week that it would indicate NBC’s confidence in Chuck – does anyone know if they aired any Chuck promos during ER last night?
There were no Chuck ads from what I remember. Just a RELENTLESS onslaught of Southland and Parks and Recreation ads. RELENTLESS.
Thats a good rating. It’s right around what I was expecting. As for the episode, it was terrific as it payed homage to the shows original pilot. As a fan I was more than satisfied!
chuck
what about Bones and HK from FOX?
ER was what they call absolutely GREAT!!!!
I think they should do a spin-off with Alexis and Rachel Greene at Carter’s new medical center.
Great overnight numbers too that should have it close to 20 million viewers.
NBC Thursday actually was watchable all the way through from 8-11pm for the first time since 2004.
Southland looks terrific:
I just watched the pilot on NBC.com and man its going to be the best crime drama on TV outside of a few CBS shows. Its a little better than The Mentalist and Castle. Its like a high quality cable drama that reminded me a lot of The Shield. Oh Ben from The OC is going to be a great lead for the show.
I give it a A+ and I hope NBC builds a schedule around it because its got it. Its the best new NBC show in years. You guys are going to love it.
If you’re looking for the next Hill Street Blues or Third Watch well this is it!
On a side note I’m glad Procter & Gamble along with Guiding Light are looking for a new home for the longtime soap because it doesn’t deserve the off the air for good treatment at all.
Maybe the mad Guiding Light fans are leaving CBS for good as CSI: scored its lowest numbers in years.
No Chuck ads at all?
Thanks for the info, Chief.
wow ER hurt SW? alot