Nielsen Top Twenty Shows Among 18-49 year olds for the week ending April 19, 2009:
| Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | 18-49 Rating | 18-49 Viewers (000) | |
| 1 | AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY | FOX | 8.5 | 11,261 | |
| 2 | AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY | FOX | 8.2 | 10,866 | |
| 3 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 5.3 | 6,951 | |
| 4 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 4.8 | 6,278 | |
| 5 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 4.6 | 6,014 | |
| 6 | HOUSE | FOX | 4.5 | 5,997 | |
| 7 | OFFICE | NBC | 4.2 | 5,482 | |
| 8 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 4.1 | 5,361 | |
| 9 | LOST | ABC | 4.0 | 5,312 | |
| 10 | RULES OF ENGAGEMENT | CBS | 4.0 | 5,310 | |
| 11 | FRINGE | FOX | 4.0 | 5,267 | |
| 12 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 3.9 | 5,081 | |
| 13 | Family Guy | FOX | 3.8 | 5,026 | |
| 14 | CSI | CBS | 3.8 | 5,007 | |
| 15 | Biggest Loser 7 | NBC | 3.8 | 5,001 | |
| 16 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 3.7 | 4,892 | |
| 17 | 24 | FOX | 3.6 | 4,784 | |
| 18 | SURVIVOR: TOCANTINS | CBS | 3.6 | 4,693 | |
| 19 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | 3.5 | 4,656 | |
| 20 | HELL'S KITCHEN | FOX | 3.5 | 4,641 |
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
All numbers are Live + SD (live, plus same day DVR viewing)
Look at 2.5 men go!
6 comedies in the top 13…
However, with most sitcoms it seems they are either entrenched and strong, or really pretty weak and about to be cancelled. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of middle ground.
2 1/2 Men is your standard formulaic comedy that appeals to the masses which is what you have to do to pull in the ratings.
“6 comedies in the top 13…”
sign of the times… nobody wants to watch depressing cop shows.
a great week for NBC, they have 2 count em 2 shows in the top 20
That’s very good news for Fringe.
appeals to the masses which is what you have to do to pull in the ratings.
So you’re saying that if you want a lot of people to watch your show, you have to make a show that appeals to a lot of people? Go figure.
djm, NBC had 3 more between 20-25 though (30 Rock, Heroes and Apprentice)
@holly: that’s funny. yes, go figure.
I suspect that Fringe number is what you’d see if there were no Idol lead-in, i.e., maybe a drop to 3.0 and four million viewers, but still close to its 18-49 ranking.
The top four CBS shows are sitcoms… interesting, considering when most people think of CBS, they think of cop shows.
Well, the have cop shows all week.. comedies only on Monday and Wednesday.
ABC ROCKS! and Survivor too.