How To Be A Gentleman Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN

8:30-8:45
- 9.694 million viewers
- 5.9/10 HH
- 3.0/8 A18-49

8:45-9:00
- 8.258 million viewers
- 5.1/8 HH
- 2.5/7 A18-49

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other

Oh, Happy Endings. Have I told you recently how much I love you? And how worried I am for you? Yes, yes, you hit series highs coming out of Modern Family (while losing a veritable bleep-ton of MF's audience, which you inexplicably continued to bleed throughout your 29 minute run-time despite the fact that you are awesome and, in my estimation, The New Friends). But I worry.

Here's why. You're far too young-skewing for ABC's current audience, even the demo-friendly Modern Family.

Here's what happened in A50+ on ABC this Wednesday.
- The Middle: 4.5/9
- Suburgatory: 4.8/9
- Modern Family: 5.0/9
- Happy Endings: 2.7/5
- Revenge: 4.8/10

See? One of these things is not like the other.

It's like the old people took a fiber-pill induced 30-minute bathroom break before settling in for Revenge.

Meanwhile, A18-34 and A18-49...
- The Middle: 2.0/7 and 2.7/8 (-0.7)
- Suburgatory: 2.7/8 and 3.3/9 (-0.6)
- Modern Family: 5.4/15 and 5.7/15 (-0.3)
- Happy Endings: 3.2/9 and 3.1/8 (+0.1)
- Revenge: 2.1/6 and 2.7/7 (-0.6)

Your A18-34 is better than your A18-49. In short, you are a CW show that happens to air on ABC.

And I love you. Never change. Just survive. Please.

Hopefully overall numbers and retention post-MF improves as the season goes along (though I think the A50+ is a lost cause... as is the upper end of the A18-49, the parents with teenagers watching MP... just keep working that A18-34/W18-34).

Happy Endings is a show about urban early-30somethings airing on a night of family comedies. When ABC sees what it has on its hands with Apartment 23 (FKA "The Bitch in Apartment 23"... which I personally loved for the improbably comedy dream team Krysten Ritter playing a bitch and James Van Der Beek playing himself... but did not love the straight woman lead character), also not a family comedy, maybe you two can go be together and have, hopefully, a long, hilarious run.

Year of Penny, suck it.

PS - I've been asked for quarter hour ratings... like I said, there was significant bleed... but my point re younger-skewing remains the same

9:31-9:45
- 7.976 million viewers (last minute of Modern Family: 12.542 million)
- 4.9/7 HH (MF: 7.4/11)
- 3.5/9 A18-49 (MF: 5.5/14)
- 3.5/10 A18-34 (MF: 5.2/15)
- 4.6/12 W18-34 (MF: 6.4/17)

9:45-10:00
- 6.572 million viewers
- 4.1/6 HH
- 2.8/7 A18-49
- 2.9/8 A18-34
- 4.0/10 W18-34

Suburgatory Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

SUBURGATORY

8:30-8:45
- 9.782 million viewers
- 6.1/10 HH
- 3.3/9 A18-49

8:45-9:00
- 9.836 million viewers
- 6.2/10 HH
- 3.3/9 A18-49

Hart of Dixie Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

HART OF DIXIE

9:00-9:15
- 1.716 million viewers
- 1.2/2 HH
- 0.7/2 A18-49
- 0.8/2 A18-34
- 1.4/4 W18-34

9:15-9:30
- 1.903 million viewers
- 1.4/2 HH
- 0.8/2 A18-49
- 0.8/2 A18-34
- 1.5/4 W18-34

9:30-9:45
- 1.938 million viewers
- 1.4/2 HH
- 0.8/2 A18-49
- 0.8/2 A18-34
- 1.4/3 W18-34

9:45-10:00
- 1.952 million viewers
- 1.4/2 HH
- 0.8/2 A18-49
- 0.8/2 A18-34
- 1.4/3 W18-34

Significantly up in viewers versus Gossip Girl premiere (1.373 million for GG versus 1.877 million for HD) and especially older viewers (0.3/0 to 0.8/1)! But young adults and women far underperforming (GG's 1.1/3 versus HD's 0.8/2 A18-34 and 1.7/5 versus 1.4/4 W18-34).

I'd venture this is a "yikes"-appropriate result? No breakout hit for CW this year!

Terra Nova Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

TERRA NOVA

8:00-8:15
- 9.336 million viewers
- 5.7/9 HH
- 3.0/9 A18-49

8:15-8:30
- 9.575 million viewers
- 5.8/9 HH
- 3.1/8 A18-49

8:30-8:45
- 9.550 million viewers
- 5.8/8 HH
- 3.2/8 A18-49

8:45-9:00
- 8.951 million viewers
- 5.3/8 HH
- 3.0/7 A18-49

9:00-9:15
- 9.151 million viewers
- 5.5/8 HH
- 3.1/7 A18-49

9:15-9:30
- 9.078 million viewers
- 5.4/8 HH
- 3.0/7 A18-49

9:30-9:45
- 8.786 million viewers
- 5.3/8 HH
- 3.0/7 A18-49

9:45-10:00
- 9.300 million viewers
- 5.5/8 HH
- 3.3/7 A18-49

Pan Am Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

PAN AM

10:01-10:15
- 11.406 million viewers (significantly higher final minute of DH versus the rest of DH, but here it is...: 12.188 million)
- 7.4/11 HH (DH: 7.9/12)
- 3.3/8 A18-49 (DH: 4.1/9)

10:15-10:30
- 10.987 million viewers
- 7.2/11 HH
- 3.0/7 A18-49

10:30-10:45
- 10.977 million viewers
- 7.3/12 HH
- 3.1/8 A18-49

10-45-11:00
- 10.906 million viewers
- 7.3/12 HH
- 3.0/8 A18-49

I'm still of the opinion that this show is an over the counter sleeping aid, but can't argue with these numbers. Quite strong coming out of depressed Desperate Housewives when talking retention. I think that inflated final minute of DH was helped by Pan Am pre-tune in (like with New Girl, which started at 9:01pm but was advertised as 9pm), so don't read too much into it.

Fringe Season Four Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

FRINGE

9:00-9:15
- 3.846 million viewers
- 2.3/4 HH
- 1.7/5 A18-49

9:15-9:30
- 3.209 million viewers
- 1.9/3 HH
- 1.4/4 A18-49

9:30-9:45
- 3.373 million viewers
- 2.0/3 HH
- 1.4/4 A18-49

9:45-10:00
- 3.502 million viewers
- 2.1/3 HH
- 1.4/4 A18-49

A Gifted Man Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

A GIFTED MAN

8:00-8:15
- 8.915 million viewers
- 6.0/11 HH
- 1.4/5 A18-49

8:15-8:30
- 9.268 million viewers
- 6.2/11 HH
- 1.4/5 A18-49

8:30-8:45
- 9.725 million viewers
- 6.4/11 HH
- 1.5/5 A18-49

8:45-9:00
- 9.880 million viewers
- 6.4/11 HH
- 1.5/5 A18-49

Prime Suspect Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

PRIME SUSPECT

10:00-10:15
- 6.833 million viewers
- 4.5/7 HH
- 2.1/5 A18-49

10:15-10:30
- 5.747 million viewers
- 3.9/6 HH
- 1.7/4 A18-49

10:30-10:45
- 5.822 million viewers
- 3.9/6 HH
- 1.6/4 A18-49

10:45-11:00
- 5.809 million viewers
- 4.0/7 HH
- 1.6/4 A18-49

The 10pm hour will be different next week with Private Practice and not Grey's Anatomy, but still... not looking good for NBC's new 10pm dramas. Guessing Awake goes here midseason (with Smash already set to take over for Playboy post-Voice in February)?

Whitney Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

WHITNEY

9:31-9:45
- 7.331 million viewers (final minute of The Office was actually smaller than the rest of the Office, unlike several other overruns we've seen so far this week: 6.801 million)
- 4.3/7 HH (Office: 3.8/6)
- 3.6/9 A18-49 (Office: 3.5/9)

9:45-10:00
- 6.391 million viewers
- 3.9/6 HH
- 3.0/7 A18-49

Significant bleed, much like other post-Office attempts by NBC. Can't imagine this is a good sign, especially given the complete lack of interest in the lead-out.

Person of Interest Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

PERSON OF INTEREST

9:00-9:15
- 14.007 million viewers
- 8.7/13 HH
- 3.3/9 A18-49

9:15-9:30
- 13.336 million viewers
- 8.3/13 HH
- 3.1/8 A18-49

9:30-9:45
- 13.046 million viewers
- 8.1/12 HH
- 3.0/7 A18-49

9:45-10:00
- 12.941 million viewers
- 8.1/12 HH
- 2.9/7 A18-49

Copy/paste my Charlie's Angels response... can't be what CBS was hoping for.

Charlie's Angels Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

CHARLIE'S ANGELS

8:00-8:15
- 8.929 million viewers
- 5.8/10 HH
- 2.1/6 A18-49

8:15-8:30
- 8.676 million viewers
- 5.6/9 HH
- 2.1/6 A18-49

8:30-8:45
- 8.651 million viewers
- 5.6/9 HH
- 2.1/6 A18-49

8:45-9:00
- 8.764 million viewers
- 5.8/9 HH
- 2.2/6 A18-49

Meh? Certainly can't be what ABC was hoping for.

Modern Family Season Three Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

MODERN FAMILY (once again, a special premiere, not going to be making a habit of this... or so I keep telling myself...)

9:00-9:15
- 14.958 million viewers
- 8.8/14 HH
- 6.1/16 A18-49

9:15-9:30
- 14.127 million viewers
- 8.4/13 HH
- 5.9/15 A18-49

9:30-9:45
- 14.618 million viewers
- 8.5/13 HH
- 6.3/16 A18-49

9:45-10:00
- 14.308 million viewers
- 8.3/13 HH
- 6.1/15 A18-49

10:00-10:01
- 16.365 million viewers
- 9.5/15 HH
- 6.8/17 A18-49

The X Factor Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

THE X FACTOR

8:00-8:15
- 10.340 million viewers
- 6.5/11 HH
- 3.5/11 A18-49

8:15-8:30
- 11.388 million viewers
- 6.9/11 HH
- 3.9/12 A18-49

8:30-8:45
- 12.965 million viewers
- 7.7/12 HH
- 4.4/13 A18-49

8:45-9:00
- 13.585 million viewers
- 7.9/12 HH
- 4.8/13 A18-49

9:00-9:15
- 12.787 million viewers
- 7.4/11 HH
- 4.5/12 A18-49

9:15-9:30
- 12.545 million viewers
- 4.5/11 HH
- 4.5/11 A18-49

9:30-9:45
- 12.656 million viewers
- 7.3/11 HH
- 4.4/11 A18-49

9:45-10:00
- 13.685 million viewers
- 8.0/12 HH
- 4.9/12 A18-49

I'm checked out of the audition process for X Factor. Nothing revolutionary or new feeling to it. I will however be back for the "boot camp" section because that's where XF really starts differentiating itself from at least Idol, and really from most other singing competitions.

Revenge Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

REVENGE

10:01-10:15
- 11.098 million viewers (out of Modern Family's final minute of 16.365 million)
- 7.1/11 HH (MF: 9.5/15)
- 3.8/10 A18-49 (MF: 6.8/17)

10:15-10:30
- 9.980 million viewers
- 6.6/11 HH
- 3.3/9 A18-49

10:30-10:45
- 9.606 million viewers
- 6.5/11 HH
- 3.1/8 A18-49

10:45-11:00
- 9.449 million viewers
- 6.4/11 HH
- 3.0/8 A18-49

Lots of immediate drop-off, clearly, but after that the ratings are actually fairly steady. We'll see how it's affected by the presumably significantly smaller lead-in next week (besides just general post-premiere fall-off).

Glee Season Three Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

GLEE (again, the Interwebz request machine wins out over my desire to be lazier this season)

8:00-8:15
- 9.378 million viewers
- 5.8/10 HH
- 4.2/13 A18-49
- 4.5/15 A18-34
- 6.4/20 W18-34

8:15-8:30
- 8.809 million viewers
- 5.2/8 HH
- 3.8/11 A18-49
- 4.2/13 A18-34
- 6.1/18 W18-34

8:30-8:45
- 8.586 million viewers
- 5.1/8 HH
- 3.7/10 A18-49
- 4.1/13 A18-34
- 6.0/17 W18-34

8:45-9:00
- 9.919 million viewers
- 5.7/9 HH
- 4.3/11 A18-49
- 4.6/14 A18-34
- 6.7/18 W18-34

9:00-9:01
- 11.397 million viewers
- 6.7/10 HH
- 5.0/13 A18-49
- 5.3/15 A18-34
- 7.7/20 W18-34

Ringer Episode Two Quarter Hour Breakdown

RINGER episode two (please note, this will not be a regular thing, and I don't expect to do it for all new shows... but several requests came in)

9:00-9:15
- 1.968 million viewers
- 1.3/2 HH
- 0.9/2 A18-49
- 0.9/3 A18-34
- 1.2/3 W18-34

9:15-9:30
- 1.773 million viewers
- 1.1/2 HH
- 0.8/2 A18-49
- 0.8/2 A18-34
- 1.1/3 W18-34

9:30-9:45
- 1.979 million viewers
- 1.3/2 HH
- 0.9/2 A18-49
- 0.9/3 A18-34
- 1.3/3 W18-34

9:45-10:00
- 2.057 million viewers
- 1.3/2 HH
- 1.0/2 A18-49
- 1.0/3 A18-34
- 1.4/4 W18-34

As I said last week, 90210 as a lead-in is a weakness for Ringer... and it continues to improve on 90210, but obviously by less this week. Potentially good that the show built by the end (I have no idea what the commercial load situation is for why 9:15-9:30 took a dive).

Unforgettable Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

UNFORGETTABLE

10:00-10:15
- 14.843 million viewers
- 9.4/15 HH
- 3.1/8 A18-49

10:15-10:30
- 14.168 million viewers
- 9.1/15 HH
- 2.9/7 A18-49

10:30-10:45
- 13.851 million viewers
- 8.9/16 HH
- 2.8/7 A18-49

10:45-11:00
- 13.479 million viewers
- 8.6/15 HH
- 2.7/7 A18-49

Better than The Good Wife was pulling by the end of last year post-NCIS: LA, IIRC. Solid if unspectacular... but what do you expect from yet another CBS crime procedural at this point?

The New Girl Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

THE NEW GIRL

9:01-9:15
- 10.538 million viewers
- 6.2/9 HH
- 4.9/13 A18-49

9:15-9:30
- 9.992 million viewers
- 5.9/9 HH
- 4.7/12 A18-49

9:30-9:31
- 10.989 million viewers
- 6.4/10 HH
- 5.3/13 A18-49

What can I say, except great premiere results and we'll see how it holds up next week?

Oh, and the final minute of Glee:
- 11.397 million viewers
- 6.7/10 HH
- 5.0/13 A18-49

Those numbers look much more like immediate New Girl pre-tune in (since it was advertised to start at 9pm, not 9:01pm) than the rest of the Glee premiere's numbers and I don't recall the overrun minutes of Glee from last year being quite so starkly higher than the rest of the program (it's 0.7 A18-49 higher than the 8:45-9:00 portion).

Two and a Half Men Season Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

Ugh, FINE, Internet, you win this round.

TWO AND A HALF MEN

9:00-9:15
- 27.435 million viewers
- 16.0/23 HH
- 10.2/24 A18-49

9:15-9:30
- 29.899 million viewers
- 17.3/25 HH
- 11.0/26 A18-49

9:30-9:31
- 31.025 million viewers
- 17.7/25 HH
- 11.4/26 A18-49

The Playboy Club Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

THE PLAYBOY CLUB

10:00-10:15
- 5.557 million viewers
- 3.7/6 HH
- 1.8/4 A18-49

10:15-10:30
- 5.158 million viewers
- 3.5/5 HH
- 1.7/4 A18-49

10:30-10:45
- 4.620 million viewers
- 3.2/5 HH
- 1.5/4 A18-49

10:45-11:00
- 4.765 million viewers
- 3.3/6 HH
- 1.5/4 A18-49

Elsewhere on television... this happened. It should be noted that while The Sing-Off had 99% coverage, Playboy had 98% coverage (what with those pesky affiliates not airing it). Monday nights on NBC this fall were a major headscratcher for me to begin with (Sing-Off crowded out by DWTS and Hell's Kitchen finale... too many reality shows at once, if you ask me, perhaps without HK on next week some of those younger viewers TSO lost versus last winter will come back to it... but, still, what's the cross-appeal between TSO and Playboy?), so I'm not at all surprised viewers didn't, um, cottontail to this...

2 Broke Girls Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

2 BROKE GIRLS

9:31-9:45
- 20.467 million viewers (final minute of Two and a Half Men: 31.025 million)
- 12.0/17 HH (out of 17.7/25)
- 7.5/17 A18-49 (out of 11.4/26)

9:45-10:00
- 18.341 million viewers
- 10.9/16 HH
- 6.7/15 A18-49

Y'know... this is actually really solid sampling, given the event status of the Two and a Half Men premiere. Less demo bled from the middle of 2 Broke Girls than left the Up All Night premiere last Wednesday. There was so much curiosity tune-in to 2.5 Men (me, for one, and I've never sat through an entire episode before... plus I'd already seen 2 Broke Girls so didn't record it). We'll have to see how 2 Broke Girls fares out of HIMYM next week (which is likely going to be weaker than the 4.7/13 it posted at 8pm this week... though who knows...)

The Secret Circle Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

THE SECRET CIRCLE

9:00-9:15
- 3.279 million viewers
- 2.1/3 HH
- 1.4/4 A18-49
- 1.4/4 A18-34
- 1.9/6 W18-34

9:15-9:30
- 2.960 million viewers
- 1.9/3 HH
- 1.2/3 A18-49
- 1.2/4 A18-34
- 1.9/5 W18-34

9:30-9:45
- 2.871 million viewers
- 1.8/3 HH
- 1.2/3 A18-49
- 1.2/4 A18-34
- 1.9/5 W18-34

9:45-10:00
- 3.080 million viewers
- 1.9/3 HH
- 1.3/3 A18-49
- 1.3/4 A18-34
- 1.9/5 W18-34

Not a ton to say here. Solid retention both from lead-in and throughout the hour (especially among older demos and teens... oddly just not in the 18-34 range!) Evidently a 1.3 A18-49 is going to be something for the CW to celebrate this season... but there is now a LOT riding on the next couple weeks for post-premiere retention with both Ringer and Secret Circle, not to mention Hart of Dixie now being the netlet's only shot at an immediate break-out success.

Up All Night and Free Agents Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdowns

UP ALL NIGHT

10:00-10:15
- 12.612 million viewers
- 7.6/12 HH
- 4.2/11 A18-49

10:15-10:30
- 9.282 million viewers
- 5.7/9 HH
- 3.3/9 A18-49

As I expected / postulated on Twitter, Up All Night's "solid" premiere following America's Got Talent's finale wasn't really so solid, given that steep 15-minute drop-off (and one can assume ratings continued to slide through the last 15 minutes, contributing to Free Agents' starting point). Personally liked it and hope it finds an audience at 8pm this Wednesday... but I wouldn't be surprised if sunk to low-2s (or below) next week as it has to self-start and the hour will (or all the pundits assume it will) be swamped by the X-Factor's premiere.

FREE AGENTS

10:30-10:45
- 6.546 million viewers
- 4.2/7 HH
- 2.2/6 A18-49

10:45-11:00
- 5.694 million viewers
- 3.7/7 HH
- 1.9/5 A18-49

The positive news is that it didn't bleed throughout nearly as much as UAN did... but these results still aren't spectacular (and it did still lose almost 1 million viewers). Gonna be a rough road ahead as this show tries to find itself (or isn't allowed to).

Ringer Series Premiere Quarter Hour Breakdown

RINGER

9:00-9:15
- 2.863 million viewers
- 1.8/3 HH
- 1.3/4 A18-49
- 1.2/4 A18-34
- 1.6/4 W18-34

9:15-9:30
- 2.737 million viewers
- 1.8/3 HH
- 1.2/3 A18-49
- 1.1/3 A18-34
- 1.5/4 W18-34

9:30-9:45
- 2.949 million viewers
- 1.9/3 HH
- 1.3/3 A18-49
- 1.2/4 A18-34
- 1.6/5 W18-34

9:45-10:00
- 2.810 million viewers
- 1.8/3 HH
- 1.2/3 A18-49
- 1.1/3 A18-34
- 1.6/4 W18-34

Not sure where the commercial loads were. Seems to act like the Nikita premiere from last season, 0.2 lower in each of the listed key demos (and 0.4 down in A50+, 1.0/2 vs 1.4/3), although Nikita had a far stronger lead-in with The Vampire Diaries (and Nikita fell in key demos versus that, while rising in older viewers) than Ringer had with 90210 (improving in every demo I see, only tying in T12-17 at 0.6/2). Always good for a series to not see huge decreases at the first 15 minute mark (people see what it's about then say "not for me") but this is, obviously, not a huge hit out of the box... and one where weeks two, three, and four will really tell the tale. Perhaps the two scheduled replays will help.

Plans for the 2011-2012 season

Hey all!

You may have noticed it's been a long, long time since I'd updated on things like ratings or crap I'm watching on the television machine, or what have you. Still in the throes of novel writing. It's an arduous, but rewarding process (that I'm happy to say / believe / hope that I'm improving on as I keep plugging away at this whole prose-writing)... and one that has been slowed down some by the Return of Day Job / End of Hiatus.

Anyway. Let's talk shop aka posting TV ratings.

Tonight kinda-sorta begins the roll-out of the 2011-2012 fall season with Ringer. It seems like final broadcast program averages do get out there without me having to type them up... which makes me happy. I will still provide 15-minute breakdowns of premiere episodes of new series, since I don't see those out there. So, look to here and twitter and wherever else decides to copy-and-paste to their own websites (and hopefully credit me).

Cable... at least until I'm done with this first draft phase of the novel, I'm still going to refrain from doing any cable ratings posting. I've been providing data to friends at http://www.thefutoncritic.com and will continue to do so, so check there for cable numbers.

I'll try to be better during the season, now that my busy, concentrated, laser-focus summer is done, with responding to twitter requests for specific show ratings / demo info in case they don't show up elsewhere.

XOXO

- Travis