Summer Session: Progress
Report - June 21
Nothing
new to report on the summer debut front in the Numbers
Game, so it's pretty much a good time for... progress
reports.
The
Best of the Best...
So
which series have earned the right to become bonafide
summer hits? Three come to mind... "Hell's Kitchen",
"Dancing With the Stars", and "Beauty & The Geek". First
up... Hell has risen. Heh. Thought I'd never say that in
this column.
Hell's Kitchen |
Overnights |
Viewers |
Adults 18-49 |
Week
1 |
4.2/7,
fourth |
6.80
million, fourth |
3.2/7,
a second-place tie |
Week
2 |
5.2/8,
a second-place tie |
6.98
million, second |
3.5/9,
first |
Week
3 |
5.1/8,
a second-place tie |
7.43
million, second |
3.8/10,
first |
Progress notes:
It's nice to see a show like this get better with
time. I credit the wine list. Fox wins where it
counts in this entry, and it's picking up a nod and
giving Fox some much-needed lift on summer Mondays. |
So
sure, cooking under hellfire is pretty good, but it
pales in comparison with heavenly dancing.
Dancing with the Stars |
Overnights |
Viewers |
Adults 18-49 |
Week
1 |
9.4/15,
first |
13.48
million, first |
4.3/12,
first |
Week
2 |
11.3/18, first |
14.86
million, first |
4.7/14,
first |
Week
3 |
12.3/20, first |
15.31
million, first |
4.7/14,
first |
Progress notes:
Numbers like these speak volumes for themselves. Now
it's a wait-and-see if ABC will bite. |
And
speaking of biting, the WB has already bit, ordering up
a contestant search for a second season of "Beauty & The
Geek".
Beauty & The Geek |
Overnights |
Viewers |
Adults 18-49 |
Week
1 |
2.2/4,
fifth |
3.17
million, fifth |
1.6/5,
fifth |
Week
2 |
3.1/5,
fifth |
3.55
million, fifth |
1.7/6,
fifth |
Week
3 |
3.7/7,
fourth |
4.26
million, fourth |
2.0/7,
second |
Progress notes:
Talk about a jump in sales. No wonder the WB ordered
up more episodes. Now let's see what they can do
with them. |
The
Best of the Worst...
Now
comes what my colleague Gordon refers to as "dookie."
First of all, the once-heralded "Hit Me Baby 1 More
Time" looks like it took a few hits of its own.
Hit
Me Baby 1 More Time |
Overnights |
Viewers |
Adults 18-49 |
Week
1 |
6.4/9,
second |
8.65
million, second |
4.5/13,
first |
Week
2 |
6.0/9,
third |
7.19
million, third |
3.6/11,
first |
Week
3 |
5.0/8,
third |
5.92
million, third |
3.0/9,
third |
Progress notes:
Just goes to show that NBC can trumpet all they want
about demographics, but the proof of the pudding is
in the eating, and almost a third of the first-week
audience has had their fill already. |
From the world of
singing to the world according to Bill Cosby's "A
Different World". Here's "The Scholar"-ly news... and
it's not particularly good.
The
Scholar |
Overnights |
Viewers |
Adults 18-49 |
Week
1 |
3.7/5,
a third-place tie |
4.87
million, third |
1.7/5,
fourth |
Week
2 |
3.6/5,
fourth |
4.51
million, fourth |
1.5/5,
fourth |
Progress notes:
ABC dropped 39 percent from last year the first
week. This is a big part, being at 8pm and all. Not
a good way to lead off the night. But then again, it
only dropped two percent from last year
for the second week. That doesn't help matters any,
though. |
Too
Soon to Tell...
Fire
Me... Please! |
Overnights |
Viewers |
Adults 18-49 |
Week
1 |
5.5/9,
second |
8.28
million, second |
3.3/10,
first |
Week
2 |
5.7/9,
third |
7.09
million, third |
2.8/8,
third |
Progress notes:
Proof positive that people will watch anything over
the summer. Until the second episode, when they are
expected to know better. I know it's too soon, but
quoting Rodger Mullen of the Fayetteville Observer,
"They should change the name of this show to 'Cancel
Me... Now!'" |
The
Cut |
Overnights |
Viewers |
Adults 18-49 |
Week
1 |
5.1/9,
second |
6.68
million, second |
2.1/7,
third |
Week
2 |
4.3/7,
second |
5.60
million, second |
1.8/7,
third |
Progress notes:
CBS dropped an average of 23 percent from last year.
Not good if you're trying to get your work out to
the public. Time will tell if the move to Wednesdays
helps, but point of reference... "The Apprentice"
was originally on Wednesdays before becoming a
Thursday hit. |
But we
have more premieres coming, and there's a glut of new
numbers to gauge later in the summer when the primetime
games hit full blast. Until next week, though,
remember... The numbers never lie.
Chico Alexander is
quick to note the irony of the title "Fire Me, Please!"
E-mail him at chico@gameshownewsnet.com |