'Christine' and 'Unmarried' hit season highs

After a couple months of ho-hum performances, CBS' one-hour comedy block unexpectedly jumped Wednesday night to season-high ratings.

In some of the biggest week-to-week program gains we've seen all season, "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (8.1 million viewers, 2.5 preliminary adults 18-49 rating) spiked 25%, and "Gary Unmarried" (8.1 million, 2.7) leapt 29%.  The shows placed second in the 8 p.m. hour and led into chart-topping "Criminal Minds" (16.4 million, 4.3) which was up 13% and had its largest audience since its premiere. Not to be outdone, the 100th episode of "CSI: NY" (14 million, 3.8) went up 27% to its best rating in a month. 

The gains helped CBS win the night in the adult demo and total viewers by significant margins.

Unfortunately, the wealth did not spread to other broadcasters.

Fox was second, with "Bones" (10.7 million, 3.1) slipping 11% followed by a "House" repeat.

ABC was third, with its entire Wednesday lineup hitting series lows. "Pushing Daisies" (4.9 million, 1.7) fell 27% from its last airing (when it flew solo against the Barack Obama ad). "Private Practice" (7.1 million, 2.4) and "Dirty Sexy Money" (5.6 million, 1.7) were down 15% each.

In fourth place, NBC's "Knight Rider" (5.1 million, 1.5) was unchanged. "Life" (5.3 million, 1.7) and "Law & Order" (7.6 million, 2.1) were down a tenth.

On the CW, the "America's Next Top Model" (4.8 million, 2.3) finale was up 21% from last week to a season-high rating. This marks the show's largest adult demo rating since last year's finale and the show placed third in the 8 p.m. hour. The "Model" performance also gave a slight boost to "Sytlista" (2.2 million, 1.0).

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 19, 2008 Rate/share 8-8:30 8:30-9 9-9:30 9:30-10 10-10:30 10:30-11 2.0/5 Pushing Daisies 4.9 mil, 1.7/5 Private Practice 7.1 mil, 2.4/6 Dirty Sexy Money 5.6 mil, 1.7/5 3.5/10 The New Adventures of Old Christine 8.1 mil, 2.5/7 Gary Unmarried 8.1 mil, 2.7/7 Criminal Minds 16.4 mil, 4.3/11 CSI: NY 14 mil, 3.8/10 1.8/5 Knight Rider 5.1 mil, 1.5/4 Life 5.3 mil, 1.7/4 Law & Order 7.6 mil, 2.1/6 2.6/7 Bones 10.7 mil, 3.1/9 House 5.7 mil, 2.11/5 No programming 1.7/4 America's Next Top Model 4.8 mil, 2.3/6 Stylista 2.2 mil, 1.0/3 No programming

Comments

[Jeffrey]

Say farewell to PUSHING DAISIES.

And NBC must be desperate to salvage KNIGHT RIDER, for some reason I can't yet fathom.

[David Mello]

maybe the numbers for "Pushing Daisies" could have been better if ABC had told people it was back on. Some friend of mine of the web told me they didn't see any PD promos at all. ABC has made its decision on the show, and I think it's the wrong one. Lots of people eating pie next week will have a tear in their eyes.

[Dave B]

So excited for Old Christine! Some people said CBS just wanted to abandon it to Wednesdays so they would have a reason to cancel it, but at this rate, I think seeing this same Wednesday comedy block next season is no to far off.

[Ted]

Old Christine is so much funnier than Rules of Engagement, which isn't so engaging and has a fraction of the laughs of Old Christine. It's good to see Christine doing so much better in that time slot! Very funny show!! And dump
boring Rules of Engagement... David Spade is no match for Julia Louis Dreyfus!

[Mark F.]

I'm not surprised Pushing Daisies lost audience since it's last viewing. They pre-empted it last week to show the CMA awards. Anybody who saw it for the 1st time when it was up against the Obama infomercial wouldn't have found it again last week. Too bad ABC's given up on the show. It's not the first time they've done this to good shows. It won't be the last.

[charlotte]

I'm mystified by "Pushing Daisies" lack of audience...
To me, it was the hands-down best new show last season, & is still the most inventive, original & ENTERTAINING show on primetime... I mean, I love "House" with a passion, but really, the spark is gone... "Heroes"? Superpowers seem to be balanced by subnormal intelligence... "Prison Break"? I'd rather actually spend the hour in jail! And from a purely visual standpoint, "Pushing Daisies" is an excentric masterpiece.

[kathy berg]

Regarding ABC Wednesday night line up:

1) Too bad about "Pushing Daisies" as it's really a fresh, quirky and delightful series plus the digital enhancements are cutting edge--it needs more p.r. I really enjoy all the zany characters.
2) Just because "Private Practice has attractive, body perfect stars, the plot and characters are full of it. The series tries to be real, but looks phony. I can't stand this ego-drama.
3) I use to like "Sexy Money" when it first started, but the writers are ruining this series. Every drama needs to have at least one redeemable character who has some moral fiber--but the SM writers threw Nick and Lisa under the bus..I won't watch this anymore.

[Adam]

What's with the CBS favoritism lately, Mr. Hibberd? Am I missing something?

[Kelly Hughes]

Adam: CBS is doing really well this season, bucking the general trend. JH is reporting it. Stop complaining or people will think you're one of those tools who hangs around PI Feedback.

[Adam]

Kelly: Maybe I'm over-reading things, but I can't help but notice the abundance of CBS-centered headlines. He even dedicated an entire post to a preview of next week's "The Mentalist." Just found it a bit fishy, that's all.

[SomethingOnMyMind]

I rather watch Pushing Daisies over Grey's Anatomy or basically anything else on ABC (including Dancing with the Stars).

It seems like both of my ABC favorites - Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone won't make it. Truly sad.

[Kelly Hughes]

Adam: Fair enough

[James Hibberd]

Kelly has it right. CBS is simply doing really well this season. And if you have a choice between doing a depressing headline about how badly shows are performing, or doing a victory-lap headline for something doing well, you tend to go positive. Once "American Idol" comes out, everybody always thinks I'm in the tank for Fox.

How badly some other networks are doing is disheartening. Scripted dramas on major broadcast networks getting a 1.5? Even their competitors are not happy about it. They want to win a great race, not limp across the finish line.

I keep my eye out for good clips. The Mentalist one was kinda lame, but I do like the show and I'm working on an another item related to it.

[Adam]

Thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Hibberd. I suppose I will perpetually be suspicious that the networks have pull in the leading media news outlets, including THR.