Ratings: "Samantha Who" Drops Like a Rock Monday (12/03/07)

"Samantha Who" pulls a "Help Me, Help You," "Heroes" ends its current arc 3 million people below the September 24th season 2 premiere, and a repeat of "House" gets one million viewers more than what all-new "Prison Break" used to average in the timeslot.

Having lost its plum lead-in "Dancing with the Stars," Christina Applegate's new sitcom "Samantha Who" quickly lost its "#1 New Show" and "#1 Comedy on TV" titles losing half its regular audience and pulling in only 7.53 million viewers.

Last year, ABC promoted Ted Danson's comedy "Help Me, Help You" as "The #1 New Comedy on TV." Once the 3rd cycle of "Dancing with the Stars" was over, the show quickly fizzled out.

ABC was quick to pick up "Samantha Who" for a full season, but unless the writers' strike is resolved quickly, the show may not get to air after the next cycle of "Dancing with the Stars."

Meanwhile, the midseason finale of "Heroes" (the episode will be the 2nd season finale if the WGA/AMPTP dispute is not settled by the spring) scored only 11 million viewers, way below the 2nd season premiere (14 million).

ABC:
8:00pm Charlie Brown Christmas (R) (9.30 million)
9:00pm Samantha Who? (7.53 million)
9:30pm Notes From the Underbelly (5.50 million)
10:00pm October Road (5.25 million)

CBS:
8:00pm How I Met Your Mother (R) (6.59 million)
8:30pm The Big Bang Theory (R) (6.77 million)
9:00pm Two and a Half Men (R) (12.32 million)
9:30pm Rules of Engagement (R) (10.43 million)
10:00pm CSI: Miami (R) (10.11 million)

NBC:
8:00pm Chuck (8.49 million)
9:00pm Heroes (10.99 million)
10:01pm Life (6.61 million)

Fox:
8:00pm House (R) (8.33 million)
9:00pm K-Ville (4.82 million)

CW:
8:00pm Everybody Hates Chris (R) (1.89 million)
8:30pm Aliens in America (R) (1.59 million)
9:00pm Girlfriends (R) (1.74 million)
9:30pm The Game (R) (1.87 million)

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Top-5 New TV Shows This Week

Since I'm online this weekend, I might as well run down the top-5 freshman shows that ruled the Nielsens in the past week (I normally do that on Mondays). Last week Christina Applegate's new sitcom "Samantha Who" shot straight to the top. Did the beauty manage to hold on to her crown? And what does the rest of the top-5 look like?

Not only did "Samantha Who" stay at the top beating all freshman shows including her predecessor "Private Practice," but the sitcom also earned "The #1 Comedy on TV" status as well, beating its CBS competitor "Two and a Half Men." With over 14 million viewers tuning in, this was one of this season's best week #2 retentions.

NBC's "The Bionic Woman" continued its decline in total viewers, but the show still manages to pull off a decent performance in the 18-49 demo.

The big news of the week was the growth for CBS' rookie comedy "The Big Bang Theory" which not only exceeded the numbers of its lead-in "How I Met Your Mother" (as it always does), but also rose to #3 on the 18-49 chart.

Despite its growth this week "Dirty Sexy Money" (3.2) is out of the top-5, but the soap did manage to surpass fellow ABC freshman series "Pushing Daisies" which also fell out of the top-5 with a troubling decline in the 18-49 demo (3.0).

Despite losing almost 2 million viewers since the premiere "Women's Murder Club" is still a top-5 new show in total viewers, although its low 18-49 rating (2.0) makes it impossible for Angie and the gang to get anywhere near the top-5.

Top-5 New Shows In Total Viewers:

1. SAMANTHA WHO, ABC (14.35 million)
2. PRIVATE PRACTICE, ABC (11.77 million)
3. PUSHING DAISIES, ABC (9.45 million)
4. WOMEN'S MURDER CLUB (8.9 million)
5. THE BIG BANG THEORY (8.72 million)

Top-5 New Shows in 18-49 Demo:

1. SAMANTHA WHO, ABC (4.6)
2. PRIVATE PRACTICE, ABC (4.5)
3. THE BIG BANG THEORY, CBS (3.5)
4. THE BIONIC WOMAN, NBC (3.3)
BIG SHOTS, ABC (3.3)

The rankings are based on fast nationals for the week October 21-26, 2007.

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Top-5 New Shows Last Week: ABC Tops All

Although most of the freshman series went down in the ratings last week, one new show shot straight to the top with the series premiere episode. But can the new winner hold on to the top spot once that "Dancing with the Stars" magic is gone?

Christina Applegate's victorious return to episodic television (and Jean Smart's too, yay!) began last Monday, October 15 when the series premiere of her new sitcom "Samantha Who?" scored 14.92 million viewers and a strong 4.5 rating in the 18-49 demo.

Although NBC's "Bionic Woman" took a strong hit in total viewers losing over 1.6 million sets of eyeballs week-to-week, the show did manage to post strong enough of an 18-49 rating to stay in the demo top-5.

In any event, ABC is an absolute champion in this fall's dismal new series development, as its new shows now fully dominate the top-5 in total viewers (while NBC's fading "Bionic Woman" may soon disappear from the demo chart).

Top-5 New Shows Last Week in Total Viewers:

1. SAMANTHA WHO, ABC (14.92 million)
2. PRIVATE PRACTICE, ABC (11.81 million)
3. PUSHING DAISIES, ABC (9.75 million)
4. WOMEN'S MURDER CLUB, ABC (9.67 million)
5. DIRTY SEXY MONEY, ABC (8.83 million)

Top-5 New Shows Last Week in 18-49 demo:

1. SAMANTHA WHO, ABC (4.5)
2. PRIVATE PRACTICE, ABC (4.3)
3. PUSHING DAISIES, ABC (3.6)
4. THE BIONIC WOMAN, NBC (3.3)
5. BIG SHOTS, ABC (3.3)

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"Samantha Who?" #1 New Series (TV Ratings, 10/15/07)

ABC's amnesia gal Christina Applegate and her new sitcom "Samantha Who?" exceeded the #1 comedy on television "Two and a Half Men" in total viewers pulling in 14.92 million viewers on Monday night.

"Samantha Who" also became this fall's highest rated new series premiere, beating "Private Practice" which got off to a strong start on September 26 with 14.24 million viewers.

This is in part because the comedy aired after ABC's blockbuster competition "Dancing with the Stars" which was once again the night's hottest show with 19.19 million viewers.

On the other hand, "Dancing" scored similar numbers last Monday, October 8, but its lead-out "The Bachelor" retained only 9.92 million viewers that night.

ABC is the network to beat this fall. The Alphabet net airs most of the hottest new shows including "Private Practice," "Women's Murder Club," "Pushing Daisies" and now "Samantha Who?".

However, the jury is still out on the Nielsen power of 10 p.m. shows "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Big Shots."

ABC:
Dancing with the Stars (19.19 million)
Samantha Who? (14.92 million)
The Bachelor (9.3 million)

CBS:
How I Met Your Mother (7.96 million)
The Big Bang Theory (8.15 million)
Two and a Half Men (13.78 million)
Rules of Engagement (11.02 million)
CSI: Miami (15.4 million)

NBC:
Chuck (8.23 million)
Heroes (11.26 million)
Journeyman (7 million)

FOX:
American League Championship Series (9.18 million)

The CW:
Everybody Hates Chris (2.57 million)
Aliens in America (2.23 million)
Girlfriends (2.42 million)
The Game (2.64 million)

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"Football Wives" Stars Join "Samantha Who?"

As if having Christina Applegate and Jean Smart star in a sitcom wasn't enough to lure me to ABC's new Monday night comedy "Samantha Who?" the network is throwing in former "Invasion" star Eddie Cibrian and "LOST" babe Kiele Sanzchez to make the half-hour laffer must-see TV.

Both Cibrian and Sanchez starred on ABC's failed pilot "Football Wives." Cibrian will romance Ms. Applegate's character, while Sanchez will set her sights on Barry Watson's ("7th Heaven") character Todd whom Samantha (Applegate) dated before she got amnesia and now can't seem to fall in love with again.

The show premieres Monday, October 15 after "Dancing with the Stars."

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