TV Ratings: CBS' 'Ghost Whisperer,' 'Medium' haunts are tops Friday
Christmas specials, "Ugly Betty" and the last of "Dollhouse" couldn't compete Friday with CBS' "Ghost Whisperer"/"Medium"/"Numb3rs" one-two-three punch.
The Eye's Friday supernatural powerhouse scored it 7.5 million viewers and a 4.8 rating/8 share. The Muppets -- specifically, "A Muppets Christmas" -- and "Dateline" helped NBC sneak past ABC with 5.1 million viewers and a 3.2/6 to the latter's 4.5 million and 3.2/5. FOX burned off the remaining episodes of "Dollhouse," but only snagged 2.05 million viewers and a 1.4/2, while The CW's "Smallville" repeat and holiday special "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" clinched 2.02 million viewers and a 1.2/2.
CBS handily won the 18-49 demographic for the night, with NBC trailing at 1.3 and ABC barely falling behind the Peacock with 1.2. FOX and The CW tied in the demo with 0.8 each.
8 p.m.
CBS: "Ghost Whisperer" (8.2 million viewers, 5.2/9 households)
ABC: "Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Disney Animation" (3.7 million, 2.6/5)
NBC: "A Muppets Christmas" (4.2 million, 2.4/4)
FOX: "Dollhouse" (2.1 million, 1.5/3)
The CW "Smallville" repeat (1.8 million, 1.1/2)
18-49 leader: "Ghost Whisperer" (1.9)
9 p.m.
CBS: "Medium" (6.9 million viewers, 4.4/7 households)
NBC: "Dateline: NBC" (6.2 million, 4.0/7)
ABC: "Ugly Betty" (4.2 million, 2.9/5)
FOX: "Dollhouse" (1.9 million, 1.3/2)
The CW "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" (2.2 million, 1.3/2)
18-49 leader: "Medium" (1.8)
10 p.m.
CBS: "Numb3rs" (7.3 million viewers, 4.7/8 household)
ABC: "20/20" (5.7 million, 4.0/7)
NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (4.7 million, 3.2/6)
18-49 leader: "Numb3rs" and "20/20" tie (1.6)
Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.
More ratings at Zap2it: Daily, weekly and cable
Photo credit: CBS
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I'd be interested in seeing how the series finale of Monk did versus network offerings. It was not to everyone's taste, to be sure, but the show did last a lot longer than a good chunk of network shows these days.
CBS's shows still dominate, true, but it's time they all get to winding down and out. Before CBS goes the way of NBC, keeping on shows long past their expiration dates, they need to be looking for newer replacements over the next few seasons. Numbers should probably be cancelled after this season, Medium has probably another season in it, and Ghost Whisperer needed to be gone after last season's idiotic plot twists. Hopefully, their programming department tries some of ABC's tricks and brings on some more unique shows than yet another version of CSI.
Pity about Dollhouse--great potential for a show, poorly executed. It became like dietary chocolate: sure you can eat it, but why?
IS really unfair...Medium Was down on the ratings because various independent stations around the US do not air Medium Last night i don't know why!! CBS have to do something about this i hope when the show return in 2010 CBS have resolve this problem
Looks like CBS is killin em on friday. Not my kind of shows but aslong as they are winning fridays they wont change the schedule anytime soon.
I concur re: Ghost Whisperer, Aaron R. As much as I like (no, tolerate) the show, it's got a hard row to hoe to make up for the inanity of last season.
Jose, where did you find that various independent stations did not air Medium last night? I love Medium and was hoping for better ratings last night.
Just a few fans of the medium page in facebook comment that in their areas the stations didnt air Medium and thats why the ratings are so low and it have to be something wrong because mediu always bring 8 million or more CBS have ti do something about it
Jose and others, network affiliates are given a certain number of hours in primetime per year that they can do with as they please. Often, they end up either showcasing local newscast specials or the ubiquitous pledge drives for St. Jude's and other charities. It might be that, with the year winding down, and if they have hours left to burn off, the local affiliates decided to give over that hour for other things, especially in areas of the country where shows like Medium do not play well (especially if the viewership is mostly Bible-belt conservatives who have no used for "alternative" beliefs).
If that's not what happened, then I have no idea why Medium wasn't shown in those areas. Around here (central IL), we're always having to put up with University of Illinois basketball taking up primetime, but thankfully only when the Illini are having a banner year (which isn't often). Hope that helps! :)
Jose, you didn't mention what they do show in place of Medium. I doubt the TV is blacked-out for an hour.
It still suprises me how people are watching Ghost Whispere and Medium when they are the most MEDICORE shows on television.
Ugly Betty was AMAZING, funny and shocking last night. Even though I didnt watch Dollhouse, I heard it was great too.
CBS is just a smart network and knows how to air crappy tv well
oh and it doesnt matter for long because UGLY BETTY IS MOVE TO WEDNESDAYS yay