Hunter Biden Allegations Draw Viewers To Tucker Carlson + Predictions on the 2020 Presidential Race

  

FOX News via YouTube

Filthy Rich and NEXT Canceled by Fox

 

Two of broadcast's only new scripted originals this fall have already been canceled. Filthy Rich and NEXT, both Fox dramas, won't be back next season. Both shows have been abysmal performers for Fox, but didn't exactly have much lead-in support. Both are quite early into their runs, with Filthy Rich airing five episodes (of a ten-episode run) and NEXT airing just two. Of the two, Filthy Rich was marginally better in the ratings department with a 0.35 average. NEXT trails it narrowly with a 0.31 average. Filthy Rich, a Louisiana-set soap centering on a family that owns a religious-based TV network as scandal and tragedy upends their lives, starred Kim Cattrall, Gerald McRaney, Aubrey Dollar, Melia Kreiling and Corey Cott, among others. NEXT, a sci-fi drama about a rogue AI system, stars John Slattery, Fernanda Andrade, Michael Mosley and Elizabeth Cappuccino, among others. Both series were holdovers from the 2019-20 season, originally ordered in May 2019 before being held to the current TV season, to give Fox something to air amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Both are correct predictions for The TV Ratings Guide.

Put Me In Season 2 Episode 18: Championship Game (SEASON FINALE)

 

Thursday Cable Ratings 10/29/20: Ghost Adventures Strong for Tiger King Special, Tucker Carlson Tonight Stays On Top in Viewers, NFL Rises

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Thursday, 10/22/20. Items of note include the Ghost Adventures Tiger King Halloween Special on Travel, The Bradshaw Bunch on E!, and Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News.

(Note: Click the names of the shows written in purple or blue to be taken to their pages in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Database.)  

This Country Ordered to Series by Fox

Fox has ordered comedy This Country to series. The show will focus on the daily lives of cousins who are followed by a documentary crew who go to a small town to study young adults and their current concerns. Seann William Scott, Chelsea Holmes, Sam Straley, Krystal Smith and Taylor Ortega are set to star in the series, which is produced by Paul Feig.

Sitcom Scorecard: October 28-29, 2020

FOX took the week off as the World Series played out this week, leaving the heart of the action with ABC and NBC.  Both welcomed veteran players American and Housewife and Superstore, both of which registered a sturdy and respectable 0.6 rating.  Wednesday, October 28 saw slight changes as the Goldbergs (0.7) and The Conners (0.8) shed a tenth, while a newly recovered Blackish (0.6) held low but steady.  NBC received a mild bump with Superstore's return, followed by another dismal buffering of Connecting (0.2).

Calculations for shows have been updated, without a single certain renewal.  The justification lies in the fact that all shows save for Connecting and Bless The Harts are aging veterans over 5 years, two of which are outsourced productions.  The Simpsons will likely be the first to be upgraded when more performance is registered, but the remains will be determined deeper into the season.  Over at ABC, The Goldbergs is in its 8th Season and now belting out ratings above average.  That, coupled with being outsourced from Sony will need more monitoring to determine if a renewal is likely.  The Conners is still a strong player, but lost its niche as ABC's sure heavyweight.  After a soft 0.8 (0.7 in initial numbers), it is no longer a juggernaut but an above average player, also outsourced.

American Housewife is ABC's youngest player which bounced back nicely after taking a battering of scheduling moves the prior two seasons.  However, it hasn't proven itself sturdy enough to hold a lead position in the lineup.  If any of the players end this season, AH could find its hair caught with the cancelled show as it circles the drain and ABC trims down the sitcom block further.  Blackish is in a similar predicament at its advanced age in its 7th season.  It is critically acclaimed, but failed to lead on Tuesday nights.  ABC's entire sitcom block fits as a Likely Renewal as all are registering solid-ish numbers, but no one is the beacon for the network's future.  NBC would be foolish to hock Superstore as it has once again moved into the network's leading sitcom, but it too is aging and salaries grow expensive as shows move out of the 5th year of production.

CBS is the only network marking sitcom returns for the remainder of 2020 as all 6 of its players return between November 5-16.  Next Thursday marks the debut of veterans Young Sheldon and Mom, as well as freshman pilot B-Positive.  Can Young Sheldon hang onto ratings above the 1.0 mark?  Yearly losses coupled with COVID-19 disruptions could see the series tick down but it will likely remain CBS' lead player.  Mom is in the spotlight November 5 as it marks the first episode minus Anna Faris, and a potential bump is anticipated.  Readers need to be reminded though the prior season harmed CBS' entire comedy block after losing The Big Bang Theory, and Mom only experienced ratings between 0.7-1.0, often holding to 0.8.  The Unicorn gallops in November 12, and surprisingly sturdy Monday players The Neighborhood and Bob Hearts Abishola come home November 16.

To look back at last week's entry, click HERE.

And curious how this season leverages against the prior?  Check out the Scorecard from October 6, 2017.

Superstore Ratings (Season 6, 2020-21)

 

Cleveland.com

Thursday TV Ratings 10/29/20: Superstore Premieres Down, Celebrity Family Feud Steady for Finale, NFL Thursday Night Football Rises (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: After a lengthy, six-month hiatus, NBC's 'Superstore' (0.6) was back for its sixth season in a relatively disappointing manner. The long-running sitcom could only match its series low and was two-tenths behind its 2019 debut (0.8). Comedy lead-out 'Connecting...' (0.2) wasn't able to benefit one bit from the more compatible lead-in, the struggling newbie merely tied the miserable number it garnered two weeks ago. A steady 'Dateline' (0.4) managed to double the failed sitcom at 10pm. ABC's 'Celebrity Family Feud' (0.7) and 'Match Game' (0.4) both held even while 'Press Your Luck' (0.6) rose a tenth in the middle for its finale. Fox's 'Falcons v Panthers' NFL game (2.2) was the top program of the night by far, pulling ahead of every other network. CBS had another dismal night that started with comedy repeats (0.4/0.4) and ended with a poorly-rated voting special (0.2) and a declining 'Star Trek: Discovery' (0.2). The CW's 'Supernatural' (0.2) lost a tenth while 'The Outpost' (0.1) was frozen at last week's rating.

Finals Update: NFL: Falcons v. Panthers (+0.6), Match Game (+0.1), the repeat of Young Sheldon (+0.1) and Connecting (+0.1) adjusted up.

Off Topic -- October 2020 Thread

 Welcome to October on Off Topic! 

October 2: And it is Friday, nonetheless. It is anything goes! 

October 9: Another week, another update! Anything goes. 

October 16: Halloween is approaching, folks!

October 23: Another week has gone by! Just one Scaramucci until the election!

Raymond Island Season 2 Episode 4 - Blinded By the Light

Raymond Island Season 2, Episode 4

Blinded By the Light

NBC Renew/Cancel Week 1: Connecting Is Not Connecting With Viewers

NBC doesn't exactly have a full slate of original scripted shows at the moment, but with a few shows on the schedule that I haven't yet given predictions, plus the return of Superstore, it seems like a good time to bring back the NBC Renew/Cancel. Keep reading for initial predictions for Connecting, Transplant and Saturday Night Live!

Wednesday Cable Ratings 10/28/20: Archer Steady for Finale, Down Tucker Carlson and Hannity Easily Remain on Top, Full Frontal Down

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Wednesday, 10/28/20. Items of note include the finale of Archer on FXX,  Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS, and Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News.

(Click the names of the shows written in teal or blue to be taken to their pages in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Database.)

American Housewife Ratings (Season 5, 2020-21)

 

TV Insider

Wednesday TV Ratings 10/28/20: American Housewife Returns Decently, Big Brother Rises for Finale, The Conners and The Goldbergs Slip (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: After being left out of the lineup last week, the fifth season of 'American Housewife' (0.6) came onto the scene in respectable fashion. The seasoned comedy was just a tenth shy of its year-ago premiere (0.7) and a tenth below its 'Goldbergs' lead-in (0.7), the latter inched down from last week's debut (0.8). Over in the 9pm hour, ABC's 'The Conners' (0.7) lost two-tenths from its season premiere and dropped down to a new series low. But 'Black-ish' (0.6) held on nicely at 9:30, matching its debut rating. 'The Con' (0.4) finished out the alphabet network's night down a tenth from its previous installment.

Fox's 'Kensday' lineup of 'The Masked Singer' (1.6) and 'I Can See Your Voice' (1.0) both shed a tenth from their last episodes but remained on top of the broadcast roster. Both reality-shows were back after a week off due to the 'World Series' and could adjust up after finals. CBS had a steady edition of 'The Amazing Race' (0.7) and the season finale of 'Big Brother' (1.1). 'Brother' gained a tenth from last week's outing. 'The Wall' (0.6) held even for its finale on NBC alongside a stable 'American Ninja Warrior' (0.5). The CW was flat across the board with 'Devils' (0.1) and 'Coroner' (0.1).

Finals Update: The Conners (+0.1) adjusted up.

American Housewife (Season 5 Premiere Review)

Who's that girl? Daniel DiMaggio, Meg Donnelly and newcomer Giselle Eisenberg stand near Diedrich Bader and Katy Mixon.

AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE began its fifth season on a very odd note. It narrowly survived cancellation though its audience numbers suffered from constant air date changes. 

And then COVID hit, forcing the industry to take a break.  When shooting re-started, health and safety became first in mind. On the set of AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE, everything is wiped down once an hour, cast and crew wear masks. Some actors mentioned on social media that as a result everything takes longer to shoot.

And if that wasn't enough, fan favorite Julia Butters (who played the youngest child, Anna-Kat, the quirky and precocious one), quit the series after basking in the warm glow of her fledgling movie career. Butters shared the screen with Leonardo DiCaprio in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD and she is now off to pursue a movie career instead. Butters was replaced by Giselle Eisenberg (LIFE IN PIECES).

Throughout television history, sitcoms have gone through cast changes with mixed results. It might take a while (if at all) for the new cast member to find their groove.  Longtime fans may remember that AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE already had a cast change from its pilot episode, when Meg Donnelly successfully replaced Johnny Sequoya as the eldest daughter, Taylor. 

So the fifth season premiered on an episode that was actually written to be the end of season four. Every member of the Otto family is dealing with a crisis. Taylor is ready to graduate from high school but, in a plot line borrowed from THE MIDDLE, a long overdue library book is holding her back. Katie ends up dealing with Principal Ablin (Jerry Lambert) to negotiate Taylor's graduation by arranging his wedding to Maria (Julie Meyer). Greg battles with Lonnie (Matt Shively) on how to finish Lonnie's autobiography. Anna-Kat is at odds with Franklin (Evan O'Toole) over going to summer camp. And Cooper (Logan Pepper) discovers that his family is relocating to Florida.

What worked? The sharp writing and fast paced snaps and comebacks are back. It's a feat to juggle so many cast members. And it's always been that teetering with PG-13 rated innuendo-laced dialogue where AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE shines. Greg to Katie, "I'm going to have to give him that happy ending that he wants." Oliver to Cooper, "I'm happy for you, fiscally." And Cooper to the Otto's, "You drink tap water, which is practically like drinking toilet water."  Yeah, that's the stuff.

What didn't? Sorry, it will take more than a couple episodes to get used to the new Anna Kat. To the showrunner's credit, they didn't cast a Julia Butters lookalike but to their detriment, it will take some time to get used to the blonde stranger with the lower voice  walking around the Otto house. Eisenberg is 13 years old. Butters is 11. It's just one episode, but Eisenberg hasn't found Butter's Anna Kat's tone or enthusiasm. She doesn't necessarily have to - eventually Eisenberg will make the Anna Kat character her own - but it will be these transition episodes that will stick out the most.

Finally, what was also jarring about this premiere episode was that it was written pre-COVID (as part of Season four) but shot just a month ago. To be in AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE's Westport where the school students are not wearing masks or practicing safe distancing was immediately noticeable.  By the time we hit the graduation ceremony, I was looking at the crowd and thinking, wow, those people are sitting way too close together. In a year where no one in America had a normal graduation ceremony, seeing one on TV made the episode look immediately dated.

Chalk it up to a very odd 2020. I would have preferred an AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE Halloween episode, but it's great to have the Otto's back to keep us company during the pandemic. It's like a nice big plate of comfort food - Katie's meatloaf anyone?  And this episode's script serves up a lot of elements for the new season ahead. Spoiler alert - how will Oliver's new roommate deal with such a small house?

Harrison Cheung is the author of the award-winning biography of Christian Bale (BenBella Books) and a contributor to Brave New Hollywood and The TV Ratings Guide.

@harrisonic (Twitter)

Tuesday Cable Ratings 10/27/20: Tucker Carlson and Fox News Have Another Big Night, CNN and MSNBC Also See Solid Results, The Misery Index Tumbles

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Tuesday, 10/70/20. Items of note include Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News, The Misery Index on TBS and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon on CNN.

(Note: Click any show with its name in green or blue to be taken to its page in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Ratings Database.)

This Is Us Ratings (Season 5, 2020-21)

 

NBC

Tuesday TV Ratings 10/27/20: This Is Us Returns Down but Strong, World Series Soars for Final Game, The Bachelorette Rises (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: The sixth and final World Series game of 2020 posted a monstrous 2.7 A18-49 rating on the Fox network, well above what the past five game garnered (2.4/2.3/2.0/2.3/2.6) and well ahead of all other broadcast offerings. The game will likely adjust up by several tenths after finals, potentially becoming the first game of 2020 to break a 3.0. Over on ABC, 'The Bachelorette' (1.3) rose a tenth from last week and led into dismal comedy repeats of 'The Conners' (0.5) and 'Black-ish' (0.3). CBS had primetime editions of longtime game shows 'The Price Is Right' (0.7) and 'Let's Make A Deal' (0.6), both outpacing what drama encores managed in the slot a week prior. Despite the slightly stronger lead-in, 'The FBI Declassified' (0.3) shed a tenth at 10pm. The CW's 'Swamp Thing' (0.2) inched up while 'Tell Me a Story' (0.1) held even.

The other major news outside of the World Series was the season five premiere of NBC drama 'This Is Us' (1.4). It was four-tenths behind the 1.8 it posted for last year's debut and three-tenths below its March 2020 finale (1.7) but remained multiple ticks above its 1.1 low-point. Lead-in 'The Voice' (1.0) lost a tenth from its last episode.

Finals Update: World Series Game 6 (+0.7), This Is Us (+0.1) and The Price Is Right At Night (+0.1) adjusted up. The repeat of The Conners (-0.1) adjusted down.

College Season 3 Episode 4: Financial Aid

Monday Cable Ratings 10/26/20: Halloween Baking Championship Hits Season High for Finale, NFL Monday Night Football Drops, Hannity Beats Tucker as Fox News Draws a Huge Crowds All Day

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Monday, 10/26/20. Items of note include the finale of Halloween Baking Championship on Food Network, Monday Night Football on ESPN and Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News.

(Note: Click any show with its name in yellow or blue to be taken to its page in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Ratings Database.)

Sunday Cable Ratings 10/25/20: The Undoing Starts Low, Fargo and Fear The Walking Dead Dip, Chateau Christmas Solid

 

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Sunday, 10/25/20. Items of note include the miniseries premiere of The Undoing on HBO, Fargo on FX, and Fear The Walking Dead on AMC.

(Note: Click any show with its name in orange to be taken to its page in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Ratings Database.)

Saturday Cable Ratings 10/24/20: Hallmark Countdown to Christmas Launches Solidly with Jingle Bell Bride, Judge Jeanine Rises, College Football Leads

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Saturday, 10/24/20. Items of note include Jingle Bell Bride on Hallmark, Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox News, and College Football on ESPN.

(Note: Click the name of any show with its title in red to be taken to its page in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Ratings Database.) 

Monday TV Ratings 10/25/20: Dancing With the Stars, The Voice and Big Brother Tie for First, Weakest Link Drops, One Day At a Time Finale Steady (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: After falling multiple tenths below 'The Voice' last week, ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars' (1.0) rose two-tenths while NBC's 'The Voice' (1.0) lost two from its week-ago premiere, putting the two reality staples in a tie. The 10pm lead-out programs followed in similar fashion with the alphabet network's 'Emergency Call' (0.6) gaining two-tenths and the peacock network's 'Weakest Link' (0.6) losing two. On CBS, 'Big Brother' (1.0) inched up from its last installment and matched both 'Dancing' and 'The Voice', creating a three-way tie in the 8pm timeslot. Viewers were quick to flee after 'Brother' as an 'Essential Heroes' special (0.2) and a double-pump of 'One Day At a Time' (0.2/0.2) produced disastrous results, matching 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' (0.2/0.2) & 'Penn and Teller' (0.2) on the CW. With no NFL help in sight, Fox's 'LA's Finest' (0.4) shed two-tenths from last week's inflated episode while lead-out 'Filthy Rich' (0.3) inched down.

Finals Update: 'Dancing with the Stars' (0.8, -0.2) and 'Emergency Call' (0.4, -0.2) both adjusted down on ABC. 

Friday Cable Ratings 10/23/20: Deadline: White House and Morning Joe Jump, Tucker Carlson and Hannity Lead in Viewers, Gold Rush Wins in 18-49

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Friday, 10/23/20. Items of note include Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News, Morning Joe on MSNBC, and Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO.

(Note: Click the name of any show with its title in purple or blue to be taken to its page in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Ratings Database.)

Marietta Season 3 Episode 3 - Mary Shelley Long

Marietta Season 3 Episode 3

Mary Shelley Long

Sunday TV Ratings 10/25/20: 60 Minutes Soars while Scream Stumbles Behind It, ABC Game Shows Slip, World Series Steady (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: Despite President Trump's '60 Minutes' interview with Lesley Stahl leaking days beforehand, the CBS newsmagazine posted a mammoth 2.4 A18-49 rating and soared to a new season high by a wide margin. Although it did have substantial help from its 'NFL Overrun' (3.6) lead-in, 'Minutes' retained a much larger portion of the football audience than usual. A repeat of comedy 'The Neighborhood' (1.1) was the direct lead-out to '60 Minutes' and posted a number higher than 95% of its original broadcasts from fall 2019 and spring 2020. There was significant ratings erosion from there as a broadcast of the 1996 film 'Scream' (0.4) lost most of the 'Neighborhood' audience at 9pm. 

ABC's 'Supermarket Sweep' (0.8) shed two-tenths from last week's premiere even as 7pm lead-in 'AFV' (0.7) inched up from its week-ago debut. This still puts 'Sweep' in respectable territory but it'll have to stop its slide if it wants to continue being a valuable player. 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' (0.5) and 'Card Sharks' (0.3) similarly lost a tenth apiece from their last outings. NBC won the night overall with its showing of the 'Buccaneers v Raiders' NFL game (3.6) alongside 'Football Night in America' (1.8/3.0). Fox had game 5 of the 'World Series' (1.7) and a World Series pregame (1.8). The game was steady with game 4 from Saturday. The CW's 'Pandora' (0.1) held even and led into encores of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' (0.1/0.1).

Finals Update: Supermarket Sweep (+0.1), Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (+0.1), NFL Overrun (+2.5), 60 Minutes (+0.1), Sunday Night Football (+0.7) and World Series Game 5 (+0.9) adjusted up. Football Night In America (-0.4, -0.8), Pandora (-0.1), World Series Pregame (-0.8) and the repeat of The Neighborhood (-0.4) adjusted down.

ABC Renew/Cancel Week 1: The Conners Will Keep On Truckin’

It's the first official ABC renew/cancel of the season, and three shows will receive their initial predictions. Keep reading to see where veteran comedies Blackish, The Conners and The Goldbergs will end up!

TVRG Productions October News Day: Our House Premiere Date, A Renewal, New Miniseries + New Bullpen Specials

Favorite Cable News Show Competition: Results Revealed

 

Saturday TV Ratings 10/24/20: SNL Stable, World Series Rises, Manhunt: Deadly Games Steady in Saturday Move (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: Game 4 of the World Series (1.7) rose four-tenths from Friday's lackluster performance and easily topped the night. ABC's 'College Football' game (1.2) came close to competing with the Fox network but ultimately fell several tenths short. CBS 'Manhunt: Deadly Games' (0.2/0.2) made the move from Monday nights to Saturday and held even with its last Monday original. '48 Hours' (0.3) improved from 'Manhunt' at 10pm. NBC had repeats of 'Weakest Link' (0.3), 'Ellen's Game of Games' (0.4), and 'SNL Vintage' (0.4). The original episode of 'Saturday Night Live' (featuring Adele as the host and musical guest H.E.R) posted a 2.4 in Top 25 markets. 

Finals Update: 48 Hours (+0.1) College Football: MI v. MN (+0.2) and World Series Game 4 (+0.6) adjusted up. SNL Vintage (-0.1) and repeats of Weakest Link (-0.1) and Ellen's Game of Games (-0.2) adjusted down.