2008-09 Ratings History

Written by Bridger Cunningham (former TVRG Writer) 

After scouring the net yet again for a complete Nielsen List for the season and turning up empty handed, I decided the readers deserved a list and stubbornly piecemeal together a ratings list.   135 of the 160 shows which aired this season are profiled, making 84% of this season's ratings data available.  Trust the ranks with a cautious eye, as no complete list of data has emerged in the last 9 years.  Enjoy this rare treasure trove, as Nielsen has kept the numbers close to its vest and only revealed limited data.  A special thanks to our friendly neighbors at Spotted Ratings and TV By The Numbers, as both sites composed partial data lists which left ample clues to figure it out.  Add thorough research through the world of Wikipedia to uncover ratings for the missing 47 shows (and finding 21!), TVRG stands poised to pioneer the largest compilation of Ratings History for the 2008-09 season. 

To check out other years' ratings, visit the Ratings History Library. 


Trending Hot -- Reality TV, Sports and Procedurals enjoyed another season of strong performances.  FOX and CBS enjoyed strong seasons, along with their plethora of spinoffs.  

Trending Tepid -- ABC was likely the greatest casualty of the 2007-08 WGA Strike, as its bold, polished pilots met a plummet by the season's end.  Newsmagazine Pieces displayed limited prominence this season, a pale comparison to their 90's heyday.  Soaps made a mild comeback as a 90210 continuation skyrocketed to CW success and joined Desperate Housewives as the soapiest entries on television.  

Trending Cold -- Sitcoms endured another down season with few breakout hits, again.  NBC could not catch a break in its 5th season in 4th place.  Its sitcoms gave it mild success, while its 10pm dramas bombed to disastrous results, leading to a worse experiment by moving ever-successful Jay Leno out of the Tonight Show territory into a clunker experiment. 

Sources  

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine_(TV_series) 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Unmarried#U.S._ratings 3. http://www.spottedratings.com/2011/12/spotvault-2008-09-index.html 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sit_Down,_Shut_Up_(2009_TV_series)#Ratings 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_(U.S._TV_series)#TV_ratings 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Disturb_(TV_series)#U.S._Nielsen_ratings 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Motherhood#U.S._Nielsen_ratings 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid_(2009_TV_series)#U.S._Nielsen_ratings 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli_Stone#Ratings 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unusuals#Ratings 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipstick_Jungle_(TV_series)#U.S._Nielsen_Ratings 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Sexy_Money#Ratings 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harper%27s_Island#Ratings 14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Mars_(U.S._TV_series)#U.S._ratings 15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Samantha_Who%3F_episodes#Weekly_ratings 16. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7920 17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surviving_Suburbia#Weekly_ratings 18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Show_in_My_Head#US_Nielsen_Ratings 19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Harm%27s_Way_(TV_series) 20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chopping_Block_(U.S._TV_series)#US_Nielsen_ratings 21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howie_Do_It 22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Dollar_Password#Ratings 23. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/renewcancel/final-renewals-cancellations-for-the-2008-9-tv-season/ 

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