Prediction Key:
Week 7 Predictions:
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| Shows' 18-49 demo average, weekly peak performance on Paramount+, and MP+35 viewership are listed in parenthesis |
DMV: This was a pretty mixed week for DMV overall. It had one of two 8 PM airings this week, and it went really poorly. Not only did it heavily underperform ever performance The Neighborhood has ever had in that slot, The Neighborhood - a show that relies strongly on the local 7:30 PM lead-in - managed to build from it at 8:30. Few 8:30 shows ever grow from the 8 PM show, and this is a very bad sign for DMV's strength. We've seen it underperforming pretty much all season after a decent premiere, but this is arguably its worst showing yet. It's 0.20 after the solidly-rated Everybody Loves Raymond special was also dismal, but at least that was at a significantly later time than it's used to airing. This sure looked like a performance that would hurt DMV's long-term renewal prospects, as it showed that it struggles even with a s strong local lead-in. However, it's not getting downgraded this week. Nielsen released multiplatform+35 data this week, and it was very promising for DMV. The struggling sitcom managed to land in the top 10 across all of broadcast, tying NCIS and coming in just behind Elsbeth with 10.1 million MP+35 viewers. That is far higher than Popper's House last season, and higher than Georgie & Mandy and The Neighborhood this season. It's enough to make DMV CBS's seventh-highest-rated series in this metric. That's a solid improvement from being 12th in the L+SD rankings, and also better than it looked in MP+7 ratings. It's important to remember that it's early - the MP+35 data obviously doesn't cover every episode that's aired thus far. In fact, these ratings only reflect the premiere of DMV, as they only go through October 19th. DMV's premiere didn't look as rough as recent ratings, so this data does need to be taken with a grain of salt. The show is likely to slip from here, probably behind NCIS and Georgie & Mandy and some other shows that are right behind it. Still, this is a promising start that does give some insight into why CBS seems so eager to try and save it and give it extra exposure. Usually, when CBS wants to renew a new show, they do renew it, unless the show is entirely unsalvageable. CBS working overtime to try and make DMV work is a strong sign that they're planning on renewing it at this stage, and we can see now from this MP+35 data that there is at least a reason they're trying so hard. It still leans renewal, with the MP+35 data coming to its rescue after what was generally a tough week.
The Road: A show that wasn't lucky enough to get bailed out by MP+35 data this week is The Road. CBS hasn't discussed its delayed performance at all, and they're not bragging about its linear performance, either. Of course, there's very little to positively spin here, but networks do try to at least sugarcoat their ratings a bit if they can, if they care even a little about a show they're airing. CBS brags about Tracker and 60 Minutes, but their fellow Sunday night series is left out entirely. Thus far, it's averaging 0.20 in the key demo - a figure heavily inflated by airing on nights where CBS has a big NFL lead-in. It has yet to even reach a 0.20 on a night without football, and it's sunk as low as 0.13 without the NFL lead-in. It's obvious why CBS can't even be bothered to positively spin its performance: it's a total bust. It's arguably the weakest show on CBS's lineup, all while having the strongest lead-in. It's a total waste of Tracker's strong lead-in, and CBS can't be happy with it. There is no road to renewal here for The Road. It's a certain cancellation.
Sheriff Country: Less than a week after it was upgraded to a certain renewal, CBS handed Sheriff Country a second-season renewal. It's been impressing in recent weeks, being the highest-rated show of the Friday lineup b a considerable margin, and also performing very well in multiplatform data. This show truly looks like it's here to stay, and at this rate, it'll probably outlive Fire Country, which has yet to be renewed and isn't performing nearly as well as its spinoff. Consider this one a big win for CBS's spinoff strategy. It's also the first correct prediction of the season.
Boston Blue: The other CBS Friday newbie was also renewed this week. Boston Blue hasn't made as much noise as Sheriff Country, partially because it's not leading off the night and partially because it's not the second step in a potential night-long franchise. However, it's also doing quite well, with strong international sales, major multiplatform success, and ratings that are about as respectable as you could be expect considering its lead-in. Blue Bloods fans were outraged when the long-running hit was canceled, and they've definitely shown up to support the spinoff. This is another win for CBS and their attempts to make as many shows as they can a "brand." It, too, is a correct prediction.
| The TV Ratings Guide | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | The Neighborhood | DMV | FBI | Watson | |
| Tues | NCIS | NCIS: Origins | NCIS: Sydney | ||
| Wed | Survivor | The Amazing Race | |||
| Thurs | Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage | Ghosts | Matlock | Elsbeth | |
| Fri | Sheriff Country | Fire Country | Boston Blue | ||
| Sun | Tracker | The Road | Encores | ||
