Sitcom Scorecard 2019-20, Week 15: A Three-Way Tie at the Middle, and NBC’s in Last Place

Hello peoples, long time no see! The Sitcom Scorecard is back with a bang, just in time for 2020. Here are the current standings, as of December 30. Just a disclaimer: the Scorecards are separate from the Renew/Cancel predictions. Play along, play along.



You heard it right, NBC is in last place, with the majority of the helpings in the anemic range. We know Sunnyside was put to the pasture, and The Good Place and Will and Grace are in final seasons. Perfect Harmony, the second lowest rated show on NBC, has its odds changed to -5%, after getting capped at 13 episodes. Regardless of The Good Place production treatment, Perfect Harmony is not long for this world. This is no Good Place.

Other than Perfect Harmony's obviously doomed fate at NBC, the other network's fates are not as clear cut. On ABC, the odds for Single Parents and Schooled have switched. With Schooled at 45%, being a Sony production with ABC co-ownership is a negative indicator. Single Parents is produced in-house. Not to mention, Schooled was the last ABC comedy to get a full season backorder. Currently in third place, ABC, like CBS, only has one new comedy on the bench compared to the other networks. And ABC only has one comedy total on the bench. And the fate for each comedy will only depend on development and space. The big news for the middle of the pack, there is a three-way tie for seventeenth place. The three comedies tied are Carol's Second Act, black-ish, and Single Parents.

FOX, at #1, holds the most entries at Leading the Pack. But this could change after the Super Bowl. Will The Simpsons hold on to #1, or could The Connors make it or break it and unseat The Simpsons? Only time will tell.

What other surprises await for 2020? Sound off in the comments below!

1999-2000 Sitcom Scorecard -- The Scripted Purge Creates Harsh Realities for Sitcoms

Written Mourning the Loss of Laughs by Bridger Cunningham

What a harsh reality this year faced.  Following Seinfeld's exit two seasons earlier, powerhouse sitcoms became a thing of the past.  For the first time since 1984, a sitcom did not rank in the top 3 positions in the overall Nielsens, ending a 15-year trend dominated by NBC.  They still dominated sitcom performance, yet the overall network ratings show how sitcom demand plunged.

For the season, ABC narrowly nosed NBC out of 1st place, a position they had not seen in years, ending 14 seasons of the peacock in front.  yet they placed 1st with their sitcom stable.  NBC tested its lead-in-dependent shows this season and discarded failures on Thursday.  ABC's sitcom performance dropped a massive 14%, landing neck to neck tied with CBS for 2nd place with comedy.  The results spelled the tragic end to ABC's 11-year old TGIF franchise, as ABC cancelled all entries.  However, WB and UPN were on hand to salvage discarded pieces, many of which enjoyed 2-3 additional seasons.

CBS again landed in 3rd in overall sitcom ratings and by one-hundredth in sitcom averages.  FOX too experience massive drops, yet showed signs of investment in the early 2000's as Malcolm in the Middle and Titus created great installations with the previous seasons' successes with Family Guy and That 70's show.  FOX boasted the highest renewal rate among the six networks with a respectable 9 sitcoms, as all networks downgraded their sitcom orders.  UPN treated this season as no laughing matter and slashed their sitcom entries from 13 to 5 sitcoms, and they experienced a 17-percent increase in Nielsen performance.

WB experienced massive drops in both sitcom and overall Nielsens, taking 6th place in sitcoms performance behind UPN.  So why did sitcoms become weakened this season?  Seinfeld's exit left few sensations shaking up the sitcom world, causing several lead-in dependent shows burning off and being cancelled.  Networks opted to duplicate their news magazines, because evidently the world was too peaceful and the newscasts had to change that.  A rash of gameshows such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and reality platforms perked the interests of viewers.  They were one-third cheaper to produce, making them marketable to networks.  Therefore, this aided what began in 2000 known as "The Scripted Purge."  Who needs Seinfeld laughing about nothing when reality TV stars get drunk like rednecks at a keg party laughing about nonsense.

The one pro which emerged in the sitcom world during this relevance-fueled era was the rising trend in the absence of canned laughter, predominantly with FOX displaying successful entries with Malcolm in the Middle and its animation block.  Times looked bleak for sitcoms, which dropped 19 original showings among the networks inside one season.

Ratings Source: http://fbibler.chez.com/tvstats/by_5_yr_period/1999-00.html

1998-99 Sitcom Scorecard -- Post-Seinfeld Sitcoms Fade; FOX, WB and UPN Now the Three Nielsen Laughing Stocks

Whatever!  Written by Bridger Cunningham

Only 10 years earlier, the leading sitcoms experienced ratings in the 30's.  Flash forward as Y2K became a trend, carrying two digits before the decimal meant a show was a phenomenon.  NBC was still sitting pretty in 1st place, followed by re-emerging CBS who weathered tough ratings through 1996.  Next, ABC shadowed its 1988-96 prominence and rested in 3rd.  FOX was perennially in 4th place, yet it wasn't the greatest joke in the Nielsens as WB rest in 5th Place and UPN in 6th further down.  The sitcom ranks, however, handed the gold to ABC, who narrowly edged out a transitioning NBC.  CBS notched down further in 3rd, and the last three networks stayed in line with overall ratings trends.

Though 73 sitcoms made the Nielsen register compared to 27 entries in 1984-85, cancellation rates were high.  A rising trend in duplicate news magazines and reality TV shows spelled trouble for comedies as all consumed 60 minutes vs. the common 30-minute sitcom.

Compared with the mid 80's to 1998, this chart runs less blue-dominant in the upper range,  Troubled ABC claimed 8 of the 19 places in the "Leading the Pack" classification, in spite of Home Improvement ending a long run.  NBC's sitcom stable faded in the wake of Seinfeld's exit the previous season.  They opted to move Tuesday tentpole Frasier to Seinfeld's vacant place, leading to the show's growth.  The effect was opposite for Tuesdays, as the shows collapsed into ranks common in the 70's of the 161 original shows.  Ever heard of Jesse or Veronica's Closet?  Neither made it to syndication as their high Nielsen performances rode the fumes of Friends, Frasier and ER.  News Radio, Mad About You and NewsRadio were all cancelled after modest success.

ABC Tuesdays and Wednesdays were modest at best, with several top-50 players straddled across these comedy blocks.  Fridays, however, failed to recover their dominance in recent years with only Sabrina, the Teenage Witch claiming a register above the 50 mark.  CBS fastidiously maintained its Monday comedy block, while its Wednesday helpings crashed and burned.  CBS placed less emphasis on sitcoms in favor of procedural dramas, lighthearted fares, and a newly burgeoning reality TV trend.  FOX, of course placed emphasis in maintaining the laughs on Sundays.  It also expanded comedies to Tuesdays with mixed results as King of the Hill was its strongest delivery.

And does anyone remember the days of WB and UPN?  They aired five evenings of programming, with WB attempting sitcom success on Sundays and Thursdays, and UPN on Mondays and Tuesdays.  During this era, WB found its stride with younger-skewing dramas, and its sitcoms became filler.  And UPN....  Well it housed a name on an extra network.  And the bottom 11 places on this chart.  1998-99 was like reaching the top of the roller coaster in 1998 with Seinfeld's conclusion.  The carts were pointed downward, and the 2000's presented a steep drop awaiting a tradition dating back to the 50's.

1992-93 Sitcoms -- Ratings on The Technology Cusp

Written Tied to Coax Cables by Bridger Cunningham

What a year.  In 1992, America was engulfed in an economic recession triggered by real estate, similar to the recent devastating economy American culture has known since 2007.  Paid television became readily available.  An urban delight in the 1980's, extensive upgrades reached sub-rural regions.  $20 guaranteed subscribers could access 36-78 channels, some of which were paid platforms offered at $10 per installation.  And those too far out to tap into the grid could mount a satellite dish the size of a smart car on their land to enjoy what urban folks were raving about.  Televisions tied their futures with built-in coax options, allowing the masses to not only enjoy an exciting proliferation of channels, but also link up VCR's so viewers could "watch TV on their own schedule."

Politics remain polarized, as a then-aggressive smear presidential campaign would prove to be then the messiest fares involving the Bush and Clinton clans, like two soap opera families showing up over odd periods of time.  This, of course paled to 2016's political Dumpster Fire, which divided people regardless of preference and support.  Such economic and political conditions played the perfect platform for pace-setting sitcoms like Murphy Brown, Roseanne and The Simpsons to convey political messages.  Compared with the recently posted 1989-90 scorecard of sitcom performances, 1992-93 showed now only a 30-percent drop in sitcom performance, but also a shift in demand for sitcoms.  In 1989, the top-rated shows were sitcoms which all pulled in over 30 millions viewers for season averages.  By 1992, sitcoms which placed in the top 10 averaged between 15.8-20.7 million.

Three years made a noticeable dent in acceptable sitcom ratings.  Back in 1989, 55 shows were offered vs. 1992's 53, a stable retention in offerings.  However, a 15.8 or lower rating presented an unlikely renewal in 1989, whereas shows rating above a 12.0 in 1992 were almost certain for renewal.  Three years earlier, NBC colored the top of the chart blue, followed by ABC maintaining a close second.  CBS trailed in third from the Middle of the Pack downward, followed by FOX landing mostly in the Abyss.  The network rankings outside sitcoms followed the same hierarchy.

Flash forward to 1993, that dynamic changed.  ABC led the charge with 19 sitcoms airing, with 8 placing among the top 20 sitcoms.  However, the sitcom average was sharply below CBS's 11 sitcoms with 4 showings placing 13th Place or above.  NBC, once dominant in sitcom fares, plunged to an abysmal 3rd place among its sitcoms with 5 of its sitcoms placing in the top 20.  And of course FOX remained in 4th, with no top 20 showings.  However, FOX gained momentum and closely matched NBC's sitcom average, growing from 4 to 9 sitcoms with the Simpsons finally reaching the "Leading the Pack" classification after debuting in the Abyss.  Unlike 1992, the overall network rankings did not follow sitcom performances.  ABC narrowly edged a weakened NBC into 1st, CBS was still 3rd and FOX in 4th.

1992-93 presented heavy-hitters in transition, as well as modest and previously heavy-hitting sitcoms reaching cancellation.  Spring 1992 saw NBC's tentpole players, Golden Girls and Cosby, ending after 7-8 years having anchored Thursday and Saturday evenings.  In addition, Cheers declared its 11th season would be its last in 1993 and steadily lost steam.  Saturdays went soft, and Thursdays waded in transition.  Over at ABC, aged sitcoms Growing Pains and Who's The Boss also ended 7 and 8 year runs in Spring 1992, and faltering Perfect Strangers was declared finished after 8 seasons in 1993.  In addition, several shows ranging between 4-7 seasons declined and networks axed them.

CBS experienced this misfortune with Designing Women and Major Dad declining, first being shuffled to Fridays from their plum Monday homes before CBS pulled the plug in Spring.  ABC Wednesdays also suffered this hemorrhage, as The Wonder Years and Doogie Howser continued freefalls from the previous season and cancelled.  Back in 1989, A Different World enjoyed healthy 4th Place cushion behind The Cosby Show.  After its parent defected, A Different World struggled down to 74th before NBC rested the longstanding bohemian piece.

Out of the ashes, networks made proper decisions to groom predecessors to take their place.  On the cusp of "Must See TV", NBC mad-marketed "Thursdays on NBC".  A wise decision, as they stood poised to reclaim the glory of Cosby/Family Ties/Cheers from a land not too far ago.  ABC reveled in mild glory, as Rosanne burned strong, Home Improvement burgeoned stronger and Fridays ruled.  CBS reigned in Mondays and that is where the buck hoofed.  FOX expanded Sunday, whilst attacking Thursdays.

The aftermath spells results in ratings.  ABC tentpoles held like steel, with half of the offerings rusting before their prime.  CBS took the Monday victories with the sitcom lead, yet failed miserably to steal TGIF ratings.  FOX swam close to the ground, feeding higher as the primary three sank.  And NBC went anemic on Saturdays, yet marketed Thursdays to groom new viewers.

The technology cusp year left the dynamics to shift, as we shall explore the fallout of May 1993 in upcoming passages.

1989-90 Sitcom Scorecard -- ABC and NBC Vie in Prominence, FOX is Coming Up

Written Flushing a Full House of Sitcoms by Bridger Cunningham

The 2016-17 season is over, with 25 of 34 main season entries renewed.  This season delivered a hearty helping of sitcoms after years of reduced comedies.  However, those numbers pale in comparison to the glory days of the 80's.  Back in the 1989-90 season, the four networks bolstered a whopping 55 entries, with 31 network renewals.  32 returned, as the Hogan Family was resurrected on CBS after a 5-season run on NBC.  This season presented changes in the heart of the Family-First era, which dominated airwaves from 1984-92.

Back in 1989, the first president Bush entered into the White House, presenting the first time since 1929 that the Republican party had a president in a consecutive third term.  The Cold War which terrorized America like a passive-aggressive threat began to thaw; perhaps Global Warming aided the end to the longest war of the 20th century.  November 9 cracked the Berlin Wall after standing  for 28 years, and the US Government overthrew Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega on December 20.  These developments were indeed heavy, offset by topical issues such as the AIDS crisis and escalated drug usage.  Fittingly, TV presented a wholesome escape for Americans tired of everyday troubles.

Viewers were in the center of the Family First Era, which emerged due to The Cosby Show's prominence in 1984.  This year also presented the rebirth after a quieter 8-year Escapism era which sitcoms took a backseat to fantasy fares like Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, Dallas and The Love Boat.  Every evening this season featured a family-friendly sitcom, with ABC cornering the market with its Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday offerings.  1989-90 also featured a rise in workplace laughs for adults with an equal number of 25 offerings.  Seven sitcoms split the emphasis of subgenres of Hangout, Workplace or Family themes, of which five were renewed.

Above is the breakdown of the 55 sitcoms offered, minus the current covered 18-49 demographic.  Although these numbers were tracked by Nielsen, the target moneymaker with ratings was the share, or percentage of American viewers watching.  A show with a healthy 13.9 share meant 13.9% of the population was watching.  Also valued were overall Nielsens.  7 of the top 10 programs of this season were sitcoms scattered across Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday between ABC and NBC, both of which assured viewers 4 sitcoms at all times during the schedule.  Stacked against the current Sitcom Scorecards, the 4 classifications would break down with 21.9M overall viewers to break into the "Leading the Pack" range, 16M to enter the "Middle of the Pack", the delta of the "Anemic" range would be 11M, and everything below in "The Abyss".  

The 1989-90 breakdown differs from the 2016-17 classifications as majority of the Anemic range was cancelled, and The Abyss featured a true toss-up due to FOX dominating this region.  Nielsen winners and losers received their ratings by evenings.  Here were the evenings for sitcoms, by strongest evenings (out of order):

THURSDAY

Competitors knew to steer clearn and place softer fares on this evening, as NBC Thursdays featured three Top-4 players scattered between 8-9:30pm, with the 9:30 timeslot less prominent and scattered between 4 sitcoms.  Two weaker players who aired later in 1990 in that slot, Wings and Seinfeld, would become sleeper hits who ran until 1997 and 1998, respectively.  All four 9:30 shows were renewed, with Grand burning off the grid the following season, and Dear John making it to 85 episodes by 1992.  

TUESDAY

Cosby narrowly tied with ABC Tuesday's Roseanne, which built its pre-audience with The Wonder Years placing 6th at 8:30 and aging Who's the Boss taking 8th at 8pm.  Like Thursdays, the 9:30 ABC timeslot shadowed the earlier block with forgotten Chicken Soup and establishing hit Coach.  Chicken Soup placed 9th, yet was cancelled due to star Jackie Mason's controversial political remarks, making it the highest rated cancellation.  Successor Coach placed 16th that season, yet cost less as its marquee stars were Craig T. Nelson and Shelley Fabares against powerhouses of CS, Jackie Mason and Lynn Redgrave.

SATURDAY

NBC cornered this market with shares of gold, thanks to our polished seniors on Golden Girls placing 5th in Overall Nielsens and Shares (and 6th Place in overall network measures outside of sitcoms).  It led into Empty Nest, who retained nearly 95-percent of Nielsens and Shares.  The 8pm Hour rated 30-percent lighter by comparison, shared by aging fares 227, Amen, Hogan Family and ALF.  ALF and Hogan family relocated after 4 and 5 seasons from Monday as NBC opted to reinvent said evening against CBS' moderately rated sitcom block.  Of the four helpings, only Amen would survive as NBC opted against renewal.  Spring 1990 saw changes again as the 8pm slot went to dramatic piece A Home For Joe, and NBC's lowest rated and properly forgotten workplace sitcom 13 East at 8:30.  The 10pm hour opened the gates for Carol Burnett vehicle Carol and Company (14th Place) and Down Home (32nd).  Both fares were renewed, yet burned off the following season.  ABC made mild attempts at laughs with aging Mr. Belvedere and Who's the Boss spinoff Living Dolls (featuring upcoming stars Halle Berry and Leah Remini).  Both discontinued in December, with Mr. Belvedere receiving a one-evening sendoff in July 1990.

The remaining four evenings held less prominence, yet delivered respectable performances.  

WEDNESDAY

Aging ABC laughers  Growing Pains and Head of the Class placed 2nd in their timeslots against NBC's Unsolved Mysteries, the 9-10pm hour delivered respectable ratings with Anything But Love and Doogie Howser, MD.  After the young doctor outperformed Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis' ABL, it was sidelined, Doogie moved to 9pm and dramatic pices complimented Doogie with lackluster results.  Seeing softer ABC performances, NBC and CBS assembled half-hour affairs in each hour.  NBC's Night Court emerged victorious against ABL, yet Cloris Leachman workplace sitcom The Nutt House placed 3rd in its timeslot and roasted over an open fire.  Spring sitcom FM failed against Doogie Howser and faded out by Season's End.

FRIDAY

TGIF debuted this year with soaring results blazed by increasingly popular Full House (12th) and freshman Family Matters (17th).  Its parent spinoff, Perfect Strangers, held its ground in 25th Place, with 9:30 follow-up Just the Ten of Us retaining an impressive 95% in 26th Place.  The Growing Pains spinoff outrated CBS' ailing soap Dallas by 3 million viewers, yet received an unwarranted pink slip by the season's end.  The network's reasoning?  The 8-9:30 hours were produced by Miller-Boyett productions, who demanded a monopoly over the 8-10pm hour.  Subsequently, the 9:30pm timeslot struggled in succeeding years to find a suitable replacement, cancelling nearly all 1990-2000 players in this slot by season's ends.  CBS made a minor play for laughs in the springtime in the 8-9pm hour with Baghdad Cafe and Sugar and Spice.  The results?  Baghdad Cafe faltered mid-season the next year, and Sugar and Spice soured to staleness by May 1990.

MONDAY

However did Mondays rate weaker than Fridays in sitcoms!?  CBS managed to build a praised feminist workplace 9pm hour with Murphy Brown and Designing Women.  8pm launched moderately successful family/workplace fare Major Dad.  Beyond that, CBS took scheduling risks with the entire season housing sitcoms from 8-11pm from September-May.  The final season of Newhart disintegrated, moving from 10:30 to 10pm, and finally at 8pm after three failed freshman comedies faltered.  Among them: Wes Craven helmed The People Next Door, Teddy Z and City.  Teddy Z started in the plum 9:30 timeslot, then moved after The People Next Door died.  CBS reverted Newhart upward with freshman sitcoms Doctor Doctor and His & Hers, with the last dying in a cursed timeslot.  DD lasted another season, yet hemorrhaged at 9:30 in a soft order the following year.  Over at NBC, ALF and the Hogan Family declined and relocated to Saturdays.

SUNDAY

A sitcom wasteland, the greatest laugh was only two sitcoms (Married With Children, The Simpsons) survived among the three networks, and both rated in the scheduling Abyss.  ABC newbies Free Spirit and Homeroom lost spirituality and a sense of space early in the season, killing ABC's attempts at laughs.  NBC straddled three sitcoms over the 8pm Hour which landed in the Middle of the Pack -- Sister Kate, My Two Dads and Ann Jillian.  All failed to outrate CBS procedural Murder She Wrote and ABC reality platform America's Funniest Home Videos and learned N-ew B-usinesses C-rashed by May.  Conversely, FOX landed Share-d success with MWC and Simpsons.  Open House closed, as did original mainstays Tracy Ullman and Garry Shandling.

1989 was a successful television year as it offset the world's problems with 55 sitcoms over 4 networks.  32 returned (The Hogan family moved to CBS), with several lasting well into 1998.  And the Simpsons carries on....

Shows Which Enjoyed 4+ Seasons on this roster beyond May 1990:

The Simpsons (Ongoing in 29th season)

1998 Finale:

Murphy Brown (10 Seasons)
Seinfeld (9 Seasons)
Family Matters (9 Seasons)

1997 Finale:

Roseanne (9 Seasons)
Coach (9 Seasons)
Wings (8 Seasons)

1995 Finales:

Full House (8 Seasons)
Empty Nest (7 Seasons)

1993 Finales:

Cheers (11 Seasons)
Perfect Strangers (8 Seasons)
Designing Women (7 Seasons)
A Different World (6 Seasons)
The Wonder Years (6 Seasons)
Doogie Howser, MD (4 Years)
Anything But Love (4 Years)
Major Dad (4 Seasons)

1992 Finales:

Night Court (9 Seasons)
The Cosby Show (8 Seasons)
Who's The Boss (8 Seasons)
Growing Pains (7 Seasons)
Golden Girls (7 Seasons)
Dear John (4 Seasons)

1991 Finales:

The Hogan Family (6 Seasons)
Head of the Class (5 Seasons)
Amen (5 Seasons)

1987-88 Sitcom Scorecard -- Unilateral Drops as ABC Rebounds, CBS Plunges and FOX Is a Joke

Written Widening the Sitcom Berth by Bridger Cunningham

The 1987-88 experienced the expansion of 17 sitcoms, albeit the primary three networks' averages dropped drastically from the season before.  Why?  That is because a 4th network's debut, FOX, demanded changes.  As the data counted for shows which debuted by the close of March, FOX was omitted from previous data.  In order to include the full compass, the window widened into the summer window.  Two laughing stocks made their entrance into Nielsen data during the 1987-88 season.  FOX's ratings were so poor, they called for their own classification in this table beneath the Anemic range.  The second "embarrassment" to debut this season was ABC's Full House, which registered in 71st place among the 124 entries.  It's a good thing ABC opted to renew this show over other failed Friday entries, as it remained a mainstay for 8 seasons and in 2016 would debut as one of Netflix's leading draws.

It is obvious from the blue paint covering the top of the chart NBC once again ruled the sitcom (and network) franchise.  Their ratings were down as their leaders "plunged" into the 20's (ha!), yet they possessed 9 sitcoms in the top 20 for the entire season.  ABC had its share of stinkers in the lower end of the register, and it somehow stabilized so it could overtake CBS on both the sitcom and overall Nielsen measures, ending a 4-year downturn of fortune.  CBS took ABC's 3rd place by a winder margin in sitcoms, followed by overall network ranks being nosed out in spring 1988.

The hype surrounding NBC's Cosby faded (slightly), yet Thursdays ruled as all four sitcoms ranked 7th place or higher.  Saturdays also presented the peacock with prominence as The Golden Girls bolstered its surrounding company into winning their timeslots.  The only casualty this evening was the final season of The Facts of Life, ending the only entry left from the 1970's as the girls bowed out.  Family Ties took a sharp plunge after moving from its plum Thursday timeslot to Sundays, yet managed to stabilize the network's soft Sunday lineup.  Making Mondays hairy paid off, as ALF hit its zenith during its second season.  Not only did it launch the greatest Halloween mask of the 80's only second to Jason's hockey mask, but it also helped stabilize the turbulence that hit Valerie's Family (previously Valerie, next to become the Hogan Family) amidst Valerie Harper's infamous dismissal from NBC.

The peacock managed to avoid two high-profile cast changes with their sitcoms remaining afloat.  In addition to Harper's dismissal (which resulted in the bittersweet killing off of the title character), Cheers fans were reeling from Shelley Long walking away from her landmark role, Diane Chambers as the series gained momentum.  The result?  NBC hired Kirstie Alley to play harried businesswoman Rebecca Howe.  The ratings were down from 1986-87 due to Cosby's loss, yet the show remained the 3rd place tentpole.  The network experienced mild hemorrhages from middling performers, yet The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd shipped off to cable network Lifetime in the first-ever broadcast to cable reprieve.

Blending comedy and drama added four additional entries into the sitcom roster, with ABC's The Wonder Years breaking into the top-10.  John Ritter dramedy Hooperman experienced moderate success on ABC, while CBS faltered with Frank's Place and NBC turned blue, literally, with Rags to Riches.  The Family-First era of sitcoms proved kind to ABC, as its sitcom roster enhanced surrounding Growing Pains and Who's the Boss anchoring Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Initially powering through Tuesdays, ABC moved Growing Pains to Wednesday to liven up its soft ratings.  After Growing Pains moved mid-season, it helped launch new dramedy Wonder Years, as well as modest spinoff Just the Ten of Us.  Perfect Strangers moved to Fridays and helped mesh a disastrous lineup.

ABC Fridays experienced a cavalcade of scheduling mixups scattering 10 shows over the four timeslots.  After a last-minute renewal, Mr. Belvedere returned to embarrassing ratings.  It struggled to support a new lineup, leading ABC to move Perfect Strangers to anchor the evening in early 1988.  This move enabled the struggling Full House to gain momentum, as well as cement 90 minutes of programming.  CBS lost its stranglehold over Fridays with its soaps Dallas and Falcon Crest, and ABC seized the opportunity.  Seeing improved performance with its spring configuration, ABC opted to enlist Just the Ten of Us to move the next season and enrich its third comedy block evening.

CBS added 3 additional sitcoms to its roster, yet only renewed 3 of its 9 entries.  Designing Women maintained a respectable performance, yet Newhart and Kate and Allie experienced declines as they aged.  My Sister Sam blazed into 17th place the previous season, yet tanked in 100th place as the network egregiously moved it to an ill-fated Saturday timeslot.  Mid-season, CBS attempted to take on ABC Tuesdays to be trounced, dispensing of several sitcoms including My Sister Sam.  The Tiffany network tarnished, and their adult-based sitcoms failed to generate the heat of NBC sitcoms and ABC's family-friendly offerings.

The greatest laugh FOX created was how far down its sitcoms rated.  Married... With Children managed to outshine its fellow sitcoms, some of which could fit both of their ratings inside their meager measure.  FOX was ahead of its time belting out laughs from incarcerated dames with Women in Prison, a G-rated fare compared to Netflix's 2013 powerhouse Orange is the New Black.  The tone changed in the 1987-88 season as ABC and NBC displayed solid evenings, CBS lost its touch and FOX scraped the barrel.

1966-67 Sitcom Scorecard -- Lucy and CBS Slapstick Rule The Ratings Charts

Written A Half Century Later by Bridger Cunningham



Behold a rare treasure trove of illusive sitcom data.  As promised, TV Ratings Guide continues its ongoing efforts to deliver comprehensive ratings data as it becomes available.  Previously, data before 1984 was non-existent in a comprehensive table or list. The September 2, 2017 bulldozed that Nielsen wall, breaking into the 1983-84 data.  The overall Ratings History will follow shortly, but not before reporting another leading development in TVRG's ongoing ratings anthology series.  After thoroughly researching the internet for ratings, a Star Trek fan check site unveiled valuable data which resurrected a new chain of ratings to report, as they located valued Nielsen Rankings from the 30th-70th Nielsen rankings from an August 1967 article from American Television history.  When peering further, not only did this article possess the data from 1966-67, but also had 1964-66 data intact.  Nielsen ratings are not revealed, but ranks and shares are reported.  This finding, along with a listing of renewed and cancelled shows for the season, crafted enough data for TVRG to compose a Sitcom Scorecard and Ratings History for the year.

Behold a modest season of sitcom entries, comprising 29 of the 99 television helpings offered.  Genres which were on display during this tumultuous year were sitcoms, westerns, superhero franchises, soap operas, newscasts, dramas, action dramas, movie nights, some reality fares and variety shows.  1967 was a volatile year in history.  The Vietnam War accelerated in urgency, civil race riots engulfed troubled towns like Detroit and Watts, and civil rights became a pressing issue as movements for equality were front and center. The youthful counterculture movement questioned the logic of traditional American values, leading to hippies, progressive music, the Women's Lib movement and war protests against the draft and conflict.

In the wake of America being in a tumultuous state, several tuned into their newly colorized televisions to take an escape with simple laughs.  Andy Griffith lead the charge, making a 7th consecutive season of traditional values a welcome departure as folks yearned for their towns to be as happy as Mayberry, North Carolina.  The Lucy Show landed in 4th Place and drilled CBS into 1st Place for a 12th consecutive season.  Lucy took on the urban slapstick, while her sitcom neighbors such as The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction and Gomer Pyle placed silly laughs in an urban setting.  The only silly-com sent to the cancellation pasture was Gilligan's Island, which managed to live on in syndication success.

ABC had their own success stories to write to viewers' homes with as Bewitched delivered a successful 3rd season.  Batman cooled after a red-hot debut the previous season as both entries fell out of the top 30.  Nonetheless, the show delivered successful ratings.  Marlo Thomas' That Girl became the next sensation to sweep the 3rd network, and F-Troop plummeted.  NBC's comedy fortunes paled compared to its competition as only Get Smart cracked the top 30.  The network's 2nd place success rest in other genres.

Sources

1. http://fbibler.chez.com/tvstats/by_5_yr_period/top_programs_1965-1970.html
2. American Television History, August 1967 -- http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Magazine/Television-1967-Aug.pdf
3. http://startrekfactcheck.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-truth-about-star-trek-and-ratings.html

Week 36 Sitcom Scorecard -- The 2016-17 Night by Night in Review

Written Burned Out on Sitcoms by Bridger Cunningham

What a Season.  The 2016-17 season saw a welcome expansion of 4 permanent sitcom timeslots, bringing the total up to 27.  The upfront schedules for the 2017-18 season indicate a stable trend with 27 regular places, albeit NBC expanded two spaces and ABC foolishly relinquished two slots.  Take a sigh of relief our broadcast networks still have shelf space to give us laughers in the era of streaming and choice.  The four broadcast networks debuted 14 sitcoms, with 9 given a greenlight to enter a second season.  Conversely, 9 parted, including 2 sophomore comedies and 2 longstanding veterans with 6 (outsourced) seasons of material.

The remainder of week 35 unveiled the finales of its ABC sitcoms to mixed results, while FOX delivered doses of disappointment for its seven remaining entries.  The Simpsons finished the season at 1.77 after a disappointing 0.9 finale delivery, while The Goldbergs finished nearby with a 1.72, having ticked up to a 1.4 with their finale.  The Middle lost its tie for 7th Place due to a soft 1.2 finale, finishing a shade under blackish with a 1.50 (the previous delta of the "Leading the Pack" classification).  The Middle had the last laugh, as blackish loses its plum Modern Family lead-in and is forced to show its true grit on Tuesdays next fall.  American Housewife ended with a 1.45 average in 9th place after a soft 1.2 finale, and a welcome upgrade to Wednesday evenings with a MF lead-in.

Down in the Middle of the Pack. A soft Family Guy finale (two entries at the 1.0 mark) dropped it to 14th place with a 1.29 average.  FG can also relish the idea that its neighbors in sitcom ranks are both cancelled.  Fresh Off The Boat finished the season with a 1.18 in an 18th Place tie with Superior Donuts, having registered a soft 1.0 finale.  Downward Dog made its debut in the delta with a 1.1 rating and will be omitted as it made its debut after April.  Impressively, a Tuesday delivery on 5/23 retained a 1.0 rating, leaving the question if a summer fare may be in order.

The Anemic range featured Bob's Burgers registering a final average of 0.97 in 24th place, and Imaginary Mary ended its longshot season tied for 28th Place with a 0.90 average.  Brooklyn 99 continued its downward descent with a double 0.7 and 0.6, finishing the season at 0.86 below the cancelled Dr. Ken.  Great News remained steady, finishing at 0.75, and Making History ended the season with the lowest season average of 0.67.  Given Great News' edge of the previous Abyss, the figures adjusted down to allow it to finish in its rightful place.  With the final entries registered, let's take a look at how the season played out, night by night:



SUNDAY

FOX delivered the lone entries for sitcoms this season, delivering five permanent timeslots to eight helpings.  Permanent anchors left us with Bob's Burgers at 7:30, The Simpsons at 8pm, Family Guy at 9pm and Last Man On Earth at the less desired 9:30 tailgate timeslot.  Wedged in the 8:30 timeslot were dismal Son of Zorn and Making History.  FOX utilized football to bolster its averages with fleeting results, as well as enhance Tuesday entries The Mick and Brooklyn 99.  The results varied by proximity to the game, with The Simpsons (3.5), The Mick (2.8) and Son of Zorn (2.4) taking the largest fleeting rewards.  The lows, however, belted out fractions with 0.9 for The Simpsons, 0.7 for The Mick and 0.6 for Son of Zorn.  Family Guy (1.7), Brooklyn 99 (1.3) and Last Man On Earth received the mildest gains, yet all received renewals.  The only show never to receive football inflation was Making History, which never attained a coveted 1.0 rating.

What Sizzled -- Very little.  All shows crackled red hot with Football, then delivered ratings on-par with the Anemic Range.  However, the renewed shows did exhibit solid stability which came close to CBS and ABC's Spring Doldrums ratings.

What Fizzled -- FOX did not capitalize on its inflation to bolster its roster, with all retreating to their usual 0.6-1.2 deliveries.  Inconsistent scheduling hindered the roster, leaving veterans weak and freshman sitcoms with much to be desired.  FOX also failed to capitalize on its sixth timeslot, which may have been ideal for Bob's Burgers as it has a smaller established audience.  The 7:30 timeslot may have suited Last Man On Earth, opening up the 9:30 timeslot for new entries or weaker fares.  Making History may have held stronger potential had it entered the season earlier with football.

What is to Come -- FOX seems to desire little change this evening, with only Ghosted making a 8:30 entry between Simpsons and Family Guy.  The jury is still out, yet it appears Ghosted may see a majority of its run in the Anemic range.

Bridger's Take -- A similar Sunday is a similar problem.  Fall numbers make fireworks, whilst Spring fails to ignite a spark.



MONDAY

CBS cornered the market on this evening with the return of Monday comedies as the other three networks have little desire to place sitcoms on this evening.  The Voice and Bachelor/DWTS still reign on NBC and ABC, and FOX has modest dramas.  After dismantling comedies on Monday in the 2015-16 season, CBS went all in and returned to a familiar approach which housed seven comedies over four slots.  Juggernaut The Big Bang Theory resided in this block for five weeks, aiding a strong launch to Kevin Can Wait. In a week by week progression, veterans 2 Broke Girls, The Odd Couple and freshman Man With a Plan made debuts between 10/10 and 10/24.  The results were mixed, with Kevin Can Wait retaining a sizable portion of its lead-in, then leading the night with modest success.  Man With a Plan never managed outshine its lead-in, yet followed the rhythm of the night.  2 Broke Girls created a firestorm 2-episode debut, then received mixed results in the weeks following.  And Odd Couple siphoned off viewers at 9:30.

After TOC crashed and burned, CBS utilized mid-season entry Superior Donuts at 9pm, shoving 2BG to its 10th and final death timeslot.  The Spring roster delivered weak numbers hovering between 1.0-1.2, sinking lower when The Great Indoors was burned off in 2 Broke Girls' last workspace.

What Sizzled -- 2016, duh.  As usual, The Big Bang burned bright in early fall.  Kevin Can Wait cemented its following and is the network's strongest freshman comedy.  2 Broke Girls also enjoyed a successful 2016 in a familiar timeslot.

What Fizzled -- 2017.  'Nuff said.  CBS Mondays exhibited the first signs of Spring Mudslides as all shows sank lower into the lower 1.0 range.  The Odd Couple attained the first cancellation status, and 2 Broke Girls hemorrhaged viewers due to moves and inconsistent scheduling.  MWAP followed the rhythm for better or worse, as did SD.  And The Great Indoors bared their fractional value, ending on a whimper.  It appears the glory of the 1986-2014 CBS sitcom dominance has faded.

What is to Come -- Another forgettable year with the exhausted formula in play. Early fall entails TBBT launches freshman 9JKL at 8:30, KCW takes the 9pm anchor to lead into Me, Myself and I.  Mid-fall sees KCW return to its normal timeslot, with Me Myself and I upgrading to 9pm and Superior Donuts debuting in the block's weakest 9:30 timeslot.  Absent is follower MAWP.

Bridger's Take -- Like Sundays, Monday will repeat history with a strong(er) 2017, followed by a tenuous 2018.  MWAP being absent demonstrates an alarming problem, as CBS often benches its comedies 4 seasons in, not in its 2nd season.  Unless SD or one of the pilots sinks, this could present a problem as it will be mid-season putty.  CBS appears to be banking on its pilots' successes and using MWAP as a backup.  SD is weak, yet may fit at 9:30 as a quiet producer.



TUESDAYS

The 2016-17 made this evening competitive television, period.  ABC and FOX delivered six permanent sitcom homes to eight entries, while NBC offered timeshare viewing in its 9pm timeslot to three sitcoms it renewed.  ABC took the boldest risk and enhanced its lineup with two sitcom entries, sliding its weak fares from 8 to 9pm.  The greatest wildcard offered was ABC moving The Middle to 8pm with moderately successful results.  American Housewife earned its staying value early, often besting the Middle at 8:30 in 2016.  Fresh Off The Boat played steady with its ratings, and sophomore The Real O'Neals and freshman Imaginary Mary tanked at 9:30.

FOX returned to a similar formula of New Girl and Brooklyn 99, going fractional early in the fall.  Mid-season crass-com The Mick bridged their absences, and the three sitcoms shared two timeslots.  NBC used The Voice to not only launch drama This Is Us, but also sitcoms The Good Place, Trial and Error and Great News with mixed results.  All were renewed.

What Sizzled -- ABC.  Tuesdays were previously the network's weakest evening, and it appears to have repaired half of its broken evening.  The Middle and American Housewife delivered steady to above average ratings, while FOTB not only weathered overshadowing from This is Us, but also Spring Doldrums.  FOX mildly bolstered its roster with provocative The Mick and appears interested in using it to rebuild this weak evening.

What Fizzled -- Anything at 9:30.  Both ABC showings tanked, as did NBC's timeshare sitcoms in the second showing.  FOX lost its thunder on this evening ages ago, with fractions now passable fare.

What is to Come -- Competitive real estate, lead by ABC choosing to shake up their roster.  FOTB moves again to 8:30, Wednesday transplant blackish takes on 9pm, and freshman pilot The Mayor takes the cursed 9:30 space.  FOX again appears to be sharing its two timeslots to the same three tenants.  NBC relocated its crowned piece to Thursdays to take on ABC's TGIT, establishing permanent anchors for Thursday fares Superstore and The Good Place.  The 8-10pm hours will be dominated by ABC, and Superstore may receive a little lead-in-TLC from The Voice.

Bridger's Take -- ABC hasn't learned their lesson that 9:30 entries are cursed.  FOTB will not burn as bright as other sitcoms and is ideal filler for this space.  It should have been placed at 9:30, unless ABC is optimistic about enhancing it in the event The Middle vacates the schedule in 2019.  blackish's 9pm move was precise and may lead the network to ruling the timeslot.  The Mayor needs a prayer to avoid impeachment, while The Good Place may finally grow in its new home.



WEDNESDAY

ABC ferociously claimed a territorial victorious evening with all of its sitcoms placing among the top 7 sitcoms airing in 2016-17 among the 34 entries.  It moved established Goldbergs into the 8pm slot, and Speechless thrived in its plum setting.  Having cemented the same schedule for two seasons, ABC mildly shook things up in the 8pm hour to expand its brand.  Empire faded into dissension, while ABC endured the nastiness of spring ratings with moderately successful results.  Modern Family eroded into ordinary territory, yet it received a 2-season pickup along with The Goldberg's.

What Sizzled -- Fall ratings.  All shows burned bright, with only blackish taking a weak 1.2 rating. Little more needs to be said as the numbers tell us what burned hot this season -- The entire Lineup!

What Fizzled -- The creative pacing in 2017.  MF grew tired, while The Goldbergs strayed too far into disbelief.  Speechless became another run of the mill crazy family sitcom, and blackish took to many topical bold risks.  All minor repairs which can be cleaned up.

What is to Come -- A mild shakeup, as blackish moves to Tuesdays and American Housewife receives a little TLC as The Goldberg's received in 2014.

Bridger's Take -- ABC wisely moved blackish, as it has three years of critical acclaim and enough visibility to anchor Tuesdays at 9pm.  American Housewife took Tuesdays by storm, narrowly edging The Middle in most 2016 entries.  The show has great potential for growth, and appears to be MF's predecessor should it exit in 2019.  ABC appears to have FOTB and blackish to anchor the prime hours on Tuesday, and The Goldbergs and American in the prime hours on Wednesday should MF and The Middle exit in 2019.  This strategy may ensure the comedy blocks survive beyond that timeline.



THURSDAY --

CBS again opened its doors to 4 permanent sitcom spaces, while NBC reopened two spaces.  The results?  CBS aired a consistent lineup minus a guest showing of Superior Donuts, while NBC split three sitcoms in the two spaces with softer results.  The Big Bang Theory eroded as expected, yet rules the roost.  The Great Indoors squandered its plum timeslot to dismal results, sinking the remaining lineup.  In spite of this shortcoming, Mom showed its strangulation power and eventually would outshine its lead-in.  Life in Pieces struggled in the 9:30 timeslot, yet delivered a sturdy performance similar to ABC's FOTB.  Over at NBC, fall was silent for critically heralded Superstore and The Good Place.  Both received early mid-season renewals, and Powerless made a low-voltage run in The Good Place's exit.

What Sizzled -- The Big Bang, of course.  Mom also provided stability, and critical acclaim traipsed the majority of the lineup.  NBC also deserves praise as it is making mild attempts to relive the glory of Must-See TV.

What Fizzled -- The Great Indoors dumped its rating into the network outhouse.  So sad Big-Bang-Lite, aka a common rerun, outperformed it by significant figures.  NBC gave its sitcoms minimal promotion.  Powerless drained NBC's grid, and suspiciously damaged Superstore further than common doldrums were capable of doing.

What is to Come -- A minor cleanup of atrocity TGI paves the way for a welcome Little Sheldon.  Beyond that, NBC made an about-face decision to move its powerhouse This is Us against Mom and Life in Pieces.  Will and Grace returns to its former home at 8pm, while under-performing Great News receives TLC wedged between two critical darlings.

Bridger's Take -- CBS is playing their cards correctly.  Not only "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It", but also forecasting Little Sheldon becoming its parent's predecessor in 2019.  Mom and LIP could endure damage against This is Us, yet few humorous undertones exist in the superior-rated, leaving alternative viewers to enjoy their laughs.  NBC is making bold strides at 8pm, yet will spend another season 3rd in their timeslot.  Will and Grace makes sense, and hopefully Great News will establish in its plum timeslot.



FRIDAY

The remains of the schedule presented the usual soft demos.  ABC scrapped the only showings here, with Last Man Standing delivering a stronger year than the previous year, while Dr. Ken had the opposite effect.

What Sizzled -- Last Man Standing, of course.

What Fizzled -- Dr. Ken, of course.

What is to Come -- Nothing sitcom related.  ABC axed both showings, ending a stable fare.

Bridger's Take -- In an era which only sitcoms and select reality TV fares rule the roost on their weakened network, ABC made the foolish choice of turning this night into a dumping ground.  Isn't that its definition of Sundays or 10pm any other evening?  All but one freshman drama tanked.  Fridays were mildly stable, yet ABC undid its stable tapestry.  ABC should have cooled it on another drama and perhaps relocated Speechless to plug LMS's hole, or taken a risk on another sitcom paired with Dr. Ken.  Once Upon a Time may have worked at 9pm, or buried into the Sunday schedule.  10pm dramas are a hard sell in recent years, and Marvel and appeal to younger male viewers who enjoyed Sundays.

During the Summer hiatus, I welcome you to join us and look back at retrospective seasonns' ratings.

Week 35 Scorecard -- Friday the 12th, Part III -- CBS Slaughters the Remains

Written Screaming at Stupidity by Bridger Cunningham

The only updates to this scorecard involve the final fates of six shows as Trial and Error remains missing in the carnage.  ABC rightfully renewed Speechless and Fresh Off The Boat, as FOX paid tribute to its legacy shows and extended added seasons to Brooklyn 99 and New Girl.  CBS tragically slaughtered their remains, and NBC holds Trial and Error's fate in their hands.  This scorecard correctly predicted 28 of the 32 predictions correctly, missing on Last Man Standing, Dr. Ken and Great News.  The Scorecard will continue to populate the remains of the season averages and may potentially add ABC's Downward Dog and NBC entries.  Please note the "Final" ranks apply to the core scheduling times between September-February and will return this September.  Shows which have yet to air remaining episodes after the carnage: Modern Family, The Simpsons, The Goldbergs, Speechless, The Middle, Family Guy, Man With a Plan, Fresh Off The Boat, Brooklyn 99, Great News and Making History.

Now back to the horror saga which plagued risky sitcoms....

When we left off at the bloodbath at Camp Fractional lake, the smart and strong ladies in the ABC cabin noticed the killer closing in on the grounds.  They killed the remaining lights, but someone banged at the door.  Quickly, Fresh Off The Boat rounded up all chemicals and weapons as the killer attempted to chop their way through the door.  As the killer reached inside, Speechless boiled their hand with a bucket of hot water.  They attempted to reach in again, and American Housewife jammed a jagged board through the door, thwarting off the killer.  Then, a window shattered as the killer attempted to gain entry and terrorize the ladies, as they cleverly fought them off with a chainsaw.  The killer retreated, alarming the beach dwellers.

"Get in the boat so we can hide in the darkness!" screamed Trial and Error.  "We have a etter bet feeding off the veterans is we break into their barn."  "Suit yourself.  CBS has a full shuttle and isn't going to rescue you."  As Trial and Error paddled into darkness, The Great Indoors trekked closer to investigate.  Along came the ax-wielding killer as The Great Indoors ran through the grounds, screaming upon discovering several cancelled shows, including Powerless.  The Great Indoors banged on the barn door, demanding help from the veterans.  As their screams went unheard, they quieted.  Then New Girl, who had the only working cell phone, received a call from Speechless, stating they were renewed with Brooklyn 99 and they would have to run for help.

Suddenly, the glass shattered in a window as the corpse of TGI was thrown through.  The killer cornered the three veterans, as the FOX shows boarded up the loft.  2 Broke Girls was forced to fend off the network killer and was aided by Chestnut kicking the killer across the bar.  The girls boarded the horse, as the killer chased them into the woods.  As they became shadows in the canopy, the remains could hear Max scream "F--- you sitcom killer!  We made it to syndication. And f--- you CBS for kicking us off your crumbling schedule!"

Suddenly, the five survivors, armed with weapons, made it to the road exiting the camp, as Fresh Off The Boat called the sheriff to meet them to get them to safety.  The camp went dark, as the network killer searched for remaining sitcoms.  They could not find Trial and Error, who was forced to dodge the ax and hide in the dark.  The network killer claimed 9 victims this time around and would await the next batch of shows in the 2017-18 season, seemingly ending the bloody purge.

Which shows will be left in the killer's throws next season?  It appears the networks will have a thinner crop of sitcoms to renew, so stay tuned....