Military TV, Television - Military Times

Viewers flock back to CBS’ returning shows

ABC promoted premiere week as “National Stay-At-Home Week,” but viewers were more eager to stay home for CBS.

Even as rivals saw their returning shows decline — some sharply — during the first week of the TV season, CBS saw big growth for several series’ season premieres: “NCIS,” up 29 percent from last year’s opener, was helped by a big cliffhanger; “Criminal Minds ” was up 34 percent; “How I Met Your Mother” rose 20 percent; and “Two and a Half Men,” “ CSI: Miami” and “CSI: N Y” all gained as well.

Also on the upswing: CW’s “Gossip Girl,” which hit record highs this month.

The gains were matched by declines for “Desperate Housewives ”and “Grey’s Anatomy” from last fall (although both shows returned above their spring averages) amid bigger drops for “Heroes,” “House,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “ER” and “Without a Trace.”

And they eased fears that last winter’s three-month writers’ strike would have a lasting effect on the TV business as viewers fell out of the habit of watching their favorite shows.

“I don’t think it had any impact at all,” said senior analyst Steve Sternberg of ad firm Magna Global USA.

Sternberg said CBS’ older viewers tend to be more loyal. And scheduling chief Kelly Kahl said the network “showed gains by getting back more quickly” after the strike last spring. “I can’t think it helps viewers when they last saw a show six or seven months ago instead of three months ago.”

Despite CBS’ gains, ABC won premiere week with the four top series — led by “Dancing With the Stars,” which filled six of 22 prime-time hours.

Although most of the attention each fall is focused on new shows, the more numerous returning series dictate networks’ fortunes, and that has never been truer than this year. Last winter’s strike interrupted TV’s development season, which left fewer than half the usual load of new series.

Among them, CBS’ “The Mentalist” opened strongest, with 15.6 million viewers. Others — from NBC’s “Knight Rider” remake to ABC reality show “Opportunity Knocks” — had weak debuts, and Fox has already canceled sitcom “Do Not “Disturb” after three outings.

But it’s early. Viewers are still channel-surfing through newcomers, and DVRs are in 28 percent of U.S. homes (up from 19 percent last fall), so delayed viewing will have an even bigger effect. Those numbers won’t be available until mid-October.

This week tests holdovers such as NBC’s “Chuck ”and “Life,” which returned Sept. 29, and ABC’s “Pushing Daisies,” “Private Practice ”and “Dirty Sexy Money” on Oct. 1, all off the air for nine months after shortened first seasons.