View Full Version : "House" helps Fox to win in key ratings race


Brian Damage
09-27-2007, 02:39 AM
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - "House" overpowered primetime Tuesday, handing Fox a win for the night despite competition from ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and NBC's "Law & Order: SVU."

Despite heavy promotion, CBS' new Jimmy Smits drama "Cane" came in second place at 10 p.m. against "SVU."

"House" averaged 18.1 million viewers and a 7.7 rating/19 share in the adults 18-49 demographic in the 9 p.m. hour, according to preliminary estimates released Wednesday by Nielsen Media Research.

It was the highest-rated premiere in the key demo for any network so far this season as well as the highest ratings ever for "House" without help from "American Idol." Compared with last year's season premiere, "House" was up 7% in adults 18-49, but down by one million total viewers.

The second consecutive 90-minute episode of "Dancing" (18.3 million, 4.7/13) was down from Monday, but gave ABC a win in all three half-hours (8:00-9:30) in both viewership and the demo.

CBS pulled out a strong second place in viewership during the 8 p.m. hour with "NCIS" (13.7 million, 3.1/9), while "House" had a lock on adults 18-49 in the last half-hour of "Dancing."

At 10 p.m., "Law & Order: SVU" (12.1 million, 4.8/13) was down 8% in the demo compared with its premiere a year ago, but easily beat "Cane" (11.1 million, 2.9/8) by that measure. It was the best time period premiere for CBS since "Judging Amy" nine years ago.

A 90-minute "Boston Legal" (10.3 million, 2.5/7) came in third place at 10 p.m., down 26% in the demo compared with last year's one-hour premiere.

NBC's two-hour "The Biggest Loser" (6.6 million, 3.0/8) was about even with last year's third episode yet down from last week's 3.4/9. That wasn't surprising given the competition, and "Loser" built steadily hour-to-hour from 8 to 10 p.m.. At 9 p.m., CBS' "The Unit" (10.7 million, 2.8/7) was down from last year.

Fox (13.2 million, 5.4/14) was tops for the night in the adults 18-49 demographic, followed by ABC (14.3 million, 3.6/10) and NBC (8.4 million, 3.6/10), then CBS (11.8 million, 2.9/8) and the CW (3.1 million, 1.5/4).

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter