Primetime Ratings: Dramas Overpower Baseball
ABC's Grey's Anatomy and CBS' CSI: post strong numbers against game two of the World Series on Fox.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/24/2008 7:28:00 AM MT
World Series ratings were way down Thursday as the game went up against the power hitters in ABC and CBS' lineups.
The overnight ratings come with caveats including the increasing time-shifted viewing that won't be released until next week and the fact that the time period ratings don't reflect West Coast viewing to live programming like baseball.
That said, game two, won by the Rays to even the series with the Phillies at one apiece, averaged a 3.3 rating/8 share in the 18-49 demo according to Nielsen overnight numbers, down from a 4.8/8 the night before in that same overnight demo rating, when Fox won the night. On Thursday night, by contrast, Fox came in third in the demo.
The series ratings are also down from last year, but that erosion was expected for a number of reasons, including a relatively unappealing (except to die-hard fans) matchup. Fox had been hoping for a Rays win, however, since the longer the series goes the more it stands to make.
Helping take a bite out of that baseball number was the battle between powerhouses Grey's Anatomy and CSI:, with the former down from last week and the latter up. While Grey's has gotten the better of that head-to-head matchup, CSI: edged the show out Thursday night with a 5.4/13 to Grey's 5.3/13. That was a reversal from the week before, when Grey's averaged a 5.8/14 for first and CSI: a 5.1/13.
CBS won the night with a 4.3/11 in the demo thanks to CSI: and a time-period-winning 4.4/12 from Survivor at 8-9.
ABC was second with a 3.5/9, led by Grey's. New drama Life On Mars was third at 10-11, averaging a 2.5/7, down from a 2.7/7 the week before.
Fox was third with its 3.3/8, followed by NBC close behind with a 3.2/8. NBC's top show was The Office with a 4/9. The CW was fifth with a 1.5/4.
