Primetime Ratings: ‘Millionaire' Returns To Primetime With No Lifeline
‘Shark Tank,' ‘Neighborhood' premieres both underwhelm
By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/10/2009 12:03:07 PM
The much-hyped primetime revival of ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, featuring the return of long-time host Regis Philbin, failed to garner much attention Sunday night, delivering a 1.5/5 rating, giving it a fourth place finish in the 8 p.m. hour. That number was, however, higher than last week's time-slot average of 1.0/3 for the network.Two other Sunday-night premieres didn't fare any better, with ABC's entrepreneurial contest Shark Tank finishing fourth at 9 and CBS's newest reality show There Goes the Neighborhood just in front of Shark Tank but still posting a lowly 1.6/4 rating.
NBC's Dateline won at 7 p.m. with a 1.8/6, followed by America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC and CBS' 60 Minutes, both of which drew a 1.5/5. 60 Minutes was the most-watched show of the night with 8.9 million viewers tuning in. Fox was fourth at 0.8/3 for a rerun of ‘Til Death. The CW was fifth at 0.2/1 for Easy Money.
The opening hour of the NFL's annual Hall of Fame game between the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans came in at a 2.9/9, with 8.1 million viewers, many likely tuning in to see superstar wide receiver Terrell Owens get his first snaps in a Bills uniform. CBS' Big Brother was next at a 2.5/8. Back-to-back Simpsons reruns on Fox pulled a 1.7/5. ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire came in at a 1.5/5. The CW was fifth at a 0.4/1 for the first hour of Sunday night movie, Pumpkin.
The second hour of the Hall of Fame game saw a slight dip in ratings, falling to a 2.8/8 and 7.9 million viewers. Fox drew a 1.9/5 for reruns of Family Guy (2.1/6) and American Dad (1.8/5). There Goes the Neighborhood on CBS was third at a 1.6/4. ABC's Shark Tank came in at a 1.3/4. The second hour of Pumpkin remained even, with a 0.4/1.
At 10 p.m. the Hall of Fame game drew a 2.2/6. CBS was second, with a Cold Case rerun turning in a 1.3/4. Defying Gravity on ABC earned a 1.0/3.
On the night NBC was tops at a 2.4/7 and first in viewers with an average of 7.1 million tuning in. CBS was next at a 1.7/5. Fox drew a 1.5/5. ABC was fourth at a 1.3/4. The CW came in fifth with a 0.3/1.
