Ratings Rat Race: Masters Overrun Fuels CBS Win, ‘GCB’ Does Decently On Its Own
With a 51-minute overrun of The Masters, CBS won Sunday’s primetime in adults 18-49 (2.3/7) and total viewers (10.8 million) on Easter night, which saw 18-49 usage dip 8% from the previous week. Boosted by The Masters lead-in and possibly by the news yesterday of original correspondent Mike Wallace’s death, CBS drew a 2.6 rating in 18-49 in 8 PM hour, which included the bulk of 60 Minutes vs. a 1.3 fast national rating for the venerable newsmagazine last week. We have to wait until the finals are released tomorrow for any indication how the season finale of CSI: Miami did as it started 9 minutes before the end of primetime at 11 PM.
ABC tested GCB in the Sunday 9 PM slot, which will become vacant in a month when Desperate Housewives ends its run. Following a Once Upon A Time repeat (1.0/3), a new GCB averaged a 1.7/4 at 9 PM. That was two tenths below the show’s original last week, which followed a new Desperate Housewives. In its 10 PM slot, GCB (1.9/5) actually matched its result from last week so, while not popping big, GCB had a solid showing with virtually no lead-in, which should help its renewal chances. With Fox’s lineup in repeats and ABC’s missing key players, NBC’s lineup was up from last week. Harry’s Law (1.0/3) was up 25% and Celebrity Apprentice (2.0/5) was up 11%.
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