As we learned on Monday, when we saw low numbers for the returns of NBC’s Chuck (down 26 percent compared to last season’s premiere) and Life (down 30 percent), after long, strike-induced hiatuses, it’s "out of sight, out of mind" for some TV viewers. ABC got a taste of that Wednesday night with the return of Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, and Dirty Sexy Money — all of which had been off the air since December 2007.
According to overnight ratings, Daisies (pictured: Lee Pace) grabbed 6.3 million viewers, down from its season 1 debut (13 million), its season 1 average (8.8 million), and its last original episode (6.8 million). It finished fourth in the 8 p.m. hour, behind Fox’s solid Bones (9.8 million), a Wednesday night new comer that continues to out-perform its averages in last season’s Monday and Tuesday time slots. Daisies also trailed NBC’s Knight Rider (7.6 million), which actually grew its audience by about a million over the course of the hour and bested last week’s season premiere by 3 percent, and CBS’s comedy block of The New Adventures of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried. Christine’s 6.9 million viewers is a 6 percent improvement from its season premiere, but a 31 percent drop from last season’s average. Jay Mohr’s Gary Unmarried (7 million) once again built on its lead-in, and was up 2 percent from its series debut. America’s Next Top Model rounded out the hour with 4 million viewers.
Moving on to the 9 p.m. hour, Private Practice came in third
with 8 million viewers. That’s down from last year’s debut (14.4
million), last season’s average (9.9 million), and its last original
episode (10.4 million) back in December ‘07. As ABC is quick to note, however, Practice was
Wednesday night’s top show among adults 18-34 and the key women demos
(18-34 and 18-49). Still, it was CBS’ Criminal Minds that won the hour with
14.5 million viewers, down 15 percent from last week’s season premiere
but still up 21 percent from last season’s average. In second place was the season finale of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, which averaged
12.6 million viewers but naturally grew its audience in the second half
hour (from 11.7 million to 13.4 million). Fox came in fourth with a
block of two new ‘Til Death episodes. The first was seen by 4.7
million viewers, the second by 3.9 million. (FYI: That latter number is
still 276,000 more than what tuned in for the last episode of former
9:30 p.m. time slot holder Do Not Disturb.) The CW had 1.7 million sets of eyes for its encore of Tuesday’s 90210.
As for the 10 p.m., Dirty Sexy Money returned to 7.1 million
viewers to finish second. That’s down from the season 1 premiere (10.4
million) and last season’s average (7.4 million) but actually up 6
percent from its last original episode (6.7 million), which aired in December. CBS’ CSI:NY
dominated the hour with 14.7 million viewers, up about 80,000 viewers
from last week’s season debut and 33 percent from last season’s
average. NBC’s Lipstick Jungle brought up the rear with 5.3
million viewers, down 15 percent from last week’s season opener and 14
percent from its freshman average, when it aired Thursdays.
Daisies, Practice, and Money will likely see their numbers rise somewhat once DVR usage reports come in — though probably no more than about 10 percent. "I wouldn’t put those ABC shows in the strong category," a rival network exec said.
Related content:
Ausiello’s Pushing Daisies scoop
Ausiello’s Private Practice scoop
Dirty Sexy Money behind-the-scenes photos
America’s Next Top Model recap
Pop Culture Q&A with Bones‘ David Boreanaz
Moving on to the 9 p.m. hour, Private Practice came in thirdwith 8 million viewers. That’s down from last year’s debut (14.4million), last season’s average (9.9 million), and its last originalepisode (10.4 million) back in December ‘07. As ABC is quick to note, however, Practice wasWednesday night’s top show among adults 18-34 and the key women demos(18-34 and 18-49). Still, it was CBS’ Criminal Minds that won the hour with14.5 million viewers, down 15 percent from last week’s season premierebut still up 21 percent from last season’s average. In second place was the season finale of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, which averaged12.6 million viewers but naturally grew its audience in the second halfhour (from 11.7 million to 13.4 million). Fox came in fourth with ablock of two new ‘Til Death episodes. The first was seen by 4.7million viewers, the second by 3.9 million. (FYI: That latter number isstill 276,000 more than what tuned in for the last episode of former9:30 p.m. time slot holder Do Not Disturb.) The CW had 1.7 million sets of eyes for its encore of Tuesday’s 90210.
As for the 10 p.m., Dirty Sexy Money returned to 7.1 millionviewers to finish second. That’s down from the season 1 premiere (10.4million) and last season’s average (7.4 million) but actually up 6percent from its last original episode (6.7 million), which aired in December. CBS’ CSI:NYdominated the hour with 14.7 million viewers, up about 80,000 viewersfrom last week’s season debut and 33 percent from last season’saverage. NBC’s Lipstick Jungle brought up the rear with 5.3million viewers, down 15 percent from last week’s season opener and 14percent from its freshman average, when it aired Thursdays.
Daisies, Practice, and Money will likely see their numbers rise somewhat once DVR usage reports come in — though probably no more than about 10 percent. "I wouldn’t put those ABC shows in the strong category," a rival network exec said.
Related content:
Ausiello’s Pushing Daisies scoop
Ausiello’s Private Practice scoop
Dirty Sexy Money behind-the-scenes photos
America’s Next Top Model recap
Comments (1-30) of 48 Add your comment
If any one is reading this, please remember back to when people like me were beggin you to watch Arrested Development? And then just last year you watched it and it was amazing and unique and all around perfect.
Pushing Daisies is the same kind of thing. Please watch this show, it deserves a long full life, and it can only get that if enough people watch it.
I totally agree with izikavazo. Don’t let Daisies slip away. And I would only add that I feel the same way for different reasons about Dirty Sexy Money. It’s a guilty pleasure to watch, and when I saw this Lady GaGa tie in, well, enough said. I’m spending Wednesday night with the Darlings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pk2HT0jLFA
ABC’s Wed. ratings make me sad. I actually watch all 3 shows! I’m gonna be EXTREMELY upset if anything happens to Pushing Daisies or DSM!
If the can keep According to Jim around for AGES. Then they need to give Daisies and DSM a chance to find their audiences. I just hope they don’t start moving them around like the did Men in Trees!
This kills me, I love DSM and Pushing Daisies! I like Private Practice but don’t really care about it too much.
Yeah. Only if Nielsen viewers watch it you mean. Regular viewers do not count for anything.
If you aren’t watching Pushing Daisies, you should. Seriously.
I have to say that I watch all three ABC shows on Wednesdays. I’m not really attached to Private Practice or Dirty Sexy Money, but I like them. However, I absolutly LOVE Pushing Daisies!! Please ABC give it the chance it deserves! At least let it finish the season if you would happen to cancel it!!
“Pushing Daisies” is a great show. I reccomend watching it. It shouldn’t be cancelled.
I don’t watch the other two ABC programs, but I think Pushing Daisies is one of the finest television shows to come along in a dog’s age. It would be a profound shame if this show was cancelled- a cruel uprooting. Dozens of people I know have been talking about the stunningly produced first episode today, and of course none of them are being counted by the ratings system as having watched at all.
Private Practice was fantastic. Vast improvement on last season & a far superior & more enjoyable season opener than Greys. It could do with a better timeslot & a stronger lead-in.
Pushing Daisies I also enjoyed, but it’s worrying that the show actually lost viewers during the hour.
Dirty Sexy Money I don’t watch.
I love Pushing Daisies, but I think it would be better served on a network like HBO and with only 13 episode seasons instead of 22.
First they cancel Womens Murder Club which was a great show for no apparent reason and now it looks like Pushing Daisies is in danger! I hope they don’t cancel it too and then keep dumb shows on like Super Nanny and Wife Swap!
Also, Private Practice needs to move to Thursdays after Greys or Mondays at 10.
Seriously? Knight Rider over any of the three ABC shows?
I watch all three shows and love them. “Pushing Daisies” is my favorite of the three of them, but they all have interesting stories and solid, talented casts.
BTW – where’s the recap on “Pushing Daisies”?!?!
Really? More people watched “Knight Rider” than “Pushing Daisies”? What is wrong with America! C’mon! Pushing Daisies is one of the most original and unique shows on television, yet more people choose to watch a remake of an already terrible show. I don’t get it.
DSM is AWESOME! PP is a waste….
pushing daisies was better last season. i was not impressed with last night’s episode.
private practice, i really enjoyed and think it will be successful, i agree with it following Grey’s
I would have watched Pushing Daisies except Bones was on. Sorry. I’ll just have to watch it online.
Sorry, the baseball playoffs are my TV except for NCIS (this season rocks!) and CSI (come on Oct 9!).
Everyone, I wouldn’t be too worried if your fave freshman show from last year is taking a significant hit in ratings. That’s kind of expected from the strike so don’t send ABC hundreds of protesting bouquets of daisies yet, my fellow PD fans:)
“Daisies is a very good show and from what I saw from Dirty Sexy Money, it is a show I will continue to support. Private Practice tries to be too much like Grey’s and that is what is going to hurt the night for ABC in general.
Pushing Daisies is a fantastic show! I will be watching and I also wondered where the recap was…
The answer is 2 DVRs to record 4 shows at once…Nielsen’s would love me if they would only invite me to participate. And I’d like to add that Pushing Daisies looked amazing watching it in HD for the first time!
I loved Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money. I can’t believe people don’t like them. I have to say though, I almost fell asleep during Pushing Daisies. I just get bored with the show.
One of those three ABC shows on Wednesday will be canceled, and it won’t be Private Practice. ABC has to make room on Wednesday for the return of LOST in Feb. PD and DSM do have a chance though, if Life on Mars completely bombs, then ABC can air LOST on Thursday again.
It breaks my heart to see Pushing Daisies getting such low numbers. It’s so beautiful, magical, and original, and yet it can’t find an audience. Yet people flock by the tens of millions to watch tripe like American Idol and Dancing With the Stars. Where’s the appreciation of good writing, creativity, and beauty?
I still don’t understand why we continue to take these rating so seriously??? I was late getting home from work yesterday evening, so I watched my DVR recording of Pushing Daisies. I have to believe alot of other homes are doing that now.
I can’t stand when people complain that “there’s nothing good on TV anymore,” because when there is something WONDERFUL, like “Pushing Daisies” or “Chuck”, they don’t watch it.
I have only watch 1 episode of pushing Daisies and it felt like i was watching a kids show, give me BONES anyday.