Universal Pictures has made a series of deals with Hasbro to adapt board games and toys into big screen movies. Last year the studio signed Ridley Scott to develop a movie based on Monopoly, and just last week they announced that Platinum Dunes was developing a movie based around the Ouija board and Etan Cohen was writing a screenplay for Candyland with Enchanted director Kevin Lima to direct. Variety reports that the studio has signed Steve Oedekerk to write a big screen adaptation of Stretch Armstrong.
Kenner released the toy in 1976, a 13-inch blond-haired muscled action figure whose limbs could be stretched to nearly four feet. The plan is to start over and develop a superhero comedy out of the property, which to me doesn’t seem much different in concept from Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic Four or Elastigirl from The Incredibles. Disney even tried and failed to make a film based on the property in the late 90’s with Danny DeVito and later Jackie Chan attached.
I’m not saying that a Stretch Armstrong movie couldn’t be good (logical thinking would lead you in that direction) but Oedekerk is a pretty mediocre writer, at best. His filmography is filled with some bad to horrible films, including: The Nutty Professor, Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, Bruce Almighty and the sequel Evan Almighty.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Rescue Me Renewed for Sixth Season
Season 5 of Rescue Me has yet to premiere, but fans of the FX hit can already look forward to Season 6. The cable network has renewed the Denis Leary show for an 18-episode sixth season.
"Rescue Me is one of the very best series on television and a tentpole program for FX," said FX president John Landgraf. "We're amazed by the quality of episodes for the upcoming fifth season, which are some of the best they've ever produced. I believe this show will continue to maintain a level of excellence for several years to come and we're thrilled to pick it up for a sixth season."
Season 5 of Rescue Me will premiere April 7 at 10 pm/ET. The 22-episode season will unspool over 23 weeks, wrapping up on Sept. 8.
And that's not all, folks. Leary will launch The Rescue Me Comedy Tour, an 11-city tour featuring fellow comedians and Rescue Me costars Adam Ferrera and Lenny Clarke. The tour, which includes an April 2 stop at New York's Radio City Music Hall, will benefit the Leary Firefighters Foundation.
"Rescue Me is one of the very best series on television and a tentpole program for FX," said FX president John Landgraf. "We're amazed by the quality of episodes for the upcoming fifth season, which are some of the best they've ever produced. I believe this show will continue to maintain a level of excellence for several years to come and we're thrilled to pick it up for a sixth season."
Season 5 of Rescue Me will premiere April 7 at 10 pm/ET. The 22-episode season will unspool over 23 weeks, wrapping up on Sept. 8.
And that's not all, folks. Leary will launch The Rescue Me Comedy Tour, an 11-city tour featuring fellow comedians and Rescue Me costars Adam Ferrera and Lenny Clarke. The tour, which includes an April 2 stop at New York's Radio City Music Hall, will benefit the Leary Firefighters Foundation.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Eminem's 'Bottle' Breaks Digital Record
The rap triumvirate of Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent soars 78-1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Crack a Bottle," which sets a Nielsen SoundScan record for opening week download sales (418,000).
The first-week sum outpaces the prior mark of 335,000 downloads shifted by T.I. featuring Rihanna in the Oct. 18, 2008, issue. Among all weekly totals, "Bottle" ranks third behind Flo Rida's "Low" (467,000 on Jan, 12, 2008) and Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" (419,000 on Jan, 10, 2009).
"Bottle" is the second Hot 100 No. 1 for both Eminem and Dr. Dre. Slim Shady's only leader was 2002's "Lose Yourself," which spent 12 weeks at the summit, while Dre last led in 1996 as a featured artist on Blackstreet's "No Diggity." 50 Cent ups his No. 1 take to four, having last topped the list with "Candy Shop" (9 weeks in 2005).
The trio, each with highly anticipated albums on the way, previously collaborated on "Encore," which peaked at No. 25 on the Hot 100 in January 2005.
Kanye West's "Heartless" inches up 3-2 on the Hot 100, trading places with Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis. Last week's No. 1, Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You," slips to No. 4, and Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" drops 2-5.
The All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell" remains No. 6, Taylor Swift's "Love Story" falls 5-7 and the Fray's "You Found Me" is down 7-8. The band's self-titled sophomore album for Epic debuted yesterday at No. 1 on The Billboard 200.
Rounding out the top tier, T.I.'s "Dead and Gone" featuring Justin Timberlake climbs 11-9 and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" holds at No. 18.
Another Lady GaGa song, "Poker Face," is the top digital gainer and moves 23-15, while Jamie Foxx's "Blame It" featuring T-Pain is the fastest growing track at radio and rises 37-26. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it dethrones "Single Ladies" after a 12-week reign.
The Hot 100's top debut is also from the Fray, with "Absolute" at No. 70.
Dierks Bentley notches his sixth No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with "Feel That Fire," the title track from his new Capitol Nashville album. The project debuted yesterday at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums tally.
After 17 weeks on the chart, Incubus' "Love Hurts" overtakes Billboard's Modern Rock roundup with a 2-1 move. Shinedown's "Second Chance" is in a second week at No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
The first-week sum outpaces the prior mark of 335,000 downloads shifted by T.I. featuring Rihanna in the Oct. 18, 2008, issue. Among all weekly totals, "Bottle" ranks third behind Flo Rida's "Low" (467,000 on Jan, 12, 2008) and Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" (419,000 on Jan, 10, 2009).
"Bottle" is the second Hot 100 No. 1 for both Eminem and Dr. Dre. Slim Shady's only leader was 2002's "Lose Yourself," which spent 12 weeks at the summit, while Dre last led in 1996 as a featured artist on Blackstreet's "No Diggity." 50 Cent ups his No. 1 take to four, having last topped the list with "Candy Shop" (9 weeks in 2005).
The trio, each with highly anticipated albums on the way, previously collaborated on "Encore," which peaked at No. 25 on the Hot 100 in January 2005.
Kanye West's "Heartless" inches up 3-2 on the Hot 100, trading places with Lady GaGa's "Just Dance" featuring Colby O'Donis. Last week's No. 1, Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You," slips to No. 4, and Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" drops 2-5.
The All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell" remains No. 6, Taylor Swift's "Love Story" falls 5-7 and the Fray's "You Found Me" is down 7-8. The band's self-titled sophomore album for Epic debuted yesterday at No. 1 on The Billboard 200.
Rounding out the top tier, T.I.'s "Dead and Gone" featuring Justin Timberlake climbs 11-9 and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" holds at No. 18.
Another Lady GaGa song, "Poker Face," is the top digital gainer and moves 23-15, while Jamie Foxx's "Blame It" featuring T-Pain is the fastest growing track at radio and rises 37-26. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it dethrones "Single Ladies" after a 12-week reign.
The Hot 100's top debut is also from the Fray, with "Absolute" at No. 70.
Dierks Bentley notches his sixth No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with "Feel That Fire," the title track from his new Capitol Nashville album. The project debuted yesterday at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums tally.
After 17 weeks on the chart, Incubus' "Love Hurts" overtakes Billboard's Modern Rock roundup with a 2-1 move. Shinedown's "Second Chance" is in a second week at No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
Limp Bizkit Reuniting For Tour, Album
Dormant for eight years, the original lineup of Limp Bizkit is reuniting for a tour and new album, according to a statement from Interscope Records.
Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Sam Rivers, John Otto and DJ Lethal were last active in the fall of 2001, after which Borland left the band to focus on his own music. Borland rejoined for the 2004 EP "The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)," but left again shortly thereafter.
Limp Bizkit has essentially been on hiatus since then, with Durst devoting his energies to directing and acting in film.
Although all dates are not yet confirmed, the band will play international festivals this spring, including shows in Eastern Europe, as well as Germany's Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park festivals.
Limp Bizkit was one of the most popular rock bands in the world in the late 1990s and early 200s, despite widespread critical drubbing. Its first three albums have sold in excess of 20 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Sam Rivers, John Otto and DJ Lethal were last active in the fall of 2001, after which Borland left the band to focus on his own music. Borland rejoined for the 2004 EP "The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)," but left again shortly thereafter.
Limp Bizkit has essentially been on hiatus since then, with Durst devoting his energies to directing and acting in film.
Although all dates are not yet confirmed, the band will play international festivals this spring, including shows in Eastern Europe, as well as Germany's Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park festivals.
Limp Bizkit was one of the most popular rock bands in the world in the late 1990s and early 200s, despite widespread critical drubbing. Its first three albums have sold in excess of 20 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Nas Recording Album With Damian Marley
Nas told Billboard last week he was cooking up a few surprises, and now we know one of them: an as-yet-untitled collaboration with reggae star Damian Marley.
The pair has been recording quietly in Los Angeles for the last several weeks. Nas' manager, Anthony Saleh, tells Billboard the project will most likely be released in the spring. It's not clear which label will release it; Nas is signed to Def Jam, while Marley records for Universal.
"We've been recording in a studio, where people like Mick Jagger are recording. No one knew who we were," Saleh says. "We're going to Miami this week to finish it up and we're aiming to tour for the album this summer."
In addition to its regular incarnation, the album may also be released in a special edition exclusively through Best Buy or Target. A portion of the proceeds will go toward building a school in Africa, though details are still being solidified.
As previously reported, Nas guests on a song on Dr. Dre's long-in-the-works "Detox" album, due sometime this year. He was nominated for two Grammys at Sunday's 51st annual awards but lost in both the best rap solo performance and best rap album categories.
The pair has been recording quietly in Los Angeles for the last several weeks. Nas' manager, Anthony Saleh, tells Billboard the project will most likely be released in the spring. It's not clear which label will release it; Nas is signed to Def Jam, while Marley records for Universal.
"We've been recording in a studio, where people like Mick Jagger are recording. No one knew who we were," Saleh says. "We're going to Miami this week to finish it up and we're aiming to tour for the album this summer."
In addition to its regular incarnation, the album may also be released in a special edition exclusively through Best Buy or Target. A portion of the proceeds will go toward building a school in Africa, though details are still being solidified.
As previously reported, Nas guests on a song on Dr. Dre's long-in-the-works "Detox" album, due sometime this year. He was nominated for two Grammys at Sunday's 51st annual awards but lost in both the best rap solo performance and best rap album categories.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
He's Just Not That Into You Tops Weekend Box Office
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
New Line/Warner Bros.' romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You took over the box office with an estimated $27.5 million from 3,175 theaters. Directed by Ken Kwapis, the ensemble film stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kris Kristofferson and Justin Long. The film averaged $8,650 per location.
20th Century Fox's Taken, which last week topped the box office, dropped down one spot to second and lost just 17.9% in ticket sales. The Pierre Morel-directed action-thriller, starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace, added an impressive $20.3 million in its second week for a total of $53.4 million. The film was produced and co-written by Luc Besson.
Coming in at number three was Focus Features' Coraline, writer/director Henry Selick's 3D stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman's book, with $16.3 million from 2,299 theaters. Featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Ian McShane, the animated adventure averaged $7,105 per site.
Moviegoers were not as interested as Columbia Pictures had hoped in Steve Martin's return as Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther 2, which earned $12 million in fourth from 3,243 theaters. The first Steve Martin-starrer opened to $20.2 million in February of 2006.
Columbia also rounded out the top five with Paul Blart: Mall Cop, starring Kevin James. The comedy made $11 million in its fourth weekend and has reached a solid $97 million in total. It cost just $26 million to make.
Summit Entertainment's new action-thriller Push, with Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle and Djimon Hounsou, debuted in sixth place with $10.2 million from 2,313 theaters. Directed by Paul McGuigan, the film cost $38 million to produce.
New Line/Warner Bros.' romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You took over the box office with an estimated $27.5 million from 3,175 theaters. Directed by Ken Kwapis, the ensemble film stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kris Kristofferson and Justin Long. The film averaged $8,650 per location.
20th Century Fox's Taken, which last week topped the box office, dropped down one spot to second and lost just 17.9% in ticket sales. The Pierre Morel-directed action-thriller, starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace, added an impressive $20.3 million in its second week for a total of $53.4 million. The film was produced and co-written by Luc Besson.
Coming in at number three was Focus Features' Coraline, writer/director Henry Selick's 3D stop-motion adaptation of Neil Gaiman's book, with $16.3 million from 2,299 theaters. Featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Ian McShane, the animated adventure averaged $7,105 per site.
Moviegoers were not as interested as Columbia Pictures had hoped in Steve Martin's return as Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther 2, which earned $12 million in fourth from 3,243 theaters. The first Steve Martin-starrer opened to $20.2 million in February of 2006.
Columbia also rounded out the top five with Paul Blart: Mall Cop, starring Kevin James. The comedy made $11 million in its fourth weekend and has reached a solid $97 million in total. It cost just $26 million to make.
Summit Entertainment's new action-thriller Push, with Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle and Djimon Hounsou, debuted in sixth place with $10.2 million from 2,313 theaters. Directed by Paul McGuigan, the film cost $38 million to produce.
Weekly Ratings: 2/1 – 2/6
Sunday Ratings: Super Bowl XLIII Fails to Sack Last Year's Record High
NBC's coverage of Super Bowl XLIII averaged 95.4 million total viewers, making it the second-highest-rated Super Bowl of all time, according to updated Nielsen ratings.
The showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals delivered a 42.1 rating and a 65 share, scoring highest in the Pittsburgh (duh), Norfolk, Va. and Jacksonville, Fla. markets, NBC said.
Last year's match-up between the Giants and Patriots was the most-watched Super Bowl ever, with an audience of 97.5 million. On the list of most-watched TV broadcasts in history, these past two Super Bowls place second and third behind the series finale of M*A*S*H (106 million viewers).
NBC's special broadcast of The Office tackled an audience of 22 million viewers. That's nearly double the comedy's previous record and represents the biggest viewership of any NBC entertainment telecast in more than four-and-a-half years (since the May 13, 2004 episode of ER).
Opposite the Super Bowl, ABC, CBS and Fox threw out almost entirely repeats. Fighting the good fight for the CW, meanwhile, was a broadcast of that ageless chestnut Throw Momma from the Train, which averaged 696,000 viewers.
Monday Ratings: Chuck Reaches Out and Touches a Season High
8 pm/ET
House won the hour with 14.75 million total viewers, dropping 810,000 from last week's season high. The Bachelor averaged 10.99 mil over its two-hour run (a new season high), but got bested by The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men along the way. Speaking of CBS' sitcoms, Big Bang dipped 200K to 10.9 mil, while How I Met Your Mother (10.18 mil) slipped 580 thou. Chuck's Super Bowl-promoted 3-D outing delivered 8.35 mil, for its best audience of the season. Gossip Girl (2.27 mil) inched up a hair from its season low.
9 pm
Both CBS' Men (16.52 million viewers) and Worst Week (10.05 mil) each gained about 500K. At 11.28 mil, 24 was down 830K, while the opening of Heroes' "Fugitives" chapter (8.46 mil) surged nine percent from the "Villains" finale. (Also of note, Heroes notched its best audience since Oct. 20.) One Tree Hill held steady at 2.6 mil.
10 pm
CSI: Miami gained 10 percent to deliver its largest audience since the season premiere — 16 million viewers. Medium was welcomed back by 8.53 million (on par with its last season finale), while True Beauty (6.82 mil) dipped a well-coiffed hair.
Tuesday Ratings: Great Scott! Fringe Uncovers Another Big Audience
8 pm/ET
American Idol cued up another million total viewers week-to-week to top the hour with an audience of 26.28 mil. Trailing an NCIS repeat (14.36 mil), Biggest Loser averaged 10.5 mil over its two-hour run, shedding 500,000 viewers. Behind Homeland Security (5.68 mil), 90210 (2.44 mil) was up a hair.
9 pm
A repeat of The Mentalist won the hour with a cool 15 million viewers. In second, Fringe scared up its second-largest audience ever — 13.04 mil, up 900K —and matched its best delivery in key demos. The takeway here? Encourage costars to secretly marry. Averaging 4.8 mil across two episodes, Scrubs slipped 280 thou. Privileged inched up to 1.7 mil, its best audience since Nov. 11.
10 pm
Without a Trace dropped 760K but still bested SVU, 12 mil to 10.32 mil. (SVU, though, was No. 1 in the demos.) The answer to ABC's What Would You Do? (5.8 mil, down 500K) increasingly seems to be, "Watch the other networks."
Wednesday Ratings: Life Makes a Lively Comeback
8 pm/ET
American Idol eliminated 750,000 viewers, but of course still won the hour with an audience of 26.26 million. Lagging behind a Criminal Minds repeat, Knight Rider dropped off 19 percent of its previous audience, hitting 4.94 mil. ABC's enhanced Lost repeat drew 4.8 mil.
9 pm
Fox's Lie to Me stayed on top with 13 million viewers, up 900K from last week. Lost tied the Fox newbie in the demos while holding steady at 11 million viewers. NBC's Life returned to an audience of 6.76 mil, surging 30 percent from its last fresh outing. Katie Couric's Grammy special cued up 6.8 mil, but was bested by Life in its back half-hour.
10 pm
Law & Order won the time period with 8.7 million viewers, followed by a CSI: NY repeat (7.54 mil) and Life on Mars (6.02 mil, down 480 thou).
Thursday Ratings: Crossover Is Just What the Doctors Ordered!
8 pm/ET
Bones won the hour with 10.76 million total viewers, a gain of 760,000 from its Thursday time-slot premiere. Ugly Betty placed a distant second with 7.27 mil, dropping 270K. NBC's Earl and Kath & Kim both trailed CBS comedy repeats, delivering 6.16 mil (down 340K) and six mil (down 200K), respectively. Smallville slipped 300 thou, to 3.88 mil.
9 pm
With CSI taking a siesta, Grey's Anatomy surged 900K to deliver 15.2 million total viewers. While NBC's The Office (8.4 mil) dropped 340K from its last Thursday outing, 30 Rock (6.33 mil, and guest-starring a charming Jon Hamm) dipped only a hair. Supernatural (3.34 mil) slipped 240 thou (but how about that brotherly smackdown?!).
10 pm
Goosed by the onset of its multi-episode crossover with Grey's, Private Practice saw 13 million viewers — a 35 percent gain from its last typical outing, and exhibiting none-too-bad audience erosion over the hour. That nifty number also marks a season high and the spin-off's second-largest viewership ever. OK, let's throw this in, too — this week's Private delivered the best-ever retention (86 percent) for a telecast airing after Grey's. Hey, I'm just the messenger, Six Degrees and Notes from the Underbelly. Trailing an Eleventh Hour repeat, ER (7.3 mil) fell 400K.
Friday Ratings: Friday Night Lights Digs Up a Few More Fans
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer was the night's most watched program, with 11.39 million total viewers (up 120K from its last fresh episode). Howie Do It continues to do less and less well, this week dropping to 4.36 mil (trailing Wife Swap). Everybody Hates Chris (1.36 mil) plunged 28 percent.
9 pm
A(nother?!) Flashpoint repeat topped the hour with 9.6 million viewers, followed by Supernanny (6.5 mil). Scoring 4.22 mil in its fourth week, Friday Night Lights enjoyed a five percent uptick. The CW's 13: Fear Is Real is really waning, dropping 16 percent to 840,000.
10 pm
Numbers won the hour with 10.18 million viewers, slipping six percent.
NBC's coverage of Super Bowl XLIII averaged 95.4 million total viewers, making it the second-highest-rated Super Bowl of all time, according to updated Nielsen ratings.
The showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals delivered a 42.1 rating and a 65 share, scoring highest in the Pittsburgh (duh), Norfolk, Va. and Jacksonville, Fla. markets, NBC said.
Last year's match-up between the Giants and Patriots was the most-watched Super Bowl ever, with an audience of 97.5 million. On the list of most-watched TV broadcasts in history, these past two Super Bowls place second and third behind the series finale of M*A*S*H (106 million viewers).
NBC's special broadcast of The Office tackled an audience of 22 million viewers. That's nearly double the comedy's previous record and represents the biggest viewership of any NBC entertainment telecast in more than four-and-a-half years (since the May 13, 2004 episode of ER).
Opposite the Super Bowl, ABC, CBS and Fox threw out almost entirely repeats. Fighting the good fight for the CW, meanwhile, was a broadcast of that ageless chestnut Throw Momma from the Train, which averaged 696,000 viewers.
Monday Ratings: Chuck Reaches Out and Touches a Season High
8 pm/ET
House won the hour with 14.75 million total viewers, dropping 810,000 from last week's season high. The Bachelor averaged 10.99 mil over its two-hour run (a new season high), but got bested by The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men along the way. Speaking of CBS' sitcoms, Big Bang dipped 200K to 10.9 mil, while How I Met Your Mother (10.18 mil) slipped 580 thou. Chuck's Super Bowl-promoted 3-D outing delivered 8.35 mil, for its best audience of the season. Gossip Girl (2.27 mil) inched up a hair from its season low.
9 pm
Both CBS' Men (16.52 million viewers) and Worst Week (10.05 mil) each gained about 500K. At 11.28 mil, 24 was down 830K, while the opening of Heroes' "Fugitives" chapter (8.46 mil) surged nine percent from the "Villains" finale. (Also of note, Heroes notched its best audience since Oct. 20.) One Tree Hill held steady at 2.6 mil.
10 pm
CSI: Miami gained 10 percent to deliver its largest audience since the season premiere — 16 million viewers. Medium was welcomed back by 8.53 million (on par with its last season finale), while True Beauty (6.82 mil) dipped a well-coiffed hair.
Tuesday Ratings: Great Scott! Fringe Uncovers Another Big Audience
8 pm/ET
American Idol cued up another million total viewers week-to-week to top the hour with an audience of 26.28 mil. Trailing an NCIS repeat (14.36 mil), Biggest Loser averaged 10.5 mil over its two-hour run, shedding 500,000 viewers. Behind Homeland Security (5.68 mil), 90210 (2.44 mil) was up a hair.
9 pm
A repeat of The Mentalist won the hour with a cool 15 million viewers. In second, Fringe scared up its second-largest audience ever — 13.04 mil, up 900K —and matched its best delivery in key demos. The takeway here? Encourage costars to secretly marry. Averaging 4.8 mil across two episodes, Scrubs slipped 280 thou. Privileged inched up to 1.7 mil, its best audience since Nov. 11.
10 pm
Without a Trace dropped 760K but still bested SVU, 12 mil to 10.32 mil. (SVU, though, was No. 1 in the demos.) The answer to ABC's What Would You Do? (5.8 mil, down 500K) increasingly seems to be, "Watch the other networks."
Wednesday Ratings: Life Makes a Lively Comeback
8 pm/ET
American Idol eliminated 750,000 viewers, but of course still won the hour with an audience of 26.26 million. Lagging behind a Criminal Minds repeat, Knight Rider dropped off 19 percent of its previous audience, hitting 4.94 mil. ABC's enhanced Lost repeat drew 4.8 mil.
9 pm
Fox's Lie to Me stayed on top with 13 million viewers, up 900K from last week. Lost tied the Fox newbie in the demos while holding steady at 11 million viewers. NBC's Life returned to an audience of 6.76 mil, surging 30 percent from its last fresh outing. Katie Couric's Grammy special cued up 6.8 mil, but was bested by Life in its back half-hour.
10 pm
Law & Order won the time period with 8.7 million viewers, followed by a CSI: NY repeat (7.54 mil) and Life on Mars (6.02 mil, down 480 thou).
Thursday Ratings: Crossover Is Just What the Doctors Ordered!
8 pm/ET
Bones won the hour with 10.76 million total viewers, a gain of 760,000 from its Thursday time-slot premiere. Ugly Betty placed a distant second with 7.27 mil, dropping 270K. NBC's Earl and Kath & Kim both trailed CBS comedy repeats, delivering 6.16 mil (down 340K) and six mil (down 200K), respectively. Smallville slipped 300 thou, to 3.88 mil.
9 pm
With CSI taking a siesta, Grey's Anatomy surged 900K to deliver 15.2 million total viewers. While NBC's The Office (8.4 mil) dropped 340K from its last Thursday outing, 30 Rock (6.33 mil, and guest-starring a charming Jon Hamm) dipped only a hair. Supernatural (3.34 mil) slipped 240 thou (but how about that brotherly smackdown?!).
10 pm
Goosed by the onset of its multi-episode crossover with Grey's, Private Practice saw 13 million viewers — a 35 percent gain from its last typical outing, and exhibiting none-too-bad audience erosion over the hour. That nifty number also marks a season high and the spin-off's second-largest viewership ever. OK, let's throw this in, too — this week's Private delivered the best-ever retention (86 percent) for a telecast airing after Grey's. Hey, I'm just the messenger, Six Degrees and Notes from the Underbelly. Trailing an Eleventh Hour repeat, ER (7.3 mil) fell 400K.
Friday Ratings: Friday Night Lights Digs Up a Few More Fans
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer was the night's most watched program, with 11.39 million total viewers (up 120K from its last fresh episode). Howie Do It continues to do less and less well, this week dropping to 4.36 mil (trailing Wife Swap). Everybody Hates Chris (1.36 mil) plunged 28 percent.
9 pm
A(nother?!) Flashpoint repeat topped the hour with 9.6 million viewers, followed by Supernanny (6.5 mil). Scoring 4.22 mil in its fourth week, Friday Night Lights enjoyed a five percent uptick. The CW's 13: Fear Is Real is really waning, dropping 16 percent to 840,000.
10 pm
Numbers won the hour with 10.18 million viewers, slipping six percent.
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