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"Becker" (1998)

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Actor Tom Poston Dies at 85
1 May 2007 (WENN)
Tom Poston, the Emmy award-winning actor who played comic sidekicks to a number of TV stars, most notably Bob Newhart, Robin Williams, and Steve Allen, died Monday night at his home in Los Angeles; he was 85. Poston, who was married to actress Suzanne Pleshette, passed away after a brief illness, the nature of which was not initially disclosed. Before venturing into television, Poston made his Broadway debut in 1947 in the acclaimed production of Cyrano de Bergerac starring Jose Ferrer, and assayed a number of dramatic roles onstage. In the mid-1950s he was selected by Steve Allen to appear as a recurring character in a number of man-on-the-street comic sketches on The Steve Allen Show, and he won an Emmy for the part in 1959. Poston worked almost exclusively in television throughout his career, occasionally taking the small film role, and appeared on Get Smart and The Bob Newhart Show, among other sitcoms. In the late 1970s he played the cantankerous neighbor to Robin Williams on the hit show Mork and Mindy, and in the '80s had arguably his most famous role, that of handyman George Utley on Bob Newhart's second sitcom, Newhart, a part which earned him three Emmy nominations. Poston guest starred on a wide variety of sitcoms and dramas, among them ER, Dharma & Greg, The Ellen Show, Becker, Will & Grace, That 70s Show and most recently the Disney show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Poston was married twice before he tied the knot in 2001 with Suzanne Pleshette, whom he first met in 1959 on Broadway and worked with on The Bob Newhart Show. He is survived by Pleshette and three children from his previous marriages. -Mark Englehart, IMDb staff

DGA Criticizes Networks' Plodding Efforts at Diversity
19 July 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Female and minority directors continue to be shunned by producers of primetime television shows despite the networks' pledge to encourage diversity, a report by the Directors Guild of America said today. The report shows that 86 percent of primetime episodes were directed by white males. It said that during the 2003-2004 season, 15 of the top forty shows did not hire women directors; 10 did not hire minority directors; and six excluded both women and minority directors. (The six were Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, Navy NCIS, Becker, Less Than Perfect, and Malcolm in the Middle.) On the other hand, women and minorities directed 8 out of 21 episodes of CBS's Cold Case and 8 out of 23 episodes of ABC's The Practice.

Mags Boost CBS on Wednesday
13 November 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Two news magazines helped lift CBS out of Wednesday-night oblivion in the ratings, as a 60 Minutes II edition, featuring a report about the couple charged with starving their adopted children, scored a first-place 8.9 rating and a 13 share in the 8:00 hour. A 48 Hours Investigates report about Robert Blake produced a second-place 6.8/11 against NBC's virtually unbeatable Law & Order (15.7/25). The two magazines bookended the sitcoms King of Queens and Becker, which produced far stronger numbers than their predecessors have in the time period. NBC, however, remained the number-one network on Wednesday nights, averaging an 11.2/17, followed by CBS with an 8.0/12. ABC placed third with a 7.3/11, while Fox trailed with a 5.7/8.

It's a Tall 'World' on Saturday
29 September 2003 (StudioBriefing)
ABC's decision to move its The Wonderful World of Disney from Sunday night to Saturday looked promising as the season premiere scored a second-place 6.7 rating and a 12 share among households and a first place 3.5/11 among adults 18-49, according to overnight figures released today (Monday) by Nielsen Media Research. The show featured the first-time airing of the Disney movie Remember the Titans, starring Denzel Washington, a big theatrical hit for the studio in September 2000. Meanwhile the premiere of the CBS drama Cold Case on Sunday night also performed auspiciously, nabbing an 11.7/17 to win the 8:00 p.m. hour. The audience for the new show was 80 percent larger than that for Becker and Bram and Alice, which occupied the same time period last season. On ABC, the revamped The Practice performed poorly, scoring an 8.3/14, well below its 11.3/17 premiere a year ago.

Cheers, As Danson Comedy Gets Fall Berth
4 July 2003 (StudioBriefing)
After much speculation that the Ted Danson comedy Becker was being canceled (CBS said only that it planned to bring the show back during midseason), CBS announced Thursday that it would return in the fall, this time at 9:30 on Wednesdays. CBS decided to yank The Stones, a sitcom about grown children coming to grips with the divorce of their parents, which had originally been scheduled to air in the Wednesday slot. The network said that it would launch the new show later in the year.

'Charlie Lawrence' Goes Down Memory Lane
1 July 2003 (StudioBriefing)
CBS, which decided to unload new episodes of the Nathan Lane sitcom Charlie Lawrence during the summer rerun season, has now -- after only two episodes -- suddenly yanked the show from the air altogether, the New York Daily News reported today (Tuesday). It marks the second failure on the small screen for Lane (following 1998's Encore! Encore!) CBS on Sunday replaced the Lane show (as well as a repeat of Becker) with a rerun of CSI: Miami. It said it plans to air a rerun of Without a Trace in the time slot next Sunday. Charlie Lawrence was Lane's first major role since his departure last year from the Broadway production of The Producers, for which he won a Tony award.

CBS Hopes That Crime Pays
15 May 2003 (StudioBriefing)
CBS will be turning primetime into crime time next season, with ten hours of police and legal dramas weekly. New dramas include Navy CIS, a kind of military C.S.I.; the Jerry Bruckheimer crime drama Cold Case about a female detective who works on homicide cases long gone cold; and The Handler, about an undercover agent played by Joe Pantoliano, lately departed from The Sopranos. At its "upfront presentation" Wednesday, the network indicated that it plans to revamp every night except Thursday. "There's a lot of crime." CBS chief Les Moonves said. "But crime is still working." Taking note of Pantoliano's grisly end on The Sopranos, Moonves quipped, "You call that 'getting whacked;' we call it 'suddenly available.'" CBS also plans to counter NBC's Law & Order with David E. Kelley's The Brotherhood of Poland, NH, a family drama/comedy that Moonves described as "similar to Picket Fences." Asked about his decision not to bring back My Big Fat Greek Life, Moonves remarked, "Well, you saw the ratings and you saw the show." He declined to discuss reports about the network's difficult relations with star Nia Vardalos. Also off the lineup was Becker, but Moonves suggested it could return later in the year.

Viewers Give Thumbs Down to 'Gladiator'
4 November 2002 (StudioBriefing)
ABC, which paid DreamWorks $25 million for broadcast rights to Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe, learned Friday that a cheap show like America's Funniest Home Videos, can bring it a bigger audience. On Friday, Pt. 1 of the Oscar-winning movie produced a dismal 6.1 rating and a 10 share from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Those numbers were nine percent below those for Videos, which led into the movie with a 6.7/11. On Saturday, the Gladiator audience declined still further, producing a 5.8/9 for the conclusion. On Sunday night the 14th season opener of Fox's The Simpsons (10.2/15) won the 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. period, besting CBS's Becker (8.5/12), which fell to second place in that time slot.

Who Says TV Must Be Dumbed Down?
7 October 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Despite a rather complicated report on the machinations of investment bankers prior to the stock market collapse as well as competition from a half-hour NFL football overrun on Fox, 60 Minutes turned in a surprisingly strong 11.2 rating and an 18 share Sunday night. The win in the 7:00 p.m. hour helped CBS tie NBC for the ratings lead despite falling to fourth place from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. with a dismal 6.3 rating and a 9 share for the made-for-TV movie, Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay, starring Shirley MacLaine. Fortunately, the season premiere of CBS's Becker produced the number-one rating in the 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. period, a 9.4/14. The series debut of Bram and Alice, which followed, put the network in second place with a 7.9/11. (The second half hour of American Dreams took over the lead in that period, averaging an 8.5/12 for the entire hour.) NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent remained dominant in the 9:00 hour, scoring an 11.1/15, while the second week of NBC's Boomtown, in the 10:00 hour, produced a 9.0/14, coming in second to ABC's The Practice, one of the few long-running ABC shows to remain a potent force, with a 10.6/16.

CBS Back on Top
18 September 2002 (StudioBriefing)
CBS returned to the top spot on the weekly Nielsens as the summer rerun season neared its end last week, scoring strongly with two episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the comedy Everybody Loves Raymond, and the reality series Big Brother. ABC, in a surprise, moved into second place, thanks to Monday Night Football and good ratings for the movies Notting Hill and Liar, Liar. CBS averaged a 6.6 rating and an 11 share for the week. ABC scored a 6.0/10. NBC was in third place with a 5.5/10, while Fox returned to the fourth spot (after winning the previous week) with a 4.4/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. NFL Monday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots, ABC, 12.8/23; 2. NFL Monday Showcase, ABC, 10.9/18; 3. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Monday), CBS, 9.7/16; 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Thursday), CBS, 9.4/16; 4. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 9.4/14; 6. 9/11, CBS, 8.0/13; 6. Becker, CBS, 8.0/12; 8. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.9/13; 9. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 7.8/13; 10. ABC News 9/11 Special, ABC, 7.5/13; 10. (Tie) Friends, NBC, 7.5/13; 10. (Tie) Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 7.5/11; 10. (Tie) Law and Order: SVU 9/15, NBC, 7.5/13.

'Idol' Lands Fox in First
11 September 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Fox has finally finished first in the weekly Nielsen ratings with a nonsports or Oscar show. It won the top spot -- and the week -- with the two-hour finale of American Idol on Wednesday, a talent contest won by Kelly Clarkson. Her appearance with runner-up Justin Guarini on Tuesday placed second on the Nielsen list. Fox's triumph knocked CBS out of the top spot for the week, a position that it had held without interruption throughout the summer. Fox averaged a 6.2/11 for the week, just nudging out CBS which pulled a 6.1/11. NBC placed third with a 5.2/9, followed by ABC with a 4.4/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox, 12.6/21; 2. American Idol (Tuesday), Fox, 10.5/16; 3. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (10:00 p.m. Thursday), CBS, 9.8/17; 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 9.4/15 (9:00 p.m. Thursday); 5. Everybody Loves Raymond (Friday), CBS, 9.3/15; 6. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Monday), CBS, 8.9/15; 7. Law and Order, NBC, 8.5/15; 8. Becker (9:30 p.m. Monday), CBS, 8.3/13; 8. NFL Sunday, Fox, 8.3/15; 10. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.7/13.

'MNF' Scores an Early TD
10 September 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Monday Night Football, with John Madden at the mike, took to the field Monday and pummeled the opposition, including CBS's hits Everybody Loves Raymond, Becker and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, all reruns. The season opener between Pittsburgh and New England posted a 16.1 rating and a 23 share between 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., figures that were 29 percent higher compared with the MNF opener a year ago. CBS's programs during the same period average a 9.6/14.

CBS Wins, But Fox Is A Superstar
28 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
CBS continued to dominate the ratings last week, coming in first for the tenth week in a row among total U.S. households. Among 18-49-year-olds, it was a different matter, however, as Fox's American Idol: the Search for a Superstar brought in most of the viewers that advertisers love most. Repeats of CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation topped the Nielsen list, while NBC received little help from reruns of its Must-See-TV shows, but did get plenty of it from its Law & Order franchise, which nabbed three places in the top ten. CBS scored a 5.8 average rating and a 10 share for the week. NBC was second with a 5.4/10. ABC placed third with a 4.8/9, followed by Fox with a 4.3/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 9.6/15; 2. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Monday), CBS, 9.4/16; 3. Law & Order, NBC, 8.9/15; 3. American Idol (Tuesday), Fox, 8.8/14; 5. Becker, CBS, 8.7/14; 6. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 8.3/14; 7. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox, 8.0/13; 8. NFL Pre-Season, ABC, 7.6/13; 9. Law and Order: SVU, NBC, 7.4/14; 9. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.2/14.

CBS Owns Summer
21 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
CBS continued to dominate the summer rerun season last week, taking six of the top-ten places on Nielsen's household ratings compilation. Everybody Loves Raymond and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation tied for first place, with Raymond garnering a few more actual viewers than CSI. It was the ninth straight week that CBS had finished first or tied for first. The network averaged a 6.0 rating and an 11 share for the week. NBC was second with a 5.6/10, while Fox and ABC tied for third with a 3.9/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.3/14; 1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 8.3/14;3. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 8.2/15; 3. Law and Order: Criminal Intent (Wednesday), NBC, 8.2/14; 5. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.0/16; 6. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Friday), CBS, 7.8/14; 7. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 7.6/13; 8. Becker, CBS, 7.5/12; 9. American Idol (Tuesday), Fox, 7.4/12; 9. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 7.4/12.

NBC Bunny Hops To A First-Place Tie
14 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
NBC and CBS tied for the top spot on the weekly Nielsen list for the first time in seven weeks with each averaging a 5.4 rating and a 10 share. ABC followed with a 4.2/8, while Fox trailed with a 3.5/7. NBC was helped in large measure by a Dog Eat Dog special that featured Playboy Playmates, which drew the largest audience for any reality show this summer.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 9.5/17; 2. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.6/18; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.3/14; 4. Law and Order, NBC, 8.0/14; 5. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 7.8/13; 6. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 7.7/14; 7. Becker, CBS, 7.5/12; 7. Dateline (Sunday - 7:00 p.m.), NBC, 7.5/14; 9. Dog Eat Dog, NBC, 7.4/12; 10. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 7.3/12.

Reruns Top Nielsen List
7 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Although NBC, ABC, and Fox have gamely tried to come up with original reality programming to counter the summer blahs among viewers, CBS remained the top-rated network for the seventh consecutive time last week with a slate of reruns and magazine shows. A rerun of CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was the No. 1 show on the Nielsen list, while a Monday edition of the network's 48 Hours placed second and a rerun of its Everybody Loves Raymond tied for third. CBS averaged a 5.5 rating and a 10 share for the week. NBC was close behind with a 5.4/10. ABC was third with a 4.2/9, followed by Fox with a 3.6/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 10.5/18; 2. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 8.6/15; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.5/14; 3. Law and Order, NBC, 8.5/15; 5. Becker, CBS, 7.8/13; 6. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 7.6/13; 7. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.5/15; 8. American Idol (Tuesday), Fox, 7.1/12; 9. Friends, NBC, 6.8/13; 9. Primetime Thursday, ABC, 6.8/12.

The Ratings News: News
24 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Magazine shows dominated the Nielsen ratings for last week, accounting for half of the top-ten shows and helping to boost ABC's overall numbers. Nevertheless, aside from "Primetime Thursday" and 20/20, the network's offerings were virtually ignored by the TV audience. Its highest-rated non-magazine show was America's Funniest Home Videos at No. 48. CBS again won the week with an average 5.5 rating and a 10 share, just ahead of NBC's 5.3/10. Fox and ABC tied with a 4.1/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 9.4/16; 2. Law & Order, NBC, 8.0/14; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 7.8/13; 4. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 7.6/14; 5. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.1/14; 6. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 7.0/12; 6. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 7.0/12; 8. Becker, CBS, 6.9/11; 9. "Primetime Thursday," ABC, 6.8/12; 10. 20/20 (Friday), ABC, 6.4/12; 10. Dog Eat Dog, NBC, 6.4/11.

Fox Earns Ground Rule Double
17 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
The annual All-Star baseball game may have been a dud as All-Star games go, pulling the worst primetime ratings in its history and abortively ending in a 7-7 tie, but it nevertheless put Fox at the top of the Nielsen top-ten list for last week. The pre-game show came in at No. 4. Nevertheless, CBS was the top-rated network overall for the week with an average 5.4 rating and a ten share. NBC was close behind with a 5.2/10. Fox was third with a 4.7/9, while ABC trailed with a 4.1/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Fox MLB All-Star Game, Fox, 9.5/17; 2. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 8.8/16; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.1/14; 4. Fox MLB All-Star Pregame Show, Fox, 8.0/15; 5. Law & Order, NBC, 7.9/14; 6. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.4/16; 7. Becker, CBS, 7.2/12; 8. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 7.1/12; 8. (Tie) ABC Monday Night Movie: The Horse Whisperer, ABC, 7.1/12; 10. CBS Sunday Movie: Holy Joe, CBS, 6.2/11; 10. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 6.2/11; 10. Law and Order: SVU, NBC, 6.2/12.

Tick-Tick-Tick Top
10 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
CBS's 60 Minutes, which once regularly occupied the top spot on the Nielsen ratings list during the summer, returned to it again for the first time since June of last year. The show, which featured a repeat of a story about allegations that Marine officials falsified records concerning the crash-plagued MV-22 Osprey aircraft, drew an 8.6 rating and an 18 share. Other news magazines also fared well, including CBS's 48 Hours and NBC's Tuesday Dateline, which landed in the top ten and CBS's 60 Minutes II (#14), NBC's Sunday Dateline (#21), Friday Dateline (#25) and ABC's 20/20 (tied for #25) all making the top-25 list. As usual during a week that includes a long Independence Day holiday, overall ratings were low; Thursday night's (July 4) shows were particularly hard hit. CBS was the top-rated network among households for the third straight week, averaging a 5.0 rating and an 11 share. NBC was second with a 5.0/10. Fox was third with a 3.6/7 (thanks largely to the summer hit American Idol), followed closely by ABC with a 3.5/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.6/18; 2. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 7.9/14; 3. CBS Sunday Movie: A Time to Kill, CBS, 7.7/13; 4. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 7.4/13; 4. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 7.4/13; 6. Becker, CBS, 7.3/12; 7. Law & Order, NBC, 6.6/13; 7. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 6.6/11; 9. Crime and Punishment, NBC, 6.3/11; 10. CBS Friday Movie: Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest, CBS, 6.2/13.

CBS on Top Again
3 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
CBS won the weekly ratings race as a rerun of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation took the top spot for the sixth week in a row and nabbed three other places in the top-ten as well. News magazines also dominated the list, with Barbara Walters' interview with Tatum O'Neal on 20/20 and a "Primetime Thursday" edition giving ABC two spots on the top-ten list for the first time in recent memory. (CBS's 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes II and 48 Hours also landed in the top ten.) CBS averaged a 5.9 rating and an 11 share for the week. NBC was second with a 4.8/9. ABC followed with a 4.2/8, while Fox trailed with a 3.5/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:
1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 10.3/18; 2. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.2/17; 2. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.2/14; 4. 20/20 (Friday), ABC, 7.7/15; 5. Becker, CBS, 7.2/12; 6. Law and Order, NBC, 6.9/12; 7. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 6.7/12; 8. "The Price Is Right," CBS, 6.5/12; 8. Primetime Thursday, ABC, 6.5/12; 10. 60 Minutes II, CBS, 6.2/12; 10. CBS Wednesday Movie: Black and Blue, CBS, 6.2/11; 10. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 6.2/11.

CBS Trounces Rivals on Monday
2 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Aided by a surprisingly strong showing by the venerable CBS news magazine 48 Hours, CBS easily won Monday night's ratings race. Repeats of the 9:00 comedies Everybody Loves Raymond (7.9/14) and Becker (7.2/12) performed well, as expected. But 48 Hours, which presented a feature about a man accused of killing his infant son, garnered a 7.4/13, the second-highest numbers of the night, and clobbered the competition: NBC's Crossing Jordan (5.4/10) and the ABC movie Sling Blade (4.9/9). Overall, CBS averaged a 6.9/12 for the night. NBC was in second place with a 5.6/10. ABC followed with a 4.7/8. Fox was far behind with a puny 2.2/4. (It was beaten by both The WB with a 3.0/5 and UPN with a 2.8/4.)

CSI Rerun Leads Again
26 June 2002 (StudioBriefing)
TV analysts were scratching their heads Tuesday over why a rerun of CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation wound up at the top of the weekly Nielsen ratings with 15.1 million viewers while a rerun of E.R.came in at No. 23 with 8.2 million. Conventional wisdom in the industry holds that dramas perform poorly in reruns (and, as a result, command lower rates in syndication). However, CSI has continued to defy that perception -- even opposite two Must-See-TV comedies on NBC, Will & Grace and Just Shoot Me (as well as the moribund Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on ABC). The biggest surprise for the week may have been the strong performance of the new Fox talent-hunt series American Idol, which ranked No. 1 and 2 in the 18-49-year-old demo. (The show was also the top-rated show Tuesday night, scoring a 7.4/12 in the 9:00 p.m. hour.) The overall network audience continued to dwindle last week, primarily because of the huge exodus of viewers from ABC, whose ratings are averaging 30 percent below last year's. CBS won the week with an average 6.0 rating and an 11 share as it placed seven shows in the top 10. NBC finished second with a 5.1/10. Fox ranked third with a 3.8/7, while ABC came in last with a 3.6/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 9.8/18; 2. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.9/15; 3. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 8.8/15; 4. Becker, CBS, 8.0/13; 5. Law and Order, NBC, 7.7/13; 6. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.5/16; 7. Law and Order: SVU, NBC, 7.1/13; 8. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 6.9/12; 8. The Price Is Right: U.S. Marines, CBS, 6.9/14; 10. King of Queens, CBS, 6.8/13.

NBC's New Game Show Holding Its Own Against CBS Powerhouses
25 June 2002 (StudioBriefing)
The second week of NBC's new reality game show "Dog Eat Dog" placed second in the 9:00 p.m. hour Monday night with a respectable 6.7 rating and 10 share against repeats of CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond (8.9/14) and Becker (7.7/12).

When Ratings Don't Tell The Whole Story
19 June 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Last week's Nielsen list of the top-rated shows ought to have included at least a couple of asterisks, one to explain that the final hour of the U.S. Open actually drew the largest number of viewers and another to explain that the final game of the NBA championships -- rated No. 2 for the week -- attracted more viewers than the No. 1-rated show, a rerun of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.Yet another asterisk would have indicated that although the Fox talent contest American Idol finished out of the top ten in overall households, the second episode of the series on Wednesday was the No. 2 program among viewers 18-49 and Tuesday's debut was the No. 3 program among that demo. NBC was the top-rated network for the week, averaging a 6.4 rating and a 12 share. CBS finished second with a 6.0/11. ABC remained far behind with a 3.7/7, followed by Fox with a 3.6/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research:
1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 10.9/18; 2. NBA Finals Game 4, NBC, 10.8/19; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 9.9/16; 4. Becker, CBS, 8.7/14; 5. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 8.2/14; 6. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 8.0/14; 7. "Crime and Punishment," NBC, 7.6/13; 8. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.5/16; 9. Dateline Sunday, NBC, 7.2/13; 10. Yes, Dear, CBS, 7.0/12.

Dog Comes Out Growling
18 June 2002 (StudioBriefing)
NBC's debuting game/reality show "Dog Eat Dog," hosted by former "Baywatch" babe Brooke Burns, was unable to beat repeats of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Becker" on CBS Monday night, but nevertheless performed respectably in the 9:00 p.m. hour, pulling a 7.5 rating and an 11 share ("Raymond": 9.6/15; "Becker": 8.7/13). The show, which boasts an Olympic-size pool and 30-foot towers as part of its set -- the largest for any TV game show in history -- drew national attention in March when an underwater stunt wound up with one of the contestants being rushed to the hospital. The only other fresh show of the night was CBS's "48 Hours," which pulled a strong 8.8/14, easily beating NBC's repeat of "Crossing Jordan" (5.9/9).

NBA Scores For NBC
12 June 2002 (StudioBriefing)
The NBA championship Finals gave NBC an easy ratings win for the week, even though the audience dropped significantly from last year, according to Nielsen Research. Game 3 between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Jersey Nets, played Sunday night, was the highest-rated show of the week, as it drew 16.21 million viewers, but that figure was 20 percent lower than the third game of last year's Finals. NBC finished the week with an average 6.2 rating and an 11 share. CBS was second with a 5.7/10. ABC followed with a 4.0/7, while Fox trailed with a 3.1/6.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. NBA Finals Game 3, NBC, 10.6/20; 2. NBA Finals Game 1. NBC, 10.2/18; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 9.8/16; 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 9.7/16; 5. NBA Finals Game 2, NBC, 9.1/18; 6. Becker, CBS, 8.6/14; 7. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 8.0/14; 8. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.2/15; 9. CBS Sunday Night Movie: Cupid & Cate, CBS, 7.1/12; 9. Dateline NBC (Tuesday), NBC, 7.1/12; 10. Yes Dear, CBS, 6.7/11.

NBC Jumps Through Hoops Over Ratings
5 June 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Ratings for the NBA playoffs that haven't been seen since Michael Jordan was playing for the Chicago Bulls powered NBC to an easy win last week as they averaged a 7.3 rating and a 13 share. Games 5, 6, and 7 all landed in the top ten, with Sunday's deciding Game 7 the most-watched primetime program of the week. (It also did in CBS's telecast of the Tony awards, whose audience fell 11 percent to a record low of 8 million viewers versus almost 24 million for the basketball game.) The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. NBA Playoff (Lakers at Sacramento) (Sunday), NBC, 14.4/24; 2. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 11.6/19; 3. NBA Playoffs (Kings at Los Angeles) (Friday), NBC, 11.1/22; 4. NBA Playoff (Lakers at Sacramento) (Tuesday), NBC, 9.9/17; 5. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 9.4/15; 6. Becker, CBS, 8.4/13; 7. Miss Universe Pageant, CBS, 8.1/13; 8. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.9/15; 9. "Primetime Thursday," ABC, 7.7/13; 10. Friends, NBC, 7.6/15.

What A Difference A Day Makes
30 May 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Last week's ratings favored shows that aired during the beginning of the week -- the official end of the May sweeps -- and downplayed shows that aired from Thursday on -- the beginning of the summer rerun season. NBC and CBS wound up in a dead heat in overall households, with each averaging a 6.8 rating and a 12 share. ABC, which saw its NYPD Blue drama shoot up the list to number 12 (the closest it has come in recent months to cracking the top ten with a regularly scheduled series) wound up with an average 5.3/10. Fox trailed with a 5/9.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Law & Order, NBC, 12.9/21; 2. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 12.8/19; 3. The West Wing, NBC, 11.3/17; 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (9:00), CBS, 11.1/19; 5. Becker, CBS, 110./16; 6. Frasier, NBC, 10.8/17; 7. JAG, CBS, 9.8/16; 7. Judging Amy, CBS, 9.8/16; 9. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (8:00), CBS, 8.8/17; 10. "Academy of Country Music Awards," CBS, 8.6/14; 10. King of Queens (Monday 8:30), CBS, 8.6/13.

Farrell Falls Off "Becker"
24 May 2002 (WENN)
E! Online reports former Star Trek: Deep Space Nine babe Terry Farrell has been dropped from the cast of hit CBS sitcom Becker. The announcement that Farrell would not be returning for any episodes next season comes as a surprise as this season's cliffhanger ending featured her character kissing Ted Danson's character. According to Paramount Network Television, producers have decided to take the show in a "new creative direction", which may be a reference to the recent introduction of Nancy Travis as a romantic interest for the title character. (This item was compiled by IMDb staff)

CBS Finales Are The Real "Must See" Shows
21 May 2002 (StudioBriefing)
CBS season-enders beat out NBC's reality and nostalgia shows Monday night. A one-hour King of Queens averaged an 8.9/13 at 8:00 p.m., edging out NBC's Fear Factor, which averaged an 8.6/12 over 90 minutes. CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond concluded its season on a high note, earning a 13.8/19 at 9:00 p.m., beating the last half-hour of NBC's Fear Factor and the series finale of Fox's Ally McBeal, which scored a strong 8.5/12. At 9:30 p.m., CBS's Becker, with an 11.4/16 easily outscored the first half-hour of NBC's "20 Years of Must-See-TV," which averaged an 8.3/12. CBS faltered at 10:00, however, drawing a 7.9/12 for its magazine show, 48 Hours. Overall, CBS won the night with a 9.8/14. NBC was second with an 8.5/12. Fox followed with an 8.2/12, while ABC (with the movie Enemy of the State) was fourth with a 7.7/11.

CBS Again Wins By An Eyelash
24 April 2002 (StudioBriefing)
In a week padded with repeats in anticipation of the May sweeps, CBS wound up as the ratings leader with an average 7.2 rating and a 12 share. NBC finished close behind with a 7.1/12 (and won in the 18-49-year-old demo). ABC was a distant third with a 5.1/9, but managed to place one show in the top ten -- Thursday's Primetime -- which tied for ninth place. Fox was last with a 4.4/7. Continuing to defy the long-held assumption that dramas perform weakly in repeats, a rerun of CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation took the top spot for the week with a 13.9/22. (By contrast a rerun of ER, the usual ratings leader, failed even to make the top ten, tying for 11th place with an 8.8/15).

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 13.9/22; 2. Survivor: Marquesas, CBS, 11.5/20; 3. Friends (8:30 p.m.), NBC, 11.2/19; 4. (tie) 60 Minutes, CBS, 10.9/20; 4. (tie) Friends (8:00 p.m.), NBC, 10.9/19; 6. (tie) Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 10.5/16; 6. (tie) Law & Order, NBC, 10.5/18; 8. Will & Grace, NBC, 10.4/17; 9. (tie) Becker, CBS, 8.9/14; 9. (tie) Primetime Thursday, ABC, 8.9/15.

But How Many Ghosts Were Watching?
23 April 2002 (StudioBriefing)
What was seen as a desperate attempt by ABC to rope in viewers with a special featuring a medium talking to dead celebrities failed Monday night as "Contact: Talking to the Dead," with George Anderson, landed in third place with a 6.6 rating and a 10 share in the 10:00 p.m. hour, behind NBC's Crossing Jordan (7.7/12) and CBS's First Monday (6.7/10). Surprisingly, ABC's The Bachelor scored relatively high numbers in the 9:00 p.m. hour, posting a 9.5/14 and beating out NBC's Third Watch with an 8.1/11 and CBS's Becker, with a 9.4/13 between 9:30 and 10:00 p.m. Nevertheless, The Bachelor was edged out by a rerun of CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond (10.1/14) at the top of the 9:00 hour. CBS won the night with an 8.0/12. NBC was second with a 7.8/12. ABC gave up the ghost with a 7.3/11.

Oscar Leads ABC To Rare Victory
27 March 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Demonstrating what a difference even a relatively low-rated Oscar telecast can make, ABC became the number-one network last week for only the second time this season. (It rose to the top in January when it aired the New Year's Bowl games.) The awards show, along with a couple of attendant specials, including the annual Barbara Walters celebrity interview feature, boosted the network to an average 8.5 rating for the week and a 14 share and it offset dismal ratings for two World Figure Skating Championships telecasts earlier in the week. CBS was second with a 7.6/13. NBC followed with a 7.2/10. Fox trailed with a 5.1/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Academy Awards, ABC, 25.4/42; 2. On the Red Carpet: Oscars 2002, ABC, 17.1/28; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 13.4/20; 4. Friends, NBC, 13.0/21; 5. Survivor: Marquesas (Wednesday) 2, CBS, 12.6/20; 6. Barbara Walters Special, ABC, 11.8/20; 7. Becker, CBS, 11.5/18; 8. Law and Order, NBC, 11.1/20; 9. Leap of Faith, NBC, 10.0/16; 10. ER, NBC, 9.9/17.

Peacock Plies To The Top
20 March 2002 (StudioBriefing)
NBC regained the top spot in the weekly Nielsens last week as it averaged a 7.9 rating and a 13 share. (It also was No. 1 among 18-49-year-old viewers.) The network placed Friends, Law and Order, Leap of Faith and The West Wing in the top 10. CBS was a close second, scoring a 7.5/13. Moving to Wednesday night to make way for the NCAA basketball tournament, Survivor: Marquesas was the third highest-rated show of the week (but -- an anomaly of the ratings system, which focuses on percentages -- drew the largest audience of the week). ABC was a distant third with a 6.2/13 but did place one show in the top ten -- a two-hour edition of Primetime Thursday focusing on gay adoptions and featuring an interview with Rosie O'Donnell in which she publicly discussed her homosexuality for the first time. News Corp placed fourth with a 4.9/8. Its highest-rated show was the much-hyped Celebrity Boxing, which tied for 16th place.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Friends, NBC, 13.6/22; 2. Law and Order, NBC, 11.6/20; 3. Survivor Marquesas (Wednesday), CBS, 11.5/19; 4. 60 Minutes, CBS, 11.2/19; 5. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 10.9/16; 6. JAG, CBS, 10.7/17; 7. Becker, CBS, 10.5/16; 7. Leap of Faith, NBC, 10.5/17; 7. Primetime Thursday, ABC, 10.5/17; 10. The West Wing, NBC, 10.0/16.

Olympics Wins Every Night
27 February 2002 (StudioBriefing)
For the second week in a row, NBC went seven for seven, handily winning every night of the week with its coverage of the Winter Olympics contests and Sunday's closing ceremonies. Thursday night's women's figure skating competition, won by 16-year-old American Sarah Hughes, was the highest rated program of the week. Last week's ratings victories also assured NBC of an easy win in the February sweeps. Overall, it averaged a 19.9 rating and a 31 share. CBS was far behind in second place with a 6.0/9. Fox finished third with a 4.7/7, while ABC finished last with a 4.5/7.

The top 20 shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Winter Olympics (Thursday) NBC, 26.8/41; 2. Winter Olympics Closing Ceremonies (Sunday), NBC, 22.3/33; 2. Winter Olympics (Tuesday) NBC, 22.3/34; 4. Winter Olympics (Wednesday) NBC, 19.5/31; 5. Winter Olympics (Friday) NBC, 17.7/31; 6. Winter Olympics (Monday) NBC, 17.1/26; 7. Winter Olympics (Saturday) Prime 3, NBC, 15.7/27; 8. Dateline (Sunday), NBC, 12.3/21; 9. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 9.2/13; 10. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.7/14; 11. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 8.5/13; 12. Becker, CBS, 7.8/11; 13. (tie) Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 7.4/11; 13. (tie) NYPD Blue, ABC, 7.4/12; 15. The Simpsons, Fox, 7.1/11; 16. JAG, CBS, 6.9/10; 17. (tie) 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 6.8/11; 17. (tie) The Practice, ABC, 6.8/11; 19. CBS Sunday Movie, CBS, 6.7/10; 20. Boston Public, Fox, 6.6/10; 20. King of Queens, CBS, 6.6/10.

NBC On The Victor's Stand
21 February 2002 (StudioBriefing)
If a week had ten days, the top ten programs on the Nielsen primetime list last week would all have been NBC's telecasts of the Winter Olympics. As it turned out, the top seven were, with ratings well above what even the rosiest optimists at the network might have hoped for earlier in the year. NBC scored an average 17.2 rating for the week with a 27 share. Second place CBS could only muster a 6.5/10. Fox was in third place with a 4.7/7, edging out ABC with a 4.6/7.

The top 20 shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Winter Olympics (Monday) NBC, 19.6/30; 2. Winter Olympics (Tuesday) NBC, 18.5/29; 3. Winter Olympics (Thursday) NBC, 17.6/29; 4. Winter Olympics (Wednesday) NBC, 17.5/28; 5. Winter Olympics (Sunday) NBC, 17.1/26; 6. Winter Olympics (Friday) NBC, 15.8/27; 7. Winter Olympics (Saturday), NBC, 14.0/25; 8. Everybody Loves Raymond (Monday), CBS, 9.6/14; 9. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (8:00 p.m.), CBS, 8.4/13; 10. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.1/14; 10. Becker, CBS, 8.1/12; 10. Everybody Loves Raymond (Thursday), CBS, 8.1/13; 13 (tie), CBS Wednesday Movie, CBS, 7.3/12; 13 (tie), JAG, CBS, 7.3/11; 15 (tie), CBS Sunday Movie, CBS, 6.9/10; 15 (tie), The Practice, ABC, 6.9/11; 17 (tie), King Of Queens (Thursday), CBS, 6.8/11; 17 (tie), Yes, Dear, CBS, 6.8/10; 19, King Of Queens, CBS, 6.7/10; 20, Boston Public, Fox, 6.6/10.

Burnett Registers Amazing Victory For CBS
5 December 2001 (StudioBriefing)
In a TV comeback like none other in memory, a Carol Burnett special was the most-watched television show last week, exceeding Burnett's best performances more than a quarter of a century ago when she was one of television's reigning stars. The special attracted 30 million viewers, the most to watch a CBS entertainment program of any kind for more than a decade. It also helped CBS easily win the week in households with an average 8.6 rating and a 14 share. NBC was second with a 7.9/13. ABC placed third with a 7.5/12, followed by Fox with a 5.9/9.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Carol Burnett Show (Special), CBS, 18.9/29; 2. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 15.2/22; 3. Law and Order, NBC, 13.7/23; 3 . The West Wing, NBC, 13.7/21; 5. Friends, NBC, 13.2/20; 6. Becker, CBS, 12.9/19; 7. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 12.2/18; 7. NFL Monday Night Football, ABC, 12.2/20; 9. Judging Amy, CBS, 11.4/19; 10. JAG, CBS, 10.9/17.

Everybody Loves Everybody Loves Raymond
28 November 2001 (StudioBriefing)
For the first time in its history, Everybody Loves Raymond, a solid performer for CBS since it went on the air in 1996, has risen to the top spot in the Nielsen rankings. The victory during the last full week of the November sweeps appears to ensure that CBS will win the critical ratings period. The network finished last week with an average 8.4 rating and a 14 share, just ahead of NBC, which drew an 8.1/14. ABC was well behind the front-runners, finishing third with an 11/6.5. Fox placed fourth with a 5.7/9. For ABC, the results represented another calamity. Not a single regular dramatic or comedy program seen on the network landed in the top ten. Its highest-rated program was Monday Night Football at No. 7 last week and No. 11 for the month. Lehman Brothers analyst Stuart Linde told Bloomberg News Tuesday, "ABC has been disappointing." The tightest race continues between NBC and Fox for the most 18-49-year-old viewers. Fox has seen its average number of viewers in that category rise 22 percent since last year. "We were waiting for all of their programming to kick in, and we knew it was going to be a close race for this season," media buyer Stacey Lynn Koerner of Initiative Media told today's New York Daily News.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 14.4/21; 2. E.R. NBC, 13.9/26; 3. Friends (8:00 p.m.), NBC, 12.7/25; 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 12.4/22; 5. Becker, CBS, 11.9/18; 6. Law and Order, NBC, 11.8/21; 6. NFL Monday Night Football, ABC, 11.8/20; 8. 60 Minutes, CBS, 11.7/18; 9. Friends (8:30 p.m.), NBC, 11.5/22; 10. Judging Amy, CBS, 10.9/18.

Raymond, Becker Outscore MNF
13 November 2001 (StudioBriefing)
CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond pulled an exceptional 13.9/20 Monday night to beat competition from ABC's Monday Night Football and provide a strong lead-in for Becker, which also outscored the football competition with an 11.3/16. Still, the football contest did well enough in the subsequent hours, averaging an 11.4/17, to give ABC a win for the night. CBS was second with a 9.8/15, while NBC followed with a 7.7/12 and Fox with a 7.3/11.

E.R. Returns To No. 1
24 October 2001 (StudioBriefing)
The return of Sherry Stringfield to E.R. last Thursday lifted the medical drama back to the top spot in the weekly Nielsens and helped NBC win its fourth consecutive victory in the ratings race. Friends, which has been pulling in its biggest numbers in five years, continued its streak, placing second, and handily beating the first half hour of Survivor: Africa. ABC, meanwhile, took a severe beating as it failed to place a single program in the top ten and only one (The Practice) in the top twenty. NBC finished the week with an 8.3 average rating and a 13 share. CBS was second with an 8.1/13. Fox was third with a 7.5/12, followed by ABC with a 6.5/11.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. E.R. NBC, 17.6/28; 2. Friends, NBC, 16.0/25; 3. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 14.1/21; 4 . The West Wing, NBC, 13.7/21; 5. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 13.5/20; 6. Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 12.9/21; 7. Major League Baseball Playoffs, Fox, 12.3/19; 8. JAG, CBS, 11.6/18; 9. Becker, CBS, 11.4/16; 9. (Tie) Judging Amy, CBS, 11.4/18; 9. (Tie) Survivor: Africa, CBS, 11.4/18.

NBC On Top For Third Week
17 October 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Huge ratings for its Must-See-TV shows on Thursday night combined with equally high ratings for dramas The West Wing and Law & Order, paced NBC to its third victory over its rivals in as many weeks. CBS's hit reality series Survivor was bested by NBC's Friends but nevertheless wound up in second place for the week. ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, once the network's cash cow, continued to plunge in the ratings. Reduced to two eisodes per week, Millionaire placed 41st for Monday's show and 44th for Thursday's. NBC averaged an 8.8 rating and a 14 share for the week. CBS was second with an 8.6/14. ABC placed third with a 6.7/11. Fox trailed with a 5.3/9.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Friends, NBC, 17.9/26; 2. The West Wing, NBC, 15.3/23; 3. E.R. NBC, 14.4/23; 3. Law and Order, NBC, 14.4/24; 5. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 14.1/21; 6. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 13.8/21; 7. Survivor: Africa, CBS, 13.2/19; 8. Will & Grace, NBC, 12.4/18; 9. Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, NBC, 11.7/20; 10. Becker, CBS, 11.6/17.

ABC's Football Tackled By CBS Sitcoms
16 October 2001 (StudioBriefing)
ABC's Monday Night Football was trounced by CBS's Monday night comedy lineup, averaging only a 10.0 rating and a 15 share while Everybody Loves Raymond scored a 13.2/19, followed by Becker with an 11.1/16. Earlier, the CBS comedies King of Queens (9.6/15) and Yes, Dear (9.6/14) beat Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (8.8/13). Football game out ahead in the 10:00 hour however, as it peaked with a 10.8/16.

And Baby Makes 30.04 Million
10 October 2001 (StudioBriefing)
The business of predicting viewers' inclinations appeared ever more problematic Tuesday as Nielsen released results for the second week of the new season. NBC's The West Wing, which had delayed its season debut a week so that it could open with a drama about terrorism -- and, with its biggest numbers ever, appeared to be a shoe-in to win the top spot for the week -- ended up instead in third place. It was beaten out by two NBC must-see stalwarts, Friends (which pulled in a sensational 30.04 million viewers wanting to find out who the father of Rachel's baby is) and E.R. Most of the networks' new shows continued to take a beating in the ratings, and both episodes of ABC's once-intrepid Who Wants to Be a Millionaire were trounced for the second week in a row, tying for 34th place for its Monday episode and winding up in 36th place for its second. NBC's reality show Fear Factor, which debuted strongly during the summer, wound up as the lowest rated program carried by any of the Big 3 networks as it plummeted to 99th place (out of 111 primetime shows).

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Friends, NBC, 18.9/31; 2. E.R. NBC, 17.4/28; 3. The West Wing, NBC, 16.3/25; 4. Law and Order, NBC, 15.0/24; 5. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 14.6/21; 6. Inside Schwartz, NBC, 13.0/20; 7. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 12.6/19; 7. Will & Grace, NBC, 12.6/19; 9. Becker, CBS, 12.0/17; 10. Judging Amy, CBS, 11.2/18; 10. NFL Monday Night Football, ABC, 11.2/18.

Becker Salary Bickering Ends
3 September 2001 (StudioBriefing)
The supporting cast of CBS's Becker have settled their lawsuit against the show's producer, Paramount, and returned to work on Friday. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. In a statement, the studio said, "There were some misunderstandings and miscommunication regarding Paramount policy which have been cleared up and everyone is delighted that production will resume and Becker will remain on schedule."

Mini-strike Continues On Becker Set
31 August 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Five supporting cast members of Becker failed to report for work for the second day in a row Thursday after filing a breach-of-contract suit against Paramount. The five claim that they have been instrumental in making the show a hit and are demanding raises.

More Viewers Watch Cable Than Nets
15 August 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Programs on the six television networks drew only 44 percent of television viewers last week, with the 56-percent majority tuning in to independent stations, cable, pay-TV or public broadcasting, according to figures released by Nielsen Research Tuesday. Those who did watch, were drawn primarily to reality shows, particularly ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which took the top three positions on the Nielsen list. The Regis Philbin-hosted quiz show helped give ABC a win for the week, despite the fact that the network averaged only a 5.7 rating and a 10 share. NBC was in second place with a 5.5/10. CBS was close behind with a 5.3/10, while Fox finished last among the major networks with a 3.6/7. The biggest surprise of the week was the eighth-place finish of ABC's new The Wayne Brady Show, which was the No. 1 show in the 18-49-year-old demo. Commenting on the result, Washington Post TV writer Lisa De Moraes observed today (Wednesday): "Wonder why network suits have been saying for so many years that the prime-time variety show genre is kaput. Maybe they're all just too old to get it."

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 9.2/15; 2. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 9.0/15; 3. Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 8.8/16; 4. Dateline NBC (Monday), NBC, 8.4/15; 5. Law and Order, NBC, 8.2/15; 6. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.1/14; 7. 60 Minutes, CBS, 8.0/16; 8. Weakest Link, NBC, 7.5/12; 9. Becker, CBS, 7.4/12; 10. 20/20 (Friday), ABC, 7.3/14.

Becker Actors Stage A Sick-Out
3 August 2001 (StudioBriefing)
The salary virus hit the set of Becker Wednesday, with several supporting actors failing to show up for work while their agents tried to win them raises, published reports said today (Friday). The "blue flu" hit the sitcom about a week after striking The West Wing, where four actors considered integral to the show failed to appear for rehearsals. However, as today's New York Post pointed out, the Becker actors are all considered replaceable. Moreover, the Post said, the studio dispatched a team of doctors to their homes to determine whether the actors were actually sick. They returned to work Thursday. The Post quoted their agent as saying, "Paramount has said that they're not negotiating and have slammed the door on these actors' faces." A production company insider commented, "We could recast this thing in 20 minutes."

Millionaire Is First, Second, Third Again
27 June 2001 (StudioBriefing)
It looked like the summer of 2000 once again as episodes of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire grabbed the top three spots on the Nielsen list for the week. (A fourth episode tied for 19th place.) Nevertheless, they were not enough to keep CBS from winning the week with an average 5.9 rating and a 10 share. ABC placed second with a 5.5/10. NBC ranked third with a 5.3/10, boosted by the debut of its new Spy TV show. Fox placed fourth with a 3.3/6.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 9.8/19; 2. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 9.5/16; 3. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 8.9/15; 4. 20/20 (Friday), ABC, 8.8/17; 4. 48 Hours (Monday), CBS, 8.8/15; 6. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.2/14; 6. Spy TV, NBC, 8.2/15; 8. Weakest Link, NBC, 7.9/13; 9. Becker, CBS, 7.7/13; 10. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.4/16; 10. Friends, NBC, 7.4/15.

NBC (W)hoops It Up
20 June 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Improved ratings for the NBA Finals last week helped give NBC a solid win for the week, even as viewers for its entertainment reruns disappeared. The basketball contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers produced ratings that were 4.3 percent higher than last year and 7 percent higher than the 1999 series (but never approached the numbers garnered in previous years when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dominated the sport). For the week that ended Sunday, NBC was on top with an average 6.5 rating and a 12 share. CBS placed second with a 6.1/11. ABC followed with a 5.5/10. Fox ranked fourth with a 3.3/6.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. NBA Finals Game 4 (Wednesday), NBC, 12.6/23; 2. NBA Finals Game 5 (Friday), NBC, 11.2/22; 3. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 10.1/19; 4. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 9.8/17; 5. Primetime Thursday, ABC, 9.7/17; 6. NBA Final Tip-off Game 4 (Wednesday), NBC, 9.6/18; 7. Weakest Link (Monday), NBC, 9.3/15; 8. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.9/15; 9. 20/20, ABC, 8.0/15; 10. (Tie) Becker, CBS, 7.5/12; CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 7.5/12.

New Game Show Is Still Fearsome
20 June 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Fear Factor, the season's most critically excoriated show, slipped a notch in the ratings on Monday but nevertheless won the 8:00 p.m. hour for NBC. The reality show pulled a 7.4/13, off from its 8.0/13 in its debut a week earlier. The network's Weakest Link weakened to an 8.9/14 from an 11.3/15 during the previous week. It was beaten by CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond (9.4/15) and Becker (8.3/13). With a strong showing by 48 Hours (9.3/13) at 10:00 p.m., CBS won the night with an average 8.1/13. NBC was second with a 7.3/12, followed by ABC with a 5.2/9 and Fox with a 3.9/6.

Summer's Here!
6 June 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Ratings for the first week of the summer rerun season looked a lot like ratings for many another week of summer rerun seasons, with an all-new edition of 60 Minutes heading the top-ten Nielsen list. (The long-running CBS mag, a perennial summer top favorite, was knocked off its perch last year by Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Survivor.) Millionaire also scored strongly last week, with the Sunday and Tuesday episodes tying for second place. CBS won the week with an overall average 6.9 rating and a 12 share. NBC was in second place with a 6.1/11. ABC followed with a 6.0/9, while Fox trailed with a 3.9/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. 60 Minutes, CBS, 10.5/20; 2. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 10.1/16; 2. Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 10.1/17; 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 9.5/16; 4. Everybody Loves Raymond (Special), CBS, 9.5/16; 6. NBA Playoff (Sunday, Milwaukee at Philadelphia), NBC, 8.7/15; 7. Touched By an Angel, CBS, 8.3/14; 8. 48 Hours (Special), CBS, 8.1/14; 8. Becker (Special), CBS, 8.1/13; 10. Funny Flubs & Screw Ups 7, CBS, 8.0/14.

CBS Survives At The Top
18 April 2001 (StudioBriefing)
In a week during which not one of NBC's Must-See TV lineup on Thursday made the Nielsen top ten -- or even the top twenty -- CBS managed to overwhelm its competition, capturing six of the top ten positions. ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire accounted for three others, while NBC squeezed in only Law and Order. CBS averaged an 8.4 rating and a 15 share for the week. ABC was in second place with a 6.7/12. NBC ranked third with a 5.7/10, followed by Fox with a 4.9/8.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Survivor II: The Australian Outback, CBS, 16.2/28; 2. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 14.8/24; 3. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 13.6/22; 4. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 12.5/19; 5. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2), CBS, 12.3/21; 6. Becker, CBS, 10.8/17; 6. Law and Order, NBC, 10.8/19; 8. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 10.5/17; 8. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 10.5/17; 10. Judging Amy, CBS, 10.1/17.

NBC Comes In Third On Thursday
14 March 2001 (StudioBriefing)
NBC last week was hit with a costly double whammy: Not only was it forced to endure the lowest ratings of any major network program with its XFL telecast on Saturday night, but its Robert Halmi-produced miniseries The Lost Empire became the lowest-rated TV miniseries in history. Yet a third humiliation: its Must-See TV lineup on Thursday night, all reruns, wound up in third place behind CBS's and ABC's first-runs, the first time that had happened since May, 1994. On the other hand, CBS had much to cheer about as its Survivor: The Australian Outback and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation took first- and second-place Nielsen honors for the week. The network wound up with a 8.4 average and a 14 share, the sixth time in the last seven weeks that it has won the ratings race. ABC was in second place with a 8.1/13, thanks in large measure to the continued strong pull of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. NBC was third with a 7.0/11, followed by Fox with a 5.4/9.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Survivor II: The Australian Outback, CBS, 17.1/26; 2. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 14.4/22; 3. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Wednesday), ABC, 14.0/23; 4. Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 12.8/20; 5. The Practice, ABC, 12.4/20; 6. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 12.1/18; 7. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 11.8/18; 8. (Tie) Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 11.7/17; Frasier, NBC, 11.7/18; 10. (Tie) 60 Minutes, CBS, 10.7/18; Becker, CBS, 10.7/16.

Football Game Scores Big
28 December 2000 (StudioBriefing)
ABC has managed to score a first-place win in the weekly Nielsen ratings, thanks primarily to big numbers for Monday Night Football and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The 9.9 rating and 26 share for last week's game between St. Louis and Tampa Bay were the best numbers for an MNF game since Nov. 8, 1999. Three of the four editions of Millionaire also made the top ten. ABC averaged a 7.8/14 for the week, well ahead of second-place CBS, which wound up with a 6.6/12. NBC, which aired reruns on its Thursday Must-See-TV schedule, fell to third place with a 6.2/11. Fox finished fourth with a 5.4/10.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. NFL Monday Night Football, ABC, 15.2/26; 2. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 14.5/23; 3. Millionaire (Wednesday), ABC, 13.4/22; 4. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 13.2/19; 5. Law and Order NBC, 12.6/21; 6. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 12.3/19; 7. Judging Amy, CBS, 12.2/20; 8. West Wing, NBC, 12.1/19; 9. Becker, CBS, 11.7/17; 10. NFL Monday Showcase, ABC, 11.2/17.

NBC Wins Another Sweeps Week
30 November 2000 (StudioBriefing)
NBC continued to pull strong ratings for its Must-See-TV lineup and for other established hits like The West Wing, Frasier, Providence and Law & Order, even while its new entries continued to founder last week, according to Nielsen Research. Aided also by its four-hour telecast of Titanic, the network won the fourth consecutive week of the November sweeps with an average 9.0 rating and a 15 share. ABC was in second place with an 8.7/14, followed closely by CBS with an 8.6/14. Fox trailed with a 6.1/10.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. E.R. NBC, 15.2/27; 2. NFL Monday Night Football: Washington vs. St. Louis, ABC, 13.9/23; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 13.7/20; 4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 13.3/21; 5. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 13.2/19; 6. Millionaire (Wednesday), ABC, 12.5/22; 6. The Practice, ABC, 12.5/20; 8. Law & Order, NBC, 12.2/21; 9. Becker, CBS, 11.9/17; 10. Frasier, NBC, 11.6/18; 10. Judging Amy, CBS, 11.6/19.

ABC Wins Week -- Narrowly
25 October 2000 (StudioBriefing)
ABC held on to the ratings leadership last week, thanks once again to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and The Practice. NBC, however, was able to capture the most 18-49 year-old viewers due to its hit Thursday-night lineup. ABC barely eked out its overall win, drawing an 8.9 rating and a 14 share, representing 9, 095, 800 viewers, while NBC pulled an 8.5/14, representing 8, 687, 000 viewers. CBS finished third with an 8.1/13 (8, 278, 200 viewers) followed by Fox with a 7.7/13 (7, 869, 400 viewers). Commenting on the ratings results at a luncheon meeting of the International Radio and Television Society in New York, NBC Entertainment chief Garth Ancier remarked that the 8:00 hour on Monday nights "is clearly our most troubled time period. ... Look for a change in the very near future." Within hours after Ancier spoke, NBC announced that it was canceling both of the new sitcoms occupying that hour, Daddio and Tucker, and replacing them with a fourth installment of its magazine show Dateline effective next Monday. The cancellations were the first by any network this season.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. E.R., NBC, 18.0/29; 2. Friends, NBC, 15.2/25; 3. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 14.1/210.; 4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, (Wednesday), ABC, 14.0/23; 5. Will & Grace (8:00 p.m.), NBC, 13.8/22; 6. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 13.1/19; 7. Will & Grace (8:30 p.m.), NBC, 12.7/19; 8. World Series Game 2, Fox, 12.6/20; 9. The Practice, ABC, 12.5/20; 10. Becker, CBS, 12.3/18.

Survivor Hatch To Make Cameo Appearance On Becker
8 September 2000 (StudioBriefing)
Continuing to make the most that it can out of its recent shortlived Survivor hit, CBS has written winner Richard Hatch into an upcoming episode of Becker, starring Ted Danson. In a cameo role, Hatch, playing himself, will be examined by Dr. Becker, who will find "interesting things in his stomach, " according to a CBS press release. They include stingray, baby shark and beetle larva.

Millionaire Back On Top
7 September 2000 (StudioBriefing)
With Survivor out of the picture, the three weekly episodes of ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire each moved up a notch in the ratings last week, occupying the top three spots on the Nielsen list. Surprisingly, ABC was also helped by the debut of a highly lauded medical documentary series, Hopkins 24/7, about the operations of the famed Johns Hopkins hospital, which landed in fifth place. ABC easily won the week with a 6.5 rating and a 12 share. CBS dropped to second place with a 5.9/11, followed by NBC with a 5.8/10. Fox finished fourth with a 4.2/7.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 14.6/25; 2. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 13.7/22; 3. Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 11.9/210.; 4. Law and Order, NBC, 9.2/16; 5. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 8.8/14; 5. Hopkins 24/7, ABC, 8.8/15; 7. Law and Order (Monday), NBC, 8.4/13; 8. Dharma & Greg, ABC, 8.2/13; 9. 60 Minutes, CBS, 7.9/15; 9. Becker, CBS, 7.9/13.0.

NBC's Ratings Plunge To A Record Low
9 August 2000 (StudioBriefing)
Last week's Survivor episode, which saw Gervase Petersen become the latest contestant to be kicked off the island, scored the series' largest audience to date -- 27.4 million viewers -- as it topped the Nielsen ratings list. Three episodes of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire followed. The Wednesday edition of Big Brother, which aired following Survivor, was the fifth-highest-rated show. Coverage of the Republican National Convention attracted relatively few viewers to the networks throughout the week. However, ABC's telecast of George W. Bush's acceptance speech attracted 7.5 million viewers but ranked only 35th on Nielsen's list of 119 network programs for the week, despite following Millionaire. A combination of low ratings for its convention coverage and disastrous ratings for a condensed version of the miniseries The 10th Kingdom, pushed NBC's overall ratings to a record low. For the week, the network averaged 6.2 million viewers, only 200, 000 more than fourth-place Fox. ABC was the most-watched network for the week with a 6.4 rating and a 12 share. CBS finished second with a 6.0/11. NBC followed with a 4.4/8, while Fox wound up fourth with a 3.9/7. Despite excellent newspaper reviews, viewers failed to tune in to watch Fox's early debut of American High. It was the network's lowest-rated show.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research: 1. Survivor, CBS, 16.7/30; 2. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Sunday), ABC, 15.4/25; 3. Millionaire (Tuesday), ABC, 14.3/26; 4. Millionaire (Thursday), ABC, 12.4/23; 5. Big Brother, CBS, 11.1/19; 6. 60 Minutes, CBS, 9.9/19; 7. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 9.0/15; 8. The Practice, ABC, 8.4/14; 9. Becker, CBS, 8.3/14; 10. NFL Pre-Season Hall of Fame Game (San Francisco vs. New England), ABC, 7.3/13.

Summer Football Fumbles
1 August 2000 (StudioBriefing)
Preseason football with Dennis Miller commenting on the game turned out to be no match for CBS's comedy lineup or a repeat of NBC's Law & Order Monday night. While CBS was attracting an 8.7 rating and a 13 share for Everybody Loves Raymond and a 7.9/12 for Becker in the 9:00 hour, and while NBC's legal drama was pulling an 8.2/13, ABC's coverage of the annual Hall of Fame game managed to average just a 7.9/13.