Posted on 01/17/2006 2:31:20 PM PST by LdSentinal
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Jack Bauer‘s latest marathon workday got off to a good start Sunday, ratings-wise.
The Fox drama "24" notched its most-watched episode ever with its fifth-season premiere as the first of two back-to-back episodes got a boost from a primetime overrun (in East Coast and Midwestern markets) of the NFL‘s NFC divisional playoff game between the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears.
Airing from about 8:13-9:11 p.m. EST, the first episode of "24" averaged 17 million viewers and a 7.3 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic (demographic share data for Sunday were not available Monday because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday), according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. The second hour of "24," which ended at about 10:13 p.m. EST, held onto the majority of its lead-in to finish out with 15.5 million viewers and a 6.7 rating in adults 18-49.
According to Fox, Sunday‘s episodes marked the two most-watched installments of the Emmy-winning real-time drama series since the clock began ticking on "24" in fall 2001. Last year, Fox shifted the series to a January premiere date in part to allow the show to run original episodes in its regular Monday 9 p.m. slot through the end of the season without taking any weeks off for repeats.
The first hour of Sunday‘s season opener improved on last year‘s "24" premiere episode (which also had a special Sunday kickoff) by 16% in adults 18-49 and 11% in total viewers. ABC‘s 9 p.m. dynamo "Desperate Housewives" (22.5 million, 9.5/20) held onto its No. 1 ranking by a comfortable margin, though the presence of "24" probably helped drive the soap to its lowest marks of the season to date for an original episode. At 10 p.m., ABC‘s "Grey‘s Anatomy" (19.1 million, 8.6/20) hung tough and registered its best-ever retention of an original "Housewives" lead-in.
But the combination of the NFL overrun and double dose of "24" gave Fox the clear victory for the night (22 million viewers, 9.2 in adults 18-49) and its highest-rated Sunday since last year‘s Super Bowl telecast on February 6.
In other weekend ratings news, ABC had a good turnout Friday for the second week of its "Dancing With the Stars Results Show" (13.7 million, 3.4/11), which kept the network at No. 1 in both key measures in the 8 p.m. hour, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen. The news was not so good on Friday for NBC‘s limited-run 10 p.m. drama "The Book of Daniel" (7 million, 2.2/6), which lost Nielsen ground from the previous week‘s underwhelming two-hour premiere. CBS wound up taking Friday honors overall on the strength of the 10 p.m. drama "Numbers" (12.8 million, 3.8/11).
On Thursday, NBC‘s new comedy lineup, anchored by 9-10 p.m.‘s "My Name Is Earl" (12.5 million, 5.9/14) and "The Office" (10.3 million, 5.1/12), made hay in the adults 18-49 demo derby against a repeat of CBS‘ "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (17.8 million, 5.4/13). A good showing from NBC‘s 10 p.m. stalwart "ER" (15.4 million, 6.7/17) gave NBC the nightly win in adults 18-49 (5.6/14) and its highest-rated Thursday since May.
ABC was a player from 8-9:30 p.m. with the second week of its 90-minute performance edition of "Dancing With the Stars" (17.4 million, 4.6/12). The network‘s momentum ebbed at 9:30 p.m., however, with the debut of the sitcom "Crumbs" (11.8 million, 3.6/9).
WB Network also had some good news Thursday with the 9 p.m. second-season premiere of "Beauty and the Geek" (5 million, 2.3/6). On the heels of a solid showing from 8 p.m.‘s "Smallville" (5.5 million, 2.4/6), "Geek" delivered WB‘s best numbers of the season in the time period in all key measures, particularly women 18-34 (3.2/8), female teens (4.0/12) and male teens (3.1/10).
House has been great right out of the gate. I like Invasion, too... keeps you guessing who is who...
I refused to watch it; especially after Donald Sutherland made all his nasty comments right before it aired.
Actually, they did a bad job of setting this up. Jack has been living as a border in their house but he and the kid's mother have something going on. The kid doesn't trust Jack but Jack certainly cared about the kid as it gave him something to remember about having a family.
If you have the opportunity, Edithe buy or rent the DVD's for season 1, 2, 3, and 4. I think you'll be hooked. I just could not stop the DVD player!
The only disappointment is now having to watch every Monday night for 24 weeks and tolerate the commercials!
I'm in the same boat. My wife and I checked out Season 1 on DVD this summer and were hooked really bad and have now seen all of the seasons in time for this season. I am having trouble waiting a week to see the next episode but do the DVR thing so I can skip the commercials yet. One advantage is I no longer stay up to midnight because I just want to watch one more episode.
No. They got all that across.
It's just not like Jack to give up tactical advantage like that for personal reasons.
Wow! Where did the jacket come from and how did she get it on in 1.5 seconds! If you have TIVO/DVR, check it out. I was surprised at such an obvious error from the usually careful 24 staff.
However, great 4 hours of premiere for a great upcoming season! Terrorists beware!
I think she picked up the jacket. Remember, she had walked back past him to pick up something, like a purse, just before walking out? I thought it was fast for her to get it on.
He has an emotional attachment to the kid, that's why he gave himself up.
WARNING, YOU HAVE STRAYED INTO AN AREA THAT REAL MEN COULD CARE LESS ABOUT.
Thank you. I thought I was the only one who thought that President Logan looked like a dead ringer for Nixon! Lots of great political satire/innuendo going on.
Whooo hooo..... LFN was one of my favorite shows (and I don't watch TV). Never missed a show and watched all the reruns. 24 is the best I've seen since then.
Yeah, but he still had terrorists to beat. I know "why" he did what he did.
I'm saying those "why"s normally wouldn't have made him do it.
I thought it was an unnecessary turn for no real advancement unless the purpose was to emphasize more of the personal elements of his life. Ask not what Jack does...
It's still Hollywood
He has an emotional attachment to the kid, that's why he gave himself up.
Yeah, but he still had terrorists to beat. I know "why" he did what he did.
I'm saying those "why"s normally wouldn't have made him do it.
I don't know, I seem to remember him doing that a lot with his dumb blonde of a daughter. In fact didn't he refuse to work with CTU in season 2 until they agreed to get his daughter out of town? Nothing wrong with a man putting his family high up on the list, although I can't wait to see how the ungrateful dope reacts when she finds out daddy Jack is actually alive? Whine as usual I suspect.
I like 24 but it would be far more successful if it was '14.' I have checked out prior seasons and enjoy it, but roughly 1/2way into each season the storyline take an unexpected turn and the viewer has to recommit to the show. I have never recommitted - the show consistently loses me just after the 1/2-way point.
Chloe is a close second. She was great in the Monday episode--snapping and scowling.
Is it just me or does Chloe have a secret crush on Jack? It seems the only time she is willig to loosen up and break the rules is for him (which she usually does big time). As an aside the Season 4 DVD has a Season 5 Prequel which occurs between the end of Season 4 and start of Season 5 in which Chloe meets with Jack in Chicago because of some emergency but does give him info on Chloe and Chase whom she keeps in touch with. Jack is all gunged out with long hair and beard, I thought it looked pretty cool but my wife hated it so I guess I'll have to go get that hair cut now. Anyway it turns into a 10 minute Mazda commercial/chase scene but it was interesting and Chloe looks very cute.
Same here, Sunday was the first episode I've ever watched. I don't watch TV except for sports and CSI, but I've added "24" to my short list after last night.
His name is Edgar and he has a crush on Chloe
I think Keifer himself mentioned a movie. The format would be different, of course, with it only being two hours. But, man, I'd love to see it! Can you imagine watching the movie with about 300 other 24 fans? :)
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