The Breakdown: Fox Friday in 2015-16 (Sleepy Hollow, Second Chance, MasterChef Junior, Hell's Kitchen)

It's time for a journey through the Fox Friday schedule in 2015-16...

Spotted Ratings, Friday 12/18/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: Shark Tank (0.7) and Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer (0.3) adjusted down.

• Only Fox was in original entertainment series mode with its combo of MasterChef Junior (1.1) and World's Funniest (0.6), with both series down a tenth from last week.

• The newsmagazines were also original as a two-hour Dateline (1.1) dominated the 9:00-11:00 block. It led out of a special edition of Caught on Camera (0.7). ABC's 20/20 (0.7) was well below average as it led out of a repeat of Shark Tank (0.8). ABC's whole night seemed to be somewhat derailed by a poor showing from the newly acquired holiday special Yes, Virginia (0.5) at 8:30, which dropped from its Last Man Standing (0.7) lead-in.

• CBS offered up holiday specials Frosty the Snowman / Frosty Returns (0.9) and annual concert special A Home for the Holidays (0.6). Home was actually up a tenth from last year.

• And CW had the reliably decent holiday special Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (0.4), plus a repeat of Penn and Teller: Fool Us (0.3).

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 12/17/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: The Big Bang Theory (4.1) was unchanged after finals, giving it easily the series' highest rating since its return to Thursday. Life in Pieces dropped to a 2.2, still its best rating since the series premiere, and Mom had a new season high 1.8. 2 Broke Girls (1.6) and Elementary (1.0) were at more typical ratings.

• CBS' The Big Bang Theory (4.1), Life in Pieces (2.5), Mom (2.0), 2 Broke Girls (1.7) and Elementary (1.2) are pending preemptions in both of the local Thursday Night Football markets. St. Louis and Tampa are not huge markets, but downward adjustments are likely.

• Another notable original this Thursday was a one-off episode of NBC's Running Wild (0.9) featuring President Obama. 0.9 is not an impressive number; in fact, it only tied Wild's low from last summer. But it was a step up from the lead-in repeat holiday specials How Murray Saved Christmas (0.5) and Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale (0.6).

• ABC actually beat the president's Running Wild head-to-head in the 10/9c hour with the annual Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People special (0.9/1.1/1.1), which led out of the two Prep & Landing specials (0.8/0.9) and a repeat of Modern Family (0.9).

• Fox brought up the big four rear with an American Country Countdown special (0.5) and a special edition of World's Funniest (0.5), just barely beating CW's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball (0.4).

Spotted Ratings, Friday 11/20/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: No adjustments!

• ABC built on its usual Friday dominance as Shark Tank (1.7) continued to see some late-fall redemption. It added another tenth this week, putting it three tenths ahead of its lows against the baseball playoffs. The comedy combo of Last Man Standing (1.2) and Dr. Ken (1.2) outright won at 8/7c, while 20/20 (1.4) had another good showing to take 10/9c.

• CBS was a bit softer than usual with The Amazing Race (1.0) and Blue Bloods (1.1), but Hawaii Five-0 (1.1) was normal in the middle.

• NBC's Undateable (0.8) was back to live originals this week, inching up from its recent level, but that was of no help to Truth Be Told (0.6) and Grimm (0.9). Dateline (1.2) had an uncommonly high rating at 10/9c which I'm sure someone will be able to explain.

• On Fox, MasterChef Junior (1.1) inched down for the second straight week (but still ahead of the entire Fox Tuesday/Thursday lineups), and World's Funniest stayed at 0.7.

• And CW's Reign (0.3) was back to normal after last week's high.

Spotted Ratings, Friday 11/13/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: World's Funniest (0.7) adjusted down. 20/20 was not counted in finals because it didn't air any commercials.

• NBC had the unluckiest Friday the 13th as it preempted another live edition of Undateable due to the events in Paris, getting a 0.6 for its repeat and for an original Truth Be Told. After narrowly avoiding fractional territory last week, Grimm (0.9) got there this time, and Dateline (0.8) also slumped.

• There were no surprises with the usual Friday leaders as ABC's Last Man Standing (1.3) continued to oscillate between 1.2 and 1.3 while Dr. Ken (1.2) and Shark Tank (1.6) matched last week and 20/20 (1.2) was down a notch.

• On CBS, Blue Bloods (1.2) was down a tenth as The Amazing Race and Hawaii Five-0 held at 1.1.

• Fox's MasterChef Junior (1.2) was down a tenth in its second week back on Friday, still close to the lead at 8/7c, and World's Funniest put up another 0.8.

• I always exercise skepticism when a CW number looks high since it often gets sports preemptions, but at least in the prelims there was a new season high 0.4 for Reign. If it holds, it might be time to lump it in with the other CW dramas that have overachieved in a Friday move (most notably Hart of Dixie last year).

 Above based on preliminary adults 18-49 ratings unless otherwise noted. Full table forthcoming!

SpotVault - World's Funniest (Fox) - 2015-16 Ratings

World's Funniest

Fridays, 9/8c, Fox

Spotted Ratings, Friday 11/6/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: Though many shows were close in the prelims, only one finals adjustment came to pass: Blue Bloods was up to a season high-tying 1.3.

• There's a lot of family-themed programming clashing in the 8/7c hour on Fridays. But at least for now, perhaps with the help of some extra post-DST viewership, there seems to be room for all of it. MasterChef Junior (1.3) made a very solid return to Friday, winning the 8/7c hour and opening with a raw number that it hit several times when it was last on the night two years ago. And it was down just 19% from the Friday series premiere two years ago. It's very much worth noting that this rating beat all but three of Fox's eight hours this week to date...
• But it didn't particularly help the return of World's Funniest (0.8), which only matched the last six weeks of its initial Friday 8/7c run last winter.

• On ABC, Last Man Standing (1.2) and Dr. Ken (1.2) were fairly normal again, and Shark Tank (1.6) finally showed at least a little life at 9/8c as it hung its best rating since week two. 20/20 (1.3) was down from last week's Leah Remini interview but still above average.

• NBC's Grimm (1.0) had one of its better week two holds, shedding just one tenth from the premiere, while Dateline (1.0) got a little stronger at 10/9c against a lower 20/20. But comedies Undateable (0.7) and Truth Be Told (0.6) stayed very low, unable to continue NBC's week-long 8/7c upswing.

• And CBS was pretty normal again as The Amazing Race (1.1) inched down, Hawaii Five-0 (1.1) was even and Blue Bloods (1.2) inched up.

• The CW was slightly up week-to-week with the return of Reign (0.3), while America's Next Top Model (0.3) was up from last week's low.

Best Case/Worst Case: MasterChef Junior, World's Funniest

Best Case/Worst Case lays out possible scenarios for broadcast primetime TV seasons yet to premiere. Here's what's premiering tonight!

Spotted Ratings, Tuesday 6/30/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: America's Got Talent (2.5) adjusted up, while Beat the Champions adjusted down to 0.9. The soccer game (3.0) averaged 8.4 million viewers and peaked at over 12 million from 8:30-8:45, so BtC had pretty horrible retention of whatever was left in the postgame coverage.

• The latest made-for-summer CBS drama Zoo opened with just over 8 million viewers and a 1.2 demo rating. This was far from a gaudy number but still represented a major improvement on the surrounding NCIS repeats, which were even weaker than usual (0.8 at 8:00, 0.7 for New Orleans at 10:00). But it was still another 25% behind last year's already modest Extant launch, which was itself less than half of what Under the Dome did two years ago.

• Fox had huge numbers from the tail end of the USA's semifinal in the Women's World Cup (a preliminary 3.3 from 8:00-9:00), but very little interest in lead-out special Beat the Champions (1.1). Champions took a prelim 3.4 lead-in rating at 8:30 and dropped to 1.4 at 9:00, then 0.8 at 9:30.

• Since last we spoke, America's Got Talent has had an impressive late June surge, growing to 2.6 for the first episode after the NBA Finals on June 23 and then coming back to 2.4 last night (with a 2.2 against the World Cup growing to 2.6 at 9:00). Both of these points were close to even with the similar part of last season. Its lead-out I Can Do That (1.4 last week, 1.5 last night) has also picked back up a bit since hitting a new low against the Finals.

• ABC has been completely off the map since the Finals with Extreme Weight Loss (0.7 last week and this week) and some even lower comedy repeats in the 8:00 hour, while Fox had a similarly regrettable Tuesday last week with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (0.7) and a leftover World's Funniest Fails (0.5).

Spotted Ratings, Friday 3/13/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: CBS was indeed nicked due to basketball preemptions, with The Amazing Race (1.3) down two tenths and Hawaii Five-0 (1.2) and Blue Bloods (1.4) each down one. But this was still ultimately a good night for the network, as Race went up and the other shows held even. Cristela had another damaging finals downtick to 0.9.

• At least in the preliminaries, CBS was a huge winner on the first Friday after DST, with an insane spike from The Amazing Race (1.5) and upticks from Hawaii Five-0 (1.3) and Blue Bloods (1.5) as well. These shows overachieved even more drastically in 18-34 numbers, so it seems pretty likely that there will be some downward adjustment due to NCAA basketball preemptions. But it would take quite a downtick to spoil the Race's night.

• ABC's post-DST deliveries seemed a bit more realistic, as Last Man Standing (1.2) dropped a bit below its consistent January/February level (though it still avoided a season low). Shark Tank (1.8) was also below average, but Cristela (1.0) was flat.

• On Fox, World's Funniest Fails (0.8) was even for the last episode of its initial order, while Glee (0.7) inched up in the week before the two-hour finale.

Spotted Ratings, Friday 3/6/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• A one-week move to 8/7c was no problem for Shark Tank (1.9), but its two-hour lead-out preview of In an Instant (0.9) still had a light sampling, far below usual 20/20 numbers. The docudrama film series will be on Saturday starting tonight.

• Despite the added 8/7c competition, The Amazing Race (1.2) inched up in its second Friday episode, while Hawaii Five-0 was even at 1.2 and Blue Bloods (1.4) had a good outing. (It never got as high as 1.4 on an Amazing Race night in the fall.)

• NBC slightly grew week-to-week by installing a repeat of Law and Order: SVU (0.6) at 8/7c leading into Dateline (1.3), while Fox's World's Funniest Fails (0.8) and Glee (0.6) and the CW's Hart of Dixie (0.4) were all even again. 

Spotted Ratings, Friday 2/27/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: Hawaii Five-0 (1.2) adjusted up.

• The Amazing Race (1.1) made its Friday return with the same number at which it began its Friday run in the fall (and, of note, below the Undercover Boss Friday season low). With it came the unfortunate return to mediocrity for CBS later in the night, as Hawaii Five-0 (1.1) sunk to its low point from the fall when it was airing after Race. Blue Bloods (0.7) was in repeat mode.

• Shark Tank (1.2) also snuck in a post-sweeps repeat, but it didn't stop the surrounding ABC hours from having pretty good nights; Last Man Standing (1.4) inched up to snap its long 1.3 streak, while Cristela (1.0) was back to normal. At 10/9c, 20/20's 1.3 was one of its better ratings without an original lead-in.

• NBC installed a little-watched The Night Shift (0.5) repeat at 8/7c to fill the Grimm hiatus, while Fox had a third straight 0.8/0.6 combo with World's Funniest Fails and Glee. CW's Hart of Dixie was even at 0.4.

Spotted Ratings, Friday 2/20/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• There was many a post-Valentine's rebound on the last Friday of February sweeps, but the biggest was for usual Friday champ Shark Tank (2.2), which tied its season high and could tie its series high if it adjusts up in finals. Its lead-out 20/20 (1.6) also had a very good night, perhaps benefiting from no Dateline competition. At 8/7c, Last Man Standing posted its fourth consecutive 1.3, but Cristela (0.9) had a discouraging result in Roseanne's return stint.

• CBS also fared well, with the Undercover Boss finale (1.3) inching up and procedurals Hawaii Five-0 (1.4) and Blue Bloods (1.5) each up two tenths. That marked a new season high for Blue Bloods.

• NBC continued to get outstanding mileage out of Sunday's Saturday Night Live 40th special, as a three-hour repeat (1.5) was much stronger than the network's usual lineup and made the network a very close second place overall.

• Fox was even with World's Funniest Fails (0.8) and Glee (0.6), and Hart of Dixie (0.4) ticked down from its last ep two weeks ago.

Spotted Ratings, Friday 2/13/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: Hawaii Five-0 (1.2) went up a tenth.

• It was mostly an unlucky Friday the 13th on broadcast at the beginning of a holiday weekend. CBS took the hardest hit as drops from Undercover Boss (1.2) and Hawaii Five-0 (1.1) reverted the network to the ratings level it often experienced during the fall. 

• NBC's Grimm (1.1) and Dateline (1.0) also inched down to season lows, while ABC's Shark Tank (1.8) was a bit below average as the network sat out the 8/7c comedies in favor of a Charlie Brown Valentine special (1.0). The CW also preempted its regular programming for movie Safety Not Guaranteed (0.2).

• The steadiest network was actually Fox, but that might just be because it dropped so much last week. World's Funniest Fails (0.8) was even and Glee (0.6) up a tick.

Spotted Ratings, Friday 2/6/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: Hart of Dixie (0.5) produced another eyebrow-raising result, adjusting up to 0.5 for the second time in three weeks. Shark Tank (2.0) cracked a two again, while Dateline (1.1) and Masters of Illusion (0.4) were also up and Cristela (1.0) down.

• It was a fairly quiet second Friday of February sweeps, and quietest of all on Fox. The previously reasonable pair of World's Funniest Fails (0.8) and Glee (0.5) each took sizable hits this week, putting the network in a distant fourth place. It took a month, but Glee finally went below that mortifying 0.6 at which it ended last season.

• On the big three, everything was even or slightly down. CBS saw Hawaii Five-0 (1.3) come down to match its lead-in Undercover Boss (1.3) and lead-out Blue Bloods (1.3), while the first two hours on ABC and NBC perfectly matched last week's prelims. The 10/9c newsmagazines 20/20 (1.2) and Dateline (1.0) each had pretty bad nights.

• The only shows on the upswing were the CW's Hart of Dixie (0.4), preliminarily inching back up after a drop last week, and the Whose Line Is It Anyway? (0.4) repeat.

Spotted Ratings, Friday 1/30/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: Grimm (1.3) and Hawaii Five-0 (1.5) each adjusted up to even week-to-week. Cristela (1.0) went down a tick.

• Everyone was airing originals on the first Friday of February sweeps, and there were a few modest drops but nothing too alarming. ABC had another winning night; despite Shark Tank (1.9) coming back to earth from its high two weeks ago, it boosted 20/20 (1.5) to its biggest rating in a couple months. Last Man Standing (1.3) and Cristela (1.1) were even with two weeks ago.

• CBS had its softest original Friday this month (albeit still better than the Amazing Race-led fall Fridays), as Undercover Boss (1.3) hit a season low and Hawaii Five-0 (1.4) and Blue Bloods (1.3) each inched down.

• On Fox, World's Funniest Fails (1.1) produced another good result, growing by a tenth in week three. This is looking more like a keeper in a low priority slot for the network.

• And Hart of Dixie (0.3) came back to reality for the CW after a couple weeks of serious overachieving.

Spotted Ratings, Friday 1/23/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• FINALS UPDATE: Grimm (1.3) adjusted up.

• ABC and the CBS dramas went into repeat mode on the last Friday before February sweeps, but it didn't stop Shark Tank (1.5) from topping the night in one of the series' biggest repeat ratings ever. The other shows in repeats also fared well, including Hawaii Five-0 (1.1) and Blue Bloods (1.0) benefiting from an original Undercover Boss (1.4) lead-in. ABC also had encores for Last Man Standing (1.0) and Cristela (0.9); the latter's repeat actually slightly outrated its original low point from December.

• Those repeats didn't really produce any bounces on other networks, aside from a sizable increase for Dateline (1.3) in its second week at 10/9c. However, it may have helped keep Fox's World's Funniest Fails (1.0) and Glee (0.7) steady in week two of that pairing.

• On the CW, the second Friday outing for Hart of Dixie (0.5) was up a tenth. We'll see if it holds in finals, but it would be a really strong result on a CW Friday; it got as high as 0.5 in its Monday run just one time last season.

SpotVault - World's Funniest Fails (Fox) - 2014-15 Ratings

World's Funniest Fails

Fridays, 8/7c, Fox

Spotted Ratings, Friday 1/16/15

WHAT MATTERS:

• Fox had a pretty good start out of blooper series World's Funniest Fails (1.0), which was a marked improvement on pretty much everything the network has aired on Friday this season. And it may have helped Glee (0.7) avoid a post-premiere drop.

• On ABC, Shark Tank (2.2) exploded to a season high at 9/8c. 8/7c comedies Last Man Standing (1.3) and Cristela (1.1) both came back to earth from big stunt numbers last week; however, that was still pretty decent news for Cristela, leaving it considerably ahead of some of its ratings from December. 

• NBC's flip of Constantine (0.8) to 8/7c and Dateline (1.0) to 10/9c did not go well; it was of no help to Constantine and seemingly hurtful to Dateline. Meanwhile, Grimm (1.2) came back at the low end of its ratings this season.

• With a stronger show at 8/7c, CBS remained improved over its usual fall ratings with the extremely consistent trio Undercover Boss (1.4), Hawaii Five-0 (1.4) and Blue Bloods (1.4).

• And the CW had a strong start out of Hart of Dixie (0.4) at 8/7c. It only got that high once in nine Friday tries last season (though that run came in the 9/8c hour).

Best Case/Worst Case, January 2015: Galavant, Agent Carter, Empire and More!

Welcome to the Best Case/Worst Case for broadcast television's January premieres! I couldn't come up with a good way of splitting up these 11 shows into multiple posts, so I'm knocking out the whole month now.