ABC’s ‘Freddie’ wins ratings honors
ABC’s “Freddie,” the last new series in the door for the fall TV season, debuted in style against competition that included major league baseball playoff games.
The Freddie Prinze Jr. comedy, airing at 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, was the most-watched show last week in its time period (9.4 million) and among advertiser-favored adults aged 18 to 49 (5.4 million).
It was helped by lead-in “George Lopez,” which has been resurgent in its new 8 p.m. Wednesday home. It drew 8.8 million in total viewers and 4.5 million in young adults, according to Nielsen Media Research.
As it has for all of the young TV season, CBS retained its position as the most-watched network for the week ending Sunday and also was No. 1 among the 18-49 demographic, snapping ABC’s three-week winning streak with those viewers.
The top 10 shows for the week: “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” CBS, 28.3 million viewers; “Desperate Housewives,” ABC, 25.8 million; “Lost,” ABC, 21.7 million; “Without a Trace,” CBS, 20.6 million; “CSI: Miami,” CBS, 18.5 million; “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC, 18.3 million; “Survivor: Guatemala,” CBS, 17.8 million; “NCIS,” CBS, 16.8 million; “Commander in Chief,” ABC, 16.2 million; “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” ABC, 16.1 million.
WB makes waves
The WB is shaking up three of the six nights on its schedule, benching second-year comedies “Living with Fran” and “Blue Collar TV” and giving its new drama “Related” a new home. On Fridays, “Fran” will take a powder while first-year comedy “Twins” moves from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30, following “Reba.” Reruns of “What I Like About You” will fill the 8:30 spot.
Like everything else in the 9 p.m. Sunday period, “Blue Collar TV” has struggled mightily opposite ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.” Same-week repeats of the freshman drama “Supernatural” will fill its time slot. Both “Blue Collar TV” and “Living with Fran” are expected to return later in the season, the network says.
“Related,” meanwhile, will switch from Wednesday to Monday, following “7th Heaven,” starting Oct. 31. Repeats will run in its former Wednesday spot.
Springfield back in ‘Hospital’
Grammy-winning singer Rick Springfield is returning to the ABC soap opera “General Hospital” beginning Dec. 2 to reprise his role as Dr. Noah Drake.
Springfield played Drake on “General Hospital” from 1981-83, right around the time that “Jessie’s Girl” and his album “Working Class Dog” made him a chart-topping pop star.