FRIDAYS
8-9 PM
CBS: "The Amazing Race"
Fox: "Masterchef Junior"
NBC: "Undateable" & "People Are Talking"
The CW: "Reign"
Fridays are traditionally the lowest-rated night for original programming, but that doesn't mean audiences aren't watching. How else, then, do you explain CBS moving a flagship show like "The Amazing Race" to a Friday night? Regardless of the show's age, and although it is not pulling in the same ratings it did years ago, it's easily a top performer for the night. It's competition encapsulates a big range this season - comedy, reality-competition, drama, and even some live programming. "Last Man Standing" has been a stealth player for ABC for years now, and it'll help launch another family-based sitcom, "Dr. Ken," this year. Both shows revolve around their funny leading men and should compliment each other well enough. "Masterchef Junior" is on the Fox schedule, which is funny considering the other kitchen-competition shows Fox has aired in the past few years are not to be found. The light-hearted cooking competition will do fine here. NBC is taking a big gamble with producing live episodes of the sitcom "Undateable" on a weekly basis next season. That alone could boost ratings for the show regardless of it's Friday-night airdate. Audiences will be curious, and you certainly will be more likely to watch the live and unpredictable "Undateable" versus the ABC comedies. Unfortunately, NBC has partnered "Undateable" with a real dud of a newcomer in "People Are Talking," so although the ratings for live "Undateable" may help the show across the hour, it's quality may drive others away. Finally, The CW is moving "Reign" from the plum Thursdays-at-9 slot to Fridays, but that might actually help the show as it faces weaker competition. However, this network skews young, and young people aren't likely to stick around on a Friday night for this show. Delayed viewings via DVR or online streaming will need to be good to keep "Reign" around.
9-10 PM
CBS: "Hawaii Five-O"
Fox: "World's Funniest"
NBC: "Grimm"
The CW: "America's Next Top Model"
Reality really takes over on Friday nights in the 9 o'clock timeslot as ABC, Fox, and The CW all have reality shows airing. Of course, only one of these is a competition series that might require "night-of" viewing so as not to be spoiled later, but since that's "America's Next Top Model" on The CW, it's not a big ratings threat. What is a threat here is stealth player "Shark Tank" and CBS' modest Friday night hit "Hawaii Five-O," which have aired on this night for the past two years (at least, since "Shark Tank" has been on Fridays its whole run) and dominated that whole time. These two shows easily win this timeslot, but NBC puts up a good fight as well with cult favorite "Grimm," which pulls in okay ratings but has a passionate fanbase that keeps it coming back. Finally, Fox has "World's Funniest," a kind of harmless alternative to the dramatic (or reality-dramatic) shows in this timeslot, but since this is Friday, I doubt the network is looking for much and won't chomp at the bit to replace it with a show it could launch on a better night.
10-11 PM
CBS: "Blue Bloods"
NBC: "Dateline"
We're almost better off not discussing this timeslot, since two news-programs are front and center here. Both have been utility players for their networks for years, decades, so the ratings are besides the point. And either way, CBS has had "Blue Bloods" in this timeslot for five years, and the show has been a surprisingly big hit in the Fridays-at-10 slot. In fact, it is one of CBS' best performing programs. They're smarter than to try moving it to another night, so "Blue Bloods" remains dominating here.
Evan
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