Schedules Plus, CBS Friday

Schedules Plus is another innovative application of the historical ratings statistic A18-49+. I hope this will be the ultimate resource for comparing the evolution of shows, networks and timeslots over time, complete with ratings numbers that make a fair adjustment for the collective decline. Right now this only includes programs aired in the fall. Much more about the process that went into this at the bottom.

CBS Friday looks at the half-decade reign of terror of dominant bookends Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs and all the shows in between that couldn't quite live up to those standards, then moves into the still perfectly fine CSI: NY / Blue Bloods era.

CBS Friday

	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30	Avg
2001-02	The Ellen Show	Danny	That's Life		48 Hours		49
	48	44	51		50
	46
2002-03	48 Hours		Hack		Robbery Homicide Division		50
	50		52		47
2003-04	Joan of Arcadia		JAG		The Handler		60
	66		60		54
2004-05	Joan of Arcadia		JAG		Dr. Vegas		51
	51		49		52
2005-06	Ghost Whisperer		Threshold		Numb3rs		74
	77		61		84
2006-07	Ghost Whisperer		Close to Home		Numb3rs		76
	80		68		79
2007-08	Ghost Whisperer		Moonlight		Numb3rs		73
	76		67		75
2008-09	Ghost Whisperer		The Ex-List		Numb3rs		73
	84		62		74
2009-10	Ghost Whisperer		Medium		Numb3rs		65
	66		65		64
2010-11	Medium		CSI: NY		Blue Bloods		64
	54		69		68
2011-12	A Gifted Man		CSI: NY		Blue Bloods		66
	55		69		73
2012-13	Undercover Boss		CSI: NY		Blue Bloods		70
	76		67		66
2013-14	Undercover Boss		Hawaii Five-0		Blue Bloods		77
	80		76		74
2014-15	The Amazing Race Fall		Hawaii Five-0		Blue Bloods		73
	69		74		76
Avg	67		64		67		66

2014-15 Update: CBS' move of The Amazing Race to Friday was a disappointment, as the show wasn't even all that close to the year-ago ratings from Undercover Boss. (And Boss averaged 80 again for its Friday episodes when it filled in at 8/7c during the winter.) The Race struggles helped usher Hawaii Five-0 down just a touch, but Blue Bloods built to a series high Plus at 10/9c. They're all back again this fall.

Notable midseason replacements:

• Numb3rs' run on Friday began as a midseason replacement in early 2005, when it averaged an 82 in Friday episodes (or a 93 if you count its huge post-NFL premiere).
• The first series CBS put between Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs was arguably its biggest misfire, Threshold. CBS flipped its timeslot in November with Close to Home, which went on to average a 70 in the slot over the rest of the 2005-06 season. Threshold aired just one episode on Tuesday before getting the axe.
• The Ex-List was axed after four episodes in 2008-09 in favor of repeats for the rest of the fall. In the winter/spring, co-production Flashpoint averaged a 65.

CBS began the 2012-13 season with CSI: NY at 8/7c and Made in Jersey at 9/8c. Jersey aired just two episodes at a 45 average before CBS cancelled it, returned NY to 9/8c and brought back Undercover Boss.

See here for more explanations/disclaimers about Schedules Plus.