Schedules Plus, CBS Tuesday

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 Tuesday takes a long journey from being one of its network's very weakest nights to one of its very strongest, for all eleven years starting with one single four-letter show. NCIS has found a very stable lead-out in its spin-off series, but the 10/9c hour remains one of CBS' most perplexing hours on the sked historically; no series has hit the league average... until this season.

CBS Tuesday

	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30	Avg
2001-02	JAG		The Guardian		Judging Amy		90
	91		78		100
2002-03	JAG		The Guardian		Judging Amy		75
	70		66		89
2003-04	NCIS		The Guardian		Judging Amy		67
	67		62		72
2004-05	NCIS		The Amazing Race Fall		Judging Amy		88
	80		112		73
2005-06	NCIS		The Amazing Race Fall		Close to Home		93
	96		106		78
2006-07	NCIS		The Unit		Smith		91
	97		89		86
2007-08	NCIS		The Unit		Cane		85
	102		90		63
2008-09	NCIS		The Mentalist		Without a Trace		112
	121		123		91
2009-10	NCIS		NCIS: Los Angeles		The Good Wife		121
	144		125		95
2010-11	NCIS		NCIS: Los Angeles		The Good Wife		126
	157		133		87
2011-12	NCIS		NCIS: Los Angeles		Unforgettable		130
	159		135		95
2012-13	NCIS		NCIS: Los Angeles		Vegas		125
	159		134		82
2013-14	NCIS		NCIS: Los Angeles		Person of Interest		128
	149		129		105
2014-15	NCIS		NCIS: New Orleans		Person of Interest		120
	144		124		91
Avg	117		108		86		104

2014-15 Update: CBS traded out longtime NCIS lead-out NCIS: Los Angeles for the franchise's third entry NCIS: New Orleans, and New Orleans did almost exactly what LA probably would have in the hour. Both of the NCIS hours continued their gradual descent in Plus, but the drops were noticeably steeper at 10/9c with Person of Interest. That got Person bumped to midseason, while newbie Limitless takes over at 10/9c.

Notable midseason replacements:

• The Unit began as a midseason replacement in 2005-06 (104).
• CBS had a rather unique situation in the 2006-07 season, pulling newbie Smith after just three episodes. They immediately scheduled another new drama 3 Lbs. in the slot for November sweeps, then pulled that one after three episodes at a 71 average in favor of repeats. I went with Smith for the table.

CBS began the 2004-05 season with drama Clubhouse (56) at 9/8c. Its pilot previewed on Sunday, then it aired three Tuesday eps before getting pulled.

See here for more explanations/disclaimers about Schedules Plus.