Schedules Plus, Fox Monday

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.

Like much of the Fox schedule, Monday has historically gotten a lot better in the second half of the season. While 24 was a very solid option in the 9/8c option for many years, the shows Fox used to try to get through the fall were almost always much weaker. Fox was never really a major Monday player in the fall until House permanently moved to Monday in 2009.

Fox Monday Fall

	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	Avg
2001-02	Boston Public		Ally McBeal		109
	111		106
2002-03	Boston Public		Girls Club		69
	86		52
2003-04	Joe Millionaire		Skin		63
	71		55
2004-05	Trading Spouses		The Swan		81
	83		80
2005-06	Arrested Development	Kitchen Confidential	Prison Break		75
	50	44	103
	47
2006-07	Prison Break		Vanished		84
	100		67
2007-08	Prison Break		K-Ville		76
	96		56
2008-09	Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles		Prison Break		72
	69		75
2009-10	House		Lie to Me		136
	172		99
2010-11	House		Lie to Me		108
	141		75
2011-12	Terra Nova		House		106
	106		107
2012-13	Bones		The Mob Doctor		74
	101		46
2013-14	Bones		Sleepy Hollow		117
	95		138
2014-15	Gotham		Sleepy Hollow		111
	129		92
Avg	101		82		91

Fox Monday Winter

	8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	Avg
2001-02	Boston Public		Ally McBeal		109
	111		106
2002-03	Boston Public		Joe Millionaire		181
	86		276
2003-04	(various)		My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance		129
	59		198
2004-05	Trading Spouses		24		102
	83		122
2005-06	Skating with Celebrities		24		108
	78		137
2006-07	Prison Break		24		112
	100		124
2007-08	Prison Break		Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles		99
	96		102
2008-09	House		24		144
	168		119
2009-10	House		24		136
	172		101
2010-11	House		The Chicago Code		108
	141		76
2011-12	House		Alcatraz		100
	107		92
2012-13	Bones		The Following		113
	101		125
2013-14	Almost Human		The Following		89
	95		83
2014-15	Gotham		The Following		98
	129		67
Avg	109		123		116

2014-15 Update: Sleepy Hollow was one of the surprise hits of 2013-14, but it suffered a massive sophomore slump. (And the winter/spring 9/8c occupant The Following also took another big hit in season three.) However, the network stayed within striking distance of last year's Plus thanks to another new drama hit in Gotham. Once again, the higher-rated show stays and the lower-rated show departs for a newbie in fall 2015.

Notable replacements:

In 2010-11, Lone Star (46) was pulled after two amazingly low-rated episodes. Lie to Me actually premiered on October 4, about as early as you will ever see a replacement show take over.

In 2013-14, Bones returned to Monday after Almost Human's run and really struggled. (The 95 listed above averages all Monday episodes, but it was a 111 for the fall episodes and 81 for the spring ones.)

See here for more explanations/disclaimers about Schedules Plus.