Olympic Gold Medal-winning skier Lindsey Vonn is taking a small role on “Law & Order.”
Vonn will play Alicia, an administrative assistant, in the episode that shoots April 9.
The episode, called “Rubber Room,” will be the season finale for the long-running NBC drama. Alicia “provides a vital clue in a case about a terrorist threatening students,” NBC says.
In a statement, Vonn said: “I honestly couldn’t be more excited about being on ‘Law & Order.’ How many people get to appear on their favorite TV show?”
Vonn won the gold medal in downhill skiing at this year’s Winter Olympics.
This isn’t a surprise, but CBS will bring back “Undercover Boss” for a second season.
The reality series, which sends corporate bosses into the workforce at their companies, scored 38.7 million viewers when it premiered after the Super Bowl. The was the best series premiere since 1987.
Yet “Boss” has shown surprising strength against the Winter Olympics and ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.”
In a statement, Jennifer Bresnan, the CBS executive in charge of reality series, said of the “Boss” renewal: “We are thrilled with the overwhelming response to the series and how audiences seem to connect to it on several levels. The wish fulfillment of seeing the top boss perform jobs of the rank and file is universal, and the employees’ stories discovered at each company are often relatable and inspirational.”
WFTV-Channel 9 claimed victory in many news time slots for the February ratings period, which ended Wednesday. But WESH-Channel 2 owned bragging rights to most popular late news, even though the Winter Olympics delayed the NBC affiliate’s 11 p.m. telecast many nights.
“This is a big win for the station,” WESH General Manager Jim Carter said.
In January, WESH had placed third at 11 o’clock and aired after the low-rated “Jay Leno Show,” now gone. CBS affiliate WKMG-Channel 6 won in January, and ABC affiliate WFTV placed second.
Why the lead changes? “This is a market with good news product,” Carter said.
He had reason to crow about February late news. WESH had the edge in the 25-to-54 age group, which is most important to news advertisers. WESH averaged 46,900 viewers to WFTV’s 42,100, WKMG’s 35,400 and WOFL-Channel 35’s 18,500.
NBC won last week in the ratings by a wide margin, thanks to the Winter Olympics.
The Peacock Network averaged 21.3 million viewers in prime time. Here’s how the other broadcast networks fared: Fox with 11 million, CBS with 7.8 million, Disney-owned ABC with 5.7 million and The CW with 1.4 million.
NBC also won the 18-to-49 age group. Fox was a distant second there, too. Here are the most-watched programs for the week:
“You Googled my sperm,” a character on “Parenthood” says.
Sometimes you learn a lot from a show by just a line of dialogue.
You’ve probably already learned that all those Olympic promotional spots for “The Marriage Ref” were in support of a trifle. Celebrities sit around and chat about a couple’s problems. It’s a show from Jerry Seinfeld, and this one really is about nothing.
In last night’s premiere, the couples’ arguments were far-fetched. One husband wanted to keep his creepy stuffed dog over his wife’s objections. Another husband longed to install a stripper’s pole in the bedroom; that way his wife could “exercise.” The celebrities (Alec Baldwin, Kelly Ripa and Seinfeld) joked about the situations, then supported each wife. Ho-hum.
NBC cut off the Olympics’ Closing Ceremony to accommodate this show? What a waste. “The Marriage Ref” moves to its regular slot, 10 p.m. Thursday, this week.
The Winter Olympics averaged 21.4 million Sunday night, according to updated ratings released this afternoon.
NBC used the Vancouver Games to bolster “The Marriage Ref,” which debuted to 14.4 million viewers.
NBC’s average over 17 nights in prime time was 24.4 million — 4.2 million more than than the 2006 Winter Olympics.
The gold medal men’s hockey game, which Canada won over the United States, averaged 27.6 million viewers.
Here are the broadcast averages in prime time: NBC with 19.8 million, CBS with 11.5 million, Disney-owned ABC with 8.3 million and Fox with 4.4 million. NBC won the 18-to-49 age group by a wide margin; CBS was second.
Here’s how the CBS schedule performed: “60 Minutes” with 10.7 million viewers, “The Amazing Race” with 10.2 million, “Undercover Boss” with 15.1 million and “Cold Case” with 9.8 million. Consider how well “Boss” did against the Olympics — CBS has a new hit in that show.
ABC offered new episodes “Desperate Housewives” (10.8 million) and “Brothers & Sisters” (8 million). Fox’s animated comedies were in reruns.
The Winter Olympics averaged 20.6 million viewers in Saturday prime time, according to updated numbers released Sunday afternoon.
That audience was down from the 24.7 million average for the first 15 nights of the Vancouver Games. NBC’s coverage concludes tonight.
Still, NBC easily won Saturday. Here are the averages for the other broadcast networks: Fox with 5.6 million, CBS with 4.5 million and Disney-owned ABC with 3.9 million.
Saturday’s Olympic coverage featured the U.S. team winning its first gold medal in four-man bobsled since 1948. NBC on Saturday also shared performances by medal-winning figure skaters in an Olympic exhibition.
Jennifer Lopez played a nun in a soap opera and impersonated Rihanna on “Saturday Night Live” last night.
Lopez also sang two songs, pretended to cover the Olympics, took part in a curling sketch, portrayed a ventriloquist and played a caring mother. She was very beautiful, but the show was pretty blah.
There were some choice lines in Weekend Update, though. Seth Meyers said Gatorade had dropped Tiger Woods as a spokesperson “after realizing his thirst would never be quenched.” That crack got a big laugh.
Only two more nights of Winter Olympics coverage, but NBC is making the most of its really big show.
Friday’s coverage of the Vancouver Games averaged 24.5 million viewers, according to updated ratings released this afternoon. NBC said the audience was up 8.6 million from the comparable night in Torino, Italy, four years ago.
The 15-night average for Vancouver is 24.7 million; four years ago, the comparable average from the Torino Games was 20.8 million.
NBC was way ahead of the other broadcast networks last night. Here are their prime-time averages for Friday: CBS with 4.6 million, Disney-owned ABC with 3.5 million, Fox with 2.9 million and The CW with 2.1 million.
NBC also won the 18-to-49 age group by a wide margin.
The Winter Olympics beat “American Idol” again by pulling in more viewers Thursday night.
Fox, however, can brag that it had more viewers in the 18-to-49 age group, and that group is most important to advertisers.
The Vancouver Games on NBC averaged 22.9 million viewers. Fox and “Idol” brought in 18 million as the show cut four hopefuls, according to updated ratings released this afternoon. The ejected singers included Janell Wheeler, who grew up in Orlando. In the ratings race, it was the second time that the Vancouver Games had beaten “Idol.” Before these Olympics, “Idol” hadn’t lost its time slot since 2004.
NBC’s coverage showcased the finale in women’s figure skating and a stellar performance by gold medalist Kim Yu-Na of South Korea.
The Winter Olympics end this weekend, and NBC certainly has enjoyed a ratings surge, thanks to outstanding work by U.S. athletes.
The encore performances by top figure skaters should bolster NBC on Saturday night. Viewers wowed by Thursday’s thrilling finale in women’s figure skating will want to see more. Gold medalist Kim Yu-Na of South Korea rightly had the NBC commentators raving. (She is pictured in this photo by Saeed Khan of AFP/Getty Images.) The closing ceremony runs 7 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
Then we’ll start to learn if NBC has enjoyed any long-term boost from the Vancouver Games. The Peacock Network showed its promotional colors tirelessly — annoyingly? — during the Olympics.
There was a huge push for “The Marriage Ref,” a reality series from Jerry Seinfeld. The show debuts at 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
Tonight could be the most dramatic night of the Vancouver Games, thanks to women’s figure-skating.
The story of Canada’s Joannie Rochette, who just lost her mother, has gripped the world. It’s a strong field of athletes: Rochette, Kim Yu-na of South Korea, Mao Asada of Japan, Rachel Flatt of the United States and several others.
But last night, the Olympics placed second to Fox’s “American Idol.”
“Idol” presented its male contestants over two hours and averaged nearly 23 million viewers, according to updated ratings released this afternoon. The Vancouver Games on NBC delivered 19.8 million viewers.
Over 13 nights, these Winter Olympics have averaged 24.9 million viewers. The average at this point four years ago was 20.7 million.
Here’s how the other networks fared in total viewers: CBS with 6.4 million, Disney-owned ABC with 3.6 million and The CW with 800,000. Fox easily won the 18-to-49 age group; NBC placed second there.
The female figure skaters were dynamic and inspiring during the Winter Olympics.
But the female singers on “American Idol” drew a bigger audience Tuesday night.
Fox averaged 24.2 million with the “Idol” audience, according to updated ratings released this afternoon. The Olympics averaged 21.3 million from 8 to 11:10 on NBC. The Vancouver audience was down from the comparable night in Torino, Italy, four years ago, when 25.1 million watched. Through 12 nights, these Winter Olympics are averaging 25.2 million viewers.
Last night, Fox also won the 18-to-49 age group, and NBC placed second.
Here’s how the other broadcast networks fared: CBS with 9.1 million viewers, Disney-owned ABC with 6.4 million and The CW with 610,000.
Programs of note: A repeat of CBS’ “NCIS” attracted 11.6 million. At 9, ABC’s “Lost” drew nearly 10 million and outpaced a repeat of “NCIS: Los Angeles” with 8.6 million. At 10, a rerun of CBS’ “Good Wife” pulled in 7.1 million, outdrawing a new episode of ABC’s “forgotten” with 5 million.
Gold medal-winning U.S. figure skater Evan Lysacek talks to Larry King tonight.
What will Lysacek have to say about silver medalist Evgeny Plushenko’s swipes at the winner? Should be a reason to tune in “Larry King Live” at 9 on CNN.
Lysacek is the first U.S. man to win an Olympic gold medal since Brian Boitano in 1988.
Of course, you may want to watch the women skate at the Vancouver Games on NBC tonight.
The ratings winner Monday night? Why, NBC, with the Winter Olympics, of course.
NBC said 20.9 million viewers watched the Vancouver Games last night. It was the rare night when Vancouver trailed the comparable night in Torino, Italy, four years ago. Then 22.5 million watched.
For the first 11 nights, the Vancouver Games have averaged 25.5 million viewers. That’s nearly 5 million more than the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Here’s how the other broadcast networks fared last night, according to updated ratings released this afternoon: Disney-owned ABC with 9.2 million, CBS with 7.8 million, Fox with 7.5 million and The CW with 2.1 million.
NBC scored an easy victory in the 18-to-49 age group. ABC was second there, too.
Programs of note: “The Bachelor” averaged 11.3 million for ABC over two hours. (Sanford’s Vienna Girardi is one of two finalists in that reality contest.) Fox’s “24″ pulled in 8.8 million with a new episode. CBS displayed some ratings strength with reruns of “Two and a Half Men” (10.3 million), “The Big Bang Theory” (9.2 million) and “CSI: Miami” (8 million).
The Winter Olympics and “American Idol” swept the top nine spots on the weekly ratings.
Thanks to the Vancouver Games, NBC easily won the week by averaging 24.8 million viewers in prime time. Here’s how the other broadcast networks fared: Fox with 8.7 million, CBS with 7.8 million, Disney-owned ABC with 6.3 million and The CW with 1.4 million.
NBC also scored a huge win in the 18-to-49 age group.
Tonight should be a high point for NBC’s coverage of the Vancouver Games — even if you’ve seen the bulletins. Hooray!
Tonight also should be another lopsided victory for NBC. The network cleaned up Saturday, averaging 26.7 million viewers for the Winter Olympics. That audience is 7 million more than watched the comparable night from Torino, Italy, four years ago.
The other broadcast networks were way back in prime time: Fox with 5 million, CBS with 4 million and Disney-owned ABC with 2.5 million.
NBC says the average audience for the first nine nights from Vancouver is 26.3 million — nearly 6 million more than the nine-day average for the Games four years ago.
The Winter Olympics will continue to be a major draw for NBC this week. Look for women’s figure skating to be a blockbuster for the network on Thursday night.
Reality will be the main competition, and some of those programs have local players:
***”The Bachelor” brings together the women contestants to sound off about the show and title character Jake Pavelka. What will they say about Vienna Girardi of Sanford. Might she be better liked than the editing suggests? “The Bachelor” airs at 8 p.m. Monday on ABC.
***”American Idol” begins the performance phase, which is the best part of the annual series. Central Florida’s Janell Wheeler will be among the 12 women performing at 8 p.m. Tuesday on Fox. The 12 men sing on Wednesday’s show; four contestants will be ejected on the results show at 8 p.m. Thursday.
The Vancouver Games put up the biggest rating Friday night.
It’s nice when the best show gets the biggest rating. The Winter Olympics averaged 23.3 million viewers last night.
The other broadcast networks were way back in prime time: Disney-owned ABC with 4.9 million, CBS with 4.6 million, Fox with 3 million and The CW with 2 million.
NBC handily won the 18-to-49 age group. ABC was a distant second.
NBC said the Vancouver Games have averaged 26.2 million viewers over the first eight nights — nearly 6 million more than the Games four years ago in Torino, Italy.
Evan Lysacek’s gold-medal victory at the Vancouver Games — now that was a night of television to remember.
How to top that? The Winter Olympics on NBC and its sister networks remain the top program of the television weekend. The top events include ice dancing (tonight and Sunday) and hockey (the U.S. men vs. Canada on Sunday).
Elsewhere:
*** CBS’ “Undercover Boss” displayed surprising strength against the Olympics last week. This weekend: The CEO of 7-Eleven takes the plunge. The program airs at 9 p.m. Sunday.
***CBS’ “The Amazing Race” continues at 8 p.m. Sunday. How do you like the casting this time around?
*** On ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” Susan takes in a former stripper. The episode airs at 9 p.m. Sunday. Julie Benz of “Dexter” takes the showy role.
*** Fans of “The Office” and “Extras” will want to try “The Ricky Gervais Show,” an animated comedy that debuts at 9 tonight on HBO. If you’re not a Gervais fan, you’ll want to pass.