Obama Barely Helps “90210” Ratings, “Biggest Loser” Tops “Victoria’s Secret”

Despite spending most of the 8PM hour as the only broadcast program competing with President Barack Obama’s address, The CW’s “90210” saw little ratings growth this week.

With 2.2 million viewers and a 1.2 rating in adults 18-49, “90210” was up very slightly from the 11/17 airing (2.1 million, 1.1). The program was still a distant fifth for the hour–Obama coverage and analysis ranged from a 1.6 rating with 6.5 million viewers on ABC to a 2.1 rating with 8.1 million viewers on NBC. Thanks to showing some “So You Think You Can Dance” at the end of the hour, FOX’s broadcast won 8:30-9PM with a 2.2 rating in the young adults demographic (the show posted a 2.3 with 5.8 million viewers from 9-10PM but then nosedived to a 1.6 with 4.9 million viewers in the 10PM hour; the final half-hour averaged just 4.2 million viewers with a 1.3).

“90210” leadout “Melrose Place” once again saw no Heather Locklear benefit, with the show actually losing viewers from start-to-finish. It averaged a paltry 0.7 rating with 1.4 million viewers for the hour.

Elsewhere, “The Biggest Loser” claimed a dominant victory for the evening, averaging a 3.6 adults 18-49 rating (with 9.7 million viewers) from 9-10PM and a 3.9 with 10.2 million viewers from 10PM-11PM. The latter hour topped the “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” on CBS (8.3 million, 2.8). It also underscored the opportunity NBC is missing by airing “The Jay Leno Show” nightly at 10PM; “Leno” typically posts an 18-49 rating of less than a 2.0 in the hour.

The premiere of “Scrubs” underwhelmed on ABC, averaging a 2.0 with 4.5 million viewers from 9-10PM. “The Forgotten” closed the network’s evening with a 1.3 rating and 5.5 million viewers.

Ratings data was rounded up when the relevant decimal was .5 or higher.

Ratings Sources: Nielsen Media Research, Media Week