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Freshman TV Class Barely Makes Passing Grades

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By WALT BELCHER wbelcher

@tampatrib.com

Published: October 31, 2008

On a Halloween day when it's hard for the broadcast networks to scare up some ratings, here is the latest prognosis for the freshman class of 2008:

Only four series have been renewed: "The Mentalist" on CBS, "Knight Rider" on NBC, "Fringe" on Fox and "90210" on The CW.

CBS: While hunky Simon Baker's crime-solving "Mentalist" is trucking along, the sexy comedy "The Ex List" was yanked off the schedule after four episodes. Hanging on with some potential are "Eleventh Hour," "Gary Unmarried" and "Worst Week."

ABC: Despite critical acclaim, the set-in-the-'70s crime drama "Life on Mars" continues to lose viewers. The game show "Opportunity Knocks" is gone.

NBC: Despite so-so ratings, retro "Knight Rider" has been renewed. But nothing else is working. "America's Toughest Jobs" is dead. "Crusoe" is disappointing. "Kath & Kim" can't survive. And "My Own Worst Enemy" can't hold an audience.

Fox: Quirky sci-fi thriller "Fringe" has a loyal base, but the dumb comedy "Do Not Disturb" was the first to be canceled. Also doomed is the one-trick-pony game show "Hole in the Wall."

The CW: Sunday losers "Easy Money" and "In Harm's Way" (the lowest rated shows on broadcast TV) are out of production. The flashy teen soap "90210" has been renewed, but it's losing viewers. And "Privileged," starring Tampa native JoAnna Garcia, is struggling, though more scripts have been ordered.

OBAMA WINS: The half-hour campaign message from Sen. Barack Obama that aired Wednesday night on NBC, CBS and Fox easily beat ABC's "Pushing Daisies." The whimsical fantasy drama could muster only a 4 rating and 7 percent share of the viewing audience.

"Daisies" came in fourth place behind Obama's special, which drew a 6 rating and 11 share on NBC, a 5.5 rating and 10 share on CBS and a 4.6 rating and 8 share on Fox. The special also aired on Univision, MSNBC and TV One.

Nielsen Media Research estimates that 33.5 million viewers saw it.

ABC had declined the Obama airing at first, saying that "Pushing Daisies" needed exposure and there was no half-hour show to play at 8:30. Then ABC officials decided to sell the slot for more than $1 million, but the campaign turned them down.

SERIES HIGHS AND LOWS: The short conclusion of the World Series on Wednesday night was the highest-rated of the games between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies. But Tampa's final defeat wasn't enough to keep the 2008 Fall Classic from being the lowest-rated in baseball history.

Nationally, the three-inning completion of the rain-delayed Game 5 averaged a 13.1 rating and 20 percent share of the TV audience (19.8 million viewers). Collectively, the five games averaged just over an 8 rating. That's 20 percent lower than the previous low in 2006 - a 10 rating for the St. Louis Cardinals' five-game victory over the Detroit Tigers.

In the Tampa-St. Petersburg market, the series did much better, averaging a 28.8 rating and 45 percent share of the viewing audience and an average of 754,000 viewers for WTVT, Channel 13.

VIDBITS: David Tennant is stepping down from the title role of the BBC drama "Doctor Who" in 2009. He's had the role since 2005 and wants to move on.

•Fox is taking the low-rated Brad Garrett comedy "'Til Death" off the schedule for the November sweeps.

•The final politically themed "Saturday Night Live" special, "Presidential Bash 2008," airs at 9 p.m. Monday with new and old clips from Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford to Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.

TUNE IN TONIGHT

Ghost Hunters Live, 7 p.m., Sci-Fi Channel

Ghost hunters Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, who have day jobs as Roto-Rooter plumbers, spend seven hours in a historic 1800s coastal fort in Delaware looking for spirits.

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