ER:  STILL A HIT
SEASON AFTER SEASON AFTER SEASON

Top 5 in Primetime with WOMEN 18-49 & 18-34
Top 10 with ADULTS 18-49 & 18-34

ER
Available exclusively from
Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution
WBDCD.com: Get with the programming  online.Source: NTI, Explorer, 9/19-10/16/05, US Rtg.

CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis

10/24/05

Good morning.  It’s Monday, October 24, 2005, and this is your first early morning briefing. 

NBC Universal Television Distribution has cleared its newest daytime strip series with Megan Mullally in the top three markets (WNBC, KNBC and WMAQ), as well as KNTV in San Francisco.  The one hour talk show will originate from LA.

It’s official – UPN has shown Sex Lies & Secrets the door.  The show airs on Tuesdays at 9p, and initially the network stopped production because it was running so far ahead of schedule and it wasn’t ripping up the ratings race.  Now the final word has come down that the show has indeed been cancelled and will be removed from the scheduled immediately.  Filling in will be two encore airings of Love Inc. tomorrow night, and back to back episodes of Everybody Hates Chris next Tuesday.  The next two Tuesdays are filled with specials, so the first time the network has to figure out how to fill 9p on Tuesdays will be November 22.  Sex Lies & Secrets is from Axelrod/Edwards Company and Paramount Network Television.

* MORE GOOD STUFF *If you’re keeping score, here’s what been picked up and what’s been cancelled thus far:

Picked up:
ABC:  Commander in Chief, Invasion
CBS:  How I Met Your Mother, Criminal Minds, Ghost Whisperer
NBC:  Surface, My Name is Earl
Fox:  Prison Break, Bones, War at Home
UPN:  Everybody Hates Chris
WB:  Supernatural

Cancelled:
NBC:  Inconceivable
Fox:  Head Cases
UPN: Sex, Lies & Secrets
WB:  Just Legal

On the bench:
WB:  Living with Fran, Blue Collar

Speculation continues as to who ABC News should place in the coveted World News Tonight anchor chair permanently.  Charles Gibson? Elizabeth Vargas (naw, she’s got her own chair at 20/20). Bob Woodruff? And now new rumors arise that potentially Diane Sawyer may be interested. So the Cynopsis question is this: Who would you like to see get the job, and if that means moving someone from another regular job, how would you fill that vacated post?  Send in your picks to Cynopsis and put ABC News Anchor in the subject line. As for me, I’d put Charles Gibson in the evening news anchor chair, and fill his M-F morning post with GMA Weekend guy Bill Weir.

Weekend Box Office Estimates: October 21-23, 2005
Doom (Universal)                          $15.4 million – opening weekend
Dreamer (DreamWorks)             $9.3 million – opening weekend
Wallace & Gromit (DreamWorks)   $8.7 million – 3 wk total $44.0m
The Fog (Sony/Revolution)                $7.3 million – 2 wk total $21.5m
North Country (Warner Bros.)             $6.5 million – opening weekend
Elizabethtown (Paramount)                $5.7 million – 2 wk total $18.9m
Flightplan (Buena Vista)                          $4.7 million – 5 wk total $77.2m
In Her Shoes (Fox)                        $3.9 million – 3 wk total $26.2m
A History of Violence (New Line)                 $2.7 million – 5 wk total $26.3m
Two for the Money (Universal)            $2.4 million – 3 wk total $20.7m
Source: Box Office Mojo

* NEW ORDERS / CASTING / DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCTION *HBO is looking at a new cop show from producers David Milch and Bill Clark (NYPD Blue duo), based in part on Clark’s days as a rookie cop working undercover.  Clark was also the inspiration on NYPD Blue’s character Andy Sipowicz. It was during his stint at the NYPD that the Knapp Commission revealed wide amounts of corruption within the department – an aspect of Clark’s history the new project at HBO will delve into heavily.

Joining the cast of Commander in Chief on ABC will be former NYPD Blue actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar.  His character on the show will be as a media strategist.

NBC has ordered three more scripts for E-Ring, an indication they aren’t looking to scrap the show, but also not a confirmation they’ll keep it beyond the original order either.  The script order gives a little more breathing room until a decision has to be made.

Elsewhere at NBC, the original 13 episode order of the drama series The Book of Daniel (NBC Universal/Sony Pictures TV) down to 8 episodes; the second such cut-back for the midseason slate. The first being Thick and Thin cut from 13 down to 6.

ABC Family has ordered the drama series Balancing Act from exec prod Seth Freeman.  According to Variety, the network is in the midst of negotiating an order for 13 episodes. No studio is attached as yet.  The show is about a cop who moves with his family back into the city neighborhood where he grew up, in hopes of making some changes for the better..

* EXECUTIVE MOVES *Mitch Semel, SVP/Nick-at-Nite and TV Land, has resigned his post after less than a year.  According to Variety, filling the void in the interim will be Sal Maniaci, reporting to Larry Jones, EVP/GM.

 * RATINGS *Thursday — A18-49 Analysis:  CBS delivered the goods on Thursday night with an overall 7.4/19 A18-49, according to final ratings from Nielsen Media Research.  NBC was #2 with a 4.9/13, followed by WB 2.2/6 in third place, and then ABC 2.1/5, UPN 1.4/4, Fox 1.0/3.  At 8p Survivor survived the competition with a 6.1/17, while NBC’s Joey/Will & Grace and WB’s Smallville tied each with an 8 share.  At 9p CSI was well in front with a 9.7/24, doubling #2 ranked Apprentice which earned a 4.9/12, which in turn tripled its closest competitors.  At 10p the battle of Without a Trace and ER went to NBC this week with a 6.6/17 over CBS’ 6.1/16.

FINAL HOUSEHOLD RATINGS:  Thursday, October 20, 2005, for all Networks – program averages.  Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

CBS     13.9/22  Survivor: Guatemala 10.5/17, CSI 17.7/27, Without a Trace 13.4/22

NBC     7.5/12   Joey 5.4/9, Will & Grace 5.7/9, The Apprentice 7.1/11, ER  9.8/16

ABC     4.2/7    Alias 4.7/8, Night Stalker 3.2/5, Primetime 4.6/7

WB      3.3/5    Smallville 3.9/6, Everwood  2.6/4

UPN     2.2/4    Everybody Hates Chris 3.5/6, Love Inc. 2.1/3, Eve 1.8/3, Cuts  1.7/3

FOX     1.8/3    Reunion [r] 1.9/3, Reunion [r] 1.6/3

A18-49            CBS 7.4/19, NBC 4.9/13, WB 2.2/6, ABC 2.1/5, UPN 1.4/4, Fox 1.0/3

Friday — A18-49 Analysis:  CBS led on Friday night among A18-49, according to fast affiliate ratings from Nielsen Media Research.  CBS earned a 3.0/10, followed by NBC 2.3/7, ABC 2.1/7, Fox 1.7/6, UPN 1.3/4, WB 1.1/4.  At 8p CBS’ Ghost Whisperer delivered at time period winning 3.2/11, while ABC and NBC tied at a 7 share.  At 9p CBS and NBC tied, each posting a 2.6/8, and tho time period winning, CBS still dropped 3 share points from its lead-in, while NBC picked up 1 share point.  At 10p CBS was the decided winner with Numb3rs earning a 3.3/10, while ABC and NBC tied at a 7 share.

Fast Affiliate Ratings:   Friday, October 21, 2005, for all Networks – time period only averages.  Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

CBS     6.8/12   Ghost Whisperer 7.5/13, Threshold 5.7/10, Numb3rs  7.2/13

NBC     5.8/10   Dateline NBC 5.7/10, Three Wishes 6.2/11, L & O: Criminal Intent 5.3/9

ABC     4.4/8    Supernanny 4.0/7, Hope & Faith 4.1/7, Hot Properties 3.8/6, 20/20  5.4/10

FOX     2.7/5    The Bernie Mac Show 2.7/5, Malcolm in the Middle 2.4/4, Killer Instinct 2.8/5

UPN     2.5/4    Friday Night Smackdown   2.5/4

WB      1.6/3    What I Like About You 1.4/2, What I Like About You 1.3/2, Reba 2.0/4, Twins  1.6/3

A18-49            CBS 3.0/10, NBC 2.3/7, ABC 2.1/7, Fox 1.7/6, UPN 1.3/4, WB 1.1/4

Saturday — A18-49 Analysis:  According to fast affiliate numbers – measuring time period only, not programs, Fox was far and away the winner on Saturday night with Game #1 of the World Series scoring a 4.2/13 A18-49.  Among M18-49, the game delivered a 5.4/17. 

Fast Affiliate Ratings:   Saturday, October 22, 2005, for all Networks – time period only averages.  Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

FOX     8.6/15   MLB: World Series Game # 1  8.6/15

CBS     5.4/10   NCIS [r] 5.2/9, Without a Trace [r] 5.1/9, 48 Hours Mystery 6.0/10

ABC     3.3/6    Movie: Air Force One 3.4/6, Desperate Housewives [r] 3.0/5

NBC     3.1/5    Movie: Chicago  3.1/5

A18-49            Fox 4.2/13, CBS 2.0/6, ABC 1.7/5, NBC 1.3/4

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1945-Less than two months after the end of World War II, the United Nations is formally established with the ratification of the United Nations Charter by the five permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of other signatories.

Answer to Friday’s Trivia Question: Will and Holly are the lost children of what Park ranger?  RICK MARSHALL / LAND OF THE LOST    Kudos to:  Deborah Kelson-Brandgenuity LLC/NY; John Mooney-Edna Cowan Management/NY; Debbie Nicharot-Atlantic Creative/Washington DC; Bernie Sweetman-MSNBC/Secaucus; Matt Rankin-WDAF/Kansas City; John Kukla-KDFW/Dallas; Dave Lough-Charter Advertising/St Louis; Berry Ellis-Superstation WGN/Chicago; Mike Heflin-Cannella Response Television/LA; Max Straight-Laser Pacific/LA; Ian Kerner-Laser Pacific/Hollywood; Jeri Sacks-Granada International/LA.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

LOYAL COURT TV FANS DON’T JUST WATCH…

Not when it comes to their favorite show,
PSYCHIC DETECTIVES.

They follow the series on-line at www.courttv.com , where they can enter sweepstakes, enjoy chats, interviews and Q&A sessions with featured psychics, and follow links to learn more about this phenomenon.
But most of all, they do love to watch.
PSYCHIC DETECTIVES. Wednesdays at 10PM E/P. Court TV.

Today’s Trivia Question: In the 2004 film Jersey Girl, Ben Affleck’s character Ollie,  plays a very successful NY publicist.  In a single moment he wrecks his career at a press conference by speaking badly about what TV character?   (click here with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: Only the second four correct answers from each time zone will be mentioned; and once you’ve been mentioned in any of the Cynopsis editions, you can’t be mentioned again that calendar week.)

Later — Cyn
10.24.05 – 5:26a
Cynopsis Ad Sales – Barbara Shapiro – 203-583-1224 /

Classified Ad Sales – Trish Pihonak – 203.381-9096 /

If you’d rather listen than read, you can sign up for the Cynopsis: In Your Ear podcast available for download each morning by 630a at www.cynopsis.com or via iTunes 4.9 listed in the podcast directory under “News”  as well as under Yahoo Podcast http://podcasts.yahoo.com/.

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Copyright Cynthia Turner 2005

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JOB OPENING: MGR, LICENSEE COMPLIANCE/NY: Liaison w/licensing partners assur’g proper use/maint/integ sys & data that support bus. applicat’s. Effective comm/solutions. 4yrs+ licensing exp; excel skills. www.mtvncareers.com . EOE (10/29)

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT: Monday, October 24, 2005

ABC              Wife Swap,  ABC MNF: New York Jets vs. Atlanta Falcons
CBS              King of Queens, How I Met Your Mother, 2-1/2 Men, Out of Practice, CSI: Miami 
FOX              Prison Break [r], Prison Break
NBC              Surface, Las Vegas, Medium
i                      Doc, Diagnosis Murder, Early Edition
UPN              One on One, All of Us, Girlfriends, Half & Half
WB               7th Heaven [r], Related [r]
TELE             El Cuerpo del Deseo, Los Plateados, Decisiones
UNIV             Contra Viento y Marea, La Esposa Virgen, Cristina