ABC/CRAIG SJODINWhy is Dancing With the Stars sticking with Kate Gosselin in the pimp spot? Why should Castle fans be rooting for the reality mom? And is FlashForward sinking or swimming?
The answers—and more questions about Life Unexpected and the rest—in the latest TV ratings quiz:
1. Guess which half-hour got DWTS' biggest numbers last night? The one "graced" by Gosselin, of course. For the second week in a row, DWTS saved the TLC star and Pam Anderson for the crucial 9:30 p.m. segment. The pairing did not disappoint, bagging nearly 25 million viewers in that half-hour. Unfortunately, we don't know exactly how many witnessed the Gosselin-vexed Tony Dovolani reduced to grumbling, "I quit."
2. Why might DWTS find it hard to quit Gosselin when the time comes? The series is on an Idol-esque roll. In the latest weekly Nielsen rankings, DWTS' season premiere—the most watched in franchise history—placed higher than one American Idol installment (a series first) and came thisclose to tying another Idol for first place (virtually unheard of).
3. Why should Castle fans stand by Gosselin, à la the cooled-down Dovolani? Because with DWTS going strong, Castle's going strong—and not looking like a bubble show anymore. Last week, it finished in the top 10; last night, it scored its most-watched episode ever, with 14.5 million estimated viewers. ABC responded by renewing Castle for the 2010-11 season.
4. Is FlashForward still looking like a bubble show? Very much so. Last week, among all-important young adults, aged 18-49, the freshman cult favorite finished behind the likes of Minute to Win It, a rerun of Sons of Tuscon and the beloved The Marriage Ref.
5. What about Life Unexpected? Yes, but maybe not quite as bubbly as FlashForward, which is a good thing (for Life Unexpected). As far as CW shows go, Life Unexpected is right in the thick of things. Last night, it outdrew Gossip Girl, and, for the season to date, it's rated a bigger audience than 90210, to name two returning CW series.
6. Did the Kids' Choice Awards top itself? Nope. Saturday's show was slightly down from 2009's record-setter: 7.6 million viewers versus 7.7 million. Feel free to blame Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.
7. Why was Taylor Lautner's big night not in vain? The Kids' Choice Awards was easily the week's most-watched cable show. The new Nick comedy Victorious, which premiered after the Kids' Choice Awards, was easily the week's next most-watched cable show.
Here's a look at the top 10 broadcast network shows for the week ended Sunday, per Nielsen Media Research:
- American Idol (Tuesday), 24.2 million
- Dancing With the Stars, 24.19 million
- American Idol (Wednesday), 21.4 million
- Undercover Boss, 16.7 million
- 60 Minutes, 14.5 million
- Two and a Half Men, 14.48 million
- The Big Bang Theory, 13.4 million
- NCIS (rerun), 13 million
- The Amazing Race, 12.7 million
- Castle, 12.2 million
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