How is the TV Season Performing In the New Year

Now that the holidays are over and all of the major network shows have returned to the primetime landscape over the last couple of weeks, it is time to take another look at how the 2012-2013 TV season is performing.

As mentioned last month, NBC has had a remarkable season, finishing in the number one spot over the other major networks at least in the key demographics; and while some (myself included) who track ratings results may question the validity of the 18 to 49 year old demos, the advertisers – the very entities who make weekly TV on any network possible – see those numbers as vitally important. And with that thought in mind, NBC has averaged about a 3.2 rating within that key demo, beating out top rated CBS, which earned a 2.8 share.

That being said, though, CBS is still the number one network in terms of overall ratings; in other words, the total millions of viewers for each series each week. Case in point: NCIS returned over the last two weeks, earning over 20 million viewers each week followed by NCIS: Los Angeles getting over 17 million viewers and Person of Interest earning about 16 million each week.

The only setbacks for NBC, right now, are the facts that their number one new show Revolution is on an extending hiatus, returning on March 25 while the network’s new soap opera Deception fills that time slot. Unfortunately, the first two episodes of this new series have been lackluster at best, averaging only 4.9 million viewers overall.

On the other hand, ABC comes in second place with about 9 million in overall viewers. The network’s top drama, Castle, returned after the holiday hiatus with a downturn in its ratings, actually losing about 2 million viewers overall. The opposite can be said for the network’s Thursday night sleeper hit Scandal, which has improved by 2 million viewers each week since its return from the holiday hiatus.

In terms of drama airings, FOX has only had the burn-off episodes of the failed medical drama The Mob Doctor and the 2-hour return of Bones airing after the holidays; but this TV season has not been kind to the network at all as it is now in fourth place basically taking the place of formerly low-ranked NBC. And, FOX has continued to box itself in by, once again, postponing the return of their Kiefer Sutherland-led drama Touch until February 8.

Lastly, of course, is The CW – which is (sadly) considered by many to be the not-so-evil step-child of the entertainment industry – the fifth network that the other major networks consistently look down upon. But that critique doesn’t seem to be the outlook of the viewers who made Beauty And the Beast the top new drama in this month’s People’s Choice Awards. The viewers also continue to flock to the network’s other dramas, especially the new series Arrow and fan favorite The Vampire Diaries.

Moving over to the cable networks, the teen-based dramas on ABC Family – Switched at Birth, Bunheads, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game – have all returned with new episodes and nearly all have maintained their same ratings as last year.

But the deciding factor for all of the networks (cable and major) will come next month when February sweeps reign supreme, making the decision by the networks’ power players an almost certainty.

Which shows do you hope will survive and which ones do you believe will not. Please share your thoughts below.