Ratings Review: MALIBU COUNTRY

MALIBU COUNTRY may end up as the best rated new comedy for the 2012-13 season. However, this has been a very down season for new comedies.

The season started out strong for the freshman comedy. Nine million viewers for the premiere episodes. It leveled off at a high six million level, pretty good for a Friday night program, in this era of television. The A18-49 ratings were not that bad either. it was near the top of the nights ratings chart for most of the first half of the year.

The second half may have shown the true strength, or lack there of, of the series. I began losing more and more of the LAST MAN STANDING lead in. But, the season finale may have bailed it out. The most viewers since the second episode and only the third time over seven million viewers.

If placed in the right spot, this comedy could do well for ABC.

MALIBU COUNTRY (Fridays at 8:00 p.m., on ABC)

Date	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
11/02/12	9.13	2.3		Premiere
11/09/12	7.34	1.7	-20%
11/16/12	6.67	1.4	-9%
11/23/12	6.53	1.4	-2%
11/30/12	6.31	1.5	-3%
12/07/12	6.01	1.4	-5%
12/14/12	6.42	1.5	+7%
12/21/12	3.77	0.8	-41%	R
12/28/12	Preempted
01/04/13	5.96	1.2
01/11/13	6.10	1.4	+2%
01/18/13	5.88	1.2	-4%
01/25/13	4.14	0.8	-30%	R
02/01/13	5.99	1.2	+45%
02/08/13	6.13	1.3	+2%
02/15/13	5.78	1.2	-6%
02/22/13	5.11	1.1	-12%
03/01/13	6.15	1.4	+20%
03/08/13	5.92	1.3	-4%
03/15/13	5.60	1.1	-5%
03/22/13	7.04	1.4	+26%	Finale

* - in millions