Two and a Half Equals Eight

According to the Neilson Ratings found on Zap2it.com Two and a Half Men on CBS ranked number eight out of 20 for the week of March 24 to March 30. According to the ratings, 9,723,000 households, or 14,235,000 viewers watched the show. The show is about two brothers living together. One brother is a bachelor at its truest sense of the word, while the other is a divorcee trying to raise his son without exposing him too much to his brother’s free life style. Being a show with a more “adult” sense of humor, 9:00 PM on Monday is the best timeslot for the television sitcom.

The only other show in the same timeslot as Two and Half Men that ranked on the Neilson Ratings was Deal or No Deal which ranked 20th, with a rating vs. share score of 6.2/9.0, 6,972,000 households, and 10,140,000 viewers tuning in. Two and a Half Men has a rating vs. share score of 8.6/13.0. Although Deal or No Deal has a better ratio, it is filling a smaller share than Two and a Half Men. Obviously more people are watching Two and a Half Men which gives the show an advantage on the ratings scale. With the show ranking at a slightly above average eighth place, it is an interesting idea to ponder what a timeslot change would do to its ratings.

A timeslot change for the show would not be a complete disaster, as long as it were still showed later at night. With the joke and content of the show being for a more mature audience, it would suffer if it had to compete with more family oriented shows such as American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which all air at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, Monday, and Sunday, respectively.

If a timeslot change allowed for the same time, but different day, Two and a Half Men would be looking at competition from Dancing with the Stars which airs at 9:00 PM on Tuesdays on ABC, American Idol on FOX at 9:00 PM on Wednesdays, and The Apprentice 7 on NBC at 9:00 on Thursdays.

The ratings of Two and a Half Men would probably change drastically if it were to be aired at an earlier time when families are more likely to be watching television programs together. A later time slot might increase ratings, allowing parents an extra half an hour to put their children to bed before watching their show.

For now, Two and a Half Men holds strong in the ratings. With its time and day being perfect for its content, the show is bound to remain successful.