Fox's NAPOLEON DYNAMITE Off to Strong Ratings Start

According to early Nielsen rating's reports, Sunday's NFL overrun gave Fox's new animated series NAPOLEON DYNAMITE a strong premiere audience. Even though the popular film was in theaters back in 2004, the fact that fans still remember the film fondly bodes well for FOX which launched  the animated version this Sunday as part of its "Animation Domination" block of cartoons. With original cast members returning to voice their characters in the series, the concept is not far removed from it's origins - 16-year old Napoleon Dynamite working his "sweet skills" along with his family and friends as they live life in rural Idaho.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

A full hour of "NFL Overrun" (40.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 14.3, #1) pushed FOX (20.17 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.0, #1) to the top spot on Sunday. Leading out of said coverage were a new "The Simpsons" (15.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.8, #2), the premiere of "Napoleon Dynamite" (9.51 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.6, #3), a new "Family Guy" (8.50 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 4.4, #4) and a second "Napoleon Dynamite" (7.15 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 3.6, #6).

NBC (12.34 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) then had to settle for second place with its mix of the "Golden Globes Red Carpet" (7.35 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T10) and "The 69th AnnuAl Golden Globe Awards" (14.01 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.2, #5).

Next up was ABC (6.68 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with original installments of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.14 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15), "Once Upon a Time" (9.84 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.3, #7), "Desperate Housewives" (7.83 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.7, #9) and "Pan Am" (3.93 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.3, #14).

And finally, a new "60 Minutes" (8.72 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12), the return of "Undercover Boss" (11.56 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #8), a new "The Good Wife" (9.31 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T10) and a repeat of "CSI: Miami" (7.07 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T12) on CBS (9.17 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+195.65% - The Simpsons
+46.67% - Family Guy
0.00% - Pan Am
-10.00% - Desperate Housewives
-10.81% - Once Upon a Time
-14.29% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-29.63% - The Good Wife
-62.50% - 60 Minutes
Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+119.35% - The Simpsons
+76.92% - Napoleon Dynamite (vs. Bob's Burgers)
+65.00% - Once Upon a Time (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+33.33% - Napoleon Dynamite (vs. The Cleveland Show)
+18.92% - Family Guy
+9.09% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-5.00% - Golden Globes Red Carpet
-6.67% - The 69th AnnuAl Golden Globe Awards
-12.90% - Desperate Housewives
-26.83% - Undercover Boss (vs. 60 Minutes)
-38.10% - Pan Am (vs. Brothers & Sisters)
-42.42% - The Good Wife (vs. Undercover Boss)
-88.97% - 60 Minutes (vs. NFL Overrun)
Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/16/11):

A full hour of "NFL Overrun" (40.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 13.6, #1) put CBS (20.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) in front on Sunday. Leading out of said coverage were new episodes of "60 Minutes" (17.25 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.1, #3), "Undercover Boss" (13.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) and "CSI: Miami" (10.35 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #10).

NBC (12.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) then had to settle for second place with its mix of the "Golden Globes Red Carpet" (8.22 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T12) and "The 68th AnnuAl Golden Globe Awards" (14.29 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2).

Next up was FOX (5.07 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with its deflated (absent last week's NFL overrun) mix of a "The Simpsons" (2.64 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15) repeat followed by new episodes of "American Dad" (3.58 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.7, #14), "The Simpsons" (6.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T6), "Bob's Burgers" (5.10 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.6, #9), "Family Guy" (7.08 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.7, #4) and "The Cleveland Show" (5.55 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8)

And finally, ABC (7.78 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) rounded out the evening with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.87 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #16), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (7.94 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T12), "Desperate Housewives" (10.08 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T6) and "Brothers & Sisters" (10.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #11). Said demo numbers for "Housewives" marked its lowest ever for an original episode while "Brothers" tied its own low.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 60 Minutes (156.30%), Undercover Boss (10.00%), CSI: Miami (-4.00%), Brothers & Sisters (-8.70%), Desperate Housewives (-18.40%), Family Guy (-21.30%), The Cleveland Show (-22.90%), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (-23.10%), America's Funniest Home Videos (-38.90%), Bob's Burgers (-42.20%), American Dad (-45.20% vs. 12/12/10), The Simpsons (-45.60%).

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