Friday 23 April 1999
By eBroadcast Staff and agencies.

Record low ratings for the gritty cop drama have dropped ABC out of the Tuesday primetime Nielsens lead

'Why don't you watch my show you $@*&# #&*#@?!'

Cable coverage of the Littleton, Colo., high school shootings and Dateline NBC's own coverage, had quite a bit to do with NYPD Blue’s poor showing this week (8.5 rating, 14 share in homes; 5.0/14 in adults 18-49). The venerable show dropped more than a full rating point below its previous lowest-ever first run households rating (that's about one million viewers that tuned out).

NYPD Blue was also hurt by a weak lead-in from Sports Night (5.8/9 in homes, 3.8/10 in adults 18-49 in rerun), which delivered the lowest-ever in-season rating for an ABC series in the slot.

With ABC's Tuesday fortunes continuing to decline this season, NYPD Blue has lost the momentum it was building earlier this season. Since early February, the sixth-year drama has logged five of its seven lowest-ever first run ratings.

In Tuesday's 18-49 results, Blue fell 4 shares behind Dateline's Littleton coverage (10.9/18 in homes, 6.6/18 in adults 18-49), dropping ABC to second for the night behind NBC. In households, ABC finished third, with CBS' older-skewing Rockford Files picture (10.3/16 in homes, 3.4/9 in adults 18-49) controlling the night.

But, as they say in Hollywood, one show’s loss, is another show’s gain (we actually made that up). Fox seemed to benefit the most from Blue’s slide, finishing second in adults 18-49, and third in full-night averages. Futurama stole the show winning its slot in 18-49 adults, and building a season best 22% on its lead-in from King of the Hill.

Note to Matt Groening: guess Tuesday nights aren’t so bad after all, huh?