I think FOX were strategic in scheduling two weeks straight of ‘Simpsons’ after football, in the hopes of it catching more viewers for later in the season. We’ll just have to see after the LONG gap for Christmas that is sure to kill all those additional viewers off. Not literally; hopefully it’s not going to be THAT cold. At least that’ll leave any thoughts the show will dip into low 1s and below 3 million viewers again for the year (in original eps) out of mind.

Sunday, December 4’s affair-cusping episode saw just under 6 million stick around with 5.772 million watching (down from 5.849 million in the preliminaries) and posting the season’s fourth rating over a 2.0, with 2.4/7 (was 2.368/7 in prelims, likely to be above 2.35 to two decimal places). Although, despite the high figure, it was the season’s lowest football-boosted episode so far, likely due to the lower rating for lead-in programme The OT (4.2/14 and 12.18m compared to its previous 6.7/21 and 18.557m on November 13th). At expected, it was up from the season low of 1.3/4 and 2.876 two weeks ago. The Simpsons was the night’s top scripted show in 18-49s, the second being Family Guy, regaining its crown above FG after a blip last time both aired originals.

The episode tied ninth in the most-watched shows by 18-49s for the week, and reportedly had a 53% skew of that audience. The equivalent episode last year was also boosted by football, with 2.3/7 and 5.528 million, meaning this year’s episode is up on that.

Sunday’s rating helped the season average scoot back above a 2 to 2.03/6.5 (keeping the same share), and 4.697 million viewers, compared with the average by the equivalent episode last season (when eight had been broadcast), with 2.04/6.1 and 4.713 million viewers. Basically, “The Simpsons” is on par by this point last season.

The improved Simpsons didn’t do much for Son of Zorn posting a low, but albeit, up 1.3/4 and 3.159m. Family Guy saw a nice boost to 1.6/5, with 3.433m, and The Last Man on Earth gained slightly as well to 1.1/3 and 2.477m.

Opposite ‘Simpsons’ there was around 21 million watching on other networks, lower than usual and down significantly from last week. The highest rated show on American TV that might was, expectedly, football; Sunday Night Football on NBC to be specific, which, from 8:30-11:45pm, scored a 6.1/19 rating and 17.75 million viewers.

See you next Tuesday for analysis of the numbers from the last original episode before Christmas, and the last ratings analysis of 2016 (or penultimate, hint, hint. Actually, I don’t see how that’s a hint – it doesn’t give away much.).