This may seem like piling-on after yesterday’s brilliant Grinch/Zucker ditty by CliqueClack’s own Richard Keller, but what the hell happened to NBC? The once imposing network — home to such television icons as the Cartwrights and Johnny Carson — has plummeted into a chasm of mediocrity. A perennial ratings powerhouse during the ’80s and ’90s, the 21^st century has seen NBC flounder like week-old sea bass at the bottom of the Nielsen Media Research barrel.

Allow me a moment’s diversion: Has anyone ever met a man, woman or child who belonged to the elusive “Nielsen Family?” I’m aware these chosen few are sworn to secrecy — under threat of execution by firing squad — never to divulge their Nielsen status, but I smell an American Idol-sized rat. I am convinced this so-called Nielsen is actually an introverted genius with Coke-bottle-thick glasses and severe hyperhidrosis, who works out of a windowless room feeding advanced algorithms into a holographic supercomputer. But that’s just my warped opinion. I could be wrong.

Anyway, among the big four networks, NBC consistently places third or fourth in the weekly ratings race. Is this a prolonged slump or has the peacock lost its broadcasting mojo?

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(Ratings Clack 11/30 – 12/6)

It was an interesting week for TV numbers. With Tom & Samantha packing up the ballroom, there were viewers to be had on Monday and Tuesday. That meant there were winners (Chuck, The Mentalist), and losers (Samantha Who?, Heroes).

The other big story was just how well all of the Christmas programming did. Shrek, The Grinch, Santa Claus, and Rudolph all had nice showings, as did the Christmas in Rockefeller. We also saw the return of Jericho to the airwaves. If you were holding out hope that this could revive the series, well… nuts.

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