User blog:Ryan Stoppable/The Numbers Game: 'Goalie' Scores Big Ratings

Welcome once again to The Numbers Game! This is Volume 24 of the blog that breaks down the numbers of our favorite show.

Phineas and Ferb used a strong lead-in from Up to soar to new heights earlier this month, as "My Fair Goalie" drew a whopping 4.650 million viewers, an increase of 22 percent over "Skiddley Whiffers" that defeated a non-concurrent The Penguins of Madagascar special by 37 percent. This was good to be Friday's night No. 1 cable program in total viewership, the 3rd straight new episode since Across the 2nd Dimension to claim that honor, as well as No. 13 (and the top animated program) on the week's Cable Top 25. More impressively, it was also the No. 1 most watched regular Phineas and Ferb episode since the series' inception back in 2008. The top ten can be seen below.

HIGHEST RATED REGULAR PHINEAS AND FERB EPISODES, TO DATE Episode, Date, Total Viewers (000s)
 * 1) "My Fair Goalie", September 9, 4,650
 * 2) "Phineas and Ferb Musical Cliptastic Countdown", October 16, 2009, 4,449
 * 3) "Bad Hair Day / Meatloaf Surprise", June 24, 4,365
 * 4) "We Call it Maze / Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet Max Modem!", October 1, 2010, 4,351
 * 5) "Phineas and Ferb Interrupted / A Real Boy", July 15, 4,287
 * 6) "The Bully Code / Finding Mary McGuffin", November 20, 2009, 4,274
 * 7) "Cheer Up Candace / Fireside Girl Jamboree", November 13, 2009, 4,129
 * 8) "The Baljeatles / Vanessassary Roughness", August 7, 2009, 4.1 million
 * 9) "Bubble Boys / Isabella and the Temple of Sap", October 30, 2009, 4,005
 * 10) "Flop Starz", Ferb-ruary 1, 2008, 3,987

Getting back to "My Fair Goalie" the new episode debuted to a 2.5 household rating and a strong 0.8 among Adults 18-49 But the target age groups is where the episode really shined; it ranked No. 1 on the week by decisive margins in both Kids 2-11 (18 percent over Up) and Kids 6-11 (21 percent over a new Victorious), as well as a strong No. 3 in Tweens 9-14 behind Victorious and a new iCarly. In fact, it was the No. 3 most watched animated telecast in the 6-11 age group this year behind only Across the 2nd Dimension and just behind "Bad Hair Day / Meatloaf Surprise".

Phineas and Ferb returns to the airwaves with "Bullseye!" on Friday, September 30 at 9:30 PM Eastern (8:30 Central), and you've only got one valid reason not to be there. The Numbers Game will return to cover it in early October. Until then, you've got no valid reasons not to follow me on Twitter, go Brewers!, and remember...that the numbers never lie.