>American Idol rebounded last night, pushing FOX to another Thursday win. But CBS was the real winner last night. With mostly repeats, they earned a strong second place finish on the night with four comedies and a drama. Most likely next fall, a configuration like last night’s will dominate this important night when original episodes are lined up.
Nightly Adult 18-49 Rating
Thursday FOX NBC CBS ABC
04.12.2012 3.3 1.4 2.4 2.1 THIS WEEK
04.05.2012 3.1 1.1 3.0 2.1 LAST WEEK
04.14.2011 5.0 2.2 1.6 1.3 LAST YEAR
A relatively good week continues for American Idol, up three tenths from last week to a 4.2 rating with Adults 18-49 in the preliminary nationals. When the official ratings come in, the Thursday results show of Idol will probably go up to a 4.3 rating. Touch stopped dropping and is holding at a 2.3 rating this week, good enough for third place in the 9 pm hour (ahead of original comedies on NBC). For the night, FOX wins the night with a 3.3 rating. Last year on this night, FOX averaged a 5.0 rating from 8-10 pm: American Idol (6.4) and Bones (3.5).
Season Past Six WeeksFOX Thu High Low 3.08 3.15 3.22 3.29 4.05 4.12
X Factor 4.3 2.8 American Idol 5.7 3.9 4.9 4.6 4.2 4.4 3.9 4.2* Touch 3.3 2.3 2.2R 3.3 2.7 2.3 2.3*
Bones 3.3 2.4 The Finder 2.8 1.7 2.3
Did CBS preview a version of next fall’s Thursday schedule last night? The network aired a four-comedy, one drama line-up (almost all repeats), and managed to beat ABC and NBC (both networks aired original episodes). Repeats of Big Bang Theory and an original Rules of Engagement finished in second place in the 8 pm hour (to American Idol), while another repeat of Big Bang at 9 pm won the 9:00 half hour (pending adjustments to Grey’s Anatomy). A 2 Broke Girls repeat dropped to third place at 9:30, but a repeat Person of Interest at a special time placed second in the 10 pm hour. Very encouraging for a night of repeats, and certainly a taste of things to come. Read more in our recent preview of the CBS needs for fall (including our forecast for a Thursday schedule very similar to last night’s). Last year on this night: Big Bang Theory repeat (1.8), Rules of Engagement repeat (1.4), CSI repeat (1.4) and The Mentalist repeat (1.9).
Season Past Six Weeks
CBS Thu High Low 3.08 3.15 3.22 3.29 4.05 4.12
Big Bang Theory 5.5 4.4 5.1 4.7 4.4 2.8R
Rules Engagment 3.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7*
Rob 4.1 2.9 —
Person Interest 3.4 2.6 3.4 3.3 3.0 1.8R-10PM
Mentalist 3.0 2.4 2.8 2.7 2.4
ABC’s Scandal did not go down in its second week as most dramas do. The Kerry Washington drama is currently up one tenth from last week’s premiere, benefiting from a similar one-tenth lift for Grey’s Anatomy and the luxury of facing CBS repeats in its second week. Not time to celebrate quite yet, but Scandal is not showing the trajectory of so many other dramas this year. Last year on this night: Wipeout (1.9), Grey’s Anatomy repeat (1.3) and Private Practice repeat (0.8).
Season Past Six Weeks
ABC Thu High Low 3.08 3.15 3.22 3.29 4.05 4.12
Charlie’s Ang 2.1 1.1
Wipeout 2.7 1.5 1.3R
Missing 2.1 1.5 2.1 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.4*
Grey’s Anatomy 4.5 2.8 1.1R 3.0 1.2R 1.2R 2.8 2.9*
Scandal 2.0 2.1*
Private Prac 2.8 2.1 2.1 0.8R 0.8R
NBC got The Office back on the air last night with an original episode, and it was the only NBC Thursday show above a 2 rating (although this was about half what the show did on this night last year). Up All Night concluded its run with a 1.5 rating, up three tenths from last week thanks to The Office, but none of this could help Awake, which stayed stubbornly below a 1 rating. Last year on this night: Community (1.4), Paul Reiser Show (1.1), The Office (4.0), Parks & Recreation (2.5), 30 Rock (2.2) and Outsourced (1.7).
Season Past Six Weeks
NBC Thu High Low 3.08 3.15 3.22 3.29 4.05 4.12
Community 1.8 1.3 2.2 1.7 1.7 1.3 1.4*
30 Rock 1.8 1.2 1.4 2.0 1.5 1.5 1.2 1.4*
Parks & Rec 2.1 1.7 1.8
The Office 3.9 2.3 2.6 2.4 1.2R 1.0R 2.1*
Whitney 3.3 1.9
Up All Night 2.0 1.2 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.5*
Awake 1.9 0.9 1.6 1.6 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.9*
Prime Suspect 1.8 0.8
The Firm 1.0 0.8
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