>CBS aired the low-rated first round of the NCAA basketball tournament, falling to a fourth-place 1.7 rating with Adults 18-49 (the same as last year’s result). ABC received some decent news with Missing premiering to a 2.0 rating at 8 pm. Not a huge number but better than the mid-1 rating they have seen for most weeks. But remember Charlie’s Angels premiered to a 2.1 and it declined rapidly from there. FOX held on to win the night, but American Idol from 8-9 tied a Thursday low. On NBC, Community made its triumphant return, and its loyal fans gave the quirky comedy its highest rating of the season and helped 30 Rock challenge its season high. Sure it helped that Big Bang Theory was not on, but credit NBC for taking advantage of this opening to re-establish a fairly weak-kneed asset.
Nightly Adult 18-49 Rating
Thursday FOX NBC CBS ABC
03.15.2012 3.4 1.9 1.7 2.4 THIS WEEK
03.08.2012 3.6 1.8 3.6 1.3 LAST WEEK
03.17.2011 4.5 1.5 1.7 1.6 LAST YEAR
Community returned to the 8:00 anchor position last night with a season high 2.2 rating with Adults 18-49 in the fast nationals. Certainly it helped that Big Bang Theory was pre-empted by the NCAA tournament on CBS, but this is still welcome news for NBC, which saw 30 Rock rise to a 2.0 at 8:30. 9-11 pm however looks very similar to previous weak outings recently, however. Awake looks like a 1.6 rating whether it has strong or weak drama competition. Last year on this night: Community (1.7), Perfect Couples (1.2), The Office repeat (1.5), Parks & Recreation (1.8), 30 Rock (1.7) and Outsourced (1.4).
Season Past Six Weeks
NBC Thu High Low 2.09 2.16 2.23 3.01 3.08 3.15
Community 1.8 1.4 2.2*
30 Rock 1.8 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.4 2.0*
Parks & Rec 2.1 1.7 — 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8
The Office 3.9 2.3 2.5 2.3 2.6 2.5 2.6 2.3*
Whitney 3.3 1.9
Up All Night 2.0 1.5 1.7 1.5 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.7*
Awake 1.9 1.6 2.0 1.6 1.6*
Prime Suspect 1.8 0.8
The Firm 1.0 0.8 — — —
ABC managed to put a 2 in front of the rating for Ashley Judd’s worldwide search for her son in Missing. Thursday at 8 has been a tough time period for ABC, with most weeks in the low- to mid-1 rating range. Charlie’s Angels premiered in the fall to a 2.1 rating but fell to as low as a 1.1. We expect Missing to decline next week to a 1.8, but it has a fairly good shot at holding that number in coming weeks and not heading to a 1 rating. Meanwhile, Grey’s Anatomy is on track to set a season low, while Private Practice should be just above its season low in the official nationals. Last year on this night: Wipeout (2.1), Private Practice (1.9) and Off the Map repeat (1.0).
Season Past Six Weeks
ABC Thu High Low 2.09 2.16 2.23 3.01 3.08 3.15
Charlie’s Ang 2.1 1.1
Wipeout 2.7 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.1R 1.3R
Missing 2.0 2.0 2.0*
Grey’s Anatomy 4.5 3.1 4.0 3.2 3.1 1.1R 1.1R 3.0*
Private Prac 2.8 2.1 2.2 2.6 2.1 — 2.2*
FOX’s American Idol drifted down to a 4.5, matching the Thursday low set on February 23. Quick, find another contestant who is wanted by law enforcement or gin up an addiction crisis! The Touch pilot repeated with a 2.2 rating at 9 pm. Last year on this night: American Idol (5.7) and Bones (3.3).
Season Past Six Weeks
FOX Thu High Low 2.09 2.16 2.23 3.01 3.08 3.15
X Factor 4.3 2.8
American Idol 5.7 4.5 5.8 5.1 4.5 5.4 4.9 4.5*
Bones 3.3 2.4
The Finder 2.8 1.7 2.2 — 2.0 — 2.3
The entire regular schedule rode the bench last night in favor of the weak first round of March Madness, which scored a 1.7 rating from 8-11 pm, subject to a slight upward adjustment in the official nationals due to the live-to-all-time-zones broadcast pattern. This number is in line with last year and our Ratings Forecast/ Scorecard for the entire tournament. Last year on this night: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Round 1 (1.7).
Season Past Six Weeks
CBS Thu High Low 2.09 2.16 2.23 3.01 3.08 3.15
Big Bang Theory 5.5 4.5 5.6 5.1 5.3 3.2R 5.1
Rules Engagment 3.7 2.7
Rob 4.1 2.9 3.3 3.2 2.9 2.6 —
Person Interest 3.3 2.6 3.3 2.8 3.1 1.8R 3.4
Mentalist 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.7 2.6 1.7R 2.8
###
