>Last night, FOX won again with a slipping X Factor and the premiere of Bones. FOX averaged a 3.5 Thursday night, up sharply from the 2.2 the network averaged the same night last year with Bones and Fringe. CBS was in second place with a 3.3 rating, down a touch from a 3.4 last year. ABC (2.4 rating last night) was down from a 3.1 last year. And NBC lost ground (1.9 last night versus 2.3 the same night last year). The updated sweep standings (with last night’s trends factored in) follow.
NOVEMBER SWEEP SCORECARD
2011 vs 2010 Through Day 8 of 28
2011 2010
FOX 4.1 3.2 +29%
CBS 2.8 2.6 +10%
ABC 2.4 2.6 – 7%
NBC 2.4 2.4 + 0%
FOX won the night although it only won one half hour on the night. The X Factor slipped down to a 3.6 rating (a season low) and finished behind Big Bang Theory (5.1 for Big Bang and 3.3 for X Factor from 8:00-8:30) but rallied to edge Rules of Engagement (3.7 for Rules and 4.0 for X Factor from 8:30-9:00). Bones returned to the schedule with a 3.3 rating (good for second place behind Grey’s Anatomy), up from the 2.5 it did on this date last year at 8 pm. However, Bones drove away viewers during the course of the show (3.5 rating from 9:00-9:30 and 3.1 from 9:30-10:00), not an encouraging sign for a show dealing with the jump-the-shark dynamite of pregnancy and babies.
FOX Thu Track 9.22 9.29 10.6 10.13 10.20 10.27 11.3
X Factor 4.3 3.9 4.0 3.7 — — 3.6*
Bones — — — — — — 3.3*
CBS had a fairly typical night from 8-10 pm, although The Mentalist at 10 pm jumped up to a season high 2.9 rating.
CBS Thu Track 9.22 9.29 10.6 10.13 10.20 10.27 11.3
Big Bang Theory 5.0 4.9 4.5 4.6 5.1 4.6 5.1*
Rules Engagement — — — — 3.6 3.3 3.7*
Person Interest 3.1 2.7 2.6 2.8 2.7 2.7 2.7*
Mentalist 2.8 2.6 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.9*
In contrast, ABC had mixed results. Grey’s Anatomy continues to flounder — it was looking for a rebound to the high-3 rating area. Instead it’s stuck at a 3.5. Private Practice held more of the Grey’s audience however and posted its second best rating of the young season.
ABC Thu Track 9.22 9.29 10.6 10.13 10.20 10.27 11.3
Charlie’s Angels 2.1 1.5 1.2 1.3 1.2 — 1.2*
Grey’s Anatomy 4.1 3.6 3.1 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.5*
Private Practice — 2.8 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.6*
NBC’s Thursday’s shows were each up from last week’s disaster against World Series Game 6, but these continue to be some pretty bad results. The once mighty Office down to a 3.1 and the two shows on either side of it hanging on to a 2 rating. Prime Suspect has found its level at a 1.2, the same number as Playboy Club and Charlie’s Angels.
NBC Thu Track 9.22 9.29 10.6 10.13 10.20 10.27 11.3
Community 1.7 1.8 1.5 1.7 0.9R 1.4 1.7*
Parks & Rec 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.1 1.1R 1.8 2.0*
The Office 3.9 3.5 3.2 3.3 1.5R 2.9 3.1*
Whitney 3.3 2.5 2.3 2.0 1.1R 2.0 2.1*
Prime Suspect 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.3 0.8R 1.1 1.2*
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