AFTERNOON UPDATE: Things improved very slightly for ABC, as MODERN FAMILY, MIXOLOGY and NASHVILLE all tiptoed up an additional 0.1. The latter two bumps at least had symbolic value, as MIXOLOGY no longer lost more than half its lead-in, and NASHVILLE entered a tie with CHICAGO PD for its hour.
WEDNESDAY CABLE: THE AMERICANS (FX) slipped 0.1 to 0.6 in its 2d episode of the season. The night belonged to DUCK DYNASTY (A&E), which reversed its recent trend by jumping up 0.5 to 2.5–ahead of all 3 broadcast networks in its half-hour. That sent companion show WAHLBURGERS up 0.2 to 1.3. WORKAHOLICS (Comedy), REAL WORLD (MTV) and ROBOT CHICKEN (Adult Swim) all rose 0.1 to 0.9. PSYCH (USA), in its home stretch of episodes, was at 0.6.
Earlier:
No good news for Mixology.
ABC: Most of the line-up rose, with THE MIDDLE up 0.2 to 1.9, SUBURGATORY up 0.3 to 1.7, MODERN FAMILY up 0.2 to 3.3, and NASHVILLE up 0.1 to 1.4. In that context, even the modest 0.1 drop for the second episode of MIXOLOGY was a grim note, especially since it meant the new comedy lost more than half of its lead-in.
NBC: REVOLUTION tied last week’s series low 1.3. Last week, SVU and CHICAGO PD were boosted by a special crossover event, so both shows were due to have a drop last night, and did: SVU by 0.4 to 1.6, and PD by a huge 0.7 to 1.5–falling from a series high to a tied series low in a single week.
FOX: AMERICAN IDOL stabilized, at least, staying at 2.7.
CBS: SURVIVOR continues to be spry in its old age, steady with last week at 2.4. CRIMINAL MINDS, with weaker competition from NBC, climbed 0.4 to 2.6. CSI didn’t air last week, and at 1.7 it was down 0.3 from its last new episode.
CW: ARROW fell 0.2 to a series low 0.7. Even worse, on the verge of its move to Mondays, THE TOMORROW PEOPLE showed little sign of life by dropping 0.1 to a series low 0.4.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND returns to the ABC schedule tonight, for the very few people who care. REIGN will have an original excuse if it lags tonight: a more explicit cut of the episode will be released tomorrow morning exclusively online, which may pull viewers from the broadcast version (CW runs a heavy load of national commercials in its online presentations, so its revenues won’t be hurt very much if viewers choose that platform). On cable, USA debuts its first sitcom in many years, SIRENS, following the season premiere of SUITS.
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