TV Ratings: 'Bones' premiere, 'Mentalist' help FOX and CBS to Thursday wins
'X Factor,' 'Big Bang Theory' are strong, while NBC's comedies rise a little
Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz of "Bones"
Credit: FOX
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"The X Factor" and a solid return for "Bones" helped FOX narrowly hold onto its place atop Thursday night with young viewers, while "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Mentalist" helped bookend an easy overall Thursday win for CBS.
Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 3.4 rating for the night, nipping the 3.3 rating for CBS in the key demographic. ABC finished third on the night with a 2.4 rating, followed by NBC's 1.9 rating. The CW averaged a 1.2 rating.
Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 12.94 million viewers and an 8.0 rating/13 share for the night, easily topping the 6.3/10 and 10.65 million viewers for FOX. There was a drop to ABC's 4.9/8 and 7.13 million viewers and then to NBC's 2.9/5 and 4.52 million. The CW averaged 2.8 million viewers and a 1.7/3 for Thursday primetime.
[Univision averaged 3.12 million viewers and a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49 for the night.]
8 p.m. - CBS started primetime in first with a big week for "The Big Bang Theory" (15.49 million and a 5.1 key demo rating) and "Rules of Engagement" (11.9 million and a 3.7 key demo rating). FOX's "The X Factor" averaged 11.28 million viewers and a 3.6 rating among adults 18-49 for second for the hour, but the results show peaked in its second half-hour and beat CBS. There was a huge drop to ABC's zombified "Charlie's Angels," which averaged 5.38 million viewers for third overall, but finished a distant fifth on the hour with a 1.2 key demo rating. NBC narrowly held onto fourth overall and third in the key demo with "Community" (3.865 million viewers and a 1.7 key demo rating) and "Parks and Recreation" (3.94 million and a 2.0 key demo), both up from last Thursday. The CW got a strong week from "The Vampire Diaries," which averaged 3.38 million viewers and a 1.5 key demo rating.
9 p.m. - "Person of Interest" kept CBS in first overall with 11.66 million viewers, but came in third among adults 18-49 with a 2.7 rating. FOX's "Bones" was second overall with 10.02 million viewers and second in the key demo with a 3.3 rating in its return to Thursdays. "Grey's Anatomy" was third overall with 9.26 million viewers and won the hour with a 3.5 key demo rating, both down from last week. On NBC, "The Office" (6.05 million viewers and a 3.1 key demo rating) was up from last week and "Whitney" (4.33 million viewers and a 2.1 key demo rating) was stable. The CW's "Secret Circle" averaged 2.27 million viewers and a 0.9 key demo rating.
10 p.m. - "The Mentalist" won the 10 p.m. hour for CBS with 13.46 million viewers and a 2.9 key demo rating. ABC's "Private Practice" was second with 6.755 million viewers and a 2.6 key demo rating. NBC's "Prime Suspect" added a few viewers from last week to rise to 4.47 million viewers, but remained steady-and-low with a 1.2 key demo rating.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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November 4, 2011 at 12:21PM EST Reply to CommentMaybe I am just searching for reasons why Whitney is doing better than P&R and Community, but isn't it possible that it is holding onto an inordinately large percentage of The Office's audience because there isn't anything in direct competition at 9:30? I refused to watch Whitney (out of principle) last night and flipping around there was literally nothing else on. People finishing The Office aren't going to jump into an hour long drama half way through. Personally, I'll still take Man vs Food repeats over Whitney.
November 4, 2011 at 12:32PM EST-Daniel
John Why do you say that? Do you think NBC will finally move it out of that timeslot (as I commented on a few weeks ago), because looking at the numbers Community and Parks are flat from last new/non-baseball airing, while Whitney is actually up.
November 4, 2011 at 12:52PM EST