TV Ratings: New 'Human Target,' 'Money Drop' help FOX split Wednesday

CBS wins overall, led by a 'Criminal Minds' repeat

By Daniel Fienberg Thursday, Dec 23, 2010 11:53 AM

The cast of FOX's 'Human Target'

Credit: FOX

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, December 22, 2010.

On a repeat-laden Wednesday night, FOX barely won the young adult demos thanks to new episodes of "Human Target" and "Million Dollar Money Drop." CBS, meanwhile, narrowly won the night overall, fueled by a repeat of "Criminal Minds."

Let's just say that we've hit the pre-holidays ratings doldrums and we've hit those doldrums hard.

For the night, FOX averaged a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49, tops in the key demographic. NBC and ABC were a close second with a 1.3 rating, while CBS' 1.1 rating wasn't far off. The CW was fifth with a 0.6 rating.

Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 5.48 million viewers and a 3.5 rating/6 share, just ahead of FOX's 5.28 million viewers and NBC's 5.265 million. ABC's 3.2/6 and 4.99 million viewers finished a close fourth. The CW was fifth with a 0.8/1 and 1.33 million viewers.

8 p.m. -- FOX won the 8 p.m. hour overall with the 5.8 million viewers for a new episode of "Human Target," which finished second in the demo with a 1.4 rating. ABC's repeats of "The Middle" and "Better With You" were second overall with 5.61 million viewers and won the hour with a 1.5 demo rating. NBC's new "Undercovers" offered a reminder of why it won't be back this spring, averaging 4.22 million viewers and a 1.1 demo rating. CBS' "A Home For the Holidays" special averaged only 3.91 million viewers and a 0.7 demo rating. The CW was fifth with 1.45 million viewers for a repeat of "Hellcats."

9 p.m. -- CBS' repeat of "Criminal Minds" drew 6.94 million viewers in the 9 p.m. hour, making it the night's most watched program. ABC's repeat of "Modern Family" and the start of the "CMA Country Christmas" special averaged 5.06 million viewers in second, tying for first in the demo with a 1.6 rating. NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" repeat was third overall with 5.03 million viewers and fourth in the demo. FOX was fourth overall with 4.76 million viewers for "Million Dollar Money Drop," which tied for first in the demo, though viewer interest in waning in this game show event. The CW's "Hellcats" repeat was fifth with 1.21 million viewers.

10 p.m. -- A second repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" moved NBC into first in the 10 p.m. hour with 6.55 million viewers and a 1.7 demo rating. CBS' "The Defenders" finished second with just under 5.6 million viewers. ABC's music/holiday special finishing third with 4.3 million viewers.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

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.