TV Ratings: 'Community' plummets, 'Zero Hour' fizzles and 'Big Bang Theory' leads CBS on slow Thursday
'American Idol' keeps FOX in second for the night
Thursday's "The Big Bang Theory"
Credit: CBS
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Fast National rating for Thursday, February 14, 2013.
With TV viewership levels down on Valentine's Day, there was ample bad news to go around, with "Community" plunging, "Zero Hour" underperforming and "American Idol" continuing to slide. Even "The Big Bang Theory" dropped, though not so much that it didn't lead CBS to comfortable Thursday wins.
With viewership levels returning to normal in late-evening, the only shows that weren't down on Thursday were 10 p.m. dramas "Scandal" and "Elementary." Of note, "Scandal" actually built on its "Grey's Anatomy" lead-in among young viewers for the first time.
The figure to keep in mind was that overall 18-49 usage was down by 7 percent in the 8 p.m. hour and by 6 percent from 8 to 11 from last week.
For the night, CBS averaged a 3.3 rating among adults 18-49, beating FOX's 2.7 rating in the key demographic for Thursday primetime. ABC was third with a 2.3 key demo rating, toping NBC's 1.5 key demo rating and the 0.8 key demo rating for The CW.
Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 13.79 million viewers and an 8.4 rating/14 share for Thursday night, with FOX's 5.3/8 and 8.75 million viewers in second. ABC was third with 7.565 million viewers and a 5.0/8, well ahead of the 2.2/4 and 3.48 million viewers for NBC. The CW averaged a 1.2/2 and 1.86 million viewers on Thursday.
[Univision averaged 3.65 million viewers and a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49 for Thursday night.]
8 p.m. - CBS started the night in first with "The Big Bang Theory" (17.625 million viewers and a 5.4 key demo rating) and "Two and a Half Men" (13.74 million viewers and a 3.8 key demo rating). FOX's "American Idol" averaged 12.33 million viewers and a 3.6 rating among adults 18-49, topping the 8:30 half-hour in the key demo. ABC's "The Zero Hour" averaged 6.29 million viewers and a 1.3 key demo rating in its premiere. [ABC boasts it was the "2nd-most-watched regular series debut this year," while other networks instead note that it was the lowest-rated scripted in-season premiere in ABC history, falling under the immortal "The Whole Truth" from 2010.] NBC's "Community" (2.75 million and a 1.1 key demo) and "Parks and Recreation" (3.15 million and a 1.5 key demo) finished fourth. ["Community" was down by 42 percent in the key demo, while "Parks and Recreation" dropped only 25 percent.] The CW's "The Vampire Diaries" averaged 2.305 million viewers and a 1.0 key demo rating.
9 p.m. - "Person of Interest" kept CBS in first for the 9 p.m. hour with 14.825 million viewers and a 3.0 rating among adults 18-49. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" was second with 8.37 million viewers and a 2.7 key demo rating. FOX's "Glee" dwindled to 5.16 million viewers and a 1.7 key demo rating in third overall and fourth in the demo. NBC's two episodes of "The Office" averaged 4.04 million viewers and a 2.0 key demo rating. On The CW, "Beauty and the Beast" averaged 1.41 million viewers and a 0.5 key demo rating.
10 p.m. - "Elementary" averaged 10.87 million viewers to win the 10 p.m. hour and finished second with a 2.2 rating among adults 18-49. ABC's "Scandal" was second with 8.04 million viewers and won the hour with a 2.8 key demo rating. NBC's repeat of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" averaged 3.445 million viewers and a 1.0 key demo rating, improving on last week's numbers for "Do No Harm."
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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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupOther Scott
February 15, 2013 at 1:15PM EST Reply to CommentBUT WHO EES GOING TO FIND ZEE CLOCKS IF ZERO HOUR EES CANCELLED!?!
Other Scott Sorry to be answering my own question, but the correct answer is:
February 15, 2013 at 1:47PM ESTFirewall and Iceberg - Clock Hunters:
An audio only production.
I would listen to that podcast.
dan I would just following the ticking, Captain Hook-style...
February 15, 2013 at 1:49PM ESTOr the wailing of the Nazi Demon Babies.
-Daniel
War Chief Shake Zula Am I too much of an optimist for thinking this could've worked in the right hands? Something having a bat____ crazy premise shouldn't prevent it from being good if enough effort is put in, right?
February 15, 2013 at 5:58PM ESTThe Dude
February 15, 2013 at 2:18PM EST Reply to CommentGee, a Halloween-themed episode didn't do well on Valentine's Day? Who saw that one coming?
dan The Dude - So you'd attribute the drop to Holiday Alienation?
February 15, 2013 at 2:56PM EST-Daniel
Son of Mecha Mummy Surely it's because of a) being on a holiday and b) being the episode after the season premiere, which was bound to draw higher interest?
February 15, 2013 at 3:07PM ESTJohn
February 15, 2013 at 3:04PM EST Reply to CommentSo Community fans had the most dates?
But in all seriousness, I'm taking these numbers to mean absolutely nothing. Let's wait to see timeshifted and next week.
War Chief Shake Zula
February 15, 2013 at 5:57PM EST Reply to CommentChalk up another dud for ABC on Thursdays @ 8.
The boneyard now features: Last Resort, Missing, Charlie's Angels, My Generation, The Deep End, Flashforward, In The Motherhood, Samantha Who, Miss/Guided, Alias, Jake In Progress (don't let that one Monday @ 9:30 ep in 2006 tell you otherwise), Threat Matrix, Vengeance Unlimited, Nothing Sacred, High Incident, Charlie Grace, My So-Called Life, Missing Persons, Delta, Room For Two, Pros and Cons, Father Dowling Mysteries, the 1988 reboot of Mission: Impossible, Knightwatch, Probe, The Charmings, Sledge Hammer!, Our World, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Shadow Chasers, The Fall Guy, Wildside, People Do The Craziest Things, Two Marriages, Automan, Trauma Center, Condo, The New Odd Couple, Benson, Amanda's, The Greatest American Hero, Joanie Loves Chachi, Star Of The Family and Mork & Mindy
The network is cursed. That's what they get for moving Mork & Mindy from the slot in season two.
RWGibson13 heh, seriously, what COULD ABC move there to break this particular streak?
February 15, 2013 at 9:19PM EST"Dancing With the Stars?????!!!"
RWG (that network is so fracked up that they got nothing)
dan That is a tremendous list of failure...
February 15, 2013 at 9:56PM ESTAnd the answer for what they COULD move there to break the streak... "S.H.I.E.L.D." If they honestly and truly think they have a potential mainstream smash on their hands, Thursday 8 p.m. is the most valuable hour on ABC's schedule...
-Daniel
War Chief Shake Zula I'm skeptical. I'm too afraid that it'll end up awesome, even more so that Last Resort at its best, but will be massively off-brand and/or difficult to promote (oddly, just like Last Resort) and will just get steamrolled by Big Bang Theory, in either the short- or long-term.
February 15, 2013 at 11:25PM ESTI'm also afraid that executive meddling will turn it into an In Name Only primetime soap in the vein of Grey's and Scandal (and if you like Scandal, that's well and good, but I can't stand it), and then it'll either be something like Once Upon A Time that's relatively popular but something I can't bear to watch...or it'll just get steamrolled by Big Bang Theory anyway.
That said, I will probably give it a shot if/when it gets to the schedule.
As for the list of failure, it was probably inevitable against the likes of Cosby Show, Friends, Survivor, Idol and Big Bang.
mgrabois "Alias" and "The Fall Guy" each ran multiple seasons. But yeah, that's only two shows from that list.
February 17, 2013 at 3:30AM ESTJuner35
February 16, 2013 at 1:38AM EST Reply to CommentThe Big Bang Theory is not a good tv show at all i think that the show should be taken off tv completely because the show totally sucks and it is also very boring.
Juner35
February 16, 2013 at 2:03AM EST Reply to CommentThe Vampire Diaries had took my breath away last night The evil Katherine is back with a vengence Jeremy is a nice person he didn,t deserve to get killed on the show i don't like that at all Stepen and Rebecka makes a good couple they should get together best of luck Stepen Damen and Elena happy valentines day you guys were fantastic on the show also Klause you are a damm good actor you always keep the ball rolling on the show that is what makes you so good at what you do and guys thanks for sending me the recap.
Cas
February 20, 2013 at 11:30PM EST Reply to CommentAparently on valentines day we are supposed to stay home and watch tv instead of going out with our signifacant other...nice.