TV Ratings: 'Criminal Minds,' 'Charlie Brown Christmas' lead Wednesday ratings

'The X Factor' helps FOX tie for the night in the key demo

By Daniel Fienberg Thursday, Nov 29, 2012 12:20 PM

"A Charlie Brown Christmas"

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Fast National ratings for Wednesday, November 28, 2012.

It's only the end of November, but it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the ratings charts.

While CBS swept Wednesday night overall, led by "Criminal Minds" and the "CSI" mothership, the ratings chart was peppered with hours of reasonably successful Christmas programming.

ABC's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" won its hour among young viewers and helped the network tie with FOX for the nightly win in the key demo, with NBC's "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" and "SNL Christmas" keeping that network in the demo hunt for the evening."

Among adults 18-49, FOX and ABC averaged a 2.8 rating for Wednesday night, tops in the key demographic. [ABC led the two hours that the networks went head-to-head.] CBS was a close third with a 2.7 rating, while NBC averaged a 2.5 key demo rating for a close fourth. The CW averaged a 1.0 key demo rating for the night.

Overall, though, CBS won the night easily with a 7.4 rating/12 share and 11.54 million viewers for Wednesday primetime. There was a tight race for second. FOX averaged a 4.7/7 and 8.08 million viewers to nip the 4.6/7 and 7.97 million viewers for ABC and the 4.9/8 and 7.96 million viewers for NBC. [But, again, ABC and NBC both topped FOX in the hours they were head-to-head.] The CW averaged a 1.8/3 and 2.89 million viewers for the night.

8 p.m. - "Survivor: Philippines" averaged 10.35 million viewers to win the 8 p.m. hour for CBS, coming in tied for second with a 2.7 rating among adults 18-49. NBC's "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" special was second with 9.09 million viewers and did a 2.1 key demo rating for fourth. ABC's "A Charlie Brown Christmas," resilient after all these years, averaged 8.85 million viewer and won the hour with a 2.9 key demo rating. The first hour of FOX's "The X Factor" performances finished fourth with 7.73 million viewers and tied for second with a 2.7 key demo rating. The CW's "Arrow" did "Arrow" numbers with 3.7 million viewers and a 1.2 key demo rating.

9 p.m. - "Criminal Minds" kept CBS in first overall in 9 p.m. hour with 12.27 million viewers and finished a close third with a 2.9 rating among adults 18-49. ABC won the hour in the key demo and finished second overall with "Modern Family" (11.95 million and a 4.7 key demo) and "Suburgatory" (6.88 million viewers and a 2.6 key demo). FOX's "The X Factor" averaged 8.44 million viewers for third and a 3.0 key demo rating for second on the hour. NBC's "SNL Christmas" averaged 8.28 million viewers and a 2.8 key demo rating. On The CW, "Supernatural" averaged 2.07 million viewers and a 0.9 key demo rating.

10 p.m. - "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" won the 10 p.m. hour for CBS With 11.99 million viewers and a 2.6 rating among adults 18-49. The second hour of "SNL Christmas" slipped to 6.5 million viewers and a 2.5 key demo rating for NBC. ABC's "Nashville" was third with 5.65 million viewers and a 1.8 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.

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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.

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Jobin00

Dan,
Do you see Nashville getting renewed at these numbers?
November 29, 2012 at 2:03PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Jobin00 - Renewed? We're a long way from that, though "Nashville" has apparently leveled off at this point. I'd say that if these numbers persist, it'll be one of those "Depends on development" things for ABC. The inevitable failures of "Red Widow" and "Zero Hour" will also probably give "Nashville" a boost...
  
  -Daniel
  November 29, 2012 at 2:08PM EST
- Jobin00 Oh I know its a long way off from renewal, but I just wanted a glimmer of hope that it wasn't just a dead man walking.
  November 29, 2012 at 2:17PM EST

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TV Ratings: 'Criminal Minds,' 'Charlie Brown Christmas' lead Wednesday ratings