TV Ratings: 'Elementary' dips, but 'Big Bang' and 'Person of Interest' lead CBS Thursday

'Last Resort' falls, but not as much as 'Charlie's Angels'

By Daniel Fienberg Friday, Oct 5, 2012 12:07 PM

Amy Acker and Michael Emerson of "Person of Interest"

Credit: CBS

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Fast National ratings for Thursday, October 4, 2012.

The second week of ratings on Thursday delivered a mixed bag of news, with the constant being that "The Big Bang Theory" and "Person of Interest" carried CBS to wins in most measures, even if freshman drama "Elementary" took a dip.

"Elementary" wasn't the only show going down on Thursday, with "Last Resort" and "Grey's Anatomy" also falling, while "30 Rock" delivered a low premiere for NBC.

However, "Glee" and "Parks and Recreation" posted small gains, as did the early portion of CBS' night, while the drop for "The X Factor" was barely noticeable.

See? Mixed news.

[Note that at least a touch of CBS' solid night may be a product of a Thursday NFL game airing on the CBS affiliate in Phoenix.]

On to the numbers...

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 3.3 rating for Thursday night, tops in the key demographic. FOX was second with a 2.9 rating, followed by ABC's 2.5 key demo rating. NBC was far back in fourth with a 1.5 rating, while The CW averaged a 0.3 key demo rating.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 13.29 million viewers and an 8.3 rating/13 share for Thursday primetime, far ahead of the 5.5/9 and 8.42 million viewers for ABC. FOX's 4.8/8 and 7.67 million viewers followed in third, way ahead of the 2.4/4 and 3.48 million viewers for NBC. The CW averaged 902,000 viewers and a 0.6/1.

8 p.m. - "The Big Bang Theory" (15.38 million and 4.9 key demo) and "Two and a Half Men" (12.67 million and a 3.7 key demo) dominated the 8 p.m. hour for CBS. FOX's "The X Factor" was second with 9.14 million viewers and a 3.1 rating among adults 18-49. ABC's "The Last Resort" slipped to 7.87 million viewers and a 1.8 key demo rating, but an optimist would observe that the drops were less severe than for "Charlie's Angels" or "Missing" last season. NBC was fourth with "30 Rock" (3.4 million and a 1.3 key demo) and "Up All Night" (3.085 million and a 1.4 key demo). The CW's "The Next" finale averaged 803,000 viewers and a 0.2 key demo rating in its first hour.

9 p.m. - "Person of Interest" averaged 14.62 million viewers to win the 9 p.m. hour for CBS and finished second with a 3.1 rating among adults 18-49. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" averaged 10.56 million viewers and an hour-winning 3.7 key demo rating. FOX's "Glee" averaged 6.21 million viewers and a 2.6 key demo rating in third. NBC was fourth with "The Office" (4.11 million and a 2.1 key demo) and "Parks and Recreation" (3.53 million and a 1.9 key demo). The CW's "The Next" finale averaged just over a million viewers and a 0.3 key demo rating.

10 p.m. - Despite losing roughly two million viewers and half a demo ratings point, CBS' "Elementary" won the 10 p.m. hour easily with 11.22 million viewers and a 2.6 rating among adults 18-49. ABC's "Scandal" averaged 6.82 million viewers and a 2.1 key demo rating, dropping, but not as much as its lead-in. NBC's "Rock Center" averaged 3.39 million viewers and a 1.1 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, particularly in the case of live events.

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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Balaji K

Too bad for "Last Resort."

It looks like none of the new shows with the exception of "Revolution" is getting good ratings. I wonder what will happen with Nashville.
October 5, 2012 at 12:29PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Balaji - I think probably we need to judge everything by Live+3 at this point, so "Last Resort" got a good bump last week and maybe it'll get one this week? Also, this drop wasn't *that* bad. As in, it wasn't "Charlie's Angels" Bad. So... Who knows.
  
  And I'm not optimistic on ratings for "Nashville"... so maybe that means it'll be huge...
  
  -Daniel
  October 5, 2012 at 12:33PM EST
- Jobin00 Charlies Angels also didn't have the Thursday Night football games to contend with last fall. Not that last night's game was a must-watch.
  
  Daniel,
  Any chance you could do a Live+3 ratings weekly post on Weds (or something) for the prior week? I'd love to know which shows are helped and which aren't by the +3 inclusion to the ratings.
  
  Why are you not optimistic for Nashville?
  
  It doesn't seem to have much competition in the 10pm Wed slot, because Chicago Fire sure looks like its going to bomb hard.
  October 5, 2012 at 1:14PM EST
- dan Jobin00 - I *should* do a Live+3 weekly post, but they're being released in an obnoxiously piecemeal basis that makes it really difficult.
  
  And I just don't think ABC is marketing "Nashville" especially well and I'm not sure that even with the proper marketing it would be a good match for a timeslot that was an absolute graveyard for ABC until last season...
  
  -Daniel
  October 5, 2012 at 1:26PM EST
- Jobin00 Lol, maybe just a SINGLE post in few weeks then, about which shows are getting the biggest Live+3 bump this fall.
  
  What network gets good ratings on Weds at 10 though? I'm sure the graveyard that has been ABC at 930, hasn't helped the chances for a non-graveyard for ABC at 10.
  
  Surprised ABC didn't decide to have Modern Family show 2 new episodes at 9 and 930 to ensure Nashville had a strong lead in.
  October 5, 2012 at 1:40PM EST
- Balaji K Two new episodes of Modern Family will indeed lead in to the premiere of Nashville, next Wednesday.
  October 5, 2012 at 8:26PM EST
coolsid

Do you think Last Resort would fare better as a 10pm show. The commments on Revolution generally show that people only watch it because of The Voice and that there's nothing on. I'm betting Last Resortwould be a good fit as a 10pm show. (Of course, that would mean ABC having to move Castle which ABC will never do).
October 5, 2012 at 12:43PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jobin00 One would have to think that ABC has some rationally conservative expectations for Last Resort ratings, considering they are trying to launch it in the mine field that is Thursdays at 8.
  October 5, 2012 at 1:16PM EST
- dan CoolSid - "Last Resort" is MUCH more of a 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. show than an 8 p.m. show. But it's such a dreadful match with everything in ABC's schedule that there's nowhere I can really see it going...
  
  -Daniel
  October 5, 2012 at 1:28PM EST
- mrbilliam Do people still say they watching something because there is "nothing else on" in the age of Netflix, video games, and a billion cable channels?
  October 5, 2012 at 3:07PM EST
- Balaji K ABC should swap Last Resort with Scandal. The later is such an awful show and retains only half the rating of Grey's Anatomy.
  October 5, 2012 at 8:28PM EST
Darius

Good to see Parks & Rec go up, we need a 6th season of the show.

Seeing Amy Acker in Dan's pic and on Warehouse 13 a few weeks ago reminds me she really should be in some TV show, maybe Joss can find a role for her in the Shield TV project.
October 5, 2012 at 1:00PM EST Reply to Comment
John

Maybe NBC should have aired 'Homonyms' or 'God Cop' instead of 30 Rock last night. Losing to Up all Night. Jeesh.
October 5, 2012 at 2:14PM EST Reply to Comment
Dave I

I know we're only two weeks in, however what is the outlook so far on Last Resort? It's a smart non-procedural show with an underestimated yet amazing totally deserving actor in the lead (namely Andre Braugher) and I think it is flat out amazing. It seems like my approval is practically the kiss of death for these shows. Will it be this year's Terriers, or this year's Awake? For that matter, aren't we just about ready for an Awake revival?

Seriously though, Revolution is getting good ratings and Last Resort is slipping? What kind of backward ass world are we living in?

-Cheers
October 5, 2012 at 2:53PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Dave I - By nobody is multiple-Emmy winner Andre Braugher "underestimated." But, in any case, it's too early to tell. "Last Resort" went down. Once. That doesn't mean there's a trend. It's obviously not a breakout smash, but it's too early to doom it.
  
  And "Revolution" has been dropping as well.
  
  -Daniel
  October 5, 2012 at 3:20PM EST
- Dave I @Dan, I suppose underestimated is the wrong word. He just seems to be seen as more a support cast member than a lead role. I do not recall him be given lead status and his name does not roll off most people's tongues. Although multi-Emmy winner sort of kills the underestimated card, huh?
  
  I may be a bit touchy on this. Heady non-procedurals seem to be my thing and they also seem to be a bit prone to cancellation. After the past few years I've fallen in love with (so to speak) a really smart show that just worked only to have it get dropped. I've just been a bit snake-bitten.
  
  I actually believe this show can get a strong cult following. I hope I'm right. While I'm trying to find reasons to like "Revolution" for instance (aside from the few great cast members they've got), "Last Resort" just feels like they got it for my tastes.
  
  -Cheers
  October 5, 2012 at 8:19PM EST
bob

Glee posted a small gain but is unable to work on that due to the month long hiatus it will be on. Do you see the ratings changing at all for the show that was once a juggernaut
October 9, 2012 at 6:31PM EST Reply to Comment
ric

Elementary is repackaging great old wine in rancid new bottles" and some stupid jazzy ain't this clever label. Lucy Liu is prime example of yet more yellow face subjugation. Tried it twice, that's it, too cute by half, a lame Coen brothers foray into look ma no hands stupid cleverness.
I'll be glad to watch yet another Jeremy Britt return of rerun,thank you .
October 22, 2012 at 2:44PM EST Reply to Comment
Simon

I LOVE Elementary series, but I'm not surprised that it "took a dip" - why? Because of the time they've gave it - this is second break in this serie airing - just before it's las episode of the season...
I just dont get it - if U have decent series and U wanna give it a chance - why making such breakes? I guess it's logic known only to those in the CBS chairs. Pity, they have such poor contact with what audience expects. Anyhow, Elementary is one of the best shows out there. Give it MORE airtime, ffs !!
December 16, 2012 at 7:24AM EST Reply to Comment

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TV Ratings: 'Elementary' dips, but 'Big Bang' and 'Person of Interest' lead CBS Thursday

'Last Resort' falls, but not as much as 'Charlie's Angels'