TV Ratings: 'NCIS' dominates Tuesday, while 'New Girl' leads comedy logjam

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, January 29, 2013.

 

"NCIS" delivered its second biggest audience of the season and helped CBS crush its Tuesday rivals, easily outdrawing the other four networks combined. "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Vegas" also did their part in CBS' sweep.

 

Meanwhile, two episodes of "Happy Endings" toppled NBC's 9 p.m. comedy hour among young viewers, which is more a reflection of how horribly NBC's comedies are performing without "The Voice," but it may provide some hope for "Happy Endings" fans.

 

Also, "New Girl" was up, "The Taste" slipped in its second week for ABC and the already cancelled "Emily Owens MD" outdrew a sluggish "Hart of Dixie" for The CW.

 

On to the numbers...

 

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 2.9 rating for Tuesday night, far ahead of FOX's 1.8 rating in the key demographic. ABC and NBC both posted a 1.3 key demo rating, while The CW did a 0.5 key demo rating.

 

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 16.71 million viewers and a 10.4 rating/16 share for Tuesday. NBC was well back in second with 4.56 million viewers and a 3.1/5, with FOX's 3.75 million viewers and 2.2/3 in third. ABC was a close fourth with a 2.4/4 and 3.62 million viewers, far ahead of The CW's 0.9/1 and 1.34 million viewers.

 

[Univision was actually in third for the night with 4.24 million viewers and a 1.7 rating among adults 18-49.]

 

8 p.m. - "NCIS" drew 21.825 million viewers and a 3.7 rating among adults 18-49 to dominate the 8 p.m. hour for CBS. NBC was second overall with 5.22 million viewers for "Betty White's Off Their Rockers," which finished fourth with a 1.5 key demo rating. ABC's "The Taste" slipped to 4.79 million viewers and a 1.6 key demo rating in its second week, holding off the 3.62 million viewers and 1.6 key demo rating for an hour of "Raising Hope" on FOX. The CW's "Hart of Dixie" was down week-to-week with 1.325 million viewers and a 0.5 key demo rating.

 

9 p.m. - "NCIS: Los Angeles" averaged 17.19 million viewers and a 3.1 rating among adults 18-49 to win the 9 p.m. hour for CBS. FOX was far back in second with a strong week for "New Girl" (4.66 million viewers and a 2.5 key demo rating) and an up week for "The Mindy Project" (3.11 million viewers and a 1.7 key demo rating). NBC's "Go On" (3.86 million and a 1.2 key demo) and "The New Normal" (3.12 million and a 1.1 key demo) topped two episodes of "Happy Endings" (2.87 million and a 1.3 key demo) overall, but not among young viewers. The CW's "Emily Owens, MD" averaged 1.36 million and a 0.4 key demo rating.

 

10 p.m. - "Vegas" completed CBS' primetime sweep with 11.12 million viewers and a 1.9 rating among adults 18-49, its best numbers in the demo since October. NBC's "Dateline" was second with 4.98 million viewers and a 1.3 key demo rating, topping the 3.19 million viewers and 1.2 key demo rating for ABC's primetime airing of the big Matt Damon "Jimmy Kimmel Live."