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SECOND UPDATE: As expected, Big Bang was adjusted up to a 5.3 demo rating in the finals, edging Idol‘s 5.2 from 8-8:30 PM.
UPDATE: In the time-adjusted fast nationals, American Idol went up a tenth to a 5.7 in 18-49 from 8-9 PM and tied The Big Bang Theory’s non-time zone-adjusted 5.2 demo fast-national rating from 8-8:30 PM. But Big Bang too is projected to go up a tenth in the finals to a 5.3, so the standings in the half-hour are expected to remain the same.
PREVIOUS: After ABC’s Modern Family on Wednesday logged its best ratings ever against American Idol, CBS’ The Big Bang Theory did one better last night, besting the Fox reality juggernaut for the first time. Big Bang‘s 100th episode drew a 5.2/14 in 18-49, even with its fast national rating last week. It edged Idol‘s 5.1 demo rating from 8:30 PM. Idol grew to a 6.1 from 8:30-9 PM to top the night with a 5.6/15 in 18-49. But, just like on Wednesday, Idol was down sharply from last year, 28% from its Thursday premiere (20% from the 8-9 PM hour). With Idol as a lead-in, new Fox drama The Finder (2.2/5) was up 29% from its underwhelming premiere last week, but it still held onto a paltry third of the Idol 8:30-9 PM demo rating. Fox (3.9/10, 12.3 million) won the night in 18-49 but not in total viewers, with CBS (3.5/9, 14.0 million) topping that.
Besides Big Bang, only NBC’s Parks And Recreation was not pushed down by Idol in the 8 PM hour. In Week 2, CBS’ new comedy Rob (3.6/9) was down a modest 12% considering it faced the second half of Idol. ABC’s Wipeout (1.8/5) was down 18%. NBC’s 30 Rock (1.6/4), which featured a storyline riffing on last year’s controversy stirred by star Tracy Morgan’s use of gay slur in a standup routine, was down 11% from its season premiere last week to a series low. Parks And Rec (2.9/5) was up 5%.
At 9 PM, CBS rookie drama Person Of Interest (3.3/8) was up a tenth from last week to hit a series high in 18-49, while veteran Mentalist (2.9/8) was up 7%. ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (3.4/8) was down 11% from last week, while Private Practice (2.1/5) was down 9%. NBC’s The Office (2.9/7) was flat, while Up All Night (1.9/5) does not seem to be feeling comfortable in its new Thursday 9:30 PM slot, down 5% from last week. Not much to say about The Firm (0.9/2), which was down another tenth and was soundly beaten by the CW’s Vampire Diaries (1.1/3), which was down a modest 8% (a tenth) against Idol. The Secret Circle (0.7/2) was down 12%, also a tenth.
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NBC shows it’s scheduling genius again by putting 9 o’clock show 30 Rock on at 8 against the Big Bang powerhouse, well done.
Congrats to Big Bang also on beating Idol, seems America may finally be waking up from the monotony of ‘talent’ shows. Here’s hoping.
Please say that’s true; from your mouth. Although channel surfing yesterday I saw MAURY’S MINI IDOLS on Maury Povich. Singers singing sharp, FLAT and in short icky for the most part being cheered on by an audience that may be as tone deaf as the contestants seem to be. Although I give the kids props for the effort; very scaring doing TV, I’ve done it. Not my favorite.
Wow, go vampires.
I know NBC got a great deal on The Firm, but will they keep airing it if it keeps dropping?
When is NBC going to have Parks & Rec anchor its own hour? It’s being wasted away by weak and/or mismatched lead-ins.
Then again, NBC is synonymous with horrible business decisions so that may explain it.
The creator of The Firm needs to consider a career change. This is not his first huge failure, but hopefully it’s his last.
I’ll be very suprised if The Firm is on air next week. As cheap as NBC might be getting it, it still needs viewers around for future series. Harry’s Law or Grimm might be summoned to that slot. Or comedies again.
Very impressive TBBT. Also, how long till FOX yanks The Finder and expands Idol to 2hrs?!
The Finder only received a six-episode order to begin with as a stop-gap while Emily Deschanel was on maternity leave from Bones. I’d say that the chances that The Finder is pulled are virtually nil simply due to the short episode order. Although it helps that Hodgins from Bones (not just the actor, TJ Thyne, but the character) will be making a guest appearance in one episode and David Boreanaz will be directing another. Add those two with the two episodes already aired (including last night’s appearance of Bones’s Dr. Sweets) and it’s pointless to not air the two remaining episodes, even if they’re regarded at the network as simply burn-off.
That said, I love the show and I think it has only one problem: namely, that it’s on the wrong network. It should be airing on USA. Since USA already airs Fox studio’s Burn Notice and White Collar, I hope that they’ll take a liking to it and pick it up. Might make a good timeslot partner for Burn Notice since they’re both set in Florida but have tonal differences (situational dramedy versus light-drama-based action) that IMO make them strangely compatible.
I usually watch the beginning of Idol to see if theres anyone thats really talented. Boy this group so far is not looking promising at all .
NBC would make more money putting Dateline reruns on in The Firm’s time slot. It’s not even the acting that’s bad, it’s the storytelling. Did they only hire screenwriting undergrads?
And impressive numbers Modern Family!!
Good for “big bang theory”! Screw american idol-does anyone even care anymore?!? With such a glut of reality type programs on tv-it was only when-not if “idol’s” numbers would start going down. I think smart comedies such as “Modern Family” & T.B.B.T are really starting to make major inroads into idol’s past success. I know I speak for many fans when I say:WE ARE TIRED OF REALITY PROGRAMS!! These networks must come up with more original programs-programs people actually like to watch. Personally,instead of watching a bunch of no-talent singers & a diva type of judge-I’d rather watch something,anything else!!Thank you.
Ratings have been updated, and this article needs to be too.
It appears Idol was on top. I still don’t get the appeal of BBT, terrible show. Not that Idol is any better.
Roy,
If you “still don’t get the appeal of BBT”… please, don’t go into comedy.
i watched it once. every joke you could see coming a mile away. you consider this edgy humor? really?making whiny voices because you are a nerd and proclaiming how dumb everyone is – hilarious! (that’s sarcasm)
TBBT is the best show on television.
FOX shot itself in the foot by importing X FACTOR.
Regular network viewers “already saw this” in the fall.
And they got into THE VOICE as a new iteration of the format last year.
And AMERICA’S GOT TALENT has made inroads over the summer.
After 11 years, IDOL is now passé and FOX partially has itself to blame.
30 Rock is not an 8PM show. Put it on later in the night. That was a great episode last night. Come on, NBC.
Hear, hear Dial. They are losing the audience for this show by not scheduling it at a later time.
does anyone have the ratings for The Big Bang theory for TBS. I hear the gangbusters.
It’s clear that NBC’s high-brow comedies don’t stand a chance 8-9 against CBS’ lowest common denominator comedies and Fox’s lowest common denominator singing competitions.
Put ‘The Firm’ at 8 and move 30 Rock and Parks to 10.
SO glad to see Person of Interest holding its own. Cavezeil gets better and better, the action sequences are great & so is the direction and casting. Really like the way the season is unfolding with some story lines carrying through while others wrap at the end.
The Firm was another bad idea. I thought it was the book – a kind of TV novel with a chapter of the week. THAT i might have watched. But the episode i saw was bad to look at and not even Josh Lucas who is a great actor could save it. Why does NBC grab such great actors like Lucas and Maria Bello and flush them in bad projects?
I love Jennifer! She always says thank you!
NBC seriously has to rejuggle their Thursday lineup or every show on there might end up canceled. The firm needs to go and put 30 Rock back into the 9 PM ET slot and get rid of Up All Night…isn’t NBC ever going to learn from their many mistakes? When a show gets beat by the CW and cable networks, that’s the time to say enough is enough and make major changes.
I like both shows, TBBT and A.I. I will watch IDOL when they are down to the finalist.
My new favorite show is A GIFTED MAN CBS Fri. 8 p.m. EST
And my very, very favorite show is [H]OUSE!
WHEN are we going to hear if [H]OUSE will get another season????
The wait is killing me!!
Yes! I totally agree! It’s awesome to laugh at us math & science nerds. The scary thing is, I understand the physics! Ahhhh! LMAO
Comes a close second to “Perfect Strangers.” Now that was edgy comedy.
I thought BBT’s offering this week was weak. Very little of what made them so funny. Leonard and Penny again? Really? Lose the chicks and just let the guys do their thing. They are never so funny as when they are goofing on each other, Although Sheldon teaching Penny a “little physics” was priceless.