Nellie Andreeva

The networks’ Tuesday lineups returned to normal after Election Night coverage last week. Probably no one is welcoming the return to normalcy more than Fox, whose Tuesday comedy block was also impacted by baseball and other per-emptions. The network brass must be breathing a sigh of relief as freshman The Mindy Project (1.7/4 in adults 18-49) last night went up 13% from the series low posted by its last original two weeks ago. That was the only airing of the show for the past four weeks. Compared with its past two outings before the preemtion-filled last month, Mindy Project was down 11%, a smaller drop than the 19% one Fox’s New Girl suffered last fall returning from a four-week hiatus — which the then-freshman could never make up. New Girl (2.2/6) and fellow returning Fox comedy Raising Hope (1.6/5) were both down a tenth from two weeks ago. But newbie Ben And Kate (1.1/3) took a 21% plunge to a new series low.

Ben And Kate was in a three-way tie for last place among all programs on the Big 4 networks last night, along with ABC’s sophomore Don’t Trust The B— In Apt. 23 (1.1/3, down 8%) and veteran Private Practice (1.1/3, down 21%), both hitting series lows. While Private Practice‘s fate has been determined and it is simply playing out its final batch of episodes, the dismal rating for Apt. 23 is alarming as the series only has a 13-episode order. Its lead-in, Happy Endings (1.4/4) was flat with two weeks ago. With a double-elimination episode, Dancing With the Stars results (1.9/5) was up 6%.

NBC’s The Voice (3.8/11) was up 27% from last week’s low-rated Thursday results show but down 17% from the singing competition’s most recent Tuesday show. Go On (2.3/6) and Parenthood (1.8/5) were each down a tenth from their last originals three weeks ago, while The New Normal (1.8/5) perked up, climbing a tenth. NBC won the night in 18-49 in a close race with CBS — 2.6/7 vs. 2.5/7. CBS won outright in total viewers.

CBS’ NCIS (3.0/9) was down 12% from two weeks ago to a season low. NCIS: LA (2.8/7) was flat, while Vegas (1.6/4) was down 6% to tie a series low.

More encouraging news for the CW: After veteran 90210 posted season highs on Monday, last night sophomore Hart Of Dixie also hit season highs in total viewers (1.68 million, up 19% from two weeks ago and the series largest audience in nearly a year) and adults 18-49 (0.7/2, up a tenth). It matched its season highs in adults 18-34 (0.7/2, even with last week). That helped struggling rookie Emily Owens, MD, which was up 39% in total viewers (1.42 million) and rose a tenth in adults 18-34 and adults 18-49 (0.4/1).

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.