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Fox’s American Idol (5.6/15) was back Thursday for the second night of its Season 12 premiere. Coming off the series’ lowest-rated in-season premiere on Wednesday, last night’s two-hour auditions show was even with last season’s preliminary second-night ratings. Compared night-to-night, Thursday was down four tenths from Wednesday’s 6.0 debut. Not that that’s unusual for Idol, which has seen a drop-off every season from its first to second premiere night. Last season’s 7.4/19 first night (January 18) fell to a 5.7/18 on its second night in final numbers. Last night’s Idol was watched by 16.18 million, compared with the 18.02 who tuned in last year.
Related: Fox’s Mike Darnell Talks ‘American Idol’
The first week of Idol’s 12th season saw the Fox show out rating NBC’s The Voice third season debut in September by 41% among Adults 18-49. It also saw the Fox show beating the NBC singing competition series by 43% in total viewers with 17. 1 million watching Idol’s shows compared to The Voice’s 12 million across the two first two premiere nights. Partially up against The Voice, the season two premiere of The X-Factor averaged 8.47 million viewers on its first night with a 3.4/10 rating. The X-Factor’s second night premiere got a 3.1/10 with 8.28 million viewers, almost half of the audience Idol pulled last night
With Idol back in action this week the other networks all saw some slippage Thursday. Last Resort (1.0/3) was down 17% from last week to be tied for a series low. Grey’s Anatomy (2.9/7) slipped 9% from last week’s winter break return. After last week’s season high, Scandal (2.6/7) dipped a slight 7% from its January 10 show.
Two weeks before its series finale, 30 Rock (1.3.4) finished down 13% from last week’s season high. Making its time period premiere at 8:30 PM, Parks And Recreation (1.9/5) was up four tenths from the 1.5/4 of its last original 9:30 PM airing six weeks ago. Thursday was a season high for the comedy. The Office (2.1/5) was down a slight 5% from its January 10 winter break return. In its second week in its regular time slot, 1600 Penn (1.2/3) The White House-based comedy fell 25%. Featuring an interview with director Paul Haggis on his decision to leave the Church of Scientology, last night’s Rock Center With Brian Williams (1.2/3) was up 9% from last week. CBS had a full night of repeats Thursday with The Big Bang Theory (3.3/10), Two And A Half Men (2.4/6), Person Of Interest (1.6/4) and Elementary (1.4/4). The CW had a new episode of The Vampire Diaries (1.4/4) up from the 1.3 it got for its last original.
Deadline's Dominic Patten - tip him here.
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AI’s slow march to death comes none too soon…
Slow march to death? Put your rhetoric in perspective.
When Idol enjoyed stratospheric ratings there was little to no competition in the singing competition arena—it was an annual event. It’s amazing that “The Voice” is often referred to as being a ratings giant for NBC in column after column yet American Idol continues to trounce the “johnny come lately” even after beginning its 12th season. No mention of the X-Factor is necessary because that show is beyond redemption—it has yet to come close to living up to all of Mr. Cowell’s hype.
American Idol remains one of the best entertainment vehicles on television and is remarkably successful at unearthing some genuine talent year after year. I still can’t name one performer that has emerged from either “The Voice” or “The X Factor” yet there is a growing list of successful careers that have been launched among American Idol’s winners and runners-up. Even if only Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson had emerged over the past 11 years it would be an amazing feat. However, the entertainment industry is peppered with Idol alumni who have enjoyed varying levels of success. And who would have thought that Phillip Phillips would release a single that would enjoy triple platinum status 11 years after the show’s debut?
The show is far from being euthanized.
I’d order at least 6 new comedies. Whitney, Guys with Kids, Office, 30 Rock, 1600 Penn, Go On, New Normal all should be gone — 2 bc they are over, the other 6 should go as they are not going to build any audience for the peacock. (I could see the argument to keep Go On — purely on a business reason). That leaves really only Parks and Rec and Community sans Harmon. They should order up at least 6 in my opinion.
Jonathan Nolan will make his debut as director on Person of Interest episode “Relevance” – February 21, 2013. This will be Sarah Shahi series debut too(her role sound like future POI spin-off). Best scripted and acted drama add and great names as directors. Hope JJ Abrams will direct at least one episode like Nolan. CBS can make one hour TBBT as lead in for this PoI major episode. They already do that on monday block with one hour 2BG. And CBS must advertise Nolan debut and episode “Relevance” like crazy on super bowl and grammys. From now i can say that will take Emmy and golden globe nomination. And if successful PoI spin-off will make fans and CBS happy.
What CBS must do now to make POI even bigger hit and at least drama beast is heavy and properly advertising during super bowl and grammys. And before that of course. In that period we will have 4 POI episodes in a row – 31, 7(after super bowl week), 14(after Grammys week), 21(Jonathan Nolan debut as director and Sarah Shahi series debut). If they can build solid and even stronger fanbase will be great. POI was insane stable 2.9 all fall episodes. If they can make 3.5 new 2.9 will be perfect. Sarah Shahi role sound like future POI spin-off so CBS have a lot in stake here.(more money and one more drama hit) POI is hit and fresh much better chance for successful spin-off than one more ncis. “Relevance” deserve TBBT lead-in. Its major episode with Nolan and Shahi debuts. Not many Nolan level (oscar winners) on tv these days.
Calm down Petar. You sound like a demented Sarah Shahi stalker.
Uh, you totally forgot to mention that last year’s second episode of Idol was only one hour. Most of the growth this year is a result of Idol’s airing over two hours when viewership increased at 9:00. If the ratings for only the 8:00 hour were counted, the decline from last year’s second episode would be in the vicinity of 10% – not “being even”.
I believe last year the equivalent 2nd American Idol episode ran opposite a new Big Bang Theory episode instead of a rerun last night.
Stick a fork in 1600 Penn. The numbers are awful even for NBC Thursday.
three episodes, each one worse than the other when we were promised they would get better! The writing is just not funny and there is zero chemistry between the cast, especially Pullma and and Elfman. NBC tried a gimmick and hype and the product is sub-standard. Instead of trying to be modern family with a twist or ripping off some other show, NBC needs to find some quality and original shows and the creative talent to pull them off.
I’ve got this theory that Petar likes POI. Granted,I could be wrong,but,I don’t think so. Be careful Petar,or,you yourself may become a Person Of Interest.
Didn’t broadcast-network viewing fall off dramatically at 9 P.M. EST when Lance Armstrong’s interview with Oprah Winfrey aired on the OWN cable network??
Enjoy the ratings for now AI, because once BBT and 2.5 Men come back with newer episodes, that show will drop like lead and it will be the end of AI once and for all.
I noticed last season that the change in American Idol slipped a bit in my mind. Sad to say, if these judges keep acting like a bunch of idiots although I don’t pay any attention to them while I crochet, I can see by the comments this show is doomed – sooner or later.