RATINGS RECAP: 2/17/11

ABC
8:00 Wipeout
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 10.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.7
10:00 Private Practice
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
Viewers: 12.4 million, 18-49 demo: 3.7
8:30 $#*! My Dad Says
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
9:00 CSI
Viewers: 13.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 15.0 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
8:30 Perfect Couples
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 The Office
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3
9:30 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
10:00 30 Rock
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
10:30 Outsourced
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 22.2 million, 18-49 demo: 7.6
9:00 Bones
Viewers: 9.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3

The downward ratings trend continued on Thursday night as ABC was down across the board. At 8pm, Wipeout was down another million viewers and three tenths in the demo, the same drop it had last week from the week before. This show is starting to fall apart after a hot winter start. Wipeout could certainly perform better elsewhere but can ABC really do any better with something else in this timeslot? At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was down three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for season lows while Private Practice was down six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo for season lows as well. ABC is having a serious problem with its dramas as its aging ones are fading and its young ones have failed to find an audience.

CBS was actually up from 9-11pm but they were down for the first hour. At 8pm, The Big Bang Theory was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The demo is a season low and the show is starting to choke a bit against American Idol and with a downward trend for the broadcast networks but it still remains a big draw. At 8:30pm, the season finale of $#*! My Dad Says was down six tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. This is very unlikely to return next season and the dip for the finale was not helpful. At 9pm though, perhaps thanks to Justin Bieber's appearance, CSI was up seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while at 10pm, The Mentalist was up a tenth in viewers and the demo. With the way shows have been dropping in the last week, the climb by these two dramas was impressive.

NBC had another terrible Thursday night with its comedy lineup. At 8pm though, Community was up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. It is still way too low, but at least climbed back over the 4 million mark. But at 8:30pm, Perfect Couples was down a tenth in viewers and the demo for more series lows. There is no way this show will see a second season. At 9pm, The Office was down another half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo. This show has really slipped in recent weeks which is surprising as one would think it might build towards Steve Carell's finale. Parks and Recreation followed and was down seven tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo as it appears the post-Office slot hasn't done much for this comedy. At 10pm, 30 Rock was down half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo for season lows. After a decent start at 10pm, the show is slipping now. Finally, Outsourced closed out the night and was downw four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for more series lows. It has really fallen off a cliff in its new timeslot.

The news was rosy at FOX though as American Idol was up three tenths in viewers and the demo, posting a nice gain now that auditions are over. Clearly predictions of this show's demise were overblown. At 9pm, Bones was down a tenth in viewers but the same in the demo. There really just doesn't seem to be anything that can air out of Idol but it seems like FOX should use a newer show that doesn't have an established and mostly unchanged audience.