RATINGS RECAP: 3/2/11

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
8:30 Better With You
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 10.1 million, 18-49 demo: 4.1
9:30 Mr. Sunshine
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
10:00 Off the Map
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 11.3 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 14.4 million, 18-49 demo: 3.6
10:00 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
Viewers: 10.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6

NBC
8:00 Minute to Win It (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Minute to Win It
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
10:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 22.8 million, 18-49 demo: 7.8
9:30 Traffic Light
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8

ABC had mixed results with an all new lineup on Wednesday night at 8-9:30pm continues to take a hit from American Idol and 9:30-11pm is having some trouble in general. At 8pm, The Middle was down a tenth in viewers and the demo. It's holding its own but this seems to be its regular number with Idol competition. At 8:30pm, Better With You was even in viewers but down a tenth in the demo for a series low. This show got a 1.6 demo for a repeat in December which shows that it's moving in the wrong direction as its fate remains on the bubble. At 9pm, Modern Family was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo, remaining the standout. Mr. Sunshine followed and was up eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The jump is good but it was not facing American Idol so a bigger jump than that was hoped for. The ceiling doesn't seem too high for this show but it might pair up well with Cougar Town if its renewed next season. Finally at 10pm, Off the Map was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo.

CBS had a solid night overall. At 8pm, Survivor was up four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo, posting its best numbers for the current edition so far. It was followed by Criminal Minds which was up a strong 1.2 million viewers and four tenths in the demo. The total viewer number is the best since November 17 as it remains another strong tentpole for CBS. At 10pm, the new spinoff Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior was up six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. The reversal from last week's dive was good but its retention out of the parent show was actually worse this week and NBC's Law & Order: SVU was a repeat so this upward trend shouldn't be overblown.

NBC was barely on the map with a low rated repeat and original of Minute to Win It and a repeat of Law & Order: SVU. FOX dominated as usual with American Idol which was up a tenth in viewers and down a tenth in the demo from last week's two hour episode but up in both categories from Tuesday's episode. It led into a special airing of the new sitcom Traffic Light which easily hit series highs but posted even worse retention than Raising Hope did on Tuesday. It's unlikely this extra exposure will help the struggling freshman sitcom in any meaningful way.