RATINGS RECAP: 4/21/11

ABC
8:00 Wipeout (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 Grey's Anatomy (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Private Practice (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
8:30 Rules of Engagement (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 CSI (Repeat)
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 The Mentalist (Repeat)
Viewers: 11.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 3.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 The Paul Reiser Show
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 The Office
Viewers: 6.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3
9:30 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
10:00 30 Rock
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 20.3 million, 18-49 demo: 5.8
9:00 Bones
Viewers: 11.0 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2

ABC and CBS were in repeats on Thursday night with CBS having better repeat numbers, particularly The Mentalist's 2.1 demo at 10pm. NBC was all new with its comedy lineup and saw dismal results in the 8pm hour. Leading off, Community was down three tenths in viewers to a season low and even in the demo. Why did this show get renewed? It was followed by the second week of The Paul Reiser Show which was down a million viewers to a pathetic 2.4 million and two tenths in the demo. The demo has already slipped lower than the terrible numbers for Perfect Couples. Will NBC leave this on the air through May? At 9pm, The Office was down a rough 1.1 million viewers and seven tenths in the demo which is somewhat surprising since it is Steve Carell's penultimate episode. It was followed by Parks and Recreation which was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo, posting better retention than last week. To round out the night, a one hour episode of 30 Rock - the 100th episode - was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo from last week's half hour episode. A 2.2 demo at 10pm is not bad and it wouldn't be surprising to see 30 Rock stay in this slot next season.

FOX was also all new. At 8pm, the results edition of American Idol was down 1.6 million viewers and six tenths in the demo as it appears to be suffering from the 8pm problems that have been plaguing nearly every show on every network. It still dominated the hour though. At 9pm, a Bones episode that served as a potential backdoor pilot to a spinoff was down half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo, but posted better retention than last week. Critical reaction and fan reaction will be more indicative to whether the spinoff turns into a series than these numbers.