RATINGS RECAP: 10/5/11

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 9.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
8:30 Suburgatory
Viewers: 9.1 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 13.2 million, 18-49 demo: 5.7
9:30 Happy Endings
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
10:00 Revenge
Viewers: 7.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 10.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 13.4 million, 18-49 demo: 3.8
10:00 CSI
Viewers: 12.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9

NBC
8:00 Up All Night
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
8:30 Free Agents
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Harry's Law
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 8.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1

FOX
8:00 The X-Factor
Viewers: 11.9 million, 18-49 demo: 4.1
9:30 Raising Hope
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

On Wednesday night, ABC had a lot to be happy again. At 8pm, The Middle was up four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. Looking back at the ratings during this show's first season, it has really come a long way. At 8:30pm, week two of Suburgatory was down just seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo, building on its lead-in and showing great week-to-week retention. It appears that ABC has finally found a fit for this half hour. At 9pm, Modern Family was down three tenths in viewers but even in the demo with a stellar 5.7. There remains trouble in the 9:30pm half hour though where Happy Endings was down six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo, losing a huge chunk of its lead-in. Maybe another family comedy needs to go in this slot? Finally at 10pm, week three of Revenge was down eight tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo. It's hard to know if this show is slipping because of the weakening lead-in or because of its serialized nature. People seem to still be responding well to it so it might be the former.

Over on CBS, Survivor was even in viewers and down a tenth in the demo. It's down some year to year but still doing great for a veteran franchise. At 9pm, Criminal Minds was up eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. It's amazing how many people are watching broadcast TV at 9pm on Wednesday nights and this veteran crime drama remains incredibly stable. At 10pm, CSI was up two tenths in viewers but down the same in the demo. Many though Wednesday would be wide open for all three nets but CSI has emerged as the clear favorite in the hour.

Meanwhile, NBC had positive news at 8pm where Up All Night was up three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. I've said it already but with all the trouble NBC is in across the board, this is really a strong performance as the self-starter clearly earned its full season renewal. NBC was getting slaughtered in this slot last year so a 2.3 demo is nothing to scoff at. At 8:30pm, the now-cancelled Free Agents earned its cancellation stripes as it was up two tenths in viewers but even in the demo, at a very very low 1.0. At 9pm, Harry's Law was up nine tenths in viewers but even in the demo. It has gone up in viewers every single week but it has stayed the same in the demo at a very low 1.2. Still, the total viewer count would appear to keep it safe with NBC's problems right now. Finally, Law & Order: SVU was up eight tenths in viewers and even in the demo, placing a weak third in the demo category where it used to win regularly.

Meanwhile, FOX's The X-Factor was dead even in viewers and the demo with last week. While this show debuted to surprisingly weak numbers, it has held up extremely well over the first three weeks showing that people have liked what they saw. This might even help it to rise down the stretch as viewers appear to be keeping with it. That's some positive news for FOX. A special episode of Raising Hope followed and despite the better lead-in, the special night and less compatibly kept it below its numbers after New Girl this fall.