RATINGS RECAP: 10/6/11

ABC 
8:00 Charlie's Angels
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 8.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1
10:00 Private Practice
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
Viewers: 13.9 million, 18-49 demo: 4.5
8:30 How to Be a Gentleman
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
9:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 11.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 13.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
8:30 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 The Office
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2
9:30 Whitney
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
10:00 Prime Suspect
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

FOX
8:00 The X-Factor
Viewers: 11.7 million, 18-49 demo: 4.0

On Thursday night, the broadcast networks were mostly down perhaps thanks in part to a very highly rated Yankees playoff game on cable. CBS remained dominant in the 8pm half hour where The Big Bang Theory was down eight tenths in viewers and four tenths in the demo but still was a very strong 4.5 demo. At 8:30pm, week two of How to Be a Gentleman dipped 1.4 million viewers and just two tenths in the demo. While the drop wasn't as severe as some (including myself) thought it would be, CBS has still effectively cancelled the show by trimming its episode order to 9 (shutting down tonight) and moving it to Saturdays. As expected, veteran Rules of Engagement will return to this slot starting October 20, rather than airing on Saturdays. It may not get an official cancellation until next May because of how CBS does business, but it's basically cancelled at this point. At 9pm, Person of Interest was down nine tenths in viewers but just a tenth in the demo. It will be interesting to see if it can go up with a likely improved lead-in. At 10pm, The Mentalist was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo as it was one of only two shows to improve from last week on Thursday night.

ABC has sprung a leak on Thursday nights where their 8pm show is failing and their later dramas are slipping. New show Charlie's Angels fell another 1.2 million viewers and three tenths in the demo to a low 1.2 demo. Last year, My Generation was cancelled in this slot after it slipped to a 1.1. Charlie's has fallen nine tenths in the demo in two weeks and while ABC has seen some positives with it's other new shows, this is a weak link. Don't expect it to make it through November sweeps if it even makes it that long. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was down a rough 1.5 million viewers and five tenths in the demo. This is very low performance for a show that used to be a Thursday powerhouse. Maybe this should be the final season, just like Desperate Housewives. At 10pm, Private Practice was down a big 1.7 million viewers and seven tenths in the demo from the season premiere last week. ABC has some problems on Thursday.


Over on NBC, there were problems as usual. At 8pm, Community was down six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo. 3.4 million viewers and a 1.5 demo is just completely unacceptable for a third year series. Why does NBC just keep on airing it? At 8:30pm, Parks and Recreation was down just a tenth in viewers and the demo. Considering the lead-in gives it nothing, this is not a horrible performance. At 9pm, The Office was down nine tenths in viewers and three tenths the demo. While still the high point of the night, it's not nearly the show that it was in the ratings. At 9:30pm, week three of Whitney was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo. Did it deserve a full season order? Finally at 10pm, Prime Suspect was down seven tenths in viewers but even in the demo, being the only show to not go down in the latter category. Over on FOX, The X-Factor was down five tenths in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. This show is holding up remarkably well.