RATINGS RECAP: 11/17/11

ABC
8:00 20/20 Special
Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 Private Practice
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
Viewers: 15.1 million, 18-49 demo: 5.3
8:30 Rules of Engagement
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 3.6
9:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 11.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 12.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:30 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 The Office
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
9:30 Whitney
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 Prime Suspect
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

FOX
8:00 The X-Factor
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1
9:00 Bones
Viewers: 8.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7

On Thursday night, CBS started with The Big Bang Theory down eight tenths in viewers but even in the demo. This show has really blossomed on Thursday night this season. Will that continue when American Idol comes back? At 8:30pm, Rules of Engagement was down seven tenths in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. This show is performing well even if it's losing a lot of its lead-in but CBS will yank it temporarily for the new sitcom iRob in January. At 9pm, Person of Interest was down a tenth in viewers and the demo from its last new airing while The Mentalist was down a rough 1.5 million viewers and four tenths in the demo, hitting a season low in the demo. What is happening to this show this season?

NBC's dismal lineup was fully new on Thursday. At 8pm, Community was up a tenth in viewers and the demo. People can be upset that NBC is taking this off the lineup in January but let's be serious - it should have happened a long time ago. At 8:30pm, Parks and Recreation was even in viewers but up two tenths in the demo. This show skews very young given its terrible total viewer numbers. At 9pm, The Office was down half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo while Whitney was down three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for a series low. Good luck to this show on Wednesdays, it will need it. Finally at 10pm, the cancelled Prime Suspect was down six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo.  


ABC started things off with a 20/20 special covering Regis Philbin's departure from morning TV. It was a player in total viewers but didn't do much better in the demo than the cancelled Charlie's Angels. At 9pm, a two hour Private Practice was down three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo despite heavy promotion. This show still relies on its Grey's Anatomy lead-in. Finally on FOX, The X-Factor was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo, hitting a Thursday low. This show is not improving as the season goes on like many reality shows do. At 9pm, Bones was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo.