RATINGS RECAP: 12/15/11

ABC
8:00 A Charlie Brown Christmas
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 The Year with Katie Couric
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 10.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
8:30 Rules of Engagement
Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
9:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 12.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 13.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7

NBC
8:00 Community (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
8:30 Parks and Recreation (Repeat)
Viewers: 1.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 The Office (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:30 Whitney (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
10:00 Prime Suspect
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9 

FOX
8:00 The X-Factor
Viewers: 9.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
9:00 Bones (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5 

On Thursday night, CBS was new except for The Big Bang Theory, which was a repeat. Rules of Engagement followed the repeat lead-in and was down half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo for season lows. Will Rob! fare better or worse in January? At 9pm, Person of Interest was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. The viewer total is its best since the series premiere and this show is quietly one of the most consistent of any new drama this season. At 10pm, The Mentalist was also up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Specials populated ABC for the evening and did not do too much - Katie Couric's special posted disappointing numbers. 

NBC aired repeats of its comedies to pathetically low numbers while a burnoff of Prime Suspect hit a series low. FOX was new in the 8pm hour with the results edition of The X-Factor. It was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo from last week. This show has done well enough but it consistently seems like it should be doing better.