RATINGS RECAP: 1/25/12

ABC
8:00 The Middle (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
8:30 Suburgatory (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Modern Family (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
9:30 Happy Endings (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 Revenge (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS
8:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 13.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.7
10:00 CSI
Viewers: 14.3 million, 18-49 demo: 3.4

NBC
8:00 Whitney
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 Are You There, Chelsea?
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 19.7 million, 18-49 demo: 6.5
9:00 Touch
Viewers: 12.0 million, 18-49 demo: 3.9

On Wednesday night, FOX was all new starting with American Idol which was down 2.2 million viewers and nine tenths in the demo from its season premiere last week. This show's best days are behind it but it's still TV's top draw, for now. At 9pm, a sneak preview of the new Kiefer Sutherland drama Touch got a great sampling. It will start airing regularly in March but after this preview, FOX may be wishing it was launching now. NBC was only new in the 8pm hour but its Happy Hour continued to implode. Whitney was up two tenths in viewers but down two tenths in the demo for a series low. Are You There, Chelsea? did even worse as it was down four tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo. These comedies have fallen a long way in a couple weeks. NBC is smart to try multicam sitcoms but these two shows are not the answer by any means. 

Over on CBS, Criminal Minds was up eight tenths in viewers and a strong half a demo point as it benefited from repeats on ABC and NBC. The demo is the best performance since November 16. At 10pm, CSI aired its final episode with longtime star Marg Helgenberger and it was up a big 2.3 million viewers and six tenths in the demo for season highs. Fans who may have stopped watching came back in to see Marg say goodbye but I don't think her departure will have a big impact on future ratings of the show.