RATINGS RECAP: 3/15/12

ABC
8:00 Missing
Viewers: 10.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 9.6 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0
10:00 Private Practice
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1

CBS
8:00 NCAA Basketball March Madness
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 NCAA Basketball March Madness
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
8:30 30 Rock
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 The Office
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:30 Up All Night
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 Awake
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 16.0 million, 18-49 demo: 4.6
9:00 Touch (Repeat)
Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

On Thursday night, ABC started off with the premiere of the Ashley Judd drama Missing. Airing in a slot that has been challenging for ABC, Missing managed to attract a nice total viewer count but it skewed quite old. Still, if it were to stay close to these levels, ABC would take it in a notoriously difficult slot. All in all, this was a good debut at a tough time of year. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was up half a million viewers but down a tenth in the demo from its last new airing for a season low. At 10pm, Private Practice was up six tenths in viewers and even in the demo from its last airing. Over on FOX, American Idol was down 1.3 million viewers and three tenths in the demo from last week while an encore of the pilot of Touch was on par with recent episodes of The Finder. Next week is the real test for Touch.

NBC started off with the return of Community and it surprisingly posted an easy season high and came in second in the demo in its time period. Fans were upset that it was on hiatus and they showed their loyalty by tuning in and helping its case for a season four. It didn't hurt that The Big Bang Theory wasn't on. At 8:30pm, 30 Rock was up six tenths in viewers and also a strong six tenths in the demo from last week's 8pm episode, also hitting a season high. At 9pm, The Office was even in viewers and down two tenths in the demo. So yes, you read that right, it was only a tenth in viewers and two tenths in the demo ahead of Community. Time to put this show out of its misery. At 9:30pm, Up All Night was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. This show is hurting its chances for renewal with each passing week. At 10pm, Awake stabilized in week three as it was up eight tenths in viewers and even in the demo. It's low but possibly passable for NBC at these levels.