RATINGS RECAP: 3/4/12

ABC 
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
8:00 Once Upon a Time
Viewers: 10.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.4
9:00 Desperate Housewives
Viewers: 8.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
10:00 GCB
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 11.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:00 The Amazing Race
Viewers: 10.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
9:00 The Good Wife
Viewers: 9.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 CSI: Miami
Viewers: 10.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1

NBC
7:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
8:00 Celebrity Apprentice (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Celebrity Apprentice
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3

FOX
7:00 Bob's Burgers (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
7:30 The Cleveland Show
Viewers: 3.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
8:00 The Simpsons
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
8:30 Napoleon Dynamite
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 Family Guy
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
9:30 American Dad!
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1 

On Sunday night, ABC had a great start and a modest end. At 7pm, America's Funniest Home Videos was even in viewers and up two tenths in the demo for a season high. This show really works after football ends. At 8pm, Once Upon a Time was up nine tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo, showing a nice bump. TV's top new drama continues to impress. At 9pm, Desperate Housewives was up half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo, continuing the upward trend. However, the most disappointing news came at 10pm when the series premiere of GCB delivered ho-hum numbers. Considering that Pan Am premiered at a 3.1 and built on its lead-in its first night, the fact that GCB did not despite being much more compatible does not bode well for the series. Many, including myself, thought the premiere would be much stronger.

Over on CBS, 60 Minutes started things off down three tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo from its last regular airing. At 8pm, The Amazing Race was up a big 2.6 million viewers and six tenths in the demo from last week when it was against the Oscars. It returned to its numbers from the season premiere two weeks ago which is good news. At 9pm, The Good Wife was up a tenth in viewers but down two tenths in the demo, tying a series low. Despite its low numbers for CBS, I still think this will get a season four. At 10pm, CSI: Miami was up a tenth in viewers and down a tenth in the demo from its last new airing.

On NBC, Celebrity Apprentice was back up 1.5 million viewers and half a demo point from last week when it aired against the Oscars. It is a good but not great showing for the reality show. FOX's animated lineup was back after a week of repeats. At 7:30pm, The Cleveland Show was up half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo for FOX's best 7:30pm showing in awhile. At 8pm, The Simpsons was down seven tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo from its last new airing, which was the 500th episode. The season finale of Napoleon Dynamite was down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. This is on the bubble for next year but if Bob's Burgers got a renewal last year, I could see this squeaking one out this year. At 9pm, Family Guy was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo while American Dad! was down a tenth in viewers and the demo.