RATINGS RECAP: 10/17/13

ABC
8:00 Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Viewers: 4.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 8.8 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
10:00 Scandal
Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
Viewers: 17.8 million, 18-49 demo: 5.2
8:30 The Millers
Viewers: 12.3 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2
9:00 The Crazy Ones
Viewers: 9.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:30 Two and a Half Men
Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Elementary
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5 

NBC
8:00 Parks and Recreation
Viewers: 3.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:30 Welcome to the Family
Viewers: 2.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Sean Saves the World
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:30 The Michael J. Fox Show
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Parenthood
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

FOX
8:00 MLB Playoffs
Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5

On Thursday night, The Big Bang Theory on CBS continued to dominate as it was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 8:30pm, The Millers was up six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for an impressive week three. Yes, retention is bad but this show has been remarkably consistent in its first three weeks which is a good sign. At 9pm, The Crazy Ones was down three tenths in viewers but even in the demo as it seems to be leveling off which is good. Both The Millers and The Crazy Ones got deserved full season orders today. At 9:30pm, Two and a Half Men was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo for a series low. This show was really propped up by its Big Bang lead-in last year and is showing its age this season. At 10pm, Elementary fell a rough six tenths in viewers and four tenths in the demo for a series low. This is a pretty bad performance but CBS has bigger problems with its dramas. Still, this seems like it might be Friday or Sunday bound next season.

Over on ABC, week two of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland was down a big 1.3 million viewers and half a demo point. After a mediocre debut last week, this is a big fall and it looks like it will join the long list of Thursday 8pm failures for ABC. They need to do something besides dramas in this hour because every single type of drama they have tried has bombed here since the hour long comedy Ugly Betty. At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy was even in viewers and down a tenth in the demo. At 10pm, Scandal popped back up half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo after last week's drop. This show has gone from being TV's top 10pm draw to top ABC drama to top network drama in a short time. 

Finally on NBC, the comedy lineup did stop the bleeding which was good, but everything was still just so low and changes to the lineup were announced today with the cancellation of Welcome to the Family. At 8pm, Parks and Recreation was up a tenth in viewers and the demo while the now cancelled Family was down a tenth in viewers but up a tenth in the demo. At 9pm, Sean Saves the World was up a tenth in viewers and the demo. Sean has survived the first round of NBC cancellations which suggests that NBC is still trying to make this show work. At 9:30pm, The Michael J. Fox Show was the only NBC show to not rise int he demo as it was down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. This is a problem for NBC. At 10pm, Parenthood was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 4 million viewers, it was the most watched show on NBC last night.