RATINGS RECAP: 2/5/14

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
8:30 Suburgatory
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 9.9 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
9:30 Super Fun Night
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

CBS
8:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 8.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 12.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.8
10:00 CSI
Viewers: 11.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0

NBC
8:00 How to Raise an Olympian
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 Chicago PD
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7 

FOX 
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 13.4 million, 18-49 demo: 3.9 

On Wednesday night, Criminal Minds celebrated its 200th episode with a big increase from its series low two weeks ago. The CBS drama was up a strong 2.5 million viewers and six tenths in the demo. The viewer total is the best since the 2011-12 season finale. This is a nice rise for a show that's been looking weaker lately (though it still remains a strong veteran drama). The rise helped CSI, which was up 1.7 million viewers and four tenths in the demo from its series low two weeks ago.  Despite the CBS drama improvement, the competing crime dramas on NBC held up fairly well. Law & Order: SVU was down 1.4 million viewers but just two tenths in the demo. At 10pm, Chicago PD was down nine tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Chicago PD seems to be getting more compatible with SVU and more of a success each week, just like Chicago Fire did in its first season.

Over on ABC, The Middle started things off up six tenths in viewers and down a tenth in the demo from its last new airing. At 8:30pm, Suburgatory was up a million viewers and two tenths in the demo from last week when it had to follow a repeat of The Middle. It's not really a stronger option than the cancelled Back in the Game. At 9pm, Modern Family was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. At 9:30pm, Super Fun Night was up eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo, but that's from following a repeat last week. This show will burn off its last couple episodes opposite the Olympics. At 10pm, Nashville was down a tenth in viewers and two tenths in the demo to tie a series low. What will ABC do with this show? It probably doesn't deserve a renewal but ABC has so many holes in their schedule. Still, it wouldn't shock me if this was a surprise cancellation in May. Finally on FOX, American Idol was up seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. The good news is it was up from last week for the first time this season and only down 15% year-to-year which is a big improvement from recent episodes.