A truncated night, due to the VP DEBATE. Plus, a couple of the more important numbers may be distorted for now by NFL simulcasts. Nevertheless:
CW: Football may have inflated these numbers due to a Pittsburgh NFL simulcast, but it looks like another solid debut for the network, this time a (currently) 1.3 for BEAUTY & THE BEAST–even if that comes down to 1.0-1.1, it’ll be a successful launch by CW standards. It followed a (preliminary) 1.6 for the season premiere of VAMPIRE DIARIES, which was coming off a huge season finale event last spring.
ABC: LAST RESORT slipped to 1.6, down 0.3 from last week, and as much as ABC has been trying to spin the show’s numbers (total households, live + 3, etc), this one is starting to look like a misfire.
FOX: A mildly disturbing 2.9 for X FACTOR, particularly because the network’s Nashville affiliate aired the NFL game, which means the final number may be down more than the current 0.3 from last week.
NBC: 30 ROCK was even at 1.4, but UP ALL NIGHT fell to 1.2, increasing the chance of its being yanked from Thursdays, possibly for the currently-in-limbo COMMUNITY. (But that probably won’t happen immediately, since Christina Applegate hosts SNL this week and there are political reasons to wait and see if that gives the sitcom any bounce.)
CBS: THE BIG BANG THEORY took an oddly heavy hit, down 0.7 from last week to 4.2 (still the highest numbver of the night by far). 2 1/2 MEN was comparatively stable, down 0.2 to 3.4. The network also has preliminary bragging rights to the night’s highest Debate total audience number, although it tied with NBC for 18-49s (since the debates have no commercials, their ratings are academic and don’t count in network standings).
Tonight CBS has its MADE IN JERSEY-less line-up, with CSI NY back at 9PM, and an NCIS rerun at 8PM. CW will understandably use the night to repeat the pilots for ARROW and BEAUTY & THE BEAST.
