The Sked: WEDNESDAY RATINGS April 11

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>American Idol finally stopped falling and might even be up from last week when the official nationals adjustment are in later today.  Don’t Trust the B- in Apt 23 premiered to okay ratings on ABC, while NBC tried another program combination on Wednesday night. 

             Nightly Adult 18-49 Rating
Wednesday    FOX    CBS    ABC    NBC
04.11.2012   4.9    2.6    2.4    1.2    THIS WEEK
04.04.2012   4.9    2.9    1.3    1.0    LAST WEEK 
04.13.2011   6.2    3.0    2.3    1.1    LAST YEAR 

FOX’s American Idol stopped the bleeding this week and probably will be up a bit from last week when the official nationals are released this afternoon.  Idol averaged a 4.9 from 8-10 pm last night, which will most likely be adjusted up to a 5.0 or even 5.1 in the official nationals (a full rating point or more higher than the 4.0 posted by The Voice in Monday’s official nationals).  Last year on this night, American Idol aired 90 minutes (7.3) followed by Breaking In (2.6).        

CBS held on to a distant second place for the night despite weekly declines by the 8 and 10 pm shows.  Survivor slipped two tenths of a rating point from last week to a 2.6 (although that could turn into a 2.7 with the official numbers), and CSI (now facing an original SVU on NBC) slid six tenths from last week to a new season low.  Ever steady Criminal Minds is holding at a 3.0 rating.  Last year on this night: Survivor (3.1), Criminal Minds (3.5) and Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (2.6).  

ABC remains in third place despite the return of original comedies from 8:00-9:30 and the premiere of Don’t Trust the B- in Apt 23 at 9:30.  The Middle, Suburgatory and Modern Family returned to the air with season lows last night, but keep in mind each time period did better than the same night last year, which also featured original comedy episodes.  Don’t Trust the B- premiered with a 2.9, about the same as Happy Endings was doing last year but better than recent Happy Endings episodes after Modern Family originals.  In coming weeks the new comedy will probably settle down to a 2.6 or 2.7, not a real hit but potentially a piece in the scheduling puzzle.  Revenge at 10 pm was a recap/clip show (1.6 rating) to set the stage for the return of original episodes next week.  Last year on this night: The Middle (1.8), Better with You (1.5), Modern Family (3.9), Happy Endings (2.8), Happy Endings (2.8) and Modern Family repeat (1.8).   

NBC Wednesday was up week to week, mostly because of the return of Law & Order SVU.   Keep in mind, NBC’s Wednesday rating is still 50% lower than third place on the night.  The network was down from 8-10 pm, with Betty White’s Off Their Rockers and Best Friends Forever down two or three tenths from last week’s time period premieres and Rock Center crashing 9 pm to a 0.6, worse than Bent was doing in its limited run and tying a season low for the struggling new magazine.  SVU took the 0.6 lead in and built to a 1.6, a weak number for any show but somewhat of an achievement given its circumstances.  Last year on this night: Minute to Win It (0.9), Minute to Win It repeat (0.9) and Law & Order SVU repeat (1.5).
         

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