"Idol" threat continues as Fox tops Wednesday
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox and "American Idol" continued their rampage through primetime Wednesday, logging another nightly win in all the major demographics.
The "Idol" effect seemed to boost Fox's sophomore drama "Bones," which had its highest ratings in more than a year. Meanwhile, ABC's sitcoms continued to see only heartbreak and NBC did OK with "Deal or No Deal" and "Medium," which won a rare victory in adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. against a repeat of "CSI: NY."
But it was "Idol" that ruled the roost again with 31.4 million viewers and a 13.4 rating/31 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary data released Thursday by Nielsen Media Research.
That crushed everything at 9 p.m., with only "Deal or No Deal" (11.4 million, 3.1/7) able to pass the 10-million viewer mark. CBS offered a rerun of "Criminal Minds" (9.7 million, 2.7/6) that beat ABC's "According to Jim" (5.7 million, 2.2/5) and "In Case of Emergency" (4.6 million, 1.8/4).
"Bones" (12.6 million, 4.2/11) won the 8 p.m. hour, giving the show its highest ratings in the demo since March 15, 2006, and its second-highest viewership rating in its history. That was well ahead of CBS' repeat "CSI: NY" (8.5 million, 2.6/7), NBC's "Friday Night Lights" (6.9 million, 2.5/7), ABC's "The George Lopez Show" (7.8 million, 2.8/8) and especially ABC's troubled "The Knights of Prosperity" (5.2 million, 2.0/5).
With CBS offering a repeat of "CSI: NY" (10.6 million, 3.2/8) at 10 p.m., NBC's "Medium" (9.8 million, 3.4/9) took the opportunity to carve out a demo win. ABC's "Primetime: Medical Mysteries" (6 million, 2.0/5) didn't do as well.
Nightly averages: ABC (5.9 million, 2.1/5); CBS (9.6 million, 2.8/7); NBC (9.4 million, 2.8/7); Fox (22 million, 8.8/22); and the CW (2.8 million, 1.4/3).
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
