Ratings News - 5th October 2012 *Full Tables Posted*

Metered Market Thursday Ratings
CBS Wins; Last Resort and Elementary Lose Steam in Week Two

Household
Rating/Share
CBS 8.7/14
ABC 6.1/10
Fox 5.7/ 9
NBC 2.7/ 4
CW 0.8/ 1

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-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening (on 10/06/11):
ABC: +15, CBS: +14, NBC: -23, Fox: -27, CW: -56

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-Winners:
The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Two and a Half Men (CBS), The X Factor (Fox), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Person of Interest (CBS), Elementary (CBS)

-Losers (excluding repeats):
30 Rock (NBC), Up All Night (NBC), The Next (CW), The Office (NBC), Parks and Recreation (NBC), Rock Center With Brian Williams (NBC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS dominated this second Thursday of the new season in the overnights with a first-place finish in each of the six half-hours care of The Big Bang Theory (10.0 rating/16 share), relocated Two and a Half Men (8.1/13), sophomore Person of Interest (9.4/15) and week two of Elementary (7.6/13). Week-to-week, Elementary dipped by a typical 16 percent (versus a 9.0/16 on Sept. 27), with erosion from year-ago occupant The Mentalist (8.6/14 on 10/06/11) of 12 percent. Retention for Elementary out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Person of Interest (9.3/14), meanwhile, was acceptable at 82 percent. The early verdict: the audience base is still solid, but the skew might be too old.

Of particular positive note for CBS was a 72 percent advantage for Two and a Half Men versus failed year-ago occupant How To Be a Gentleman (4.7/ 8 on 10/06/11).

In other week two news, drama Last Resort on ABC slipped to a 5.5/ 9 in the overnights from 8-9 p.m., which was down by an also typical 15 percent from its week-ago debut (6.5/11 on Sept. 27). Last Resort, however, was still 34 percent above failed year-ago occupant Charlie’s Angels (4.1/ 7 on 10/06/11). The early verdict: Last Resort needs to settle in now to stay on the air.

Next on ABC was veteran Grey’s Anatomy at a healthy second-place 8.0/12 at 9 p.m., which is poised for time period victory among adults 18-49 and was up by 18 percent from one year earlier (versus a 6.8/10 on 10/06/11). Next was sophomore Scandal at a second-place 4.9/ 9 at 10 p.m., which was on par from year-ago occupant Private Practice (4.8/ 8 on 10/06/11).

Over at Fox, The X Factor was on the map with a second-place 7.0/12 at 8 p.m., which was close to year-ago levels, while relocated Glee at 9 p.m. perked up to a third-place 4.5/ 7 at 9 p.m. While Glee remains down from its former Tuesday 8 p.m. time period, growth week-to-week was 10 percent (versus a 4.2/ 7 on Sept. 27).

In season-premiere news, 30 Rock on NBC opened its seventh (and final) season with a mere 2.7/ 4 in the overnights at 8 p.m., which was only on par with Community on the year-ago evening. While NBC has momentum on Monday and Tuesday this season (thanks to The Voice), Thursday remains “must flee” TV care of Up All Night (#4: 2.4/ 4), The Office (3.1/ 5), Parks and Recreation (2.5/ 4) and Rock Center With Brian Williams (#3: 2.6/ 5) for the remainder of the evening. Of negative note, in particular, was slippage of 24 percent year-to-year for once promising The Office (versus a 4.1/ 6 on 10/06/11).

The CW capped off the evening with the two-hour series-finale of singing competition The Next at a miniscule 0.8/ 1 from 8-10 p.m. Word of advice to the networks: avoid any new singing competitions in the future. Enough is enough already.

Source: Nielsen Media Research

Source: Marc Berman@TVMediaInsights