Primetime Ratings: 'Zero Hour' Posts ABC's Lowest-Rated In-Season Scripted Debut

'Community' plummets to series low as most shows dip on Valentine's Day

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/15/2013 11:37:33 AM

ABC's debut of new thriller Zero Hour struggled with just a 1.3 rating with adults 18-49 and 6.3 million total viewers on Thursday, according to Nielsen overnight numbers. That was down 41% from what Last Resort premiered to in that space, but up a tenth from that series' finale on Jan. 24. The debut was ABC's lowest-rated in-season bow for a scripted show (the previous low was The Whole Truth's 1.5 rating in September 2010).

Grey's Anatomy fell 13% to a series-low 2.7 and Scandal was flat with its series-high of 2.8. ABC was in third for the night with an overall 2.3 rating/7 share.

CBS won the night with an overall 3.3/10. The Big Bang Theory declined 13% to a 5.4, Two and a Half Men dropped 7% to a 3.8 and Person of Interest was down 3% to a 3.0. Elementary remained even with a 2.2.

Fox took second with a 2.7/8. American Idol declined 12% to a 3.6 while Glee fell 23% to a 1.7.

Community suffered a huge drop in its second week back, tumbling 42% to a series-low 1.1. Parks and Recreation declined 25% to a 1.5 and a one-hour Office was down a tenth to a 2.0. NBC finished in fourth with a 1.5/4.

The CW rounded out the evening with a 0.8/2. The Vampire Diaries was down two tenths in the net's targeted 18-34 demo to a 1.0, while also dropping a tenth with 18-49s to a 1.0 as well. Beauty and the Beast fell a tenth in each to a 0.4 and 0.5, respectively.