Primetime Ratings: 'American Idol' Falls to Series Low for Regularly Scheduled Episode

'Two and a Half Men,' 'Community' fall to series lows

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/15/2013 11:40:07 AM

Fox's American Idol results show on Thursday was down 17% from last week's 90-minute version to a 3.0 rating with adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnight numbers. The 3.0 rating was a series low for a regularly scheduled edition. Glee followed with a 2.0, which was also a drop of 17% to put Fox in second with a 2.5 rating/7 share.

CBS won the night with a 3.1/9, although its comedy duo of The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men fell to lows. Big Bang declined 18% to tie its season-low 4.5 rating while Men dropped 15% to a series-low 3.3. Person of Interest rose 4% to a 2.9 and Elementary remained even in its return from three weeks off with a 2.4.

ABC came in third (1.7/5), airing only a new Grey's Anatomy, which was down 16% from its last episode three weeks ago to a 2.6.

NBC's Community fell to a new series low of 1.0, down 33% from last week and Parks and Recreation returned up 14% to a 1.4. The Office tied its series-low 1.9 rating, returning from a month off down 5% and 1600 Penn was up 11% to a 1.0.

The CW's The Vampire Diaries returned from a few weeks off down 21% to a 1.1 in the net's targeted adults 18-34 demo, while also drawing a 1.1 with 18-49s, a decline of 15%. Beauty and the Beast was down a tenth to a 0.5 with 18-34s and even with a 0.5 with 18-49s. The net finished with a 0.8/3.