Primetime Ratings: ‘Idol’ Down but Still Strong Enough for Easy ABC Win

ABC took the Sunday ratings title easily, as American Idol led to a 1.3 average across prime, in terms of viewers 18-49 (per the Nielsen overnights), and a 5 share. In second were CBS and Fox at 0.7/3.

On ABC, America’s Funniest Home Videos was off 8% to 1.1, then American Idol rated a 1.6 from 8 to 10, an 11% drop from last week. Drama Deception was off 13% for a 0.7.

On CBS, 60 Minutes did a flat 0.8 and Instinct climbed 17% to 0.7. NCIS: Los Angeles went up 14% to 0.8 while Madam Secretary slid 17% to 0.5.

Fox had Bob's Burgers down 13% to 0.7 and The Simpsons at a flat 0.9, then Brooklyn Nine-Nine off 22% to 0.7 and Family Guy down 10% at 0.9. Last Man on Earth rated a level 0.7.

NBC did a 0.5/2. Dateline decreased 14% to 0.6 and Genius Junior was off 17% to 0.5. A second Genius Junior scored a 0.6, level with last week, and Timeless was down 17% for a 0.5.

Univision rated a 0.4/2 and Telemundo a 0.3/1.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.