Preliminary Ratings: Thursday 02/27/14

Although the ratings are up from their fall finale's, back on December 12, 2013, I would have expected bigger numbers for the return of both GREY'S ANATOMY and SCANDAL. They each won their time periods and were just two of the three programs with a A18-49 rating of a three or above, but It seems a bit deflated considering the two and a half month layoff.

Also experiencing deflated ratings was CBS' THE BIG BANG THEORY. This is the first time, since early December, that the comedy pulled in a demo rating under a five rating. Viewership also the lowest it has been since the same time frame.

The flipping of TWO AND A HALF MEN and THE CRAZY ONES did result into a net gain for the hour. On February 6th, the two shows averaged just 7.9 million viewers. Last night, the average jumped to 8.8 million. In the demo, the change was from a 1.85 rating to a 2.2 rating. A definite improvement. However, ELEMENTARY may have felt the effects of having a lesser lead in as it was down one million viewers and 11% in the demo, from it's last original episode.

Over on FOX, it was low numbers too as IDOL posted a season Thursday low in the A18-49 ratings, with a 2.3 score. RAKE still hasn't found rock bottom as the series hit yet another series low.

NBC was back to reality as not a single program could find an audience of over 4 million. HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT performed no better than the two recently cancelled comedies SEAN SAVES THE WORLD and THE MICHAEL J FOX SHOW. But it was, sadly, the top program of the night for the network.
 

Preliminary Network Averages:

ABC - 7.8 million viewers, 2.4 rating in Adults 18-49

CBS - 10.5 million viewers, 2.5 rating in Adults 18-49

CW - 1.6 million viewers, 0.7 rating in Adults 18-49

FOX - 6.6 million viewers, 1.5 rating in Adults 18-49

NBC - 3.2 million viewers, 1.1 rating in Adults 18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	Countdown to the Oscars	4.70	1.0
9:00	ABC	Grey's Anatomy	9.30	3.0	99%
10:00	ABC	Scandal	9.30	3.3	0%
8:00	CBS	The Big Bang Theory	17.50	4.9
8:30	CBS	The Millers	11.20	2.8	-36%
9:00	CBS	Two and a Half Men	10.10	2.5	-11%
9:30	CBS	The Crazy Ones	7.40	1.9	-26%
10:00	CBS	Elementary	8.50	1.6	15%
8:00	CW	The Vampire Diaries	2.00	0.9
9:00	CW	Reign	1.30	0.5	-33%
8:00	FOX	American Idol	9.80	2.3
9:00	FOX	Rake	3.50	0.8	-65%
8:00	NBC	Community	2.60	1.0
8:30	NBC	Parks & Rec	2.50	1.0	-6%
9:00	NBC	Hollywood Game Night	3.40	1.2	38%
10:00	NBC	Parenthood	3.60	1.1	5%

* - in millions