Fox Wins Thursday Night With Steady 'American Idol' Ratings

Michael Becker/FOX

William Petersen's highly anticipated return to CSI Thursday night didn't give the crime drama a ratings boost.

After a month of reruns, the show delivered 13.8 million total viewers and drew a 3.0 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 9 percent in the demo from its last original episode in early January.

Fox won the night as American Idol stayed steady with a 7.5 demo rating and 21.8 million total viewers. Idol's steady performance came despite a new episode of Big Bang Theory (4.2, 13.63 million), the No. 2 show for the night, which had last week aired a rerun.

CBS and ABC tied for second in adults 18 to 49.

$#*! My Dad Says was up 22 percent over last week (2.3, 10.5 million).

The Mentalist (2.8, 15.1 million) was even in in the 18-49 demo.

On NBC, Community increased 5 percent over the net's average in the time slot (2.0, 4.3 million). New series Perfect Couples (1.4, 3.1 million) was down 18 percent.

The Office (3.7, 7.3 million) ranked No. 2 in its time slot among adults 18 to 49 -- going up against Grey's Anatomy, CSI and Fox's Bones, which was down 15 percent despite an American Idol lead-in.

30 Rock's episode, which guest starred Brian Williams (who must have taped his cameo before going to Egypt; he returned to NYC Thursday) scored a 2.4, with 4.8 million viewers in the 18-49 demo.

ABC's Wipeout (2.5, 7.9 million) was up 4 percent, Grey's Anatomy  (4.2, 11.1 million) held steady and Private Practice (2.6, 7.1 million) was down 4 percent.