TV Ratings: 'Happy Endings' Bests Dipping NBC Comedies, 'New Girl' and 'Mindy' Grow

ABC/CAROL KAELSON

Back from a week off, CBS' Tuesday block once again topped the broadcast competition in adults 18-49 (2.9 rating) and total viewers (16.7 million). NCIS (3.7 adults) was down two points from its last original episode, while sister series NCIS: LA (3.1 adults) jumped four tenths of a point. Vegas (1.9 adults) was also up three tenths of a point, winning the 10 p.m. hour.

our editor recommends

'New Girl' Creator Liz Meriwether on Her Comedy's Romantic Bombshell

'Happy Endings' Writers Offer 14 Reasons to Watch Tuesday's Back-to-Back Episodes

'Bridesmaids' Actor to Guest Star on 'Go On' (Exclusive)

PHOTOS: Midseason 2013: TV's Newest Series

Fox's temporary Tuesday lineup, including back-to-back episodes of Raising Hope, gave the comedy a 1.7 and a 1.5 adults rating. The first half-hour was even with last week's showing, and the second episode managed to top recent performances by the now canceled Ben and Kate. New Girl (2.5 adults) jumped three tenths of a point, and The Mindy Project (1.7 adults) was up by two tenths. The network averaged a 1.8 adults rating and 3.8 million viewers.

The second episode of The Taste (1.6 adults), airing just one hour, was off by half a point from last week's two-hour series premiere. At 9 p.m., the first of two new Happy Endings (1.2 adults) was off a tenth of a point from last week, but rose for its second episode (1.3 adults) -- the first time an ABC comedy has grown from its lead at 9:30 p.m. all season. An encore of Jimmy Kimmel Live pulled a 1.2 adults rating, giving the network 3.6 million viewers for the night and an average 1.3 adults rating.

Both episodes of Betty White's Off Their Rockers (a 1.4 and a 1.5 rating with adults 18-49) were down from last week by a respective two and three tenths of a point. Go On (1.2 adults) and The New Normal (1.1 adults) both hit new series lows, each falling a tenth of a point. A special Dateline pulled a 1.3 rating in the demo. NBC averaged a 1.3 adults rating and 4.6 million viewers for the night.

Hart of Dixie (0.5 adults) was down two tenths of a point from last week's score, while Emily Owens M.D. (0.4 adults) held its last rating. The CW averaged a 0.5 adults rating and 1.3 million viewers.

Univision averaged a 1.8 rating with adults 18-49 and 4.2 million viewers.