ABC's 'Cougar Town' Drops Double Digits

Fox easily topped Wednesday with American Idol’s top seven contestants performing for the judges. Idol averaged a 6.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 21.7 million viewers overall for its 90-minute telecast. New comedy Breaking In (2.5, 7.5 million) was down four percent week-to-week. So far this season, Idol is down seven percent in the demo and up a notch (one percent) among total viewers. Fox averaged a 5.8 rating with 18.2 million viewers for the night. 

ABC and CBS tied for the night in the demo with a 2.2 rating each while CBS averaged 8.8 million viewers with Survivor: Redemption Island (3.0, 10.4 million) down three percent week-to-week for its lowest-rated telecast ever, and reruns of Criminal Minds (1.9, 8.7 million) and Suspect Behavior (1.7, 7.1 million).    ABC averaged 6.1 million viewers for the night with new installments of its all comedy lineup. The Middle (1.8, 6.7 million) was flat week-to-week to tie with its season low. Better with You (1.6, 5.3 million) was up seven percent and Modern Family (3.7, 9.8 million) was down 5 percent for a season low for a regular telecast. Cougar Town (2.4, 6.2 million) fell 11 percent compared to last February’s prior original in its regular time slot. Back-to-back episodes of Happy Endings in the 10 p.m. hour dropped double digits compared to last week’s 9:30 and 10 p.m. installments.   Univision averaged a 1.4 rating with 3.6 million viewers overall for Teresa (1.4, 3.5 million) and Triunfo del Amor (1.5, 3.8 million). The Spanish-language broadcaster handily beating NBC (1.0, 3.6 million) which had Minute to Win It (0.8, 3.1 million) down 11 percent for a series low, followed by reruns of Minute (0.8, 3.0 million) and Law & Order: SVU (1.4, 4.8 million).   Marisa.Guthrie@THR.com Twitter: @MarisaGuthrie