NBC's 'Paul Reiser Show' Takes Another Ratings Hit

Things aren't looking good for NBC's The Paul Reiser Show.

After debuting with anemic ratings, the half-hour comedy sank even lower on Thursday, drawing 2.5 million viewers and a 0.9 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, down 18 percent. Meantime, its lead-in, a clip show-inspired Community (3.3 million, 1.5) that had viewers raving online, was up 7 percent.

Prepping for Steve Carell's exit from The Office next week, the Dundie Awards episode saw a double-digit decline, while Parks and Recreation (5.1 million, 2.5) and the hourlong 100th episode of 30 Rock (4.5 million, 2.2) were both steady. NBC placed second on the night with a 2.1 in the demo.

Fox won the night in the demo (4.4) and viewers (15.3 million) with American Idol (19.6 million, 5.6) paving the way, retaining 96 percent of its audience from last season in 18-49. Idol is also up 2 percent in viewership versus the same period. Following Idol, Bones (11.1 million, 3.2) aired the backdoor pilot for The Finder, starring Geoff Stults, down 9 percent, but was still the most-watched scripted program of the night.

The CW's The Vampire Diaries (2.7 million, 1.1), which had a big revelation with pivotal character Klaus, was down with Nikita (1.9 million, 0.8) dropping in viewers. (Read THR's interview with Diaries boss Kevin Williamson.)

ABC and CBS aired reruns.