Starting the night a slightly resurgent episode of The Big Bang Theory, CBS topped Thursday with early returns from Nielsen giving the network an average 2.7 rating among adults 18-49 and 12 million viewers over its three-hour block. Big Bang (4.6 adults), the night's top performer across networks, was up a tenth of a point from last week. Two and a Half Men (3.1 adults) rose four tenths of a point ahead of steady outings for Person of Interest (2.4 adults) and Elementary (2.0 adults).
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If Fast National ratings hold for American Idol, the Fox flagship hit more record lows for a regularly scheduled broadcast. The one-hour elimination show was down three tenths of a point to a 2.5 rating among adults 18-49, averaging just under 11 million viewers. Glee (1.8 adults) was even with last week, giving the network an average 2.2 rating with adults 18-49 and 8.1 million viewers.
ABC's Wife Swap (1.1 adults) was even with last week's low, leading into a boosted Grey's Anatomy (2.9 adults). Up two tenths of a point, the veteran drama kept Scandal (2.6 adults) from beating its lead like it did last week. Scandal was down by two tenths of a point, while ABC averaged a 2.2 adults rating and 6.8 million viewers over the course of the night.
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Community (1.2 adults) was up two tenths of a point from last week on NBC. A slightly boosted one-hour episode of The Office (1.8 adults) followed, up just a tenth of a point from last week. The season finale of Parks and Recreation moved up two tenths of a point from last week but was two tenths shy of last year's season ender. Hannibal (1.0 adults) held its recent low, giving NBC an average 1.4 rating with adults 18-49 and 2.9 million viewers.
The Vampire Diaries (0.9 adults) shed a tenth of a point from last week ahead of a steady Beauty and the Beast (0.5 adults). The CW averaged a 0.7 rating with 18-49-ers and 1.7 million viewers.
Univision averaged a 1.4 rating with adults 18-49 and 3.6 million viewers.