CBS' "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" experienced a surge in the ratings Wednesday, while ABC's premiere of the new Elisha Cuthbert sitcom "Happy Endings" received an encouraging reception among viewers. Also, Fox's new Christian Slater comedy "Breaking In" experienced a sharp decline, according to preliminary numbers.
As always, however, Fox won the night on back of "American Idol," which scored a 7.1 rating/20 share among adults 18-49 while averaging 22.3 million viewers.
CBS' evening began with "Survivor: Redemption Island" at 8 p.m., which drew a 2.9 rating / 9 share in the adults 18-49 demographic and 10.7 million total viewers, a 9 percent drop in the demo from the previous week.
"Criminal Minds" the following hour garnered a 3.4/9 in the demo and 13.2 million total viewers, a 6 percent ratings slip from the previous week's performance. The Eye Network's evening ended on an up note, with Forest Whitaker series "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" at 10, which took a 2.5/7 in the demo and 9.9 million viewers — a 19 percent leap from the previous week for the police procedural.
ABC's primetime roster began with "The Middle" at 8, which drew a 1.8/6 in the demo and 6.1 million total viewers, while "Better With You" at 8:30 took in a 1.5/4 in the demo and 4.9 million total viewers.
"Modern Family," at 9, snagged a 3.8/10 in the demo and 9.5 million total viewers. The 9:30 premiere of Cuthbert's "Friends"-esque comedy "Happy Endings," meanwhile, grabbed a 2.7/7 in the demo and 7.2 million total viewers — a solid showing that handily bested last week's episode of the Matthew Perry comedy "Mr. Sunshine," which had a 1.6/4 in the demo and 4.9 million total viewers.
A second episode of the new series at 10 drew a 2.3/6 in the demo and 5.7 million total viewers. ABC closed out the night with a "Modern Family" repeat at 10:30 that took in a 1.8/5 in the demo and 4.5 million total viewers.
Fox's "American Idol," which has been experiencing an incremental audience decline in recent weeks, stabilized its numbers with last night's performance show, which aired from 8 to 9:30 — it was flat with its week-earlier performance.
The decent "Idol" showing wasn't enough to boost Fox's new Christian Slater comedy "Breaking In" at 9:30, which garnered a 2.8/7 in the demo and 8.4 million total viewers — a 20 percent decline in the demo from last week's premiere.
NBC's roster consisted of "Minute to Win It" at 8 p.m., which was flat in the demo compared to last week with a 1.0/3. A "Minute" repeat the following hour drew identical numbers in the demo; and a "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" repeat at 10, which took a 1.5/4 in the demo.
