CBS's long-running "CSI," NBC's freshman drama "Chicago Fire" and ABC's new comedy "The Neighbors" slid to series lows Wednesday night, while CBS won the night overall, according to preliminary numbers.
CBS came in first in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic with a 2.7 rating/7 share and in total viewers with 10.5 million. "Survivor" at 8 p.m. drew a 2.8/8 with 10.2 million total viewers, while "Criminal Minds" the following hour inched up to a 3.1/8. It had 11.9 million total viewers to become the night's most-watched show. "CSI" at 10 dropped 15 percent to a series low of 2.2/6 and had 9.5 million total viewers.
Fox took second place in ratings and third in total viewers with a 2.6/7 and 7.7 million. The network's primetime slate consisted of "The X Factor," which was down slightly from last week.
ABC came in third in ratings and second in total viewers with a 2.4/7 and 7.8 million. "The Middle" at 8 inched down to a 2.2/7 with 7.5 million total viewers. The freshman comedy "The Neighbors" at 8:30 slid 16 percent to a series low of 1.6/4 and 5.5 million total viewers. "Modern Family," though the highest-rated show of the night, slid 11 percent from its last original airing two weeks ago to a 4.2/11, and took 10.8 million total viewers. The special "Barbara Walters Presents: 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012" dipped 9 percent from last year's presentation to a 2.1/6. It drew 7.7 million total viewers.
Univision took fourth place in ratings and fifth in total viewers with a 1.5/4 and 3.6 million.
NBC took fifth in ratings and fourth in total viewers with a 1.2/3 and 3.8 million. "Whitney" at 8 was up slightly with a 1.4/4 and 3.8 million total viewers. Following a "Guys With Kids" repeat at 8:30, Howie Mandel's game show "Take It All" at 9 dropped precipitously from Tuesday's airing, when it had the benefit of "The Voice" as a lead-in, shedding 50 percent in the ratings for a 1.1/3 and drawing 3.4 million total viewers. "Chicago Fire" at 10 slid 26 percent from last week to tie a series low of 1.4/4, and had 4.8 million total viewers.
