ABC's new Elisha Cuthbert comedy "Happy Endings" and CBS' "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" suffered declines in the ratings on Thursday, according to preliminary numbers.
ABC's roster generally performed well, with "The Middle" at 8 rising five percent over its last original airing on April 20, taking a 2.0/6 in the demo and 7.1 million total viewers. "Better With You" at 8:30 was likewise improved, enjoying a 7 percent bump over last week with a 1.6/5 in the demo and 5.5 million total viewers. "Modern Family" at 9 was flat with its last original airing on April 20 but was nonetheless the second-highest rated show of the evening, taking a 3.8/10 in the demo and 9.6 million total viewers. "Cougar Town" at 9:30 had a 2.2/6 in the demo and 5.5 million total viewers. "Happy Endings," which premiered on April 13, hit a series low, experiencing a 19 percent drop from last week with a 1.7/4 in the demo and 4 million total viewers. A special 10:30 airing of "Endings" capped off the evening with a 1.4/4 in the demo and 3.3 million total viewers.
The evening once again belonged to Fox's "American Idol," which landed the top slot with a 6.4/18 in the demo — a 10 percent slide from last week's performance — and 20.5 million total viewers. "Breaking In," at 9:30, continued its slow but encouraging ratings climb, inching up 4 percent from the previous week's showing with a 2.5/6 in the demo and 7.2 million viewers.
CBS's "Survivor: Redemption Island" at 8 drew a 3.0 rating/9 share in the demo, down 6 percent from the previous week, and 10.6 million total viewers.
"Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" the following hour had a 3.2/8 in the demo, a 9 percent decline from its last original episode on April 13, and 12.8 million total viewers. The spinoff "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" at 10, meanwhile, dropped off 15 percent in the ratings from its last original on April 13, taking a 2.2/6 in the demo and 8.7 million total viewers.
NBC's "Minute to Win It" at 8 had a 17 percent drop from its last original episode on April 20, with a 1.0/3 in the demo and 3.3 million total viewers. A "Minute" repeat the following hour performed identically in the demo and drew 3.9 million total viewers. "Law & Order: SVU" at 10 was back after a month of reruns, posting a 4 percent improvement over its last original episode on April 6 with a 2.5/6 in the demo and 8.3 million total viewers.
