Full 'House': Pulls
11.2 in adults 18-49
Fox drama in series high in first post-'Idol' airing
By Toni Fitzgerald
Jan 31, 2007
The past two weeks, it’s been Fox’s “American Idol” setting records. Last night the network’s “House” did it instead.
“House” set season and series bests last night, averaging an impressive 11.2 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen overnights.
That marked a series best, bettering last May’s then-record season finale rating of 10.3 by 9 percent. It was also the best rating for a scripted series this season, just barely outpacing an 11.0 for “Grey’s Anatomy’s” season premiere in September.
It marked “House’s” first post-“Idol” appearance this season. It’s the third straight year “House” has followed “Idol” Tuesdays at 9 p.m., and the series has grown in each season.
But the medical drama was growing even before “Idol” returned to give it a boost. Last fall it was one of the fastest-rising programs on broadcast, up double-digit percentages over the previous year in 18-49s, 18-34s and total viewers.
Most impressive, however, was “House’s” retention last night, both out of “Idol” and in its second half hour. “House” lost just 16 percent of “Idol’s” 13.3 lead-in, which is very high for the lead-out to a hit show. By contrast, lead-outs for top shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Heroes” and “CSI” on the other Big Three networks this year have been lucky to retain 60 percent of their audience.
“House” also maintained its rating from its first half hour to its second, losing just 2 percent from 9 to 9:30 p.m. That shows that “House’s” ratings are not just being inflated by “Idol” watchers who forget to change the channel – nearly everyone watching is committed to the full hour.
“Idol” averaged 33.3 million total viewers last night and “House” pulled 27.8 million as the two shows demolished the competition for the evening.
As will likely be the case for each night “Idol” airs this season, Fox finished first last night among 18-49s with a 12.3 average rating and a 30 share. In fact, the other five networks combined didn’t even equal Fox’s rating. CBS was second at 2.4/6, NBC third at 2.3/6, ABC fourth at 1.9/5 and Univision and CW tied for fifth at 1.7/4.
Fox led both its two hours last night, starting with a 13.3 rating at 8 p.m. for “Idol.” Univision was second that hour with a 2.4 for “La Fea Mas Bella,” with CBS third with a 2.3 for a rerun of “NCIS.” NBC and CW tied for fourth that hour at 2.1, NBC for “Dateline” and CW for “Gilmore Girls,” with ABC sixth with a 1.7 for a repeat of “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
At 9 p.m. Fox led again, this time with an 11.2 for “House.” CBS was a distant second with a 2.3 for a rerun of “The Unit,” NBC third with a 2.0 for a “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” repeat and Univision fourth with a 1.6 for “Mundo de Fieras.” ABC was fifth with a 1.4 average for the likely series finale of “Big Day” (1.4) and a repeat of “Knights of Prosperity,” while the CW slipped to sixth with a 1.2 for “Veronica Mars.”
NBC took the lead at 10 p.m. with a 2.9 for a rerun of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” CBS and ABC tied for second that hour at 2.7, CBS for “48 Hours Mystery” and ABC for “Boston Legal,” with Univision fourth with a 1.2 for “Ver para Creer.”
Fox also finished first for the night among households, dominating the competition with a 17.2 average rating and a 26 share. CBS was second at 6.6/10, NBC third at 4.8/7, ABC fourth at 4.2/7, CW fifth at 2.3/3 and Univision sixth at 2.2/3.
