Auds worship 'Idol,' 'Bro'
ABC down by 20% or more in key ratings categories
ABC, though -- without an unscripted hit of its own -- was down by 20% or more in key ratings categories.
According to Nielsen, best-yet numbers for "American Idol" lifted Fox to victory in adults 18-49 (3.1/9), edging out NBC (3.0/9) for the week of Aug. 19-25. Nets won three nights apiece and tied on Sunday.
For a sixth straight time, Tuesday's "Idol" was the frame's No. 1 show in 18-49 (7.9/22), shooting up 20% week-to-week and becoming the highest-rated program since the May sweep in the demo. Wednesday's half-hour seg ranked No. 2 for the week (7.1/19).
"American Idol" also saw a big surge in overall viewership, drawing 15.29 million viewers on Tuesday. It's just the second Fox series in network history to rank as the most-watched program of a week. ("The Simpsons" did it in 1990.)
Fox, also boosted by Monday's "Teen Choice Awards" and preseason NFL on Friday, won in adults 18-34 for a 10th straight week. Net's up across the board for the summer.
CBS, which added a bonus Wednesday hour of "Big Brother" last week, tied NBC for the lead in adults 25-54 -- the first time since March that the Eye has been on top in the demo. "Brother" is up 9% in adults 18-49 vs. last summer.
The Eye also won in total viewers for the eighth time in 10 weeks.
NBC, just a tick behind Fox in 18-49, was led by an impressive Monday showing for "Meet My Folks" (5.3/14 and No. 3 for the week). Series like "Friends," "Scrubs" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" also delivered their strongest scores of the summer.
ABC struggled on most nights but improved its summer averages on Monday (preseason "Monday Night Football") and Sunday (Little League World Series). Net delivered its best weekly averages of the summer, despite remaining well below last year's levels.
TNT, aided by a Winston Cup race Saturday, was the week's top-rated basic cabler in 18-49 (1.3), topping weblets UPN (1.2) and the WB (1.0). It also led in total viewers (2.80m).
Monday
NBC remained on top in 18-49 Monday (4.9/14), but CBS pulled ahead in adults 25-54 and total viewers behind a one-hour "Everybody Loves Raymond" and a special "CSI" at 10.
Peacock's firstrun reality hours "Dog Eat Dog" and "Meet My Folks" continue to look solid, winning their hours in 18-49 (each with a 5.3/14).
ABC's final NFL preseason game (Browns-Packers) did a strong 4.4/13 in adults 18-49, matching the best for a "Monday Night Football" exhibition since 1999. This year's three games were up 8% over last year in the demo (4.3/13 vs. 4.0/12).
Sunday
NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" was the night's top show in both adults 18-49 (4.2/11) and total viewers (12.40m), series records for a repeat episode. Net's first try airing the Court TV series "Forensic Files" was a success (9.06m, 2.9/8), improving on the web's 8 p.m. summer series average by 26% in 18-49 rating (2.9 vs. 2.3).
Fox, led by its "Simpsons"/"Malcolm in the Middle"/"King of the Hill" comedy block, tied NBC for the broadcast lead in 18-49 (3.0).
The "Little League World Championship" (5.62m, 1.5/5), which ran from 6:30 to 9 p.m. ET on ABC, drew 14% more viewers than last year's game.
HBO's "Sex and the City" (7.37m, 4.1/11 in A18-49) grabbed its best numbers since its season preem. Movie that followed it, "Hysterical Blindness," also did well (5.51m, 3.0/8), but FX's original movie "RFK" bombed (1.53m, 0.6/2).
Saturday
Fox, led by "America's Most Wanted" (6.35m, 2.4/8), won the night.
Friday
NBC rolled, as both "Dateline" at 8 and "Law & Order: SVU" at 10 won their hours. "SVU" matched its summer high in 18-49 (3.6/11).
From 8 to 10, the WB's laffers earned TV's four highest ratings among females 12-34, led by "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" in its new 8:30 slot (2.7/11).
Thursday
NBC ended CBS' six-week Thursday winning streak in adults 18-49 behind the best scores since May for laffers "Friends" (4.7/16) and "Scrubs" (4.1/13). The comedies could only manage a tie, though, with CBS' "Big Brother 3" (9.63m, 4.4/14 in 18-49), which hit new Thursday highs.
CBS, with an NFL game at 9, won the night in men 18-49 (3.8/12), while UPN's "WWE Smackdown" finished on top in men 18-34 (3.8/13) with its best showing since June 13.
Stories on Ozzy Osbourne and "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell gave Fox newsmag "The Pulse" its best numbers to date (5.26m, 2.2/6 in 18-49), but it stayed fourth for the hour.
Wednesday
Two-hour "Big Brother" (10.24m, 4.7/13) helped CBS win in adults 25-54 and total viewers. Fox stayed on top in 18-49 behind "Idol" (7.1/19) and a summer high for the show that precedes it, "Bernie Mac" (4.0/11).
At 10, "Big Brother" became the first entertainment series in at least three seasons to top NBC's "Law & Order" in 18-49. Still, "Law" matched its summer high (4.3/12).
Tuesday
"American Idol" (15.29m, 7.9/22) towered over its competish, helping Fox extend its lengthy Tuesday winning streaks (Daily Variety, Aug. 22).
NBC's "Dateline" (9.21m, 3.6/11 in 18-49) was the week's No. 1 newsmag in 18-49 for a sixth straight time.
Monday
NBC's "Dog Eat Dog," apparently hurt by Fox's "Teen Choice Awards," matched its lowest firstrun ratings to date in both adults 18-49 (4.5/12) and 18-34 (4.7/13). NBC still won the night in 18-49, with ABC on top in male demos and CBS first in total viewers.
