Two-hour 'Idol' rocks

Morning Ratings Flash - Rick Kissell

Fox again cleaned up with a two-hour "American Idol" on Tuesday, topping the evening's combined demo scores of the other major networks, according to preliminary nationals from Nielsen. "Idol," which built throughout its telecast, averaged a big 10.0/25 in adults 18-49 and 21.2 million viewers overall.

CBS tied NBC for second in adults 18-49 on the night and was an outright second in adults 25-54 behind original episodes of its dramas. Net was led by "Judging Amy" at 10, which led or tied for the lead in key demos (including 4.0/11 in adults 18-49) and won easily in total viewers (14.1 million).

Although NBC's "Let's Make a Deal" was up more than 20% week-to-week, its 2.7/7 in adults 18-49 kept it fourth in the night's leadoff hour. That was followed by the lowest-ever scores for an original "Frasier" (3.2/8 in adults 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall). At 10, a report on the impending war in Iraq boosted "Dateline" (4.0/11 in adults 18-49, 10.8 million viewers overall) to a share of the demo lead.

ABC, with comedy repeats in the opening hour, again struggled opposite "Idol." At 10, reality show "The Family" (2.4/6 in adults 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall) was a distant third.

Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: Fox, 10.0/25; CBS, 3.2/8; NBC, 3.2/8; ABC, 2.8/7.

In total viewers: Fox, 21.2 million; CBS, 13.3 million; NBC, 8.8 million; ABC, 7.0 million.