Fox's 'American Idol' beat the Peacock's Olympics coverage in all key categories Tuesday night.
Even one of the biggest nights of the Winter Olympics proved no match for Fox's scorching "American Idol" on Tuesday as the music contest more than doubled the Torino Games in key demos.
Women's figure skating helped NBC finish primetime with its strongest hour of these Games after "Idol" ended, but Fox easily took the night in all key ratings categories.
According to preliminary Nielsens that will be finalized today, the performances by the final 12 female contestants in a special two-hour "American Idol" easily beat the Olympics head to head from 8 to 10 in adults 18-49 (12.9 rating/30 share to 6.2/14) and total viewers (29.9 million to 22.7 million).
In addition to the 16-share advantage in 18-49, Fox's "Idol" also gouged the Games by 13 shares in adults 25-54 and by 19 in adults 18-34.
The Olympics, which closed the gap with "Idol" some in the 9 o'clock hour with men's speed skating, rallied for a dominant showing from 10 to 11 (prelim 9.2/22 in 18-49, 28.4 million viewers overall), when "Idol" exited and women's figure skating took center stage.
For its primetime coverage, the Olympics on NBC averaged a prelim 7.2/17 in 18-49 and 24.6 million viewers overall, down 46% in the demo vs. the same night four years ago.
"Idol" was expected to fare even better Wednesday night, setting up the most jam-packed four-net showdown in memory tonight at 8 -- with each offering up a nonscripted contest.
NBC's Olympics coverage of the women's figure skating final (which will extend throughout primetime) will go up against the first results show of the season on Fox's "American Idol" as well as a new episode of CBS' "Survivor: Exile Island" and the final performance show of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."
It could get bloody.
Contact Rick Kissell at
rick.kissell@variety.com