'Idol,' 'Kitchen' win Tuesday

'Biggest Loser' gaining steam

By STUART LEVINE

As usual, Fox and “American Idol” came out on top Tuesday night, with the second week of “Hell’s Kitchen” earning the evening’s second-best numbers, close to its premiere performance a week ago.

According to preliminary affiliate-based estimates from Nielsen, “American Idol” won the night averaging a 8.9 rating/24 share in adults 18-49 (23.9 million viewers overall) in the 8 o’clock hour. Nothing else came close to “Idol,” though the first hour of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” (3.1/8 in 18-49, 7.8 million viewers overall) improved slightly from last week. In its first episode back from the writers strike, “NCIS” came in third with 2.9/8 in 18-49, 13.8 million viewers overall. ABC’s “Just for Laughs” (1.4/4, 5.4 million viewers overall) finished fourth.

“Kitchen” grilled the competition at 9 o’clock with a 5.4/13 in 18-49 (11.6 million viewers overall). Second-place “Loser” saw an impressive jump in the 9 p.m. hour from a week ago, building from a 3.7/9 rating in 18-49 (9.3 million viewers overall) on April 1 to a 4.3/10 (10.2 million viewers overall) last night, picking up nearly a million more viewers. “Loser” defeated the results show of “Dancing With the Stars” (3.5/9 in 18-49, 16.5 million viewers) and CBS’ “Big Brother” (2.4/6 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall).

At 10 o’clock, CBS’ new reality entry “Secret Talents of the Stars” (1.5/4, 4.6 million viewers overall) failed to intrigue viewers, finishing third behind a repeat of “Law & Order: SVU” (2.9/8 in 18-49, 8.6 million viewers overall) and the post-strike return of “Boston Legal” (2.4/7, 10.1 million viewers overall).

Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: Fox, 7.2/18; NBC, 3.4/9; ABC, 2.5/6; CBS, 2.3/6; Univision, 1.5, 5; CW, 0.7/2.

In total viewers: Fox, 17.8 million; ABC, 10.7 million; NBC, 8.9 million; CBS, 8.2 million, CW, Univision, 4.1 million; 1.7 million.