Angel

Percent Change From the Comparable Year-Ago Night (Wednesday 4/16/03): WB: +29, Fox: +18, NBC: +15, CBS: + 3, ABC: - 8, UPN: -18

Fast Affiliate Ratings:

Viewers: Fox: 16.72 million, NBC: 10.88, ABC: 9.17, CBS: 8.45, WB: 3.84, UPN: 2.48

Adults 18-49: Fox: 7.0/19, NBC: 4.0/11, ABC: 3.8/10, CBS: 2.4/ 7, WB: 1.7/ 5, UPN: 1.0/ 3

 Ratings Breakdown: As expected, American Idol led Fox to Wednesday victory with the live one-hour telecast No. 1 for the evening with a 14.5/22 in the overnights, 22.56 million viewers and a 9.5/28 among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. Comparably, and based on the overnights, that was 142 percent ahead of CBS’ older-skewing, and second place, 60 Minutes II (6.0/ 9). Third overall in the hour was a repeat of NBC’s The Apprentice (5.0/ 8), followed by a repeat of ABC’s My Wife and Kids (5.4/ 8) and a Wednesday telecast of The Big House (4.4/ 7), the WB’s Smallville (4.4/ 7), and a repeat of UPN’s Star Trek: Enterprise (2.0/ 3).

Among adults 18-49, and following American Idol, was the My Wife and Kids (2.6/ 8)/Big House (2.5/ 7) combo, The Apprentice (R, 2.2/ 7), 60 Minutes II (1.5/ 5), Smallville (1.9/ 6) and Star Trek: Enterprise (R, 0.8/ 3).

Considering The Big House declined from repeat lead-in My Wife and Kids by 18 percent in the overnights and 1.05 million viewers, it’s safe to say that this dreadful midseason comedy will not be around for much longer.

At 9 p.m., and in preparation for tonight’s two-hour season finale, a special edition of Dateline focusing on The Apprentice led the hour in the overnights with an 8.9/13. Second was ABC’s The Bachelor (7.7/12), followed by Fox’s The O.C. (7.1/11), two repeat episodes of CBS’ King Of Queens (6.5/ 9 each), the WB’s Angel (3.6/ 5), and the series premiere of UPN’s I’m Still Alive (2.5/ 4). Although a 2.5/ 4 is nothing to crow about, comparably that was 25 percent higher than repeat lead-in Enterprise.

Among adults 18-49, and sticking with 9 p.m., ABC’s The Bachelor (4.7/12) was first followed by The O.C. (4.6/12), Dateline (4.3/11), the King of Queens repeat double pop (avg. 2.9/ 8), Angel (1.6/ 4) and I’m Still Alive (1.1/ 3). I’m Still Alive outdelivered Star Trek: Enterprise by 37 percent in the demo.

At 10 p.m., although there is no stopping NBC’s Law & Order (13.1/20, 16.19 million, A18-49: 5.3/14), the time-period debut of ABC’s Extreme Makeover gave the network some mileage with a 7.9/12 in the overnights, 9.76 million viewers and a 4.3/12 among adults 18-49. Comparably, that was a considerable improvement over former time-period occupants Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital and Karen Sisco. With so many other hours to worry about, if ABC can find a suitable sitcom lead-out from My Wife and Kids, Wednesday is now set for next season.

On CBS, the overused 48 Hours Investigates was a distant third at 10 p.m. with a 5.7/ 9 in the overnights, 8.29 million viewers and a 2.8/ 8among adults 18-49.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data