Angel

Fast Affiliate Ratings

Viewers: Fox: 17.38 million, CBS: 11.11, NBC: 10.83, ABC: 10.37, WB: 4.28, UPN: 2.40

Adults 18-49 Rating/Share: Fox: 8.1/22, ABC: 4.6/12, NBC: 3.7/10, CBS: 3.2/ 8, WB: 2.1/ 6, UPN: 1.0/ 3

 Yesterday’s Winners: That ’70s Show (Fox), American Idol (Fox), The Bachelor: The Women Tell All (ABC), Law & Order (NBC), Carol Burnett: Let’s Bump Up the Lights (CBS)

 Yesterday’s Losers: The Mentalist (NBC)

 American Idol Update: Once again, you can never expect the expected on American Idol. Although it seemed obvious vocally challenged Jasmine Trias would be exiting last night, favorites La Toya London and Fantasia Barrino landed in the bottom 2, resulting in an unexpected departure for the unfortunately too-in-control La Toya. Mirroring season one when Tamyra Gray exited before colorful Nikki McKibbon, chances are we will be hearing a lot more about La Toya while Jasmine quietly fades into oblivion.

 Ratings Breakdown: Fox remains the network to beat in midweek thanks to an expanded (and later) edition of American Idol, which averaged an approximate 14.1/20 in the overnights, 22.44 million viewers and a 10.1/25 among adults 18-49 from 8:55-10 p.m. Earlier in the evening, a 45-minute edition of That ’70s Show followed by a 10-minute preview of upcoming theatrical The Day After Tomorrow was, on average, second in the overnights (6.5/10) but a solid No. 1 among adults 18-49 (6.1/18).

In a key battle worth noting, although NBC’s Law & Order (13.0/20, Viewers: 15.56 million) is the show to beat at 10 p.m., CBS special Carol Burnett: Let’s Bump Up the Lights ranked a comfortable second in the hour in the overnights (10.4/16) and total viewers (13.48 million). Comparatively, the Burnett special built from a repeat of lead-in Everybody Loves Raymond (#4: 7.0/10, Viewers: #3: 10.28 million, A18-49: #4, 3.4/ 8) by 49 percent in the overnights, 3.2 million viewers and 3 percent among adults 18-49. No, they don’t make shows like that anymore.

On ABC, a two-hour edition of The Bachelor: The Women Tell All gave the network something to finally smile about with a competitive 8.8/13 in the overnights, 11.09 million viewers and a 5.2/13 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. Comparatively, that was an overall increase of 35 percent in the overnights, 2.01 million viewers and 49 percent among adults 18-49 from an 8:30 p.m. repeat edition of My Wife and Kids (#3: 6.5/10, Viewers: 9.08 million, A18-49: 3.5/10). Although The Bachelor could not top American Idol at 9 p.m., it did win the 10 p.m. hour among adults 18-49.

Earlier in the evening, the regularly scheduled edition of My Wife and Kids at 8 p.m. was third in the overnights (6.5/10) but second among adults 18-49 (3.2/10).

On CBS, although 60 Minutes II won the 8 p.m. hour in the overnights (8.0/13), the older-skewing newsmagazine was a distant third among adults 18-49 (2.5/ 8). Lost in the competitive shuffle was NBC special The Mentalist at a 4.8/ 7 in the overnights, 6.25 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49.

In the battle of the WB’s Smallville versus UPN’s Star Trek: Enterprise, young Superman bested the deteriorating sci-fi franchise by 38 percent in the overnights (4.7/ 7 to 3.4/ 5), 1.1 million viewers (4.46 to 3.35 million) and 50 percent among adults 18-49 (2.1/ 6 to 1.4/ 4). Trekkies, take note: You’ll know by next Thursday if Enterprise is coming back for a fourth season.

Sticking with the WB and UPN, the second-to-last episode of Angel outdelivered a repeat of UPN special America’s Next Top Model: The Runway Ahead by 105 percent in the overnights (3.9/ 5 to 1.9/ 3), 2.65 million viewers (4.10 to 1.45 million) and 250 percent among adults 18-49 (2.1/ 5 to 0.6/ 1) at 9 p.m.

Also at 9 p.m. were NBC’s The West Wing (#3: 9.6/14; A18-49: #4, 3.4/ 8) and CBS’ King Of Queens (#4: 7.1/10; A18-49: #3, 3.6/ 9) at typical levels.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data