“American Idol” remains just as dominant as ever, even if down a bit from last year. The seventh-season premiere of the hit Fox show became the season’s top-rated show among adults 18-49 and the most-watched among total viewers last night while knocking programs on opposing networks to season lows.

“Idol” averaged a 13.8 adults 18-49 rating from 8 to 10 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, and drew an average 33.2 million total viewers, peaking with 35.9 million during its final half hour.

That was off about 11 percent from last year’s 37.3 million viewers and 12 percent from last year’s 15.7 18-49 fast national rating for its opener, which set a record for the show.
But it was still the top show of the season, bettering Fox’s NFC divisional playoff game Sunday, which averaged 32.5 million and a 13.1 rating.

And “Idol” can still send the other networks into the doldrums. NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” CBS’s “NCIS” and ABC’s “According to Jim” all hit season lows, while viewership for the first hour of CBS’s three-part miniseries “Comanche Moon” was off from Sunday’s big opener.

Fox was, of course, first for the night with a 13.8 average overnight rating and a 32 share. NBC was second at 3.5/8, CBS third at 2.6/6, Univision and ABC fourth at 1.4/3 and CW sixth at 1.0/2.
 
At 8 p.m. Fox led with a 12.7 for the first hour of “Idol,” followed by CBS with a 3.0 for “NCIS.” NBC was third with a 2.7 for the first half of “Loser,” Univision fourth with a 1.6 for “Amar sin Limites,” ABC fifth with a 1.2 for an hour of “Just for Laughs” and CW sixth with a 0.6 for a “Reaper” rerun.
 
Fox extended its lead at 9 p.m. with a 14.9 for its second half of “Idol,” while NBC moved to second with a 3.2 for the last half of “Loser.” CBS was third with a 2.5 for the first hour of “Moon,” Univision fourth with a 1.5 for “Pasion,” CW fifth with a 1.3 for “One Tree Hill” and ABC sixth with a 1.1 average for “Jim” (1.2) and a repeat of “Carpoolers.”
 
At 10 p.m. NBC took the lead with a 4.6 for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” with CBS second with a 2.4 for “Moon.” ABC was third with a 2.0 for “Boston Legal” and Univision fourth with a 1.1 for “Aqui y Ahora.”
 
Among households, Fox led the night comfortably with a 17.8 average overnight rating and a 26 share. CBS was second at 8.7/13, NBC third at 5.8/9, ABC fourth at 3.4/5, Univision fifth at 1.8/3 and CW sixth at 1.4/2.