Overnights
'Idol' threat: Hot night for Fox's 'Truth'
By Toni Fitzgerald
Jan 24, 2008 - 12:07:47 PM

Fox may have finally found the perfect Wednesday companion to “American Idol.” The series premiere of “Moment of Truth,” the new game show in which contestants are hooked to polygraph machines, had the best-ever retention out of the hit reality show for a new series.

“Moment” averaged a strong 10.2 adults 18-49 rating at 9 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, holding a record 94 percent of “Idol’s” 10.8 rating and becoming the highest-rated new show of the season. It bettered Fox’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” at a 7.7.

“Truth” averaged 23.2 million total viewers and, in an encouraging sign for Fox, fell a reasonable 13 percent from its first to its second half hour among 18-49s.

It was the highest-rated debut for any network show since “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” averaged an 11.2 overnight in February of last year. It had the second-best retention for any show ever out of “Idol,” behind only “House,” which retained 98 percent last spring.

Fox was first for the night among viewers 18-49 with a 10.5 average overnight rating and a 26 share. NBC was second at 3.0/7, CBS third at 2.5/6, ABC fourth at 2.2/6, Univision fifth at 1.8/4 and CW sixth at 0.6/1.
 
At 8 p.m. Fox led easily with a 10.8 for “American Idol,” followed by NBC with a 3.7 for “Deal or No Deal,” marking a 13-month high for the timeslot. Univision was third with a 2.1 for “Al Diablo con los Guapos,” ABC fourth with a 1.9 for “Wife Swap,” CBS fifth with a 0.9 for “Power of 10” and CW sixth with a 0.7 for “Crowned.”
 
Fox led again at 9 p.m. with a 10.2 for “Truth,” while CBS jumped to second with a 3.2 for “Criminal Minds.” ABC was third with a 2.7 for “Supernanny,” NBC fourth with a 2.2 for “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” Univision fifth with a 1.7 for “Pasion” and CW sixth with a 0.5 for a “Gossip Girl” rerun.
 
At 10 p.m. CBS took the lead with a 3.3 for “CSI: NY,” with NBC second with a 3.0 for “Law & Order.” ABC was third with a 2.0 for “Cashmere Mafia” and Univision fourth with a 1.5 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”
 
Fox also led the night among households with a 14.1 average overnight rating and a 21 share. NBC was second at 7.1/11, CBS third at 6.1/10, ABC fourth at 4.1/6, Univision fifth at 2.0/3 and CW sixth at 1.0/1.