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For 'American Idol,'
a sag to a bounce

Fox's top primetime show picks up in the ratings

By Diego Vasquez
Feb 19, 2008

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After “American Idol” debuted to just 33 million viewers last month and saw year-to-year declines in its first month, some were ready to declare that the “Idol” craze had peaked.

That looks to be a bit premature.

Last Tuesday, for the first time this season, “Idol” actually saw a week-to-week increase, and it came at a time when the show usually starts seeing declines, when the cringe-inducing audition rounds end and the Hollywood semifinals begin.

Tonight at 8 p.m., the second week of semifinal competition continues, with another two contestants getting booted tomorrow night.

Last Tuesday’s “Idol” averaged a 12.3 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen, its best showing since its premiere in January. Week to week, the show jumped up 10 percent over an 11.2. It also saw even bigger gains among adults 18-34, up 16 percent to an 11.

True, ratings are still off compared with the same time last year, when the show averaged a 13.0 in 18-49s in the same week. But that was actually down from prior weeks; the slide had already begun.

This year, at least initially, “Idol’s” new wrinkle of allowing singers to also play instruments may be helping to keep the audience interested. So might the newer, nicer Simon Cowell. Though the notoriously nasty British judge hasn’t exactly become gentle, he’s toned down the snark after earning some criticism last year for his especially harsh comments during the audition phase.

Writes one recent poster on AOL’s “Idol” messageboards, “Simon has always been my favorite but I'm loving the dog snuggling, joking around, smiling Simon even more. Fortunately, he IS Simon and I can count on him not totally losing his edge. I do like seeing his human side though.”

A look at this week’s top TV draws
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 p.m.	ESPN	“College Basketball” (S)	In-state and Big Ten rivals Purdue and Indiana face off.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	Now we’re down to the big time: the top 12 males perform.
8 p.m.	NBC	“The Biggest Loser” (R)	The contestants see if they can stay disciplined when living back at home.
9 p.m.	CW	“One Tree Hill” (D)	Brooke is persistent in trying to hook up with Owen.
10 p.m.	CBS	“ Jericho” (D)	Will ratings rise at all after last week’s disappointment?
10 p.m.	VH1	“What Perez Sez About Divas” (N)	Perez Hilton dishes about various divas in pop culture.
10 p.m.	FX	“Nip/Tuck” (D)	Season finale. Julia finds out why she’s been so sick.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	“Good Morning America” (N)	Sean “P. Diddy” Combs guests.
8 p.m.	CW	“ America’s Next Top Model” (R)	Season premiere. Starting with 35 hopefuls, just 14 will remain after tonight.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	This time it’s the top 12 females’ turn to show what they got.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Supernanny” (R)	Performed reasonably well last week, but how will it hold up against a second hour of “Idol?”
10 p.m.	NBC	“Law & Order” (D)	A doctor is murdered while at a convention, but he may not have been the intended target.
10 p.m.	Bravo	“Project Runway” (R)	This season’s designers chat about their experiences in a reunion episode.
10 p.m.	VH1	“Flavor of Love 3” (R)	Flav gets the females to dress as nurses and tell him ways they’ll heal his broken heart.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	Two men and two women are eliminated, leaving 20 behind.
8 p.m.	Univision	“Premio Lo Nuestro 2008” (A)	The annual awards show usually draws strong ratings.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Celebrity Apprentice” (R)	The teams have to produce 10-minute segments for a home shopping network.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Lost” (D)	Kate continues to try and pry information from the hostage.
10 p.m.	ABC	“Eli Stone” (D)	Eli has trouble dealing with the end of his engagement to Taylor.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Lipstick Jungle” (D)	Wendy tries to appear more family-friendly after a scathing book suggests she’s not.
10 p.m.	Bravo	“Make Me a Supermodel” (R)	The models pose in the woods then do a runway show alongside wild animals.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Singer Enrique Iglesias performs live from Miami.
8 p.m.	CBS	“The Price is Right” (G)	Drew Carey brings the daytime game show to primetime.
8 p.m.	E!	“Heath Ledger: A Tragic End” (N)	A tribute to the late actor.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Amne$ia” (G)	Series premiere. Dennis Miller hosts this new quiz show.
9 p.m.	USA	“Monk” (D)	Season finale. Monk, initially presumed dead, tries to clear his name of murder charges.
10 p.m.	Sci Fi Channel	“Stargate Atlantis” (D)	First of a two-parter introduces a plague that affects humans in the Pegasus galaxy.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Time	Network	Program	Description
2 p.m.	NBC	“PGA Golf” (S)	Semifinal play from the WGC Match Play Championship.
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“College Basketball” (S)	Either Oklahoma-Texas or Oregon-UCLA.
8 p.m.	Fox	“Cops” (R)	Cops in Kansas City track down a murder suspect.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Knight Rider” (M)	If you missed the initial airing and – gasp – don’t have a DVR, NBC has you covered.
9 p.m.	ESPN	“College Basketball” (S)	Tennessee could be the last regular season test for undefeated Memphis.
9:30 p.m.	HBO	“Boxing” (S)	Wladimir Klitschko takes on Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden to unify two heavyweight titles.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Time	Network	Program	Description
2 p.m.	NBC	“PGA Golf” (S)	Final match in the WGC Match Play Championship, won last year by Henrik Stenson.
2:30 p.m.	ABC	“NBA Basketball” (S)	The Pistons travel to Phoenix to take on Shaq and the new-look Suns.
3:30 p.m.	Fox	“NASCAR Racing” (S)	The Auto Club 500, won last year by Matt Kenseth.
7 p.m.	ABC	“Barbara Walters Special” (A)	The venerable newswoman interviews the hottest stars of now.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Big Brother” (R)	Two of the houseguests are nominated for eviction.
8:30 p.m.	ABC	“80th Academy Awards” (A)	Jon Stewart makes his second hosting appearance. How will ratings fare?
10 p.m.	E!	“Girls Next Door” (R)	The girls prepare for Bridget’s birthday party.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.