TV ratings: 'American Idol' falls and 'Community' flat on a rerun-heavy Thursday

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013

With February sweeps over, reruns dotted the schedule Thursday night, but those shows that were running originals didn't really benefit from the decrease in competition. "American Idol" was down a little bit from last Thursday's show, while NBC's "Community" was flat and the ABC's "Zero Hour" slid a little bit.

FOX and "Idol" led the night with 12.5 million viewers and a 7.5 rating/12 share in households. CBS (8.9 million, 5.7/9) came in second, well ahead of ABC (3.7 million, 2.6/4). NBC was fourth with 2.8 million viewers and a 1.9/3. The CW trailed with just under a million viewers and a 0.6/1.

FOX easily won the 18-49 demographic with a 3.8 rating. CBS took second with a 2.0. ABC and NBC tied for third at 0.9, and The CW posted a 0.3.

Thursday hour by hour:

8 p.m.

FOX: "American Idol" (12 million viewers, 7.3/12 households)
CBS: "The Big Bang Theory" rerun (10.7 million, 6.9/11)/"Two and a Half Men" rerun (8.4 million, 5.5/9)
ABC: "Zero Hour" (5 million, 3.4/6)
NBC: "Community" (2.7 million, 1.8/3)/"Parks and Recreation" (2.2 million, 1.4/2)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" rerun (1.1 million, 0.7/1)

18-49 leader: "American Idol" (3.6)

9 p.m.

FOX: "American Idol" (12.95 million, 7.7/12)
CBS: "Person of Interest" rerun (9.5 million, 6.0/9)
ABC: "Scandal" rerun (3.3 million, 2.4/4)
NBC: "The Office" rerun (2.3 million, 1.5/2)/"1600 Penn" (2.2 million, 1.5/2)
The CW: "Beauty and the Beast" rerun (797,000, 0.5/1)

18-49 leader: "American Idol" (4.0)

10 p.m.

CBS: "Elementary" (7.7 million, 5.0/9)
NBC: "Law & Order: SVU" rerun (3.8 million, 2.7/5)
ABC: "Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars" rerun (2.8 million, 2.0/3)

18-49 leader: "Elementary" (1.6)

Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company.

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