Going head-to-head with “The Big Bang Theory” (and “American Idol”) has not been fun for “30 Rock,” and the ratings for the latter have become so low that perpetual disappointment “Community” no longer looks bad.
Thursday’s episode delivered a mere 1.3 adults 18-49 rating with 3.2 million viewers, a clear series low for the Emmy-winning comedy. “Parks & Recreation” followed with a 1.8 and 3.7 million, leading into flagship “The Office” (2.7, 5.3 million) and “Up All Night” (3.8 million).
“Rock” competitor “Big Bang,” meanwhile, delivered a 5.4 adults 18-49 rating and a record 16.4 million viewers. The show, which has seen buzz grow significantly this year as affiliate and TBS syndication takes off, has held up gloriously against “American Idol.” It again beat “Idol” in the head-to-head timeslot and tied the FOX reality show’s overall rating.
“Big Bang” led into new comedy “Rob,” which scored a 3.4 and 11.3 million. While the retention is nothing special, “Rob” is generally performing better than other entries did in the slot.