Well how about that: NBC’s "Parenthood" reversed two weeks of ratings declines Tuesday and ended up winning its 10 p.m. timeslot.
Imagine TV’s warm-and-fuzzy family drama earned a 2.7 rating/8 share in adults 18-49, up 17 percent from its week-ago average. While up against admittedly weak competition — a repeat of "The Good Wife" (1.4/4) and a "V" recap (tentative 1.9/5, inflated by "Lost" overrun) — it’s always encouraging when a new show goes up early in its lifespan rather than the other way around. That’s particularly true of a serialized, soft drama like "’Hood."
The coming weeks will offer a better test of the show’s true strength, of course. ABC has been heavily hyping the return of "V" and "The Good Wife" will once again be back in originals. But if "’Hood" can manage to stay in the 2.3-2.7 range it’s been in, it’s almost a slam-dunk for renewal. NBC execs love this show, and given holes elsewhere in their lineup, they’ll take any building block they can find.
Elsewhere on the night, "American Idol" (8.3/23) was basically flat vs. last week and the same show last year. Kind of amazing given just how craptastic Tuesday’s karaoke-fest was. (Seriously, it’s time for a ban on all pre-season interviews in which the judges vow, "This may be our strongest bunch of singers ever." ‘Cuz that ain’t even close to being the truth this year.)
ABC’s mind-blowing "Lost" (3.9/10) was steady, while "The Biggest Loser" (3.0/8) bounced back from its daylight saving time decline, rising 7 percent.
