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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., Nov. 7-8) -- deepening problems for Last Resort, Nashville

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom
Two of the new season's most critically praised serial dramas, both on ABC, are burrowing into deeper ratings ditches.

Thursday's 7 p.m. episode of Last Resort drew just 123,916 D-FW viewers to finish fourth in its time slot. The two top powers in that hour were CBS' The Big Bang Theory (399,284 viewers) and NBC's The Voice (316,673 viewers).

On Wednesday, Nashville fell to 110,147 viewers in the 9 p.m. hour. That also made it No. 4 in its time slot, with CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation the frontrunner with 261,600 viewers.

Worse yet, both Last Resort and Nashville likewise lagged among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. Last Resort fell to fifth, with The CW's Vampire Diaries taking the No. 4 spot. Nashville stayed in fourth place, but its 9 p.m. CW opposition was CW33's new comedy-heavy Nightcap news, which for the first time registered "hashmarks" (no measurable audience) in this key demographic.

The D-FW ratings for Last Resort and Nashville are pretty much replicated nationally. At this point, that makes both shows long shots to see second seasons. One of Nashville's direct competitors, NBC's new Chicago Fire, has just received a full-season pickup.

Fox's The X Factor also is having a tough time making its voices heard. Thursday's one hour 7 p.m. installment was walloped in D-FW by The Voice and CBS' competing sitcoms in both the total viewers and 18-to-49 measurements.

Wednesday's two-hour X Factor got beaten by The Voice from 7 to 9 p.m. and by CBS' Criminal Minds in the 8 p.m. hour. And among 18-to-49-year-olds, it trailed The Voice, Criminal Minds and ABC's 8 p.m. episode of Modern Family. Nonetheless, Fox already has green-lighted X Factor for a third season next fall.

At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, WFAA8's opening night of the three-part medical series Dallas Hope drew 75,762 total viewers to run fifth in its time slot. CBS11's syndicated Wheel of Fortune as usual led with 254,715 viewers.

Here are the local news derby results:

Wednesday -- CBS11 had a comfortable win in total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.

Fox4 also ran the table at 6 a.m. and added a 5 p.m. win in the 25-to-54 demographic.

CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. NBC5 took the 25-to-54 gold at 6 p.m. and tied Fox4 for the top spot at 5 p.m. in total viewers.

Thursday -- CBS11 again reigned at 10 p.m. in total viewers, but this time WFAA8 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 made it two clean sweeps in a row at 6 a.m. while NBC5 led at 5 p.m. in both ratings measurements.

The 6 p.m. firsts went to WFAA8 in total viewers and the Peacock among 25-to-54-year-olds.

News note: Former NBC5 anchor Michael Scott, of "Leapin' Lizards" infamy, is having off-camera problems as well. He was arrested Thursday by Omaha police on a charge of misdemeanor domestic assault. Further details are here.
unclebarky@verizon.net