Variety reports that American Idol" mania continued Wednesday, as the season's second episode of Fox's hugely popular music talent show held onto about 95% of its premiere-night audience, taking a bite out of ABC's "The Bachelorette."
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According to Nielsen, Wednesday's 90-minute episode of "American Idol" averaged an 11.8 rating/28 share in adults 18-49 and 24.91 million viewers overall -- Fox's best-ever showing (excluding sports) in the Wednesday 8:30-10 p.m. time slot.
Head-to-head, "Idol" easily defeated ABC's "The Bachelorette" (6.0/14 in adults 18-49, 13.39 million), which fell to a season low. ABC made a late switch to expand the episode to 90 minutes in an attempt to blunt "Idol," but that backfired as the 8:30 half-hour pulled in just a 4.2/10 in adults 18-49. "Bachelorette" held up better from 9 to 10, with its 18-49 average that hour (6.9/16) off 19% from the previous week's score (8.5/20).
Both shows skewed female, accounting for a combined 55% of the women 18-34 watching television from 8:30-10. "Idol" surged to an amazing 47 share in female teens, including a 50 share in its final hour.