UPDATE, Thursday 2:06 p.m.: In final numbers, "American Idol" rose to a 5.5 rating/15 share in the 18-49 demographic and 16.1 million total viewers.
Previously...
The second Wednesday airing of "American Idol" this season dipped 10 percent from last Wednesday's season premiere, while ABC's "Nashville" took a significant ratings hit, according to preliminary numbers.
"American Idol," which filled Fox's primetime slate, posted a 5.5 rating/15 share in the advertiser-sought 18-49 demographic. That decline was less drastic than the 29 percent slide for the second Wednesday show last season. Wednesday's show also drew 16.1 million total viewers, down nearly 2 million from last Wednesday's premiere. Despite the declines, "Idol" easily pushed Fox to the top positions in the demo and in total viewers.
CBS roughly tied ABC for second place in ratings with a 2.4/6 (compared to ABC's 2.4/7) and came in second in total viewers with 10 million. Following a "Criminal Minds" repeat at 8, a new episode of the series inched up to a 3.0/8 and took 11.7 million total viewers. "CSI" at 10 jumped 17 percent from last week for a 2.7/7 -- a season high for the series -- and had 11.5 million total viewers.
ABC came in third in total viewers with 7.2 million. "The Middle" at 8 inched up to a 2.5/7 and had 8.5 million total viewers, while "The Neighbors" at 8:30 drew a 1.9/5 and took 6.3 million total viewers. "Modern Family" at 9 had a 4.1/11 and drew 10.8 million total viewers, and "Suburgatory" at 9:30 took a 2.3/6 with 6.3 million total viewers. The freshman drama "Nashville" at 10 slid 18 percent from last week for a 1.8/5, and had 5.5 million total viewers.
Univision came in fourth in ratings and total viewers with a 1.6/4 and 3.8 million.
The CW took fifth place in ratings and total viewers with a 1.0/3 and 2.6 million. "Arrow" at 8 held even with last week for a 1.1/3 and increased modestly in total viewers for 3.1 million. "Supernatural" the following hour also held steady versus last week with a 0.9/2 and ticked up 6 percent in total viewers for 2.1 million.
NBC, which ran repeats throughout the night, came in sixth in ratings and total viewers with a 0.8/2 and just under 2.6 million.