*The TV Renewal/Cancel Scorecard has been updated to reflect these ratings.

NBC ran a full slate of re-runs Thursday night, but not just any re-runs: an unprecedented six consecutive episodes of “The Office.” They averaged 3 million viewers and a 1.4 rating for the night.

ABC was also in complete re-runs, while CBS aired all repeats except a new episode of “Rules of Engagement.” Good sign, bad sign, or just episodes to burn?

Oh yeah, Fox aired “American Idol.” Given that it aired against all re-runs, it had some of its highest ratings, and the highest ratings on Fox for a Thursday since 2007.

The reason many networks air re-runs the first week of March is February sweeps is over. A sweeps month is a month of more accurate broadcast viewership counting. These numbers are used by the networks to pitch television ad rates, which are almost exclusively based on the 18-49 viewership. So in the three sweeps months (November, February, May) networks try to air exclusively new content.

*repeat

8 pm

American Idol (8-10): 8.1 demo, 24.9 million viewers

*The Big Bang Theory: 2.5 demo, 9.1 million viewers

*Wipeout: 1.4 demo, 4.7 million viewers

*The Office (8-11, 6 Episodes): 1.4 demo, 3 million viewers

8:30

Rules of Engagement: 2.4 demo, 8.3 million viewers

9 pm

*CSI: 1.8 demo, 8.3 million viewers

*Grey’s Anatomy: 1.2 demo, 3.9 million viewers

10 pm

*The Mentalist: 1.9 demo, 10.4 million viewers

*Private Practice: 1.0 demo, 3 million viewers

 

About The Author

Jason Woods is a Blast staff writer

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