TV Ratings: ‘Once Upon A Time’, ‘Family Guy’ Up

ABC’s Once Upon A Time finally wrapped the Neverland-set storyline that had received mixed reaction and resulted in a string of three series lows over the last few weeks. The downward ratings trend was reversed last night when action returned to the show’s original Storybrook setting. Once logged 2.2 in 18-49, up 16% from last week’s series low. Let’s hear it for America’s Funniest Home Videos. The series, which just marked its 24th anniversary, logged a season high in 18-49 last night with a 1.5. Despite airing at 7 PM, the low-cost clip show matched the performance of high-end ABC dramas Revenge (1.5 even with its last original 3 weeks ago) and Betrayal (0.8, down 11% from 2 weeks ago to tie a series low).

Following a football overrun, The Simpsons (3.0) matched the 18-49 result for its most recent original. Bob’s Burgers (2.1) perked up 31% from last week when its lead-in, The Simpsons, was a repeat. Ditto for American Dad (2.1), up 24% following an original Family Guy (2.6, up 18% from its last original 2 weeks ago.) Family Guy seems to be benefiting from the Is Brian Gone? mystery, helping Fox’s animated block to post its best rating (2.5) in over a year.

CBS’ fast nationals will undergo adjustments as its primetime was delayed 27 minutes by a football overrun in 11 markets, including Top 10 markets Philadelphia,Washington DC, Atlanta and Houston. For now, the two-hour finale of The Amazing Race (2.1) was down 19% from last year’s fall finale to log the venerable franchise’s lowest rated closer ever (In total viewers, Amazing Race is on par with the most recent spring finale.) The Mentalist (1.7) was even with last week, when it started at 10:51 PM.

NBC is poised to win the night with Sunday Night Football. In the time zone adjusted metered-market results, last night’s Carolina Panthers-New Orleans Saints game averaged a 12.7 rating, up 5% from last week’s Giants-Redskins matchup.