Can NCIS outgun American Idol?
CBS executives are banking on the hit “NCIS” and its spinoff to give Fox’s stalwart “American Idol” a run for the Nielsen crown on Tuesday nights next year. “‘NCIS’ is ‘Idol’-proof,” CBS entertainment chief Nina Tassler told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour on Monday. “‘Idol’ comes and goes and ‘NCIS’ pretty much holds its place.” While “Idol” has seen a dip in its ratings in the past few seasons (coinciding with a general erosion of TV audiences, who have found more convenient ways to view programming), “NCIS” has notably increased its viewership over the course of six seasons and now holds firm in the No. 2 slot against “Idol.” But this season, the show is being paired with “NCIS: Los Angeles,” a spinoff starring LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell that’s considered one of the can’t-miss series of the fall.
