Betty White grapples with Idol for NBC

* At 8 p.m. ET, “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” (1.6/5 in 18-49, 5.8 million viewers overall) matched its 18-49 rating of the prior two weeks.  In its first four weeks, “Off Their Rockers” has delivered NBC’s four biggest overall audiences in the Wednesday 8-8:30 time period since November 30, 2011.  All four weeks of “Off Their Rockers” have also matched or topped NBC’s best 18-49 ratings in the slot prior to “Rockers” since February 15.  In an intensely competitive time period opposite Fox’s “American Idol,” CBS’s “Survivor” and ABC’s encore “The Middle,” “Off Their Rockers” tied for #2 among ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and CW in adults 18-34 and was #2 outright in women 18-34.  This week’s telecast of “Off Their Rockers” improved on NBC’s time-period average this season prior to “Rockers” by 21 percent or 1.0 million persons in total viewers (5.811 million vs. 4.804 million).

* At 8:30 ET, “Best Friends Forever” averaged a 0.8/2 in 18-49 and 2.7 million viewers overall in a highly competitive time period opposite Fox’s “American Idol,” CBS’s “Survivor” and ABC’s “Suburgatory” encore.  “Best Friends Forever” is currently matching its 18-49 rating of the prior week (0.8).

* At 9 p.m. ET, “Rock Center with Brian Williams” (0.9/2 in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall) delivered its highest 18-49 rating since March 7 (1.0 at 10 p.m.) and its biggest overall audience since February 8 (5.1 million at 9 p.m.), pending updates.  Week to week, “Rock Center” is currently showing a gain of 50 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 0.9 from a 0.6) and 48 percent or 1.2 million persons in total viewers (3.787 million vs. 2.552 million), pending updates.

* At 10 p.m. ET, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1.6/4 in 18-49, 6.4 million viewers overall) matched its 18-49 rating of the prior week and is up 8 percent in total viewers (6.402 million vs. 5.955 million).  Last night’s “SVU” grew from its first half-hour to its second by 13 percent in adults 18-49 (to a 1.7 rating from a 1.5), 15 percent in adults 25-54 (2.3 vs. 2.0) and 12 percent in total viewers (6.8 million vs. 6.1 million).  “SVU” built on its lead-in by 78 percent in 18-49 rating and 69 percent in total viewers.

* “Law & Order: SVU” scored NBC’s top total-viewer result in the Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET hour in 11 weeks (since February 8).