“The Simpsons” was back on Sunday night (March 5) where Bart and Lisa’s Kamp Krusty nightmares became Krustier. I’m not sure what type of crust they’d like their nightmares to be more of, though; pastry, maybe?

Sunday’s episode scored the highest viewership outside of football-supported episode so far this year, at 2.563 million, with a 1.1/4 rating. The viewership is up slightly from the previous episode, which had 2.443 million, and steady in the 18-49 demographic and audience share (1.1/4). The equivalent episode last year was higher, however, at a 1.3/4 rating and 3.09 million viewers; it was steady again in audience share at 4%. Another bane for Sunday’s episode is the fact the episode of “Family Guy” which followed an hour later received a higher audience among 18-49s, with a 1.2/4; the “Simpsons” episode also had the second-lowest 18-49 skew among original shows on the night, at 55%, just above the 53% for the premiere of “Making History”.

The season average so far is narrowly ahead of last season’s, at 2.015/7 compared to 2.009/6. In viewership, this season is also above last season, with 4.68m compared to 4.63m.

This season’s average has definitely benefited from there being more episodes with a high football lead-in. If ratings of this season continue at the same level (at a 1.0 rating and a tenth or two above) things may start to dip below last season’s average again.

Against the show on Sunday was the big return of “Little Big Shots”, watched by 11.718 million viewers. During “The Simpsons”‘ timeslot, the overall audience opposite “The Simpsons” on the other broadcast networks was around 21 million. Without the big rating for “Little Big Shots”, it’s likely The Simpsons could’ve gone up on Sunday, a couple tenths or a few.

Next Sunday’s episode focuses on a venture into sport for Bart, before getting involved with the mafia again – another milk scandal on the cards, perhaps, this time laced with something other than rat genes – it is a sport plotline, after all?! We’ll see. And I’ll see you next Tuesday to review how many watched. See you then!