TV Ratings: 'Blue Bloods,' 'Fringe,' maintain CBS, FOX Friday split

'Kitchen Nightmares' and 'CSI: NY' also perform well

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 11:48 AM

Donnie Wahlberg and Bridget Moynahan of 'Blue Bloods'

Credit: CBS

Fast National ratings for Friday, February 25, 2011.

With easy hourly wins for "The Defenders," "CSI: NY" and "Blue Bloods," CBS maintained its comfortable grasp on Friday's overall ratings race. But we know that readers are always more interested in the performance of "Fringe," which was flat from last week ("flat" being good news for "Fringe") and combined with "Kitchen Nightmares" to help FOX split the night among young viewers.

Among adults 18-49, FOX and CBS both averaged a 1.5 rating, beating the 1.3 rating for ABC and NBC in the key demographic. The CW wasn't far back with a 1.0 rating.

Overall, things weren't so close, with CBS averaging 10.38 million viewers and a 6.5 rating/12 share. NBC was a distant second witha 4.0/7 and 5.88 million viewers. ABC's 3.0/5 and 4.75 million viewers followed in third, beating the 2.3/4 and 3.88 million viewers for FOX. The CW was fifth with 2.36 million viewers.

8 p.m. - CBS' overall sweep began in the 8 p.m. hour with 8.72 million viewers for "The Defenders," which tied for second with a 1.2 rating among adults 18-49. NBC's newly renewed "Who Do You Think You Are?" was second with 6.15 million viewers and the same 1.2 demo rating. ABC's "Supernanny" averaged 4.04 million viewers for third, though its 1.0 demo rating tied for fourth. FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares" was fourth overall with 3.72 million viewers, but won the hour with a 1.6 demo rating. The CW's "Smallville" was up in total viewers with 2.55 million and tied for fourth with a 1.0 demo rating.

9 p.m. - "CSI: NY" won the 9 p.m. hour for CBS with 10.83 million viewers and a 1.7 rating among adults 18-49. NBC's "Dateline" was second with 5.62 million viewers and tied for third in the demo. "Primetime: What Would You Do?" averaged 4.67 million viewers for third and tied with NBC in the demo. FOX's "Fringe" averaged 4.04 million viewers and finished second for the hour with a 1.5 demo rating. The CW's "Supernatural" averaged 2.17 million viewers and a 1.0 demo rating in fifth.

10 p.m. - "Blue Bloods" delivered the night's biggest audience with 11.58 million viewers for CBS in the 10 p.m. hour, also winning with a 1.7 demo rating. NBC's "Dateline" averaged 5.87 million viewers, edging out the 5.54 million viewers for ABC's "20/20."

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.