TV Ratings: FOX's Cotton Bowl, CBS' 'Blue Bloods' rule Friday

'Chuck' rises slight on Friday

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Jan 7, 2012 1:03 PM

Cobi Hamilton of Arkansas

Credit: Matt Strasen/AP

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Fast National ratings for Friday, January 6, 2012.

CBS' Friday dramas returned with new episodes and dominated primetime overall, but FOX's broadcast of the Cotton Bowl matchup between Arkansas and Kansas State controlled the night among young viewers.

Meanwhile, because we know you care about such things, it was a slightly "up" week for NBC's "Chuck," while The CW's Friday dramas returned without any real distinction.

Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 2.2 rating, topping the 1.7 rating for CBS in the key demographic. ABC's 1.4 rating and the 1.0 rating for NBC followed, while The CW posted a 0.7 key demo rating.

Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 10.09 million viewers and a 6.4 rating/11 share, far ahead of FOX's 7.8 million viewers and 4.6/8. ABC was third with a 3.5/6 and 5.49 million viewers, topping NBC's 2.4/4 and 3.6 million viewers. The CW averaged 1.66 million viewers and a 1.0.2 for the night.

8 p.m. - "A Gifted Man" started primetime in first overall for CBS with 8.52 million viewers, coming in second with a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49. FOX's football coverage was second with 7.29 million viewers and won the hour with a 2.0 key demo rating. ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" averaged 5.41 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating in third. NBC's "Chuck" averaged 3.38 million viewers and a 1.0 key demo rating, both on the high side of the show's recent minor fluctuating. The CW's "Nikita" returned with 1.55 million viewers and a 0.6 key demo rating.

9 p.m. - CBS' "CSI: NY" averaged 10.53 million viewers to win the 9 p.m. hour overall and finished second with a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49. FOX's football went up to 8.31 million viewers and ruled the hour with a 2.5 key demo rating. The second hour of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" averaged 6.03 million viewers and a 1.6 key demo rating in third. NBC's repeat of "Grimm" was fourth overall with 2.43 million viewers and fifth with a 0.7 key demo rating, while The CW's "Supernatural" averaged 1.77 million viewers and a 0.8 key demo rating.

10 p.m. - "Blue Bloods" averaged 11.21 million viewers and a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49 to win the 10 p.m. hour. ABC's "20/20" was second overall with 5.04 million viewers and third with a 1.3 key demo rating, in a close battle with NBC's "Dateline," which drew 4.99 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating.

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

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.