TV Ratings: 'Desperate Housewives' battles 'Survivor' on Finale Sunday

Jeff Probst of 'Survivor'

Credit: CBS

Fast National TV ratings for Sunday, May 17, 2009.

The two-hour finale for ABC's "Desperate Housewives" went head-to-head with the three-hour finale of CBS' "Survivor: Tocantins," as ABC and CBS forged a Sunday night tie, each claiming some ratings triumph.

Among adults 18-49, ABC averaged a 3.6 rating, nipping the 3.5 rating for CBS. FOX was third in the key demographic with a 2.4 rating, topping the 1.3 rating for NBC and The CW's 0.3 rating.

Overall, CBS and ABC both averaged a 6.7 rating/11 share, but CBS' average audience of 11.83 million beat the 10.76 million for ABC. NBC was a distant third with a 3.2/5, followed by the 2.9/5 for FOX and The CW's 0.8/1.

CBS started the night in first with a 6.3/12 for "60 Minutes." ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" was second with a 3.8/7. NBC's "Dateline" was third with a 3.2/6, topping FOX's repeats of "King of the Hill" and "American Dad." The CW's "Jericho" repeat had a 0.5/1 for fifth.

The first hour of the "Survivor" finale had a 6.5/11 for CBS in the 9 p.m. hour, better than the 5.6/9 for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." NBC's "Dateline" improved in its second hour and beat the 3.2/5 for "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill" on FOX. The CW's Random Movie of the Night was "License to Kill," which finished fifth.

ABC moved into first at 9 p.m. with an 8.4/13 for "Desperate Housewives." CBS' "Survivor: Tocantins" had a 7.3/11 for second, though it beat ABC's soap in the 18-49 demo. FOX's "Family Guy" and "American Dad" had a 3.8/6 for third, bettering the 2.6/4 for NBC's "Saturday Night Live" special "Just the Shorts." The CW's movie trailed.

"Desperate Housewives" improved to a 9.0/15 in its second hour, while CBS' "Survivor" was down to a 6.6/11 for its results and the live reunion special. NBC's "SNL" showcase trailed.

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

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

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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.