TV Ratings: NBA Finals, 'Glee' finale battle for Tuesday crown

ABC ends up winning overall and in the demo with Lakers-Celtics

By Daniel FienbergWednesday, Jun 9, 2010 11:52 AM

Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers

Credit: Michael Dwyer/AP

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Fast National ratings for Tuesday, June 8, 2010.

FOX's first season finale of "Glee" got a big bump over last week's episode and managed to tie an hourly win in the 18-49 demographic, but ABC's Game Three of the NBA Finals was able to hold on to capture a competitive Tuesday night.

Among adults 18-49, ABC averaged a 4.3 rating to hold off the 3.9 rating for FOX in the coveted demographic. NBC was a distant third with a 2.6 rating, topping the 1.6 rating for CBS and The CW's 0.3 rating.

Overall, ABC stayed on top by averaging an estimated 10.53 million viewers to go with a 6.5 rating/11 share. CBS was second with a 6.2/10. NBC's 5.2/9 took third, edging out the 5.1/8 for FOX. The CW's 0.5/1 was a distant third.

CBS started the night in first overall with a 7.3/13 for a repeat of "NCIS." ABC was second with NBA Finals pre-game, which averaged a 5.1/9 and did a 3.2 demo rating, tying for the hourly win. NBC's "Losing It With Jillian" finished third with a 4.6/8 and also third in the demo. Although it tied ABC for first in the demo, FOX's "Hell's Kitchen" was fourth overall with a 4.0/7. The CW's repeat of "90210" was fifth.

A tight 9 p.m. hour was won overall by NBC with a 7.3/12 for "America's Got Talent," which came in third in the demo. ABC's tip-off between the Lakers and Celtics had a 6.8/11 and a 4.6 demo rating. FOX's "Glee" finale did a 6.3/10, averaging 10.92 million viewers (more than ABC's basketball) and a 4.6 demo rating, all substantially up from last week. CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles" repeat was a close fourth overall and a distant fourth in the demo. On The CW, a repeat of "Life Unexpected" had a 0.4/1.

ABC's coverage of the Lakers' Game Three win did a 7.4/13 and a 5.1 demo rating in the 10 p.m. hour. CBS' "The Good Wife" repeat had a 4.9/8 for second overall. NBC's "Law & Order" repeat was third overall and second in the demo.

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.