TV Ratings: 'NCIS,' 'The Voice' help CBS, NBC split Tuesday

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, May 17, 2011.

 

"NCIS" and "NCIS: Los Angeles" were Tuesday's most watched shows overall, while NBC's "The Voice" was the night's best with young viewers, leading to  a predictable ratings split.

 

Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 3.4 rating for the night, edging out CBS' 3.2 rating in the key demographic. ABC's 2.7 rating and the 2.6 rating for FOX followed closely, while The CW lagged in fifth with a 0.6 rating.

 

Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 15.3 million viewers and a 9.7 rating/15 share, in this case holding off the 9.1/14 and 13.87 million viewers for ABC. NBC was a distant third for the night with a 4.8/7 and 7.95 million viewers, topping FOX's 3.9/6 and 6.59 million viewers. The CW was fifth with a 0.9/1 and 1.34 million viewers. 

 

8 p.m. - CBS started the night in first with the 18.09 million viewers and the 3.8 rating among adults 18-49 for "NCIS," which leapfrogged "Glee" back into the 8 p.m. hourly lead in the key demo. ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" recap was second overall with 13.42 million viewers, fourth in the key demo. FOX's "Glee" was third overall with 8.76 million viewers and second in the key demo with a 3.5 rating. NBC took fourth with 6.42 million viewers for "The Biggest Loser," taking third in the demo. On The CW, "One Tree Hill" averaged 1.52 million viewers and a 0.7 demo rating.

 

9 p.m. - ABC moved into first for the 9 p.m. hour with 17.715 million viewers and a 3.5 key demo rating for "Dancing with the Stars." CBS was second with 15.37 million viewers and a 3.2 demo rating for "NCIS: Los Angeles." "Biggest Loser" improved to 7.565 million viewers in third. FOX's  "Raising Hope" (5.53 million and a 2.2 demo rating) and "Breaking In" (3.32 million and a 1.4 demo rating) followed. [Note that there had been somewhat absurd speculation that "Breaking In" might get a cancellation reprieve with a strong performance here. Instead, "Breaking In" delivered basically identically low ratings to what the departed "Traffic Light" had been doing.] The CW's series finale of "Hellcats" averaged 1.16 million viewers and a 0.5 demo rating in fifth.

 

10 p.m. - "The Good Wife" got a nice finale bump to 12.44 million viewers to win the 10 p.m. hour, coming in second with a 2.5 demo rating. In viewers, ABC's "Body of Proof" was second with 10.48 million, coming in third with a 2.2 demo rating. NBC's "The Voice" took a very small drop to 9.87 million viewers and comfortably won the hour with a 4.5 rating in the key demo.