TV Ratings: 'Smallville' finale soars, while CBS wins Friday
'Blue Bloods' is Friday's best overall and in the key demo
A shot from the 'Smallville' series finale
Credit: The CW
Fast National ratings for Friday, May 13, 2011.
After 10 seasons, the series finale of "Smallville" aired on Friday to the show's biggest overall audience in years, lifting The CW as high as second in the key demographic for the 9 p.m. hour and to a robust third for the night.
Overall, of course, The CW was no match for CBS, which handily won the night overall and eked out a slim demo win as well.
Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 1.5 rating for the night, tops in the key demographic. FOX was a close second with a 1.4 rating, with ABC and The CW taking third with a 1.3 rating. NBC was a respectable fifth with a 1.1 rating.
Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 9.71 million viewers to go with a 6.1 rating/11 share. NBC was a distant second with a 3.3/6 and 4.77 million viewers, holding off ABC's 2.8/5 and 4.36 million. FOX was fourth with a 2.1/4 and 3.46, with The CW a close fifth with a 1.8/3 and 2.97 million.
[Yes, "Smallville" fans, you can take those nightly CW totals as the preliminary overall numbers for the two-hour finale: 2.97 million viewers and a 1.3 demo rating. It's been a while since the series has seen numbers like that.]
8 p.m. - CBS started primetime in first with 7.51 million viewers for "Flashpoint," up from last week and also improving with a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49. ABC was second with the 5 million viewers for the "Shark Tank" finale, which also did a 1.3 rating in the key demo. FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares" was third overall with 3.69 million viewers and won the hour with a 1.5 demo rating. The first hour of The CW's "Smallville" finale averaged 2.81 million viewers and a 1.2 demo rating for fourth. NBC's "Friday Night Lights" was fifth with just under 2.8 million viewers and a 0.7 demo rating.
9 p.m. - "CSI: NY" averaged 10.22 million viewers and a 1.5 demo rating to top the 9 p.m. hour. NBC's "Dateline" was a distant second with 5.26 million viewers and tied for last in the demo with a 1.2 rating. ABC's "Primetime: What Would You Do?" averaged 3.71 million viewers in third. FOX's repeat of "Kitchen Nightmares" averaged 3.23 million viewers and a 1.3 demo rating, slightly below last week's "Fringe" finale in viewers and slightly above in the key demo. The CW's "Smallville" rose to 3.14 million viewers in its second hour and took second in the demo with a 1.4 rating.
10 p.m. - CBS closed primetime with the night's biggest numbers as "Blue Bloods" did 11.41 million viewers and a 1.7 demo rating. NBC's "Dateline" was second with 6.26 million viewers and a 1.5 demo rating, beating the 4.375 million and 1.2 demo rating 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.
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.
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May 14, 2011 at 12:25PM EST Reply to Commentgood day for Smallville
Bogey_Rules
May 14, 2011 at 3:15PM EST Reply to CommentWow. I wondered how Blue Bloods was faring. The network seemed to have made some budget cuts to the show after the first five or so episodes. I was thinking that maybe the show was on the edge of getting axed. This week got rid of the whole subplot of the Blue Templar; they must be getting ready to readjust the focus of the show for season two. They already jettisoned the woman TV reporter Tom Selleck's Frank Reagan was involved with and seemingly shifted the "star" focus to Donnie Wahlberg and Jennifer Esposito. It's a decent show, I hope they can give it a better scope and scale for season two, since it appears to be a hit.
robert
May 18, 2011 at 3:58AM EST Reply to CommentSmallville was and is and will forever be the best!!!