TV Ratings: 'So You Think You Can Dance' premiere tops Thursday

Viewers show little interest in 'FlashForward' finale, '100 Questions' premiere

By Daniel Fienberg Friday, May 28, 2010 11:49 AM

Cat Deeley of 'So You Think You Can Dance'

Credit: FOX

Fast National ratings for Thursday, May 27, 2010.

The premiere of the seventh installment of FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance" was way up from the launch of the last fall's lackluster sixth installment and only slightly down from the premiere of Season Five last summer. The audition episode helped FOX dominate the first day of TV's off-season.

Viewers showed minimal interest in the night's other original programming, including the series finale of "FlashForward," the premiere of NBC's summer burn-off comedy "100 Questions" and ABC's somewhat premature "Hollywood Salutes Matt Damon" special.

Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 3.0 rating, nearly doubling the 1.6 rating for CBS. NBC's 1.1 rating and the 1.0 rating for ABC followed. The CW trailed with a 0.6 rating.

Overall, FOX averaged an estimated 8.1.7 and a 5.0 rating/9 share. CBS was a close second with a 4.9/9. ABC was third with a 2.6/5, with NBC's 1.8/3 in fourth. The CW was fifth with a 1.0/2.

FOX began the night in first with a 4.7/9 and a 2.8 demo rating for the "So You Think You Can Dance" premiere. ABC's "FlashForward" finale did its normal 3.2/6, but with no real competition, the cancelled drama got to finish second. CBS was third with repeats of "How I Met Your Mother" and "Rules of Engagement." On NBC, a repeat of "Community" (2.1/4) and the premiere of "100 Questions" (1.7/3) finished fourth. The CW's repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" had a 1.1/2 for fifth.

CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" had a 5.4/9 to win the 9 p.m. hour in overall ratings. FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance" had a 5.2/9, but averaged more viewers than CBS and dominated the demo with a 3.2 rating. ABC's Matt Damon tribute was third with a 2.3/4, beating the 1.9/3 for NBC's repeats of "The Office" and "30 Rock." The CW was fifth with a "Supernatural" repeat.

A repeat of "The Mentalist" drew Thursday's biggest audience with a 6.4/12 for CBS in the 10 p.m. hour. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" repeat had a 2.3/4 for second, beating NBC's "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation" repeats, though NBC topped ABC 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.

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.