TV Ratings: Lackluster 'American Idol' finale still dominates season-ending Wednesday

'Revenge,' 'Apt. 23,' 'Modern Family' get finale bumps for ABC

By Dave Lewis Thursday, May 24, 2012 11:59 AM

"American Idol" winner Phillip Phillips

Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

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Fast National ratings for Wednesday, May 23, 2012.

The finale of the 11th season of FOX's "American Idol" is likely to go down as the show's least-watched finale since 2002, but it still had plenty of juice to dominate the last night of the 2011-12 television season (and to comfortably beat the recent finales for "The Voice" and "Dancing with the Stars").

While "Idol" ate up the majority of the Wednesday audience, there were still enough viewers for all of ABC's finales to get variable-sized bumps.

[Remember with these numbers that the "Idol" finale ran though 10:07, but the last seven minutes, including the announcement of the winner, isn't part of these primetime figures for FOX, so the actual finale averages will be slightly higher than FOX's averages for primetime.]

For the night, FOX averaged a 6.1 rating among adults 18-49. That easily beat the combined key demographic totals for ABC (2.6 rating), CBS (1.5 rating), NBC (1.4 rating) and The CW (0.4 rating).

Overall, FOX averaged an estimated 20.71 million viewers and an 11.8 rating/19 share for Wednesday primetime. ABC was a distant second with 7.3 million viewers and a 4.7/8. CBS' 3.9/6 and 5.875 million viewers and NBC's 5.38 million viewers and 3.5/6 followed. The CW averaged 891,000 viewers and a 0.6/1 for the night.

[Univision averaged 4.95 million viewers and a 2.0 rating among adults 18-49 for Wednesday night.[

8 p.m. - The first hour of the "American Idol" finale ruled the 8 p.m. hour for FOX with 18.97 million viewers and a 5.5 rating among adults 18-49. ABC was second with the season finale of "The Middle" (6.505 million viewers and a 2.0 key demo) and a repeat of "Modern Family" (6.03 million and a 2.0 key demo). NBC's "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" was third with 5.4 million viewers and a 1.5 key demo rating, edging out the 5 million viewers and 1.4 key demo rating for repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" and "Two and a Half Men." The CW's repeat of "America's Next Top Model" averaged 865,000 viewers and a 0.3 key demo rating.

9 p.m. - The second hour of the "American Idol" finale rose to 22.45 million viewers and a 6.7 rating among adults 18-49 for FOX. ABC was second with finales for "Modern Family" (9.99 million viewers and a 4.0 key demo) and "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (5.74 million and a 2.5 key demo), with an especially big bump for the latter comedy. CBS' "Criminal Minds" repeat averaged 6.38 million viewers and a 1.6 key demo rating, beating the 3.77 million viewers and 0.9 key demo rating for NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" repeat. The CW's "America's Next Top Model" highlight show averaged 917,000 viewers and a 0.4 key demo rating.

10 p.m. - ABC closed primetime in first with 7.76 million viewers and a 2.4 rating among adults 18-49 for the season finale of "Revenge." NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" finale was second with 6.98 million viewers and a 1.9 key demo rating. CBS' "Criminal Minds" repeat was third with 6.25 million viewers and a 1.6 key demo rating.

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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Discuss TV Ratings on HitFix Message Boards »

Stormshadow4life

Is Don't Trust The Bitch coming back next year?
May 24, 2012 at 7:41PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan StormShadow4Life - Yup! Part of a low-rated Wednesday block with "Happy Endings"!
  
  -Daniel
  May 24, 2012 at 7:56PM EST
- John Francin Tuesday, Dan (I think).
  May 24, 2012 at 11:08PM EST
- dan John - You could totally be right. I'm refusing to use brain cells on this one!
  
  -Daniel
  May 24, 2012 at 11:19PM EST
topjimmy

again, the third best singer Wins....Joshua got the most standing Ovations.....highest praise, I remember prior seasons...when Melinda Doolittle...kicked everybodys butt...they gave it to Jordan Sparks....Bo Bice ruled (Carrie underwood) during that season....night in and night out (Yes I Went There).....Bo was the best that season, got the highest praise...not to take away from Carrie, but he had a better season,.....what about Kris Allen, winning over Adam Lambet????????...Lee Dwaze...? over Krystal Bowersocks, are you kidding me?????...anyway Joshua shoukd have one, Jessica should have been runner up....and Skyler who will probably have the biggest career....shouls have finished third, then Phillip Phillips....dave matthews imitator
May 24, 2012 at 11:09PM EST Reply to Comment
- John I agree! Josh was spectacular....I think you're being generous giving Philip 3rd place.
  May 27, 2012 at 3:58AM EST

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TV Ratings: Lackluster 'American Idol' finale still dominates season-ending Wednesday

'Revenge,' 'Apt. 23,' 'Modern Family' get finale bumps for ABC