RATINGS RECAP: 4/15/11

ABC
8:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 Primetime: What Would You Do?
Viewers: 4.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 20/20
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

CBS
8:00 Chaos
Viewers: 5.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 CSI: NY (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
10:00 Blue Bloods (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

NBC
8:00 Friday Night Lights
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 5.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

FOX
8:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:00 Fringe
Viewers: 3.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

ABC was all new on Friday night and things started off on a better note with Shark Tank which was up six tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo for its best numbers on Friday so far this season. It seems to benefit from not having to compete with Who Do You Think You Are? anymore. At 9pm, Primetime: What Would You Do? was down fourt tenths in viewers and even in the demo despite the better lead-in. This show's premise seems to be wearing thin and the ratings are reflecting that. At 10pm, 20/20 was dead even from last week in viewers and the demo. CBS started weak with Chaos though it was even in viewers and up a tenth in the demo from last week. I still think CBS will pull this before new episodes of CSI: NY and Blue Bloods come back. Repeats of those shows did decent enough for Friday repeats.

NBC started things off with the season premiere of the final season of Friday Night Lights. It had very low numbers but that's not surprising since the diehard fans have already seen it on DirecTV or bought it on dvd. It's nice for NBC to show this great drama anyway for its final season. At 9pm, Dateline NBC was up three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from last week. 

FOX was returned to all new episodes on Friday night with low ratings. At 8pm, Kitchen Nightmares was down a tenth in viewers but up a tenth in the demo from its last new airing three weeks ago. While its total viewer numbers remain very low, it did win the demo for the hour. At 9pm, Fringe was down two tenths in viewers but even in the demo from its last new airing. The viewer total is a series low. FOX has to be planning for this to continue on Fridays next season as that's the only place it could possibly survive.