RATINGS RECAP: 4/29/11

ABC
8:00 Shark Tank
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 20/20
Viewers: 6.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

CBS
8:00 The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty
Viewers: 8.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 CSI: NY
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 Blue Bloods
Viewers: 10.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

NBC
8:00 Friday Night Lights
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

FOX
8:00 Kitchen Nightmares
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 Fringe
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

ABC was all new on Friday night. At 8pm, Shark Tank was down two tenths in viewers and the demo. Despite the second consecutive week of dropping, it is still getting better ratings than Supernanny and may indeed receive another midseason renewal. At 9pm, a two hour edition of 20/20 focusing on the Royal Wedding was up a big 2.3 million viewers and four tenths in the demo from last week's episode, which just aired in the 10pm hour.  

CBS was all new as well now that May Sweeps is here. At 8pm, a special about the Wedding was above average for the timeslot this year, especially recently. Canadian import Flashpoint will begin its season in this timeslot starting next week. At 9pm, CSI: NY was down six tenths in viewers and even in the demo from its last new airing three weeks ago despite the better lead-in. The viewer total is a season low for this on-the-bubble veteran show. If CBS decides to ax one of the three CSI series, this will probably be it. At 10pm, Blue Bloods was down six tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from its last new airing. This show is also on the bubble, but will probably see a renewal due to it stabilizing the 10pm hour on Fridays, which is very difficult to program.

NBC was barely on the map on Friday night. At 8pm, Friday Night Lights was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for series lows. Of course it doesn't matter much for this show since its in its final season and already available on DVD after the DirectTV airing. At 9pm, Dateline NBC was down nine tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo as people seemed to choose 20/20's coverage of the Royal Wedding rather than Dateline's. 

FOX was all new as well starting with Kitchen Nightmares which was down half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo from its last new airing two weeks ago, hitting season lows. This show is not nearly as strong as it was earlier this spring (case in point: its season premiere got a 1.9 demo). At 9pm, Fringe was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from last week;s series lows perhaps thanks to a new lead-in. Its season finale is next week.