RATINGS RECAP: 5/13/12

ABC
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:00 Once Upon a Time
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3
9:00 Desperate Housewives
Viewers: 11.1 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2

CBS
7:00 60 Minutes
Viewers: 9.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 10.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
10:00 Survivor: One World Reunion
Viewers: 7.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3

NBC
7:00 Dateline NBC
Viewers: 3.4 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
8:00 Harry's Law
Viewers: 7.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Celebrity Apprentice
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8

FOX
7:00 The Simpsons (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
7:30 The Cleveland Show
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:00 The Simpsons
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
8:30 Bob's Burgers
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 Family Guy
Viewers: 4.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:30 American Dad!
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0 

On Sunday night, ABC bid farewell to Desperate Housewives. Earlier in the night, America's Funniest Home Videos was down two tenths in viewers and four tenths in the demo from last week's strong demo performance. At 8pm, the season finale of freshman hit Once Upon a Time was up seven tenths in viewers and thee tenths in the demo for its best numbers since March 4. Some wrote it off as an early cancellation but it ended up being the most successful new drama on any network. At 9pm was the two hour series finale of Desperate Housewives was up 1.9 million viewers and half a demo point. While the 3.2 ties a season high and ends the show on a good note, it was nowhere near its early smash-out-of-the-gate numbers (its first season averaged 23.7 million viewers and a 10.7 demo). The women from Wisteria Lane said goodbye after eight seasons and 180 episodes.

CBS had its biannual Sunday Survivor finale. First up, 60 Minutes was down 2.3 million viewers and four tenths in the demo. Survivor aired from 8-10pm but posted its lowest finale total yet (its fall finale got a 4.0 demo, 1.1 points higher). Part of this was likely due to more competition and the spring finales tend to rate lower than the fall finales. However, after a season of lows, Survivor might be getting a bit stale for viewers. CBS might be wise to reduce it to one cycle a year or find a way to freshen it up.  

On NBC, Dateline NBC was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo while the cancelled Harry's Law was down a tenth in viewers but up two tenths in the demo. Too little, too late for this show to rise. At 9pm, Celebrity Apprentice continued to fall with the finale nearing as it was down seven tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. FOX took hits across the board with the demo drops being a tenth for The Cleveland Show and three tenths for The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad! Only Bob's Burgers held steady. Of particular note was a series low for The Simpsons. FOX needed to freshen up this night next season but they did not show any plans to do so at upfronts.