RATINGS RECAP: 5/17/12

ABC
8:00 Missing
Viewers: 6.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 11.4 million, 18-49 demo: 4.1
10:00 Scandal
Viewers: 7.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 8.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
8:30 Rules of Engagement
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Person of Interest
Viewers: 13.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
10:00 The Mentalist
Viewers: 13.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5

NBC
8:00 Community
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
8:30 30 Rock
Viewers: 2.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Community
Viewers: 2.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:30 Community
Viewers: 2.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Awake
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 16.4 million, 18-49 demo: 4.4
9:00 Touch
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

Thursday brought a night of many finales. On ABC, the series finale of the cancelled Missing started off the night up a tenth in viewers and two tenths in the demo. I didn't stick with this show so I don't even know if she found her son. At 9pm, the season finale of Grey's Anatomy was up 1.6 million viewers and a strong half a demo point for its best numbers since January 6. Grey's has had a revival this spring to become the top drama in the demo, not bad for a show entering its ninth season next year. At 10pm, the season finale of Scandal was up nine tenths in viewers and a good four tenths in the demo for its highest numbers ever. Looks like ABC made the right choice in bringing this back instead of GCB but how will it do in the fall against Elementary?

On CBS, a repeat of The Big Bang Theory started off the night and it hurt the season finale of Rules of Engagement which was down 1.6 million viewers and six tenths in the demo for a season low. This was not a good performance for a show that is still in talks for a midseason renewal. At 9pm, the season finale of Person of Interest was up half a million viewers and down a tenth in the demo. The last couple weeks of this show have been down after a winter of growth. Some of that might be due to the resurgence of Grey's. At 10pm, the season finale of The Mentalist was up half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo as it is Sunday bound next year.  

NBC saw terrible numbers with a trio of shows that do next to nothing in the ratings. Three episodes of Community including the season finale all registered a 1.3 demo while the 9:30pm episode hit a series low in total viewers. I have no idea why anyone whose ever seen these numbers can question NBC's decision to move this show to Friday. It's lucky to be there, it should have been cancelled. The season finale of 30 Rock was in the middle of the Community block and down a tenth in viewers and the demo while Awake was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. Finally on FOX, American Idol was up eight tenths in viewers and four tenths in the demo for its best demo since March 29. At 9pm, Touch was down eight tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo despite the lead-in being up. I predict this show will wither and die on Friday nights in the fall.