RATINGS RECAP: 5/23/12

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 6.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
8:30 Modern Family (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 10.1 million, 18-49 demo: 4.1
9:30 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
10:00 Revenge
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4

CBS
8:00 The Big Bang Theory (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
8:30 Two and a Half Men (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Criminal Minds (Repeat)
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

NBC
8:00 Betty White's Off Their Rockers
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
8:30 Betty White's Off Their Rockers (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 21.5 million, 18-49 demo: 6.4 

On the final night of the 2011-12 season, FOX aired the season finale of American Idol. It was of course up a big 3.8 million viewers and 1.5 demo points but it was the lowest rated Idol finale ever and down big year to year. Blame it on an aging franchise and an over-saturation of singing competitions. ABC was full of season finales. At 8pm, The Middle was even in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. After a Modern Family repeat, the season finale was up seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo while Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 was up nine tenths in viewers and a very strong half a demo point. This was a great rebound and it came against the strongest half hour of Idol. At 10pm, the season finale of Revenge was up a million viewers and four tenths in the demo for its best performance since February 29. How will it fare in the high profile timeslot of Sunday 9pm next season? Finally on NBC, the season finale of Betty White's Off Their Rockers was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while Law & Order: SVU benefited from no new crime drama on CBS and it was up a strong 1.6 million viewers and three tenths in the demo.