RATINGS RECAP: 5/21/14

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1 
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 10.5 million, 18-49 demo: 3.7
9:30 Mixology
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 Motive
Viewers: 4.3 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6
10:00 Survivor Live Reunion Show
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9

NBC
8:00 Revolution
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Chicago PD
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

FOX 
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 10.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.6

On the final night of the season there were a lot of big players. On FOX, the season finale of American Idol was up 1.6 million viewers and half a demo point. It's a nice finale spike but still down nearly 30% year to year and I don't see it getting better next year. Over on CBS, Survivor's finale was down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo, which isn't bad considering the competition. It tied Idol in the demo. We'll see if CBS decides to keep the finale on Wednesday or go back to Sunday in the fall. The Live Reunion special won the hour at 10pm. On NBC, the series finale of the cancelled Revolution was up two tenths in viewers and down a tenth in the demo. Hard to believe this show premiered to a 4.1 demo less than two years ago. The season finale of Law & Order: SVU was up a million viewers and even in the demo while the season finale of Chicago PD was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo.

ABC held its own for the first half of the night even with the big finales. At 8pm, a one hour finale of The Middle was up eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for its best performance since February 5. At 9pm, Modern Family saw a huge spike for Mitch and Cam's wedding. It was up 1.4 million viewers and half a demo point for its best performance since November 13. Even with big finales on the night, it was easily the night's top performer. Mixology got no help from the big lead-in as the series finale of the cancelled show was dead even with last week. Most Modern Family viewers probably switched over to Idol or Survivor to see who won. At 10pm, the season premiere of summer series Motive did numbers close to what it was getting for most of last summer but it skewed old.