Ratings: 30 Rock Rises for Finale; Big Bang Beats Idol; Do No Harm Bombs
Tina Fey
High-five a million angels! 30 Rock closed out its run to its best rating in almost a year.
The one-hour series finale drew 4.8 million viewers and a 1.9 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic Thursday, up five-tenths for its highest demo number since March. The show also earned its largest audience since January 2011.
Which canceled show should return?
Lead-out The Office followed with an average of 4.2 million and a 2.0 for two episodes. The premiere of Do No Harm bombed with a meek 3.1 million and 0.9. That's less than the 1.0 average Rock Center with Brian Williams was delivering this season and down 55 percent from what the similarly themed Awake bowed to in the timeslot last year.
CBS won the night as it returned with new episodes. The Big Bang Theory (17.5 million, 5.3) and American Idol (13.7 million, 4.5) went head-to-head for the first time this season, with the former coming out on top. Both shows took hits as a result of the face-off, with Big Bang sliding a whole rating point. Idol did regain the edge against Two and a Half Men (13.7 million, 3.9) at 8:30. CBS' Person of Interest (15.6 million, 3.2) and Elementary (10.8 million, 2.2), and Fox's Glee (5.5 million, 2.1) all fell.
On ABC, Grey's Anatomy (8.7 million, 2.8) tied a series low, while Scandal 8.1 million (2.7) rose a bit.
8 p.m.
CBS: The Big Bang Theory 17.5 million (5.3); Two and a Half Men 13.7 million (3.9)
ABC: Shark Tank (R) 4.6 million (1.1)
Fox: American Idol 13.7 million (4.5)
NBC: 30 Rock 4.8 million (1.9) [8-9 p.m.]
CW: The Vampire Diaries 2.5 million (1.3)
9 p.m.
CBS: Person of Interest 15.6 million (3.2)
ABC: Grey's Anatomy 8.7 million (2.8)
Fox: Glee 5.5 million (2.1)
NBC: The Office 4.2 million (2.0)
CW: Beauty and the Beast 1.7 million (0.7)
10 p.m.
CBS: Elementary 10.8 million (2.2)
ABC: Scandal 8.1 million (2.7)