Ratings: Tony Awards Hits Low
Neil Patrick Harris
The Tony Awards hit an all-time low Sunday despite little competition elsewhere.
The 66th annual show, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris for the third time, drew 6 million viewers and a 1.0 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic. That rating is a 17 percent drop from last year and marks the lowest-rated Tonys ever.
Once tops Tony Awards
CBS, however, won the night in viewership. ABC claimed the demo victory with Secret Millionaire (5.3 million, 1.5) and Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (4.6 million, 1.5) both staying flat with last week.
On the cable front, Mad Men wrapped Season 5 with its most-watched season finale ever. The finale grabbed 2.7 million viewers, a 13 percent increase over the Season 4 finale in October 2010, and also helped make Season 5 the critically acclaimed drama's most-watched season yet, averaging 2.6 million viewers. True Blood kicked off its fifth season Sunday, sinking its teeth into 5.2 million viewers. That's down from the Season 4 premiere (5.4 million viewers), but up from the season finale (5.1 million).
8 p.m.
CBS: 66th Annual Tony Awards 6 million viewers (1.0 demo rating) [8-11 p.m.]
ABC: Secret Millionaire 5.3 million (1.5)
Fox: The Simpsons (R) 2.9 million (1.3); Bob's Burgers (R) 2.6 million (1.2)
NBC: Dateline 5.5 million (1.2) [7-9 p.m.]
9 p.m.
ABC: Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition 4.6 million (1.5)
Fox: Family Guy (R) 3.5 million (1.6); American Dad! (R) 3 million (1.3)
NBC: America's Got Talent (R) 4.9 million (1.3)
10 p.m.
NBC: America's Got Talent (R) 5.3 million (1.5)