Kings on NBC

Recapping some recent ratings highlights:

• On Saturday night, NBC's Kings returned to an audience of 1.59 million total viewers, CBS' Harper's Island (3.17 mil) dropped 12 percent, and the series finale of ABC's Pushing Daisies delivered 2.24 mil. Coming this Saturday: The first of the last Eli Stone episodes!

• ABC's coverage of Sunday's NBA Finals drew 10.12 million viewers, the biggest audience for a Game 5 since 2004. On average, this year's Magic-Lakers series retained 95 percent of 2008's Celtics-Lakers finals.

• The CW's timely broadcast of the original The Taking of Pelham One Two Three scored 2.15 mil.

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NBC has once again shuttled around Kings, its ambitious if poorly received new drama series, yanking it from its Saturdays-at-8 slot after just one airing. Kings originally called Sunday home, but was banished after four low-rated outings.

Kings now will conclude its freshman run ... read more 61 Comments

Sunday's ratings summary:

7 pm/ET
NBC's coverage of the Miss USA Pageant averaged nearly 5 million viewers over its two-hour run. 

8 pm
The Amazing Race topped the hour with 10.4 million total viewers, followed by a repeat of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (7.56 mil). Fox's Sit Down, Shut Up premiered to 5.2 mil, fumbling 20 percent of lead-in The Simpsons' audience.

9 pm
An audience of 13.65 million turned up for Desperate Housewife Edie's final hurrah, a 7 percent drop from the show's last fresh outing. CBS/Hallmark's The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler placed second, averaging 9.82 mil over its two-hour run. (Watch my video Q&A with Anna Paquin here, fourth item down.) Celebrity Apprentice's double-elimination drew 8.32 mil, a three-week high.

10 pm
Brothers & Sisters topped the demos but was matched in total viewers (9.63 mil) by Irena Sendler; in fact, CBS' TV movie pulled ahead of the ABC serial by the end of the night.

Other ratings mentions:
• On Friday, Prison Break returned to an audience of 3.38 mil, plunging 32 percent from its winter finale.
• NBC's Kings, in its first Saturday-night showcase, delivered 2.41 mil, down 33 percent from its most recent Sunday outing.