Fast National ratings for Friday, October 28, 2011.
“Chuck” failed to provide any positive signs for NBC in its shift to a new night, but the network can actually find cause for much enthusiasm (relatively speaking) with the encouraging launch for the new drama “Grimm.”
Of course, neither drama was really in the race on Friday night, as FOX’s World Series Game 7 coverage dominated in all measures. As World Series Game Sevens go, the numbers for the Rangers-Cardinals conclusion weren’t very high and the quality of baseball was disappointingly low (especially after the Game 6 thriller), but FOX will take it.
[Note: In baseball’s long and storied history, there had never been a televised World Series Game 7 played on a Friday, so it’s hard to compare numbers.]
Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 6.8 rating for the night, beating the other four networks combined in the key demographic. NBC was a distant second with a 1.5 rating, followed by the 1.1 ratings for both ABC and CBS and the 0.7 rating for The CW.
Overall, FOX averaged an estimated 23.25 million viewers and a 13.4 rating/22 share. The combined totals for the other four networks didn’t come close. CBS was second with 6.89 million viewers and a 4.5/7. NBC’s 3.2/5 and 4.87 million viewers edged out the 3.1/5 and 4.5 million viewers for ABC. The CW’s 1.2/2 and 1.77 million viewers were good for fifth.
8 p.m. – The World Series coverage ruled the 8 p.m. hour with 21.29 million viewers and a 5.8 rating among adults 18-49 for FOX. CBS’ repeat of “A Gifted Man” was second with 5.77 million viewers, beating the 4.1 million viewers for ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The Friday premiere for the final season of “Chuck” averaged 3.39 million viewers and finished second for the hour with a 1.0 rating in the key demographic (or a 1.05 rating in the key demographic, if you’re inclined to round up, though somewhat disconcertingly, among adults 18-34, “Extreme Makeover” topped “Chuck”). The CW’s “Nikita” was up in viewers with 1.835 million and steady with a 0.6 key demo rating.
9 p.m. – The Rangers-Cardinals game averaged 23.68 million viewers and a 6.9 rating among adults 18-49 for FOX in the 9 p.m. hour. CBS’ repeat of “CSI: NY” was second with 6.95 million viewers. NBC has to actually be happy with the 6.49 million viewers and 2.1 key demo rating (a number that would win this time slot most weeks) for “Grimm,” which also didn’t fall off at the half-hour. [As a minor footnote, “Grimm” wouldn’t have faced the World Series on the West Coast, should you happen to think such things matter.] ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” averaged 4.255 million viewers in fourth. The CW’s “Supernatural” averaged 1.705 million viewers and a 0.7 key demo rating, down slightly from last week in viewers.
10 p.m. – Although out of FOX’s primetime window, the 10 p.m. hour of baseball coverage averaged 24.77 million viewers and a 7.7 rating among adults 18-49. CBS’ repeat of “Blue Bloods” averaged 7.94 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating to top the rest of the competition. ABC’s “20/20” averaged 5.15 million viewers to beat the 4.74 million for NBC’s “Dateline,” though NBC had a slim edge in the key demo.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.