Fast National ratings for Friday, April 29, 2011.
A special focusing on Britain’s Royal Wedding and a drama about a different group of blue bloods carried CBS to comfortable ratings wins on the first Friday night of May Sweeps.
Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 1.7 rating for the night, topping ABC’s 1.4 rating and the 1.3 rating for FOX. NBC’s 1.0 rating and the 0.8 rating for The CW trailed in the key demographic.
Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 9.18 million viewers and a 6.0 rating/10 share. ABC was far back in second with a 4.0/7 and 5.99 million viewers. NBC held onto third with a 2.7/5 and 4.24 million viewers, which beat the 2.1/4 and 3.39 million viewers for FOX. The CW was fifth with a 1.2/2 and 1.94 million viewers.
8 p.m. – The CBS special “The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty” won the 8 p.m. hour with 8.59 million viewers and a 1.7 rating among adults 18-49. ABC’s “Shark Tank” was second overall with 4.59 million viewers, but third in the key demographic with a 1.2 rating. FOX’s “Kitchen Nightmares” finished third overall with 3.29 million viewers and second with a 1.3 demo rating. Fourth overall went to NBC’s semi-new “Friday Night Lights” with 2.99 million viewers, though “FNL” did only a 0.6 rating in the key demo, good for fifth. Although The CW’s “Smallville” was down from last week with 1.94 million viewers, it at least finished fourth with a 0.8 rating in the key demo.
9 p.m. – “CSI: NY” kept CBS in first for the 9 p.m. hour with 9.195 million viewers and a 1.7 rating among adults 18-49. ABC’s Royal Wedding-themed “20/20” was second with 6.65 million viewers and a 1.5 demo rating. NBC was third overall with the 4.79 million viewers for “Dateline,” which finished fourth in the key demo. FOX’s “Fringe” hit yet another Friday low with 3.495 million viewers for fourth, but finished third with a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49 (up 0.1 from last week). The CW’s “Supernatural” averaged just under 1.94 million viewers and improved on its lead-in with a 0.9 demo rating.
10 p.m. – CBS closed primetime in first with the 9.77 million viewers and 1.6 demo rating for “Blue Bloods.” ABC’s “20/20” was second overall with 6.74 million viewers and tied for the hour in the key demo. NBC’s “Dateline” averaged 4.94 million viewers for third.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.