Fast National ratings for Friday, February 18, 2011.
“Fringe” had a very slight rise on Friday night, halting a month of declines and helping FOX split the night among young viewers with CBS, which got a strong return from “Blue Bloods” to dominate overall.
Among adults 18-49, FOX and CBS both posted a 1.6 rating, just ahead of the 1.5 rating for NBC and ABC’s 1.3 rating. The CW was fifth with a 1.0 rating.
Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 10.08 million viewers to go with a 6.3 rating/11 share. NBC was a distant second with a 4.2/8 and 6.51 million viewers. ABC’s 2.8/5 and 4.14 million viewers finished third, ahead of the 2.3/4 and 4 million viewers for FOX. The CW’s 1.3/2 and 2.23 million viewers trailed.
8 p.m. – “The Defenders” started primetime in first for CBS with 8.52 million viewers. NBC was second with the 5.88 million viewers for “Who Do You Think You Are?” FOX’s “Kitchen Nightmares” was third overall with 3.94 million viewers and won the hour with a 1.7 rating among adults 18-49. ABC’s “Supernanny” averaged 3.71 million viewers for fourth. The CW’s “Smallville” averaged 2.2 million viewers, down from last week, but went up to a 1.0 rating in the key demo.
9 p.m. – “CSI: NY” won the 9 p.m. hour for CBS overall with 10.62 million viewers and in the key demographic with a 1.8 rating. NBC’s “Dateline” was second overall with 6.3 million viewers, far ahead of the 4.66 million viewers for ABC’s “Primetime: What Would You Do?” FOX’s “Fringe” averaged 4.06 million viewers, up by a couple hundred thousand over last week, plus a 1.5 rating in the key demographic, up by 0.1 over last week. The CW’s “Supernatural” actually improved on its lead-in with 2.26 million viewers.
10 p.m. – “Blue Bloods” returned to Fridays after a brief audition on Wednesdays and averaged 11.1 million viewers to dominate the hour, though the drama finished second in the key demo. NBC’s “Dateline” averaged 7.34 million viewers overall and won among adults 18-49 with a 1.8 rating. ABC’s “20/20” was third with 4.06 million viewers.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.