Fast National ratings for Friday, March 4, 2011.
“The Defenders” started the night strong for CBS and carried the network’s later-evening repeats to an overall win on Friday, but it was the strong close for a Charlie Sheen-boosted “Dateline” that let NBC capture the all-important young adult demos for the evening.
Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 1.6 rating for the night, edging out CBS’ 1.4 rating for tops in the key demographic. ABC was third with a 1.1 rating, followed by The CW’s 1.0 rating. FOX finished fifth with a 0.6 rating.
Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 8.56 million viewers to go with a 5.4 rating/10 share. NBC was second with a 4.3/8 and 6.55 million viewers. ABC’s 2.6/5 and 3.85 million viewers finished third, beating FOX’s 1.5/3 and 2.34 million viewers and the 1.4/2 and 2.23 million viewers for The CW.
8 p.m. – CBS swept the primetime hours overall, starting at 8 p.m. with the 8.58 million viewers for a new “The Defenders,” which also won the hour among adults 18-49 with a 1.5 rating, boosted either by lack of competition or guest star Kathy Griffin. NBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?” averaged 6.13 million viewers and a 1.2 demo rating for third. ABC was third overall with the 3.3 million viewers for “Supernanny,’ which came in fourth in the key demographic. The CW’s “Smallville” averaged 2.239 million viewers for fourth overall and a 1.0 rating to come in third for the hour in the key demo. FOX’s NAACP Image Awards coverage was fifth overall with 2.236 million viewers and fifth in the demo.
9 p.m. – A repeat of “CSI: NY” kept CBS in first overall with 8.67 million viewers, coming in second in the key demo. NBC’s “Dateline” was second overall with 6.26 million viewers and won the demo with a 1.5 rating. ABC was third with 3.47 million viewers for “Primetime: What Would You Do?” FOX’s NAACP Image Awards broadcast improved to 2.44 million viewers to take fourth overall, though its 0.6 demo rating stayed fifth. “Supernatural” gave The CW 2.23 million viewers for fifth overall and a 1.0 demo for fourth.
10 p.m. – CBS stayed first overall in the 10 p.m. hour with 8.44 million viewers for a repeat of “Blue Bloods.” NBC’s “Dateline” was second overall with 7.265 million viewers for “Dateline,” which averaged a 2.1 rating in the key demo, the night’s best. ABC was third with the 4.75 million viewers for “20/20.”
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.