Early Sweeps: Big Shows Register Low Numbers

ABC's Grey's AnatomyLooking at the way networks fought tooth and nail on the first night of the May sweeps, broadcast networks still care about the big rating period.

With just one time period in repeat on the night -- an early-evening ABC "Grey's Anatomy" -- all the networks came to play. ABC earned the win with a Nielsen preliminary 3.3 rating/9 share among 18-49 viewers.

But every network showcased hit shows --"Grey's Anatomy," "Survivor: Tocantins" and "CSI" -- yet they either matched or had their lowest 18-49 numbers ever. News shows also bit the bullet, as NBC's "Parks and Recreation" and "Southland" and CBS' "Harper's Island" all moved to lower viewership totals.

Looking at the key 9 p.m. hour, the best-rated show of the night was an original "Grey's" with a 4.9/12. NBC's "The Office" was in second place at 3.7/10. CBS' "CSI" earned a 3.6/9. Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" was at a 3.0/8. At 9:30 p.m., NBC's "30 Rock" pulled in a 3.1/8.

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Earlier in the night, at 8 p.m. "Survivor" won with a 3.6/11. NBC's "Parks" came in at a 2.3/7 for its half-hour episode. Fox's "Bones" was also lower this Thursday, sitting at a 2.1/7.

ABC took care of the 10 p.m. hour as well -- winning with an original episode of "Private Practice" earning a 3.6/10. Down the list during that time period was "Southland" at a 2.5/7 and "Harper's Island" at a 2.2/6. Univision's new show "Mujeres Asesinas" may have had something to do with these lower totals, earning a respectable 1.6/5.

CW pulled in its usual rating performance with "Smallville" and "Supernatural" reaching a 1.3/5 and a 1.2/3 among 18-49 viewers, and a 1.3/5 and 1.2/3 among its more core 18-34 viewers.

CBS ended the night two ticks behind ABC at a 3.1/9 among the big 18-49 demographic. NBC was next at a 2.7/8. Fox was right behind NBC at a 2.6/7. Univision earned a 1.6/4 and CW finished with a 1.2/3.

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