Tv Ratings, Reality Show | featured news

By John Consoli, The Wrap Reality shows were king last night over repeat scripted fare on the broadcast networks. Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" was in a virtual tie last night with NBC's "America's Got Talent" for the highest rated program of the night among adults 18-49 at a 2.8 each, but "Talent" clearly drew the most overall viewers, averaging 10 million compared to "Dance's" 7.3 million. "Dance" also won the night among adults 18-34 and teens.

Wednesday's finale of "American Idol" handily beat the ratings competition but the audience of 24.2 million was about 15% smaller than last year's.

For years "American Idol" has been known to its competitors by a moniker meant to express its popularity and immense ratings: "The Death Star."

"Dancing With the Stars" and series-high scores for sophomore drama "Castle" carried ABC to a rather easy primetime ratings victory Monday, a night when the top scripted programs on competing networks aired in repeats.

Shani Davis, Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White are the true American Idols. In a startling turnaround from the night before, the Olympics clobbered Fox's "American Idol" in the ratings Wednesday night. The Nielsen Co. said that during the one hour the two shows competed against one another, the Olympics were seen by 30.1 million people while 18.4 million watched "American Idol."

The finale of NBC's "The Sing Off" helped the network beat CBS' comedy repeats at 8 p.m., but CBS took control in the 9 p.m. hour and eventually carried the night.

“The Hills” may have sloped in the ratings after the departure of Lauren Conrad, but it has been picked up for a sixth season, Variety reported on Wednesday night.

CBS in tune with George Strait -- Fox won the Wednesday ratings race behind a solid effort of "So You Think You Can Dance."

The program was first among all networks in viewers.