Wednesday night was the last night of the 2012-2013 television season and the networks can finally close the book on a mixed season. ABC’s Modern Family hit a record finale low for the series, while the finales for NBC’s Law & Order: SVU and CBS’ Criminal Minds were also down from the previous year. Fox’s Masterchef also debuted, but lower as well.
CBS finished in first place in viewers, drawing 9 million viewers and a 2.2 18-49 rating, notes The Wrap. After reruns at 8 p.m., Criminal Minds closed its year with 10.8 million viewers and a 2.7 18-49 rating. That’s a 25 percent drop from last year, which was also a two-hour finale. The show was the most-watched program of the night.
ABC also scored a 2.2 18-49 rating, but its night of finales only had 6.9 million viewers. The Middle had 7.5 million viewers and a 2.0 18-49 rating, the same as last year’s. Modern Family closed its season with 9.9 million viewers and a 3.6 18-49 rating. According to Deadline, not only was that down from last week, but it was also down 12 percent from last year’s finale. The already cancelled How To Live With Your Parents had 6.3 million viewers and a 2.2 18-4 9 rating, while the Nashville finale had 6.1 million viewers and a 1.9 18-49 rating. Both shows were up from last week.
NBC averaged a 1.6 18-49 rating and 6.3 million viewers, notes HitFix. A Dateline episode scored 6.19 million viewers and a 1.4 18-49 rating, while Law & Order: SVU had 6.68 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, the worst finale in that show’s long history. Chicago Fire finished its first season with 6.17 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating.
Fox’s Masterchef premiere had 5.24 million viewers and a 2.1 18-49 rating. The first episode that aired had a 2.0 18-49 rating, a 13 percent drop from last season’s debut.
The CW’s airing of Love Happens had 1.12 million viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating.
image: ABC