Overnights
'Housewives' bounces back for finale
By Toni Fitzgerald
May 19, 2008 - 12:32:51 PM

ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” had one doozy of an ending, and rumors of the finale’s twist may have helped draw in viewers.

“Housewives’” two-hour ender averaged a 6.1 adults 18-49 rating last night, according to Nielsen overnights, up 11 percent from last week’s series low-tying 5.5 opposite the season finale of CBS’s “Survivor.”

“Housewives” did slip 15 percent from its finale last year, which averaged a 7.2, but that’s hardly a surprise. The show has hit several series lows since returning from the writers’ strike hiatus last month, just like many of broadcast’s other top programs.

Word of the shocking ending had leaked on to the web in recent weeks. Spoiler alert: Don’t read any further if you don’t want to know the twist.

The women of Wisteria Lane jumped five years into the future in the final two minutes, setting up an intriguing conceit for next season, seeing how all the women got to that point.

The comedy helped ABC to an easy No. 1 for the night with a 4.7 average overnight rating and a 13 share. CBS was second at 2.6/7, Fox third at 2.4/7, NBC fourth at 1.3/4, Univision fifth at 0.7/2 and CW sixth at 0.5/2.
 
At 7 p.m. ABC led with a 2.6 for the first hour of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” with CBS second with a 1.6 for “60 Minutes.” Fox was third with a 1.5 for repeats of “King of the Hill” and “The Simpsons,” NBC fourth with a 1.1 for “Dateline,” Univision fifth with a 0.7 for “Hora Pico” and “Familia P. Luche” and CW sixth with a 0.5 for a repeat of “America’s Next Top Model.”
 
ABC was first again at 8 p.m. with a 3.8 for another hour of “Home Edition,” while Fox jumped to second with a 2.7 average for “The Simpsons” (2.9) and “King of the Hill” (2.6). CBS was third with a 2.6 for the first of three hours of the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” NBC fourth with a 1.1 for an hour of “The Office” repeats, Univision fifth with a 0.6 for “Noche de Estrellas” and CW sixth with a 0.5 for “Everybody Hates Chris” (0.5) and “Aliens in America” (0.5).
 
At 9 p.m. ABC was first with a 6.0 for the first half of “Housewives,” followed by CBS with a 3.1 for the second hour of its awards show. Fox was third with a 2.9 for a repeat of “Family Guy” and a new “American Dad” (2.7), NBC fourth with a 1.5 for more “Office” repeats, Univision fifth with a 0.8 for another hour of “Noche” and CW sixth with a 0.6 for “The Game” (0.8) and a repeat of “Girlfriends.”
 
ABC completed the nightly sweep at 10 p.m. with a 6.3 for the second hour of “Housewives,” with CBS second with a 3.1 for the final hour of the awards show. NBC was third with a 1.5 for a repeat of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and Univision fourth with a 0.8 for “Retro P. Luche.”
 
ABC also finished first for the night among households, ending with an 8.4 average overnight rating and a 14 share. CBS was second at 7.3/12, Fox third at 3.1/5, NBC fourth at 2.5/4, Univision fifth at 1.0/2 and CW sixth at 0.9/2.