Overnights
UPN's 'Top Model' in grand exit strut
By Diego Vasquez
Dec 7, 2005 - 5:48:00 PM

Last night’s season finale of “America’s Next Top Model” wasn’t great for runner-up Nik Rhodesea, but it was pretty good for winner Nicole Linkletter, host Tyra Banks and UPN.
 
Last night’s finale earned a 3.6 average overnight rating among viewers 18-34, UPN’s target demo, its highest rating of the season and a 24 percent boost over the 2.9 overnight rating the show had averaged so far this season.
 
The show finished first in its 8 p.m. timeslot among 18-34s, and was also a competitive second place among 18-49s, with its 2.9 rating falling just short of the 3.2 ABC averaged during the hour with “George Lopez” and “Freddie.”
 
If “Top Model’s” 3.6 rating among 18-34s holds, it would make it the highest-rated finale the show has had since it moved to the Wednesday 8 p.m. timeslot in 2004. Last spring, season four’s finale earned a 3.4 final rating among 18-34s, and last winter season three’s finale posted a 3.5.
 
The “Top Model” finale finished third in its timeslot among total viewers, averaging 6.3 million.

Some of this season’s success can be traced to the popularity of host Tyra Banks’ new syndicated talk show, which has helped build buzz for both Tyra and “Top Model.” Banks also got additional exposure on Tuesday’s “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” on CBS.
 
Meanwhile, in other ratings last night, the two-hour finish of the “Pope John Paul II” miniseries averaged just a 1.4 overnight rating among viewers 18-49, including a 1.3 during the 8 p.m. slot, dropping CBS to last among the six broadcast networks that hour.
 
On the strength of a “Lost” rerun, ABC finished first for the night among 18-49s with a 3.3 average rating and a 9 share. Fox was second at 3.1/8, NBC third at 2.1/8, UPN fourth at 2.1/6, CBS fifth at 2.0/5 and the WB sixth at 1.2/3.
 
ABC led the 8 p.m. hour among 18-49s with a 3.2 average overnight rating for “George Lopez” (3.0) and “Freddie” (3.3). UPN was second with its 2.9 for the “Top Model” finale and Fox third with a 2.8 average for “That ‘70s Show” (3.3) and “Stacked” (2.3).
 
At 9 p.m., ABC led again with a 4.1 average for its repeat of “Lost,” the highest-rated show of the night in the demo. Fox was second with a 3.3 for “Trading Spouses” and NBC third with a 2.5 for “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart.”
 
NBC took the lead during the 10 p.m. hour with a 3.7 average for “Law & Order.” CBS was second that hour with a 3.2 for a repeat of “CSI: NY” and ABC third with a 2.6 for an original “Alias,” airing in place of the usual “Invasion.”
 
Among households, NBC took the night with a 6.4 average rating and a 10 share. ABC was second at 5.5/9, CBS third at 5.1/8, Fox fourth at 4.2/6, UPN fifth at 3.3/5 and the WB sixth at 1.8/3.