With a seventh season of one-time NBC hit “The Apprentice” still in question, the show finished season six with its best performance since January, though it still may not be enough to return.

“Apprentice” averaged a 3.2 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen overnights, scoring a rare win in its 10 p.m. timeslot, albeit against weak competition. ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters” was a repeat, and CBS aired a movie in place of usual timeslot occupant “Without a Trace.”

The show had its best 18-49 rating and total viewers average (7.9 million) since a few weeks after its January premiere, when it averaged a 3.4 in 18-49s and 8.1 million total viewers.

But whether that’s enough for the Donald Trump show to return next year remains to be seen. “Apprentice” finished stronger than several other on-the-fence shows have done recently, such as “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” or any of the network’s recent Monday 10 p.m. dramas. And it's still very upscale, which makes it desirable for advertisers.

Yet its season-to-date average rating of 3.0 was still below NBC’s season-to-date average rating of 3.2. And it was the show’s lowest-rated season by far, drawing fewer than half the viewers it had during its seasons one and two peak.

The show suffered from the usual loss of interest in a hot reality show, and was moved around the schedule several times in the last two years. It may have also been hurt by Trump’s ubiquitousness in the media, between his feud with Rosie O’Donnell, Miss USA troubles and other public dramas.

Producer Mark Burnett recently told The New York Post that if NBC does not want the show for a seventh year, he hopes to shop it to other networks. Trump said last year that NBC ordered a seventh season, but the network says no decision has been announced.

"I have no idea what NBC is going to do [with 'The Apprentice'] and I haven't heard a peep about it. They're still within their option time," Burnett told The Post.

ABC finished first among viewers 18-49 Sunday night, averaging a 3.8 average rating and a 10 share. Fox was second at 2.5/7, CBS third at 2.3/6, NBC fourth at 2.2/6, Univision fifth at 1.3/4 and CW sixth at 0.7/2.
 
ABC led the first three hours of the night, starting with a 2.5 rating at 7 p.m. for “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” CBS was second with a 1.8 for “60 Minutes,” Fox third with a 1.4 average for the unpromising season finale of “The War at Home” (1.2) and “King of the Hill” (1.5) and NBC fourth with a 1.1 for “Dateline.” Univision was fifth that hour with a 1.0 for “Hora Pico” and CW sixth with a 0.5 for a repeat of “7th Heaven.”
 
At 8 p.m. ABC led with a 3.9 for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” with Fox second with a 3.0 for an hour of “The Simpsons.” CBS was third with a 2.7 for “The Amazing Race,” NBC fourth with a 1.7 for “Dateline,” Univision fifth with a 1.1 for its first hour of “Bailando por la Boda de Mis Suenos” and CW sixth with a 0.9 for an original “7th Heaven.”
 
At 9 p.m. ABC led once more, this time with a 6.0 for “Desperate Housewives.” Fox followed with a 3.2 for an hour of “Family Guy” repeats, with NBC third with a 2.6 for “Deal or No Deal,” CBS fourth with a 2.0 for the first hour of the movie “Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness,” Univision fifth with a 1.6 for the second hour of “Bailando” and CW sixth with a 0.7 for a repeat of “America’s Next Top Model.”
 
NBC took the lead at 10 p.m. with a 3.2 for “Apprentice,” with ABC and CBS tied for second at 2.6, ABC for a repeat of “Brothers & Sisters” and CBS for the second half of its movie. That left Univision fourth with a 1.7 for the last hour of “Bailando.”
 
Among households, ABC led the night with a 6.6 average rating and an 11 share, edging CBS’s 6.5/11. NBC was third at 4.7/8, Fox fourth at 3.4/6, Univision fifth at 1.6/3 and CW sixth at 1.3/2.