The July 13 episode of Discovery's Deadliest Catch, which featured the final episode of Capt. Phil
Harris, was watched by 8.5 million viewers with 5.2 million of them in the 18-49
demographic, according to Nielsen.
Harris died last February after suffering a stroke
onboard the Time Bandit, the crab fishing vessel that is a home away from home
for the show's fishermen.
Cameras were rolling during Harris' stroke and the show
continued to document his treatment and eventual death from a pulmonary
embolism at the age of 53.
Last night's Deadliest
Catch now stands as the third most-watched telecast in Discovery history
after Walking with Dinosaurs and Walking the Mammoth.
The entire season of Deadliest
Catch, which bowed in April, is dedicated to Harris. And last night's
episode received much promotion, including an appearance by Josh Harris, Phil Harris'
son and shipmate, on NBC's Tonight Show
with Jay Leno.
The follow-up, After
The Catch: The Good Captain Phil, was watched by 6.8 million viewers. That
installment now ranks as the fifth highest-rated Discovery broadcast of all
time. Next week's post-Deadliest Catch
hour will also center on Harris.
Meanwhile, Fox's coverage of the MLB All Star Game sunk
to its lowest rating since the event has been telecast, managing a 7.5
household rating, for a dip of nearly 16% compared to last season's All Star
match-up. Last year's game, which was a close contest that also had President
Obama throwing out the first pitch, was the highest-rated All Star Game since
1999. The previous ratings low for the game was in 2005, with an 8.1 household
rating.
Fox still won the night on Tuesday with 11.6 million
viewers and a 3.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic for the primetime portion of
the game (8-11 p.m.). Last night's All Star game was also punctuated by
tributes for irascible Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who died July 13, and
the team's long-time public address announcer Bob Sheppard, who passed away
July 11.
