A Will & Grace retrospective and the show’s sendoff —along with the season finale of ER —put NBC on top Thursday night through all three entire prime time hours in the 18-49 demo according to Nielsen fast affiliate data.
The finale of W&G was essentially eye-to-eye for the hour with the season finale of CSI. The crime drama on CBS squeaked out an 8.2/20, while the final episode of the gay-themed comedy held on at an 8.1/20. The Peacock’s retrospective featuring Will, Grace, Jack and Karen even won the 8 p.m. hour with an average 5.1 rating and 16 share.
During the 8 hour, Fox was second with That 70s Show and a 4.3/13; CBS took third at a 3.7/11 for a repeat of CSI; and ABC’s American Inventor was fourth with a 1.7/5.
Following the winners in the 9 hour were Fox’s The O.C. which took third place at a 2.9/7 and ABC’s American Inventor finale results show in fourth place with a 2.4/6 average.
The 10 hour was a winner for NBC also with the season finale of ER taking in a 7.2/19; CBS was second with the season finale of Without a Trace at 6.0/16; and ABC was third with Primetime and a 2.3/6.
With an average 6.8 rating and 19 share, NBC was tops for the night; followed by CBS in second with a 5.9/16. Third place went to Fox with a 3.6/10; and fourth to ABC at a 2.1/6. The movie Drumline helped WB to fifth with a .9/2; narrowly beating UPN’s regular Thursday schedule in sixth with a .7/2.
