Primetime Ratings: CBS, ABC Split Win on Wednesday of Season Finales

'Criminal Minds,' 'The Middle,' 'Modern Family' end seasons down

By Lindsay Rubino -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/23/2013 11:57:48 AM

On the final night of the broadcast season, CBS and ABC split the win with both earning an overall 2.2 rating/7 share in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen overnight numbers. CBS, however, beat ABC in total viewers with nine million to ABC's 6.9 million.

Following repeats of Two and a Half Men and Mike & Molly, the two-hour season finale of CBS' Criminal Minds posted a 2.8, up 8% from last week but down 22% from last year's two-hour finale.

The fourth-season ender for ABC's The Middle grew a tenth from last week to a 2.0, which matched last year's season finale. Modern Family also ended its fourth season at a 3.6, down a tenth from last week and down 12% from last year for its lowest-rated season finale. Nashville finished out its freshman season with a 1.9, up 12% from last week. At 9:30 p.m., How to Live With Your Parents improved 10% to a 2.2.

Fox landed in a close third with a 2.1/7, airing the season premiere of MasterChef. The Gordon Ramsay cooking show was down 19% from last year's finale, which aired on a Monday.

NBC aired a pair of finales in Law & Order: SVU and Chicago Fire to earn an overall 1.6/5. SVU was up a tenth from last week to a 1.6, but its finale slipped 16% from last year's. Chicago Fire's first-season finale earned a 1.7, dropping 15% from last week and 11% from its series premiere. At 8 p.m., Dateline improved a tenth to a 1.4.

The CW aired the movie Love Happens for an overall 0.3/1.