Primetime Ratings: ‘Scandal’ Posts Best Finale Numbers

The season finale of ABC’s Scandal drew a 3.4 rating among adults 18-49 Thursday night, making it the highest rated finale in series history — up 6% from last year’s season two finale and up 13% from last week’s episode. Grey’s Anatomy led into Scandal with a 2.5, down one tenth from last week. ABC was the night’s top rated broadcaster with a 2.2 rating and a 7 share.

Fox tied CBS for second at 1.6 / 5. Hell’s Kitchen climbed 21% from last week to 1.7. American Idol was up one tenth at 1.9. Surviving Jack declined 17% to 1.0.

CBS aired mostly reruns, its only originals being back-to-back episodes of The Crazy Ones. The 9 p.m. episode, airing in the timeslot occupied in recent weeks by Two and a Half Men, drew a 1.6. the regular 9:30 p.m. broadcast drew a 1.3, down 24% from last week.

NBC came in fourth with a 1.0 / 3. The season finale of Community drew a 1.0—up one tenth from last week’s episode, but down 23% from last year’s season-four finale. Parks and Recreation declined one tenth to a series-low 0.9. Hollywood Game Night declined 18% from its most recent original April 3 to 0.9. The season finale of Parenthood, facing direct competition from Scandal, drew a 1.3, up 18% from last week but down 28% from last year’s season-four finale.

The CW averaged a 0.6 / 2. The Vampire Diaries was down one tenth from its most recent original March 27 to a series-low 0.7. Reign was even with last week at 0.4. In the network’s target 18-34 demo, The Vampire Diaries drew a 0.7 and Reign drew a 0.3.