Primetime Ratings: Phelps' Record-Breaking Night is NBC's Best for Games

On a night where American swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian ever, NBC's coverage of Tuesday's events gave the network its best rating of the Games, scoring an overall 12.2 rating/33 share from 8-11 p.m. in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen overnight numbers. The coverage, which ran until 11:43 p.m., averaged 38.7 million viewers and drew a national rating of 21.8, both of which outpaced Monday's coverage by 22% and 21% respectively.

ABC, which finished with an overall 0.6/2, saw NY Med fall 45% to a series-low 0.6.

The CW aired a new L.A. Complex, which was even at 0.2. The network finished with a 0.2/1.

CBS (1.0/3) and Fox (0.9/3) aired repeats.