TV ratings: 'So You Think You Can Dance' premiere up from last year

Fast National ratings for Thursday, May 26, 2011

The premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance" started the summer TV season with solid ratings Thursday, improving on last year's debut and carrying FOX to a win for the night.

FOX was the only network with original programming Thursday and led the night with 9.1 million viewers and a 5.1 rating/9 share in households. CBS (8.1 million, 5.1/9) finished second. There was a pretty sizable drop from CBS to third-place ABC (4.1 million, 2.6/4). NBC took fourth with 2.4 million viewers and a 1.5/3, while The CW drew a little under 1 million viewers and a 0.6/1.

FOX led the adults 18-49 demographic by a wider margin, scoring a 3.2 rating while no one else managed to get above the 2.0 mark. CBS came in second with a 1.7, and ABC, 1.0, edged out NBC, 0.9, for third. The CW scored a 0.3 in the demo.

Thursday hour by hour:

8 p.m.

FOX: "So You Think You Can Dance" season premiere (8.2 million viewers, 4.7/8 households)
CBS: "The Big Bang Theory" rerun (8.2 million, 5.1/9)/"Rules of Engagement" rerun (6.8 million, 4.2/7)
ABC: "Wipeout" rerun (5.1 million, 3.0/5)
NBC: "Community" rerun (2.8 million, 1.8/3)/"30 Rock" rerun (2.4 million, 1.6/3)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" rerun (977,000, 0.7/1)

18-49 leader: "So You Think You Can Dance" (2.8)

9 p.m.

FOX: "So You Think You Can Dance" season premiere (10 million, 5.5/9)
CBS: "CSI" rerun (7.7 million, 4.9/8)
ABC: "Rookie Blue" rerun (3.9 million, 2.5/4)
NBC: "The Office" rerun (2.8 million, 1.8/3)/"Parks and Recreation" rerun (2.25 million, 1.5/2)
The CW: "Nikita" rerun (934,000, 0.6/1)

18-49 leader: "So You Think You Can Dance" (3.6)

10 p.m.

CBS: "The Mentalist" rerun (9.1 million, 5.7/10)
ABC: "Rookie Blue" rerun (3.4 million, 2.2/4)
NBC: "30 Rock" rerun (2.3 million, 1.5/3)/"The Office" rerun (2.1 million, 1.4/2)

18-49 leader: "The Mentalist" (1.6)

Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company.

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