TV ratings: Michael Phelps and Gabby Douglas power another Olympics win for NBC

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012

The second Michael Phelps-Ryan Lochte battle of the Olympics and Gabby Douglas' gold medal in the women's gymnastics all-around gave NBC more huge ratings Thursday night. The broadcast was up by about 5 million viewers and a point and a half in the adults 18-49 demographic from the previous night.

The Olympics scored 35.7 million viewers and a 20.4 rating/33 share in households in primetime, peaking in the 10 o'clock hour with more than 43 million viewers. CBS led the rest of the pack with 4.8 million viewers and a 3.1/5, followed by ABC (3.1 million, 1.8/3). FOX drew 1.6 million viewers and a 1.1/2, and The CW trailed with a little under 600,000 viewers and a 0.4/1.

NBC delivered an 11.2 rating among adults 18-49, up from 9.7 on Wednesday. CBS posted a 1.4 in the demo, followed by ABC, 1.4; FOX, 0.6; and The CW, 0.2.

Thursday hour by hour:

8 p.m.

NBC: Summer Olympics (27.4 million viewers, 16.2/28 households)
CBS: "The Big Bang Theory" rerun (5.5 million, 3.7/7)/"Two and a Half Men" rerun (4.8 million, 3.2/5)
ABC: "Wipeout" rerun (3.4 million, 2.0/3)
FOX: "Raising Hope" reruns - two episodes (1.8 million, 1.2/2)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" rerun (712,000, 0.5/1)

18-49 leader: Summer Olympics (7.9)

9 p.m.

NBC: Summer Olympics (36.4 million, 20.7/33)
CBS: "Big Brother" (5.4 million, 3.3/5)
ABC: "Wipeout" (3.8 million, 2.1/3)
FOX: "Glee" rerun (1.4 million, 1.0/2)
The CW: "The L.A. Complex" rerun (455,000, 0.3/0)

18-49 leader: Summer Olympics (11.2)

10 p.m.

NBC: Summer Olympics (43.2 million, 24.4/39)
CBS: "Person of Interest" rerun (3.8 million, 2.5/4)
ABC: "Rookie Blue" rerun (2 million, 1.4/2)

18-49 leader: Summer Olympics (14.4)

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

More ratings at Zap2it: Daily, weekly and cable