'The Office' Finale Is Highest-Rated Scripted Series of the Night

10:55 AM PDT 5/20/2011 by Marisa Guthrie

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Many other season finales, including ABC’s "Grey’s Anatomy" and "Private Practice" and CBS’ "Big Bang Theory" and "The Mentalist," hit new lows thanks to competition from "American Idol."

NBC

The one-hour season finale of NBC’s The Office was the top-rated scripted program of the night jumping 12 percent compared to last year’s finale and out-rating finales on CBS, ABC and Fox.

The Office averaged a 3.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 7.0 million viewers to win the 9 p.m. hour against ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (3.4, 9.5 million), which plummeted 37 percent compared to last year’s finale, and Fox’s Bones (3.2, 10.0 million), which was up 14 percent for its highest-rated finale in three years.

Fox easily won the night with American Idol (6.2, 21.1 million), averaging a 4.7 rating with 15.6 million viewers overall. CBS was second (2.8, 12.4 million). But Big Bang Theory (3.5, 11.1 million) was down 34 percent compared to last year’s finale. And

Rules of Engagement (2.5, 8.7 million) and The Mentalist (2.4, 12.6 million) also dropped double-digits for their lowest-rated finales ever, although The Mentalist easily won the 10 p.m. hour.

ABC averaged a 2.5 rating for the night with 7.5 million viewers overall. And with Grey’s down double-digits, lead-out Private Practice (2.5, 7.4 million) also hit a finale nadir.

NBC averaged a 2.4 rating with 4.6 million viewers overall, with the 10:30 p.m. season ender of Parks and Recreation (2.0, 3.7 million) down 9 percent compared to last year’s finale, which aired at 8:30 p.m.