The Sked: FRIDAY RATINGS January 13

ABC tied CBS for first place Friday night with a 1.6 rating from 8-11 pm, thanks to the series finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition from 8-10 pm (1.6 rating).  The finale started slowly at 8:00-8:30 with a second place 1.4 but built steadily to a first place 1.8 from 9:30-10:00.  Of course, these numbers pale in comparison to the show's heyday Sundays at 8 pm when it was the perfect lead-in to the instant hit Desperate Housewives.  The home rebuilding program regularly scored in the 6 and 7 demo rating range, with November 7, 2004 a particular highlight: Extreme Home special at 7 pm (4.5 rating), Extreme Home at 8 (8.5), Desperate Housewives (11.1) and Boston Legal (5.1).  Of course, TV shows often overstay their welcome, and it is kind of sad to see this one go out under a 2 rating on a Friday night.  But what a run it had for its fans and for main sponsor Sears.  20/20 rounded out the night with a close second place 1.7 at 10 pm.

CBS started slowly with the struggling A Gifted Man at 8 pm (third place 1.3 rating), but then it got back in the game from 9 pm on.  CSI New York (1.7) tied ABC for the 9-10 pm hour, while Blue Bloods (1.8) narrowly won the 10 pm hour.

FOX finished in third place with a 1.4 from 8-10 pm.  Kitchen Nightmares (1.7) won the 8 pm hour, but then the incredibly narrow Fringe sunk to a fourth place 1.1 at 9 pm.

NBC finished in fourth place with a 1.2 rating from 8-11 pm.  Chuck (talk about a show that has overstayed its welcome -- without ever being a hit) scored a 0.9 rating from 8-9 pm, a weak fourth place.  Grimm (1.4) moved the network into third place at 9 pm, and Dateline (1.3) kept NBC in third at 10 pm.  

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