ABC’s ‘Scandal’ surges to record finale

“Scandal’s” hot season wrapped up with a strong finale last night.

The third-season ender of the ABC drama posted the show’s best-ever finale, averaging a 3.4 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen.

That was up 6 percent over last year’s finale and 13 percent over the previous week’s rating.

“Scandal” was the night’s highest-rated show with CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory,” usual Thursday’s No. 1 program, a repeat.

ABC won the night despite airing a repeat at 8 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy” won its 9 p.m. timeslot with a 2.5, down a tenth from last week.

Elsewhere last night, Fox’s “American Idol” perked up from last week, growing 12 percent at 9 p.m. to a 1.9.

Several shows aired season finales last night. CBS’s “The Crazy Ones” aired back-to-back episodes, the second a season ender, and posted a 1.6 and a 1.3, the latter a series low.

The show was hurt by no lead-in support, with repeats airing at 8 p.m., but it certainly doesn’t help its argument for renewal.

NBC’s “Community” (1.0) also aired its season finale, up 11 percent from last week but off 23 percent from last year’s season ender.

And the network’s “Parenthood” also wrapped up its season with a week-to-week surge, posting a 1.3, though it, too, was off from last year (1.8).

ABC was first for the night among 18-49s with a 2.2 average overnight rating and a 7 share. CBS and Fox tied for second at 1.6/5, NBC and Univision tied for fourth at 1.0/3, CW was sixth at 0.6/2 and Telemundo seventh at 0.4/1.

As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback, which includes shows replayed before 3 a.m. the night before. Seven-day DVR data won’t be available for several weeks. Forty-nine percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.

CBS began the night in first place with a 2.4 at 8 p.m. for reruns of “The Big Bang Theory,” followed by Fox with a 1.7 for “Hell’s Kitchen.” NBC and Univision tied for third at 0.9, NBC for “Community” (1.0) and “Parks and Recreation” (0.9) and Univision for “Por Siempre Mi Amor,” ABC was fifth with a 0.8 for a repeat of “Grey’s,” CW sixth with a 0.7 for “The Vampire Diaries” and Telemundo seventh with a 0.3 for “La Impostora.”

ABC took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 2.5 for a new “Grey’s,” while CBS and Fox tied for second at 1.5, CBS for “Crazy” and Fox for “Idol” (1.9) and “Surviving Jack” (1.0). Univision was fourth with a 1.2 for “Lo Que La Vida Me Robo,” NBC fifth with a 0.9 for a repeat of “Hollywood Game Night,” CW sixth with a 0.4 for “Reign” and Telemundo seventh with a 0.3 for “En Otra Piel.”

At 10 p.m. ABC increased its lead with a 3.4 for “Scandal,” with NBC second with a 1.3 for “Parenthood.” CBS and Univision tied for third at 1.0, CBS for a repeat of “NCIS” and Univision for “Que Pobres Tan Ricos,” and Telemundo was fifth with a 0.5 for “Camelia, La Texana.”

ABC was also first for the night among households with a 4.9 average overnight rating and an 8 share. CBS was second at 4.7/8, Fox third at 3.4/6, NBC fourth at 2.1/4, Univision fifth at 1.4/2, CW sixth at 1.0/2 and Telemundo seventh at 0.6/1.

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