(Editor's note: Updates with newer numbers from NBC.)
Steve Carell's swan song from "The Office" Thursday night brought improved numbers for NBC as people tuned in to bid farewell to Michael Scott, according to preliminary numbers.
The special, 50-minute farewell episode had a 4.2 rating/11 share in the adults 18-49 demographic and 8.4 million total viewers -- an improvement over the previous week's 3.3/9, and the highest ratings for the series since January 20.
NBC's evening began with "Community" at 8, which garnered a 1.4/4 in the demo and 3.3 million total viewers. An "Office" repeat at 8:30 had a 1.4/4 in the demo and 3.1 million total viewers. Following the "Office" farewell episode, "Parks and Recreation," which aired slightly before 10, took a 2.3/6 in the demo and 4.7 million total viewers, while "30 Rock" at 10:30 had a 1.9 5 in the demo and 3.9 million total viewers.
Quite expectedly, the results episode of "American Idol" at 8 -- which had its own farewell, in the form of Casey Abrams' elimination -- grabbed the top numbers of the evening, with a 5.5/16 in the demo and 19 million total viewers. "Bones" the following hour drew a 2.8/7 in the demo and 9.8 million total viewers.
ABC's roster kicked off with the special "The Royal Wedding: A Modern Fairy Tale" at 8, which took a 1.3/4 in the demo and 6.9 million total viewers, while "Grey's Anatomy" the following hour received a 3.5/9 in the demo and 10.3 million total viewers, and "Private Practice" at 10 garnered a 2.2/6 in the demo and 6.6 million total viewers.
CBS aired "The Big Bang Theory" at 8, which drew a 3.2 in the demo and 10.4 million total viewers. "Rules of Engagement" at 8:30 received a 2.3/6 in the demo and 7.7 million total viewers. "CSI" at 9 had a 2.3/6 in the demo and 10.5 million total viewers, while "The Mentalist" wrapped the evening up the following hour with a 2.6/7 in the demo and 13.2 million total viewers.
