The series finale of NBC's "30 Rock" on Thursday gave the show a ratings boost on its way out the door, while CBS won the night overall with a slate that included the top-rated "The Big Bang Theory," according to preliminary numbers.
"30 Rock," airing at 8 p.m., posted a 1.9 rating/5 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic -- up 36 percent from last week's episode and last season's finale in May 2012, which both drew a 1.4/4. Thursday's finale posted the show's best ratings since March 2012.
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The "30 Rock" finale also drew 4.8 million total viewers, its largest audience since January 2011.
Even so, the night belonged to CBS, which took first place in ratings with a 3.4/9 and in total viewers with 14 million. "The Big Band Theory" at 8 took the night's best numbers in ratings and total viewers with a 5.3/15 and 17.5 million, while "Two and a Half Men" at 8:30 took second place in ratings and total viewers with a 3.9/11 and 13.7 million. "Person of Interest" at 9 posted a 3.2/9 and 15.6 million total viewers, and "Elementary" the following hour posted a 2.2/6 with 10.8 million total viewers.
Fox took second place in ratings and total viewers with a 3.3/9 and 9.6 million. "American Idol" dipped 12 percent from last Thursday -- when it faced less original competition from the rival networks -- and had 13.7 million total viewers, while "Glee" the following hour dropped off 19 percent from last week with a 2.1/6 and had 5.5 million total viewers.
ABC came in third in ratings and total viewers with a 2.2/6 and 7.2 million. After a "Shark Tank" repeat at 8, "Grey's Anatomy" the following hour ticked down 7 percent to a 2.8/7, tying a series low, and had 8.8 million total viewers. "Scandal" at 10 inched up to a 2.7/8 and had 8 million total viewers.
NBC tied Univision for fourth place in ratings with a 1.6/4 and edged Univision out of fourth in total viewers with 4.1 million, compared to Univision's 4 million. After the "30 Rock" finale, "The Office" at 9 inched up 5 percent from last week for a 2.1/5 and took 4.4 million total viewers, while a special airing of "The Office" at 9:30 posted a 1.9/5, tying a series low, and had 4 million total viewers. The network's new drama "Do No Harm" got off to a rough start with its series premiere, drawing a 0.9/5 -- down 55 percent from last March's premiere of the network's short-lived "Awake" -- and took 3.1 million total viewers.