Joey and the ratings: The Season Finale

[Brian Damage]

Thirteen days before the final night of the 2004-2005 television season, Joey winded up its first season on Thursday night with a one-hour season finale. The program actually consisted of two separate episodes combined into one after President Bush's press conference two weeks ago pushed back NBC's schedule. The good news for the freshman spin-off is that it managed to increase its audience for the first time since February. However, the numbers remain far below NBC's expectations heading into the season. The twenty-third and twenty-fourth episodes of Joey pulled a 5.9 rating and a 10 share, up noticeably from a 5.2/9 last week. Still, a timeslot change may be likely for Joey and fellow Thursday night sitcom Will & Grace next season, and if the ratings do not improve, cancellation could be in its future. With an estimate of just 8.44 million viewers, Joey ranked a distant second in its timeslot behind Survivor: Palau and sixth overall for the night, as shown by the preliminary ratings.

1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: 16.0/25

2. Without a Trace: 12.2/20

3. Survivor: Palau: 11.6/19

4. ER: 11.5/19

5. The Apprentice 3: 9.7/15

6. Joey: 5.9/10

Though NBC showed marked improvement, CBS again won Thursday night with ease, averaging a 13.3/21 that dominated NBC's second-place 9.0/14. Joey fell out of the season-to-date top twenty in January, having failed to crack the weekly top twenty even once since its sixth week on the air. American Idol and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation have a stranglehold on the top spots, while Joey ranks as the number-four sitcom behind Everybody Loves Raymond, Two and a Half Men, and Will & Grace. Check the charts below for updated ratings as they are released. Final viewers and rank are updated every Wednesday (six days after the episode aired), while final rating and share are updated the following Friday (eight days after the episode aired). Joey Ratings Presented by Dan will return for Joey's second-season premiere in September.