TV Rating: ‘Talent’ Hits Highs, ‘Better Late Than Never’ Finishes Robust Run

September 14, 2016 9:50am PT by Michael O'Connell

NBC

NBC dominates the final Tuesday of summer.

Summer's final Tuesday belonged to particularly strong NBC, which saw America's Got Talent approach highs with part one of the finale and Better Late Than Never wrap its impressive run with the slightest of upticks.

America's Got Talent, posting its most-watched episode in five years with 13.7 million viewers, rose to a 2.7 rating among adults 18-49. That number is about as good as it gets in terms of summer programming, helping finish an especially strong season for the veteran reality franchise. Whether it was the addition of Simon Cowell, or the lack of plentiful broadcast alternatives, Talent topped the summer.

Better Late Than Never, which held a 1.6 rating among adults 18-49 for its entire run, popped slightly in the finale. It nabbed a 1.7 rating in the key demo.

CBS offered the night's only original counter-programming — a steady episode of Big Brother. It brought a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49.