TV Ratings: ‘MasterChef’ Cook Up Season High, ‘Marlon’ Finale Steady

There were no season premieres, no NFL and ABC and the CW didn’t have any original skin in the primetime game last night but things got hot on MasterChef (1.3/5)

The penultimate week of the Gordon Ramsay show’s eighth season saw the FOX series hit a season high among adults 18-49. Up a tenth from its previous high of the cycle last week, the 8 – 10 PM broadcast also saw a trimming of the contestants as things started to simmer for next week’s two part finale.

And that rise moved FOX up from last week’s second place to being dead even this week with NBC for the top demo spot of the night with both nets snagging a 1.3/5 rating. NBC was the most watched net with an audience of 6.15 million, topping second place CBS’ 4.37 million.

On the Comcast-owned net, America’s Got Talent (2.0/8) was the top show of the night in the key demo and among viewers with 11.31 million tuning in. Down a tenth from last week’s fast affiliates, the often mobile AGT is currently even with its adjusted final number for September 6.

Ending it’s first season without a renewal announcement, Marlon wrapped with a double shot at 9 PM (1.2/5) and the actual finale at 9:30 PM (1.0/4). On par with its season averages, the comedy is even in the first slot with last week’s comparable final numbers and down a tenth in the second slot. Both September 6 episodes of the Marlon Wayans led half hour were adjusted down a tenth from their early numbers.

NBC ended its night with a Wednesday airing of Midnight, Texas (0.7/3) that was the same as the season finale of Hollywood Game Night in the same slot last week.

Big Brother (1.8/7), the second highest rated and most watched (6.31 million) show of the night, is also even with last week’s ratings – in fast affiliates. As is common, and could happen this week, the CBS vet reality show was adjusted up a tenth in the final numbers.

At 9 PM, Salvation (0.5/2) was exactly the same as its September 6 show, which saw no change from its early numbers to the final numbers.