Competition from events like the NFL Draft and the NBA Playoffs never make for the best friends of broadcast television, but even given that reality, NBC has to be disappointed with the numbers for Steve Carell’s final episode of “The Office.”
Though an upward adjustment will come in the finals due to the fact that the final 8 minutes of the 9PM hour belonged to “Parks and Recreation,” that adjustment will not change the reality that Thursday’s “Office” was not viewed as a momentous episode by the show’s audience.
Fast national data for 9-10PM reveals that “The Office” garnered a 4.1 adults 18-49 rating with 8.13 million viewers. Barely above the ratings for Will Ferrell’s debut episode two weeks ago (which did, of course, face virtually no competition on broadcast), it would take a solid adjustment for this week’s number to top the season high. For the heavily-hyped departure of its star–and one of the most acclaimed television performers and characters of the last decade–that is a major disappointment.
“Parks & Recreation” will likely spike a bit when the finals include the 9:52-10PM performance, but with a 2.3 rating and 4.65 million viewers from 10-10:30, it is not providing any indication that it benefited from the special “Office” lead-in. “30 Rock” only garnered a 1.9 with 3.96 million at 10:30, while “Community” opened the 8PM half-hour at a 1.5 with 3.59 million.
