TV ratings: ‘Resurrection’ season finale up slightly as ABC wins

The first season finale of the freshman drama “Resurrection” came to a close Sunday, helping ABC score a nightly victory in the ratings.

According to early numbers from Nielsen, nearly 7.9 million viewers overall tuned in to see the season closer for the series about residents of Arcadia, Mo., whose dead loved ones return. Among key 18- to 49-year-olds, for whom advertisers pay a premium, the episode scored a rating of 2.0, up 5% from last week.

ABC has not announced whether the show will be renewed, but the series has been generally solid for the network and started out particularly strong. Based on Nielsen’s most up-to-date data counting delayed viewing, “Resurrection’s” first season performed 85% better in 18-49 than ABC’s comparable weeks in the Sunday 9 p.m. time slot last season.

ABC beat its broadcast rivals in 18-49 -- in which a ratings point equals roughly 1.3 million viewers -- by averaging a 1.7 in prime time. “Once Upon a Time” was down slightly to a 2.0 compared with last week, while “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Revenge” were flat at 1.6 and 1.3, respectively.

CBS was the most-watched network overall, drawing about 9 million. In 18-49, “Amazing Race” (1.7) was down 11%, “The Good Wife” (1.2) was down 8% and “The Mentalist” (1.2) held steady.

The night’s biggest week-to-week increase went to Fox’s animated stalwart “The Simpsons,” in which the entire town of Springfield was elaborately turned into Legos. The episode earned a 1.9 in 18-49, up 19% from last week. “Family Guy” was Sunday’s top broadcast show in 18-49, notching a 2.2, and “Cosmos” rose 14% to a 1.6.

NBC was mostly steady, as “Dateline,” “Believe” and “Crisis” were all flat with a 1.0 each, but “American Dream Builders” fell 17% to a new low of 0.5.