Finally, 'Idol' ratings rebound

For its final performance episode of the season, Fox's "American Idol" demonstrated some year-to-year growth Tuesday night after weeks of record lows.

"Idol" (26.1 million viewers, 9.7 preliminary adults 18-49 rating and a 27 share) was up a wee 1% in the demo compared with last year, but is expected to climb a notch or two higher in the nationals. The show's total viewer number is also up slightly. The growth gives "Idol" its best news in weeks after taking a media drubbing for its ratings declines.

The "Idol" performance also helped propel Fox's "Hell’s Kitchen" (12.6 million, 5.6/14) to its highest rating ever.

The fall of "Idol" has received the most news headlines, but ABC's top-rated reality show "Dancing With the Stars" has also had a rough season. ABC came in second place for the evening with "Dancing" (19.1 million, 4.9/12) off 21% from last year. A repeat of Monday's performance show (8.9 million, 1.9/5) served as a lead in.

Third-place CBS had a two-hour "NCIS" finale (16.3 million, 3.4/9) which posted its best rating since November. At 10 p.m., the series finale "Shark" was higher than usual (10.5 million, 2.5/6) and placed second in the hour.

NBC, coming in fourth, aired repeats (averaging 4.5 million, 1.6/4). The CW aired the first season finale of "Reaper" (2.7 million 1.2/3), which was up slightly from last week but on par for the season.