SNL Delivers Top-Rated Season Finale In Five Years

The 35^th season finale of "Saturday Night Live" has delivered the show's highest metered-market household rating for a season-ender in five years, according to "live plus same day" in-home viewing figures from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research.

With a telecast hosted by Alec Baldwin and featuring musical guest Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 5.8 household rating, 14 share in the metered markets.  That's the highest for An "SNL" season finale since May 21, 2005 with a telecast hosted by Lindsay Lohan (6.2/15).

Versus its 2009 finale, "Saturday Night Live" is up 7 percent in metered-market households (5.8 vs. 5.4).

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, the May 15 edition of "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 3.4 rating, 15 share in adults 18-49, up 3 percent versus the 3.3 for last year's season-ender.

 "Saturday Night Live" was the #1 telecast of the night, topping all primetime programs on all major networks in metered-market results.  In adults 18-49, "SNL" doubled the #1 telecast in primetime, Fox's "Cops 2" (1.7/7 in the 25 local people meter markets).

"Saturday Night Live" has also been a hit this season online.  Season to date on NBC.com, the show has delivered the most short-form video views among NBC programs (42.3 million total streams, comprising 36.9 percent of total clip streams).  "Saturday Night Live" was also #1 in widget views with 15 million streams (40.7 percent of total widget streams).

National ratings, including viewer totals, for last night's "Saturday Night Live" are due from Nielsen on Thursday, May 20.