Without playoffs, SmackDown was easily the top rated show on television

WWE caught a bit of a break on May 26, as neither of the remaining NBA and NHL Playoff series had games scheduled last Friday night. It was also the final show before a premium live event, Saturday’s Night of Champions from Saudi Arabia.

Those bits of good news were counter-balanced by the episode being pre-taped (so everyone could be in the Middle East for the May 27 event), and by it being the start of a long holiday weekend back in the United States.

What did it mean for the television numbers? Not much, as the latest SmackDown did numbers very similar to what the show had done the week before. Last Friday’s overall audience of 2,158,000 was a few tens of thousands better than the week prior. The .52 rating among 18-49 year olds was slightly less. It was easily the highest rated show on television (the Univision telenovella El Amor Invencible was a distant second with .34 in the demo). Ho hum.

Here’s a rundown of the past year’s worth of SmackDown’s numbers:

• May 27 – 1.88 / .43
• June 3 – 1.94 / .47
• June 10 – 1.91 / .44
• June 17 – 2.29 / .57
• June 24 – 2.23 / .53
• July 1 – 2.14 / .49
• July 8 – 2.13 / .47
• July 15 – 2.08 / .47
• July 22 – 2.26 / .62
• July 29 – 2.19 / .52
• Aug. 5 – 2.09 / .49
• Aug. 12 – 1.93 / .44
• Aug. 19 – 2.08 / .47
• Aug. 26 – 1.99 / .48
• Sept. 2 – 2.08 / .49
• Sept. 9 – 2.37 / .57
• Sept. 16 – 2.21 / .50
• Sept. 23 – 2.54 / .63
• Sept. 30 – 2.21 / .54
• Oct. 7 – 2.24 / .54
• Oct. 14 – 2.27 / .54
• Oct. 21 – 2.23 / .52
• Oct. 28* – 835K / .23
• Nov. 4 – 2.14 million / .48
• Nov. 11 – 2.26 / .58
• Nov. 18 – 2.23 / .56
• Nov. 25 – 2.17 / .54
• Dec. 2* – 902K / .25
• Dec. 9 – 2.31 million / .57
• Dec. 16 – 2.19 / .52
• Dec. 23 – 2.38 / .55
• Dec. 30 – 2.63 / .64
• Jan. 6 – 2.26 / .53
• Jan. 13 – 2.33 / .55
• Jan. 20 – 2.26 / .55
• Jan. 27 – 2.54 / .67
• Feb. 3 – 2.38 / .61
• Feb. 10 – 2.47 / .64
• Feb. 17 – 2.38 / .58
• Feb. 24 – 2.41 / .62
• Mar. 3 – 2.45 / .59
• Mar. 10 – 2.32 / .63
• Mar. 17 – 2.26 / .59
• Mar. 24 – 2.22 / .58
• Mar. 31 – 2.49 / .69
• April 7 – 2.47 / .69
• April 14 – 2.27 / .58
• April 21 – 2.18 / .54
• April 28 – 2.47 / .67
• May 5 – 2.06 / .52
• May 12 – 2.15 / .56
• May 19 – 2.13 / .53
• May 26 – 2.16 / .52

* Aired on FS1

For complete results and this week’s SmackDown live blog click here. To read a recap & review of the night’s events click here. For video highlights of the show click here.

Numbers via Showbuzz Daily