Ratings: ‘America’s Got Talent’ finale surges; ‘Better Late Than Never’ rises

This season has proven to be a revelation for “America’s Got Talent” throughout when it comes to the ratings, and we’re certainly getting some further evidence of that at the moment thanks to the latest viewing figures from NBC.

With a 2.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, the talent competition scored its best demo total of the season, and with a whopping 13.7 million viewers watching, it had its best total audience in five years. The presence of Simon Cowell on the panel certainly helped the show out this year, but we also think the level of talent and the fun overall atmosphere help with that. This is a show that has found a spot as an institution, and we even feel like people are more willing to celebrate it now than they ever were before.

Elsewhere on the network, the news was also great for “Better Late Than Never.” The finale for the first season drew a 1.7 rating in the preliminary numbers, which would be a series high if it stays that way in the finals. To us, it’s a no-brainer that the series comes back with this sort of performance; we imagine that the real question now revolves around simply getting all of the cast to come back and be game to try another adventure in some various parts of the world. This felt funny but never forced, which is why it probably appealed to so many people out there.

With tonight marking the premieres of both “Blindspot” and “American Horror Story,” we imagine that we’re going to have a lot more to discuss in terms of ratings soon — but it probably won’t be until Monday when things start to get truly crazy.