Ratings: ABC makes right move with ‘Shark Tank,’ ‘Last Man Standing’ lineup

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why all of us should never really tell network executives how exactly to do their jobs. Back when we first heard that “Shark Tank” was going to be moving to 9:00 p.m. Eastern, we blasted it as a silly move that really could destroy what little momentum that the show had going for it. However, it now looks like ABC knew what they were doing all along.

With this move, Friday night’s new episode scored a series-high 2.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic, which is the largest number we can remember for a regularly-scheduled show airing on this typically-dead night of the week. This night also saw strong premieres for both “Last Man Standing” (1.9) and “Malibu Country” (2.1), which may serve as some proof that TGIF as a lineup is not necessarily dead, after all. ABC clobbered the competition, and these shows were leading the way.

The good news did extend beyond ABC, as many people (especially in the Northeast) may have stayed home rather than deal with the devastation outside brought on by Hurricane Sandy. The NBC telethon for the event posted a solid 1.5 rating, and this seemed to help “Grimm” post a strong 1.8 even against “Shark Tank.” Even The CW saw a rise with “Nikita,” which earned a series-high 0.4 (even if this is still pretty low by any standard).

For those curious, “Fringe” held at around a 1.0 for its new episode Friday, and CBS’ launch of “Undercover Boss” scored a decent, but far from great, 1.5 rating at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Why do you think we saw so many big numbers Friday night? Be sure to share your thoughts below!