NEW YORK -- NBC not only won the prime time ratings race last week, but its 'Incredible Hulk' battered two big docudramas on the rival networks and 'Unsolved Mysteries' also finished in the top 10, it was reported Tuesday.
For NBC, the best news was 'Unsolved Mysteries'' ninth place finish, since the show is scheduled to become a regular on NBC's 1988-89 TV season schedule. Last week's 'Mysteries' aired on Wednesday at 9 p.m. When it becomes part of the NBC lineup it will be on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
'The most significant number of the entire week was the one for 'Unsolved Mysteries' -- it bodes well for the fall,' said Brandon Tartikoff, president of NBC Entertainment.
The big surprise of the week was that 'The Incredible Hulk Returns' was the big Sunday night winner, stomping all over the sensational 'Baby M' on ABC and the heartbreaking 'MyFather, My Son' on CBS. 'Hulk' finished in fourth place, while 'Baby M' was 17th and 'My Father, My Son' was 21st.
In the field of theatrical movies, apparently Glenn Close is a bigger draw than Sylvester Stallone. Close, in 'Jagged Edge' on NBC, was in 15th place -- a good showing for a theatrical -- while Stallone in 'Rambo, First Blood,' also NBC, was in 27th.
The news for CBS was not promising -- its 10.7 rating was the lowest of the 1987-88 season, and the 'CBS Evening News' with Dan Rather again played second fiddle to ABC's 'World News Tonight' with Peter Jennings. The second part of the CBS miniseries, 'Shadow On The Sun,' was 58th on a list of 64 shows.
For the week ending May 22, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., NBC won with a 15.3 rating and a 27 share. ABC was second with an 11.6 rating and a 20 share, while CBS again was in third with an 10.7 rating and a 19 share.
NBC has the May sweeps sewed up with Nielsen giving the network a 15.0 rating and a 26 share. CBS held onto second with a 12.0 rating and a 21 share and ABC brought up the rear with an 11.4 rating and 20 share.
Among the evening news shows, ABC's 'World News Tonight' with Peter Jennings won for the fourth straight week and the eighth time this season with a 9.5 rating and a 20 share. The 'CBS Evening News' with Dan Rather came in second with a 9.2 rating and a 19 share. 'NBC Nightly News' with Tom Brokaw was third with an 8.8 rating and a 19 share.
Each ratings point represents about 887,000 households and a share is the percentage of TV sets tuned to a particular show.
The top 10 prime time shows for the week ending May 22, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., were:
1. (tie) The Cosby Show (NBC)
A Different World (NBC)
3. Cheers (NBC)
4. Incredible Hulk Returns (NBC)
5. Night Court (NBC)
6. Bob Hope's Birthday (NBC)
7. Golden Girls (NBC)
8. 60 Minutes (CBS)
9. Unsolved Mysteries (NBC)
10.
