Three grab 30-plus million viewers

In a positive sign for network television as its traditional season came to an end, three scripted series drew more than 30 million viewers last week, according to Nielsen Media Research.

“Everybody Loves Raymond” had its biggest audience ever for its May 16 finale. Just under 33 million people watched Ray Barone’s brief brush with death.

The two-hour season finale of television’s most popular scripted show, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” was watched by 30.7 million people last Thursday. The episode was directed by series fan Quentin Tarantino.

And ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” saw its season-ending cliffhanger reach 30.6 million people on Sunday night – the biggest audience for a season-ending episode by a freshman drama since “ER” a decade ago.

“ER,” still kicking, was seen by 18.8 million people last Thursday in star Noah Wyle’s swan song.

Helped by its “Housewives” lead-in, the newest hospital hit, ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” had a series-best performance with 22.2 million people watching on Sunday.

CBS dominated the week, averaging 14.1 million viewers (9.1 rating, 15 share). Fox had 10.2 million (6.3, 11), ABC 9.9 million (6.4, 11), NBC 8.8 million (6.0, 10), the WB 3.7 million and UPN 3.5 million (both 2.4, 4).

A ratings point represents 1,096,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation’s estimated 109.6 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.