By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

TNA Impact - now "Impact Wrestling" - on Thursday, May 20 scored a 1.17 rating off a first hour 1.14 rating and second hour 1.20 rating.

Impact peaked in the fifth quarter-hour with a 1.30 rating to begin the second hour. Impact's low-point was a 1.11 rating in Q3. Based on the range, the average indicates Impact was closer to the low point than peak rating.

After the 1.30 rating in Q5, the second hour ratings went 1.18 in Q6 (Bischoff/Hardy vs. GenMe), 1.15 in Q7 (KO handicap match), and 1.18 in Q8 (Flair-Roode and quick Sting-Anderson ending) to conclude the show.

First Hour Break Down

Q1: Impact opened with a below-average 1.15 rating for the opening talking segment and show-opening brawl between Fortune/X Division wrestlers and Immortal that went the full quarter-hour. It's part of a recent pattern where the audience is slipping at the beginning of the show. (down 8.4% vs. 2011 average)

Q2: Impact slipped slightly to a 1.12 rating for the six-Knockouts tag match that TNA tried to use to offset two full commercial breaks. (down 6.4% vs. 2011 average)

Q3: Impact was essentially flat with a 1.11 rating - the low point of the show - for the segment featuring two "X Division matches" of Kazarian vs. Abyss and Samoa Joe vs. Amazing Red, plus one commercial. (down 9.0% vs. 2011 average)

Q4: Impact rebounded to the first hour high-point of a 1.16 rating for the Tommy Dreamer and A.J. Styles segment. There were also one-and-a-half commercial breaks. (flat vs. 2011 average)

Second Hour Break Down

Q5: Impact opened the second hour with a 1.30 rating - the high-point of the show. The segment featured one-half of the Q4 commercial, then this week's Jeff Jarrett and Kurt Angle segment, and one-half of a commercial. (up 3.6% vs. 2011 average of a 1.26 rating to begin the second hour)

Q6: Impact slipped to the standard rating for this week's show with a 1.18 rating for the Eric Bischoff & Matt Hardy vs. Generation Me match. There was also half of the Q5 commercial and half of a commercial coming out of Q6. (down 1.7% vs. 2011 average)

Q7: Impact slipped to a 1.15 rating - the low-point for the second hour - for the segment featuring the Knockouts handicap tag match. There was also one-half of Q6's commercial break and one full commercial break. (down 2.5 vs. 2011 average)

Q8: Impact increased slightly to a 1.18 rating for the Ric Flair-Robert Roode talking segment, one full commercial, and the show-closing angle with Sting and Mr. Anderson. (down 4.3% vs. 2011 average)

Caldwell's Analysis: TNA did not advertise anything for the tail-end of the show, and it's reflected in the audience staying right at the overall average in the final half-hour of the show. The ratings opened below-average and stayed right there for seven out of eight quarter-hours. The re-branding did not provide much impact this week after last week's Night of Reveals.

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