By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

TNA Impact Wrestling last Thursday, May 24 officially scored a 1.01 rating off a first hour 0.91 rating and second hour 1.10 rating. The first hour rating was tied with the April 12 & 19 episodes for lowest since Thanksgiving 2011.

The concern is Impact's first hour will now become Impact's second hour when TNA goes live this Thursday. The last seven weeks of Impact have included the following first hour ratings - 0.91, 0.91, 0.94, 0.97, 1.02, 1.02, and 0.91. On the year, Impact has averaged a 1.06 first hour rating, down from a 1.16 last year.

During Thursday's show, all of the first hour quarter-hours were below a 1.0 rating. The show then took its usual top-of-the-second-hour increase to a 1.11 rating, which will now be eliminated via the timeslot change. Impact dipped slightly the remainder of the second hour before rebounding to a show-high 1.14 rating at the end of the second hour.

First Hour Break Down

Q1: Impact opened with a dismal 0.90 rating for the lengthy Hulk Hogan office meeting with A.J. Styles, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, and Bully Ray that included TNA breaking the fourth wall, using insider lingo, and acknowledging the show is scripted. Included was one commercial. (down 23.6% vs. 2011-Q1 average)

Q2: Impact declined to a 0.87 rating for a Knockouts match of Gail Kim vs. Madison Rayne after the turn-away opening segment. This was the lowest-rated segment of the show, and included one commercial. (down 24.7% vs. 2011-Q2 average)

Q3: impact increased slightly to essentially the Q1 level with a 0.91 rating for Rob Van Dam vs. Gunner, one commercial, and Devon vs. Garett Bischoff for the TV Title. (down 22.0% vs. 2011-Q3 average)

Q4: Impact scored its highest rating of the first hour with a 0.97 rating for a Hogan backstage segment, the set up for Bully Ray-Park at the top of the second hour, and one commercial. (down 13.8% vs. 2011-Q4 average)

Second Hour Break Down

Q5: Impact increased to a 1.11 rating for the Ray-Joseph Park segment, one commercial, and Austin Aries vs. Joey Ryan in the Gut Check Challenge. (down 9.9% vs. 2011-Q5 average)

Q6: Impact was essentially flat at a 1.09 rating for the first-half of Bobby Roode vs. A.J. Styles for the TNA World Title, plus one commercial. (down 6.0% vs. 2011-Q6 average)

Q7: Impact declined slightly to a 1.06 rating for the second-half of Roode-Styles, plus one commercial. (down 7.0% vs. 2011-Q7 average)

Q8: Impact increased to a show-high 1.14 rating for the Roode-Styles finish, a Hogan tease on the other side of a commercial, the commercial, and Sting's surprise return leading into next week's live Impact.

Caldwell's Analysis: How well that final teaser for Roode-Sting next week resonated with viewers will tell how long it takes TNA's general audience to recognize and respond to the timeslot shift. TNA scoring the highest quarter-hour of the show at the end of Impact is encouraging for TNA, but the first hour (soon to be second hour) ratings continue to be dismal, which should be a concern.

We suggest these recent related articles...

TV RATINGS: TNA Impact & ROH TV viewership - Week 19 on Dest. America - Impact surges post-BFG, ROH draws big audience

TV WRESTLING VIEWERSHIP - Week of Sept. 28: Full Break Down of last week's Pro Wrestling TV with DVR viewing

TNA NEWS: TNA announces TV tapings on January U.K. Tour