Four hours of finale episodes from three primetime TV shows Tuesday night -- Dancing With the Stars, American Idol and Glee -- left viewers with much to discuss and debate on social networks.
DWTS crowned its 14th champion, Idol finalists went head-to-head in the performance finale, and Glee said goodbye to graduating seniors. And although Glee roped in the least amount of viewers (7.64 million), it incited more people to check in on social entertainment platform GetGlue.
| SNL's 100th Digital Short [VIDEO]Below, we've compiled GetGlue check-in stats, viewership numbers and the trends emerging from Twitter and GetGlue conversations. We're also featuring some of the best tweets from Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Dancing With the Stars
GetGlue check-ins: 20,029
Overall viewers: 17.48 million, according to Nielsen Media Research data
Comment trends: DWTS Green Bay Packers football player Donald Driver and dance partner Peta Murgatroyd took home the show's coveted Mirror Ball Trophy, beating out celebrity finalists William Levy and Katherine Jenkins. Much of the post-show buzz online focused on him being the seventh athlete to win the show, which is in its 14th season. The Packers and fellow teammates even chimed in with tweets.
"Completely floored, I guess all the football fans got it together to vote," GetGlue user Kimberly Bagley posted Tuesday night. "Love football and all but I really thought it should have gone the other way."
Congratulations to Donald Driver! The new @DancingABC champion! RT this to show your support!— Green Bay Packers (@packers) May 23, 2012
With @Donald_Driver80, 7 past #DWTS champs are athletes, 4 are actors, and 3 are singers. #GMADancing— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 23, 2012
I know how hard @Donald_Driver80 works on the field so it's no surprise he won #DWTS, I'm sure the work ethic just carried over to the floor— Ryan Grant (@RyanGrant25) May 23, 2012
Countless msgs of love and support! Thank you so much everyone. I'm reading them all and it makes me so thankful for this #DWTS experience!— Peta Murgatroyd (@PetaMurgatroyd) May 23, 2012
American Idol
GetGlue check-ins: 20,335
Overall viewers: 14.39 million
Comment trends: Powerhouse vocalist Jessica Sanchez and crooner Phillip Phillips gave their final three judged performances. But even though Phillips's third performance garnered a standing ovation from the judges, critics are having a difficult time picking a clear winner. Both contestants ignited a flurry of tweets as viewers weighed in on their song choices, vocal abilities and potential to succeed in the music industry.
"There are a ton of comments that feel very mixed," GetGlue spokeswoman Claire Gendel told Mashable. "There are a lot of Jessica fans and a lot of Phillip fans."
Hmm. @latimes and @billboard polls both have @JSanchezAI11 winning by a lot; @EW has Phillip winning by a lot; Dial Idol slightly Phillip.— Jose m iniguez (@imJmi) May 23, 2012
#Idol Final 2 really picking wrong songs tonight. Phillip should have done 'Still Raining' not 'Moving Out.'— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) May 23, 2012
Retweet for Jessica.. Favorite for Phillip.. #IdolFinale— Rhap Salazar (@RhapSalazar) May 23, 2012
@AmericanIdol It's so interesting hearing Jessica and Phillip back to back. It's vocal ability versus artistry at its best! #IdolFinale— Scott MacIntyre (@ScottDMacIntyre) May 23, 2012
Glee
GetGlue check-ins: 41,447
Overall viewers: 7.64 million
Comment Trends: Crying -- and lots of it from viewers during Glee's graduation finale. The episode flashed back to several memorable scenes in the show's three-year run, including one from the pilot episode and another from the episode in which Kurt performed Beyonce's "Single Ladies" in a leotard. Viewers reacted significantly to learning the fate of the graduating seniors and their plans for the future.
"A lot of people commented about how they might not have watched most of the season but tuned in for the finale and loved it," Gendel says. "Many people commented about how touching the scene between Sue and Quinn was as well as watching Kurt's dad do 'Single Ladies.' There were also a lot of fans who said they were crying, or would write 'sniff sniff' in the comments and definitely some who were shocked that Kurt didn't get in to NYADA (New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts)."
KURT AND BLAINE LOVE EACHOTHER SO MUCH! CRYING FOREVER #GLEE— Jeremy Cabalona(@JeremyCabalona) May 23, 2012
Glee could have functioned as a series finale tonight. Great ending to Rachel Berry's high school career. #glee— Rolfe Norman (@rolfenorman) May 23, 2012
Still choked up from the #Gleefinale. Did not see that coming! @Msleamichele was perfection.— Kristin Dos Santos (@KristinDSantos) May 23, 2012
OMG. Burt doing 'Single Ladies' *dies* #GLEE— Jason Scott™ (@JasontheGleek) May 23, 2012
And on that note, we leave you with Burt's performance of "Single Ladies." Please don't die.