By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

TNA Impact Wrestling on Thursday, February 9 scored a 1.05 rating off a first hour 1.04 rating and second hour 1.07 rating. The overall and first hour ratings were the lowest of the year. The second hour rating slightly topped the January 5 episode.

-- Both hours of Thursday's show were dragged down by 0.99 quarter-hour ratings. The second hour was boosted by a show-high 1.12 rating in the eighth quarter-hour. It marked the first time since September 15 that Q8 scored the highest rating of an Impact episode (21 weeks).

TNA did not get off to a good start, scoring a year-low 1.03 rating in the first quarter-hour. It was the lowest Q1 rating since the Thanksgiving episode in November.

-- There is an interesting comparison between segments featuring Hulk Hogan and Sting following 0.99 quarter-hour ratings.

Hogan's segment with the Bischoffs at the top of the second hour scored a 1.08 rating after the previous quarter-hour (0.99 rating) was packed with commercial breaks. Sting's main event return scored a 1.12 rating after the previous quarter-hour (0.99 rating) was packed with video packages.

-- Every quarter-hour was down compared to the corresponding 2011 quarter-hour average. The range was a 5-13 percent decline.

First Hour Break Down

Q1: Impact opened with a 1.03 rating for a "Star Wars" themed opening video package, Sting confronting Roode & Ray, and one full commercial break. (down 12.5% vs. 2011-Q1 average)

Q2: Impact rebounded with a first hour-high 1.10 rating for A.J. Styles vs. Daniels and one commercial break. (down 4.8% vs. 2011-Q2 average)

Q3: Impact returned to the Q1 rating of a 1.03 for Magnus's memorable promo, tag team brawl, one commercial break, and introductions for an X Division match. (down 11.7% vs. 2011-Q3 average)

Q4: Impact dropped to a first-hour-low 0.99 rating for the end of the Aries-Williams-Shelley match and two full commercial breaks leading to the top of the hour, which dragged down the quarter-hour rating. (down 12.0% vs. 2011-Q4 average)

Second Hour Break Down

Q5: Impact increased to an unremarkable 1.08 rating for this week's big Hogan/Bischoff-Bischoff talking segment, plus one commercial break. This was the lowest-rated Q5 rating of the year. (down 12.3% vs. 2011-Q5 average)

Q6: Impact was virtually the same with a 1.07 rating for Mickie James vs. Velvet Sky in this week's Knockouts match, plus the "Star Wars" trailer, backstage segments, and one commercial break. (down 7.7% vs. 2011-Q6 average)

Q7: Impact declined to a second-hour-low 0.99 rating for video packages and a commercial break. (down 13.1% vs. 2011-Q7 average)

Q8: Impact increased to a show-high 1.12 rating for the Sting & James Storm vs. Bobby Roode & Bully Ray main event, plus one commercial break. This was tied with last week's Q8 rating. (down 4.9% vs. 2011-Q8 average)

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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