Well, here's a surprise...

It may be later than anyone hoped for but the 2005 Oscars finally delivered a surprise victory: the ratings did not suck.

According to overnights the show had the highest national rating in five years. Although total viewer numbers were down slightly from last year, they were way up compared to Chicago's victory year two years ago. Viewership was notably up in cities including New York City, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Detroit (hmm...).

Final numbers don't come in until tomorrow but the early ratings are better than the Golden Globes and the Grammys combined (although, to be fair, those shows had a little more competition).

And while I'm at it, I'll share this choice red-carpet-related tidbit from Brian Lowry's Oscar show review in Daily Variety:
"The elder Rivers, however, yielded the biggest howler by asking Imelda Staunton if she had met the character she played in 'Vera Drake,' 'or is she dead now?' An embarrassed Staunton had to explain that Drake was fictional."