CBS capped a low-buzz season of “Survivor” with the lowest-rated finale in the history of the long-running hit reality show.

The two-hour ender of “Survivor: Fiji” averaged a 4.5 adults 18-49 rating last night, according to Nielsen overnights, the lowest in the 14 seasons of the show. It was down 21 percent from last season’s 5.7 for “Survivor: Cook Islands,” the franchise’s previous low mark.

And it was down 27 percent from “Survivor: Panama’s” 6.2 rating a year ago.

“Survivor” is still one of CBS’s highest-rated shows in 18-49s, though this season will likely be its lowest-rated since season one, and filming has already begun in China on next fall’s latest installment. But earlier this year some media people groused that CBS should consider moving the show to a new night, from its usual Thursday to perhaps Wednesday, or giving it a half-year’s rest to raise interest in the program.

“Survivor” traditionally airs a three-hour Sunday special for its season finale, with the final hour a reunion. Last night, airing from 8 to 10 p.m., the finale trailed ABC’s combined average for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and “Desperate Housewives,” though both were down from their season-to-date averages.

In fact, after two weeks of improvement, “Housewives” once again dipped to a series low.

ABC still took first for the night among 18-49s with a 4.0 average rating and a 12 share. CBS was second at 3.7/11, Fox third at 2.6/8, NBC fourth at 1.7/5, Univision fifth at 1.4/4 and CW sixth at 0.7/2.
 
ABC started the night in the lead with a 2.2 rating during the 7 p.m. hour for “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” CBS was second with a season-low 1.6 for “60 Minutes,” Fox third with a 1.5 for “King of the Hill” and NBC fourth with a 1.2 for “Dateline.” Univision was fifth that hour with a 0.8 for its final hour of Mexican soccer coverage and CW sixth with a 0.5 for a repeat of “7th Heaven.”
 
At 8 p.m. CBS took the lead with a 4.0 for the first hour of “Survivor,” with ABC slipping to second with a 3.7 for “Home Edition.” Fox was third with a 3.2 for an hour of “The Simpsons,” NBC fourth with a 1.8 for the first hour of the movie “Shrek,” and Univision and CW tied for fifth at 1.1, Univision for its first hour of “Bailando por la Boda de Mis Suenos” and CW for the series finale of “7th Heaven.”
 
At 9 p.m. ABC regained the lead with a 6.0 for “Housewives,” while CBS dropped back to second with a 4.9 for the second hour of “Survivor.” Fox was third with a 3.2 average for “Family Guy” (3.5) and “American Dad” (2.8), NBC fourth with a 2.4 for the second half of “Shrek,” Univision fifth with a 1.6 for its second hour of “Bailando” and CW sixth with a 0.6 for a repeat of “America’s Next Top Model.”
 
ABC and CBS tied for the lead at 4.3 during the 10 p.m. hour, ABC for “Brothers & Sisters” and CBS for its “Survivor” reunion show. Univision jumped to third that hour with a 1.8 for the final hour of “Bailando,” with NBC fourth with a 1.5 for a repeat of “Thank God You’re Here.”
 
Among households, CBS edged ABC for first place on the night, finishing with a 7.2 average rating and a 13 share, just ahead of ABC’s 7.1/13. Fox was third at 3.4/6, NBC fourth at 3.3/6, Univision fifth at 1.5/3 and CW sixth at 1.4/3.