Jersey Shore Is the Most-Watched Prime-Time Cable Series of the Year

Jersey Shore Fist pumps still rule! Jersey Shore was the year's most-watched prime-time series on basic cable. Capisce?Check out photos of Jersey ShoreSeason 4 of the MTV reality series starring Snooki, The Situation and their paisans averaged 9.29 million viewers in 2011, according to year-end Nielsen Co. data. (The show returns Thursday, Jan. 5 at 10/9c.) Second place: Season 2 of AMC's The Walking Dead, with 8.87 million. The shows also ranked No. 1 and 2 among the industry-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.Top TV moments of 2011Third in viewership was TNT's Rizzoli & Isles with 8.14 million, followed closely by its lead-in The Closer, which enticed an average of 8.13 million. History's Pawn Stars came in fifth, scrounging up 7.02 million viewers.The best shows of 2011Rounding out the top 10: Falling Skies (6.91 million), Royal Pains (6.56 million), Suits (6.31 million), Burn Notice (6.01 million) and American Pickers (5.78 million).The top social-TV moments of 2011In the 18-to-49 demo, there was little overlap, as Nos. 3 through 10 were Sons of Anarchy, Pawn Stars, The Game, Teen Mom 2, Teen Mom, Tosh.0, Falling Skies and Keeping Up with the Kardashians.