or


[01/08/21 - 08:36 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Tops Charts with "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" Premiere
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (1/7/21):

ABC (5.951 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to the debut of its game show lineup of "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" (7.831 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1), "The Chase" (6.203 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) and "The Hustler" (3.819 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

FOX (2.949 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) took home the silver among adults 18-49 with the return of "Hell's Kitchen" (2.670 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) followed by the formal debuts of "Call Me Kat" (3.203 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and "Last Man Standing" (3.254 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9).

Next up was NBC (3.381 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) with the premiere of "Mr. Mayor" (4.917 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), a second "Mr. Mayor" (4.293 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9), the return of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.770 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and "Dateline NBC" (1.768 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13).

Meanwhile, CBS (2.619 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) opted for repeats of "Young Sheldon" (4.278 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), "B Positive" (3.003 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T11), "Mom" (3.054 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T11) and "The Unicorn" (2.186 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13) plus "Star Trek: Discovery" (1.596 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15).

And finally, an encore of "iHeartRadio Music Festival Night 2 2020" (0.411 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.1, #16) rounded out the night on The CW (0.411 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+40.00% - The Hustler (vs. 1/4/21)
0.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. 12/3/20)
0.00% - Last Man Standing (vs. 1/3/21)
0.00% - Star Trek: Discovery (vs. 12/17/20)
-25.00% - Dateline NBC (vs. 12/17/20)
-53.85% - Call Me Kat (vs. 1/3/21)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Will & Grace/Perfect Harmony)
-12.50% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. Last Man Standing/Last Man Standing)
-14.29% - Call Me Kat (vs. Deputy)
-14.29% - Mr. Mayor - 8:00 (vs. Superstore)
-16.67% - Mr. Mayor - 8:30 (vs. The Good Place)
-18.18% - The Chase (vs. Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein)
-28.57% - Last Man Standing (vs. Deputy)
-36.36% - The Hustler (vs. Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein)
-50.00% - Star Trek: Discovery (vs. Evil)
-50.00% - Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (vs. Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time)
-57.14% - Dateline NBC (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)


Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/9/20):

ABC (9.286 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday thanks to night three of "Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time" (15.377 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) and the special "Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein" (6.240 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2).

FOX (4.173 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2) had to settle for the silver with its mix of "Last Man Standing" (4.354 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4), another "Last Man Standing" (4.393 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4) and "Deputy" (3.972 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7).

Next up was CBS (4.901 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) with originals from "Young Sheldon" (7.488 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3), "The Unicorn" (4.809 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10), "Mom" (5.945 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T4), "Carol's Second Act" (4.886 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) and "Evil" (3.139 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.708 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) offered up the return of "Superstore" (2.695 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7), "The Good Place" (2.198 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10), "Will & Grace" (2.378 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13), "Perfect Harmony" (1.601 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.688 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7).

And finally, repeats of "Supernatural" (0.634 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T16) and "Legacies" (0.379 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T16) closed out the night on The CW (0.507 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. 11/21/19)
+16.67% - Superstore (vs. 12/12/19)
+14.29% - Mom (vs. 12/12/19)
0.00% - Young Sheldon (vs. 12/12/19)
0.00% - Deputy
0.00% - Carol's Second Act (vs. 12/12/19)
0.00% - The Good Place (vs. 11/21/19)
0.00% - Will & Grace (vs. 11/21/19)
0.00% - Perfect Harmony (vs. 12/12/19)
-11.11% - Last Man Standing - 8:30
-11.11% - Last Man Standing - 8:00
-14.29% - The Unicorn (vs. 12/12/19)
-20.00% - Evil (vs. 12/12/19)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+300.00% - Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time (vs. Modern Family/The Goldbergs (Repeats))
+57.14% - Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein (vs. Truth and Lies: Monica and Bill)
+14.29% - Last Man Standing - 8:30 (vs. Gotham)
+14.29% - Last Man Standing - 8:00 (vs. Gotham)
0.00% - Deputy (vs. The Orville)
-12.50% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-46.67% - Mom
-50.00% - Carol's Second Act (vs. Fam)
-55.56% - Perfect Harmony (vs. The Good Place)
-55.56% - Evil (vs. SWAT)
-56.25% - Superstore (vs. The Titan Games)
-58.33% - Young Sheldon (vs. The Big Bang Theory)
-58.33% - Will & Grace (vs. Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
-62.50% - The Good Place (vs. The Titan Games)
-68.42% - The Unicorn (vs. Young Sheldon)

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [october 2026]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[10/23/26 - 03:54 PM]
ESPN's NBA Opening Wednesday Delivered Its Second-Largest Audience Ever
The Minnesota Timberwolves' victory over the Miami Heat averaged 2.52 million viewers, up 16% from last year's comparable game.

[10/23/26 - 03:25 PM]
USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 3 Since 1999, Best Ever on Cable
1.71 million viewers on average tuned into Wednesday night's Game 3 coverage across USA Sports' linear platforms (USA Network and CNBC) and streaming on Peacock.

[10/23/26 - 08:30 AM]
Record College Football Viewership Propels ESPN to Second Best Start Since 2011 with "College GameDay" on Track for Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks are averaging 2.2 million viewers across 120 games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU - the second-best start for ESPN since 2011.

[10/22/26 - 04:01 PM]
ABC News Wins Across Friday Night, Sunday Morning and Late-Night
"20/20: The Suitcase Murders" ranked as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/22/26 - 04:00 PM]
CBS Dominates Its Premiere Week in Seven-Day Multiplatform Viewership, Up +14% from Last Year, with Six Series Topping 10 Million Viewers
Among its broadcast competition, CBS claimed eight of the top 10 series.

[10/22/26 - 02:50 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers Most-Watched NBA Tip-Off Primetime Game Ever with 76ers-Knicks
Viewership peaked at 9.1 million - an NBA Tip-Off record - from 9:45-10:00 pm ET as the 76ers clinched the victory.

[10/22/26 - 02:00 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Waltzes to Season High During Heartfelt "Dedication Night" with 7.36 Million Total Viewers
The October 20 episode hit a season high with the show's best non-finale episode in six years.

[10/21/26 - 04:01 PM]
USA Sports' Coverage of Dream-Valkyries Game 2 Is Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 2 Ever on Cable
Monday night's coverage averaged 1.33 million viewers across USA Sports' linear platforms (USA Network, CNBC and E!).

[10/21/26 - 03:15 PM]
It's Back to School at "Abbott Elementary" as Show Returns with Over 6 Million Total Viewers
The premiere episode scored the show's best streaming performance since Season 4, based on views over seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

[10/21/26 - 02:31 PM]
Commanders-49ers on "Monday Night Football" Delivers 17.9 Million Viewers
Six weeks into ESPN's Super Bowl LXI season, "Monday Night Football" is up 23% compared to the same point in 2025, averaging 19 million viewers.

[10/21/26 - 11:01 AM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of October 12
"Carrie," "Neagley," "Reacher," "Off Campus," and "Sterling Point" led all original series worldwide.

[10/21/26 - 06:39 AM]
NFL Network's London Slate Culminates with 6.4M Viewers for Jaguars-Texans
Season to date, through three games in London, NFL Network is averaging 6.9M viewers, up 15% vs. the network's six-game International Series average last season.

[10/21/26 - 06:30 AM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver Most-Watched WNBA Finals Game 1 Ever
Led by Gabby Williams' 26 points, Golden State's 68-64 win over Atlanta peaked at 3.0 million viewers for the game's exciting conclusion from 5:45 - 5:55 p.m. ET.

[10/20/26 - 03:19 PM]
"College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Delivers Its Third Most-Watched Regular-Season Episode Ever from BYU
ESPN networks had 3 of the top 4 games this week, the second most-watched regular season Saturday on record (based on minutes).

[10/20/26 - 03:08 PM]
Ohio State's Win Over Indiana Scores Most-Watched College Football Game of the Week
Viewership peaked at 14,269,000 viewers from 3:30-3:45 PM ET on FOX.