or


[10/30/15 - 08:31 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: "Thursday Night Football" Continues Its Reign for CBS
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 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (10/29/15):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

CBS (12.772 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1) was still the network to beat on Thursday with its coverage of the "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (9.972 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and "Thursday Night Football" (13.332 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1).

ABC (6.861 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed the silver with its annual telecast of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (6.550 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5) followed by originals from "Scandal" (7.770 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (6.262 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4).

Next up was FOX (5.470 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with its crossover between "Bones" (6.377 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #7) and "Sleepy Hollow" (4.564 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.901 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up new episodes of "Heroes Reborn" (3.933 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9), "The Blacklist" (6.909 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6) and "The Player" (3.862 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10).

And finally, fresh installments of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.240 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #11) and "The Originals" (1.095 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) on The CW (1.168 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - Sleepy Hollow
+18.92% - Thursday Night Football
+8.33% - Bones
+7.14% - The Blacklist
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - The Originals
-8.00% - Scandal
-9.09% - Heroes Reborn
-10.00% - How to Get Away with Murder
-12.50% - The Player
-12.90% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+117.82% - Thursday Night Football (vs. Various)
+87.50% - The Blacklist (vs. Bad Judge/A to Z)
+37.50% - Sleepy Hollow (vs. Gracepoint)
0.00% - Bones
-9.09% - Heroes Reborn (vs. The Biggest Loser)
-20.00% - The Originals (vs. Reign)
-23.33% - Scandal
-28.57% - The Vampire Diaries
-33.33% - How to Get Away with Murder
-34.15% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game (vs. The Big Bang Theory)
-36.36% - The Player (vs. Parenthood)

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.6/7; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.1/7, delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.5/7.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/4, delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.2/5, delayed by an NFL overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.4/3, delayed by an NFL overrun).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/30/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL pre-emptions, Fast Nationals for CBS are inflated.]

ABC (7.972 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) pulled into the top spot on Thursday thanks to its annual rebroadcast of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (6.249 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7) followed by new episodes of "Scandal" (9.145 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (8.522 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T3).

CBS (10.678 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then had to settle for second place despite the debut of its lineup "The Big Bang Theory" (16.220 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1), "Mom" (11.718 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T3), "Two and a Half Men" (11.015 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T3), "The McCarthys" (8.783 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) and "Elementary" (8.167 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8).

Next up was FOX (4.433 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T3) with originals from "Bones" (5.528 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9) and "Gracepoint" (3.338 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.836 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T3) served up new episodes of "The Biggest Loser" (4.393 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10), "Bad Judge" (3.963 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12), "A to Z" (2.563 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T14) and "Parenthood" (3.850 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

And finally, fresh installments of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.561 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T14) and "Reign" (1.307 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) on The CW (1.434 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.0 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - Gracepoint
0.00% - Reign
-6.82% - The Big Bang Theory
-8.33% - The Biggest Loser
-8.33% - Parenthood
-10.00% - How to Get Away with Murder
-10.00% - Bad Judge
-12.50% - The Vampire Diaries
-18.75% - Bones
-22.22% - A to Z

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+64.00% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
+62.50% - Bones (vs. The X Factor)
+42.11% - Two and a Half Men (vs. The Crazy Ones)
+35.00% - Mom (vs. The Millers)
+33.33% - Gracepoint (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+15.38% - Scandal (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-5.00% - The McCarthys (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
-6.90% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. Scandal)
-12.50% - The Vampire Diaries
-15.38% - Parenthood
-16.67% - Reign
-17.65% - Elementary
-25.00% - Bad Judge (vs. Sean Saves the World)
-35.29% - The Biggest Loser (vs. SNL Halloween)
-36.36% - A to Z (vs. The Michael J. Fox Show)

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

·In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.2/5; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/4.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [october 2015]  
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
[01/07/26 - 12:32 PM]
Bowl Season on ESPN Networks Delivers Strongest Audience Since 2015-16
ABC delivered its largest non CFP bowl audience in 12 years, averaging 6.2 million viewers across six games.

[01/07/26 - 09:29 AM]
In 2025, Fans Power ESPN and "ESPN on ABC" to Its Most-Watched Year in Over a Decade
ESPN networks increased industry-leading sports share to 35 percent, up from 31 percent in 2024.

[01/06/26 - 03:18 PM]
FOX NFL Rings in Best Regular Season Since 2015
The regular season averaged 19.633 million viewers for the network.

[01/06/26 - 03:00 PM]
Record-Setting Season as "Sunday Night Football" on NBC and Peacock Averages 23.5 Million Viewers & Paces as Primetime's #1 Show for Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
"Sunday Night Football" averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 23.5 million viewers for the 2025 season.

[01/06/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of December 29 - "Stranger Things 5" Concludes Right Side Up at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
At No. 2 on the English TV list with 12.7 million views is the new Harlan Coben mystery series "Run Away," centered on a father desperate for clues about his missing daughter while a string of related murders heightens the urgency to find her.

[01/05/26 - 02:34 PM]
2025-26 College Football Playoff Quarterfinals on ESPN Score 19.3 Million Average Viewers; CFP Up YOY Through Two Rounds
The Rose Bowl (Indiana vs. Alabama) topped all coverage with 23.9 million viewers on average.

[01/05/26 - 09:49 AM]
Prime Video Delivers "Thursday Night Football's" Most-Watched Season Ever
The 2025 season averaged 15.33 million viewers throughout its 15-game campaign, marking a +16% increase over the 2024 season and the third-consecutive year of double-digit, year-over-year viewership growth.

[01/02/26 - 03:45 PM]
"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" Rises to Four Year High Reaching 30 Million Total Viewers at Midnight
The telecast averaged 18.8 million total viewers in the 11:30pm-12:30am hour alone.

[01/02/26 - 09:49 AM]
FOX NFL's Week 17 "America's Game of the Week" Comes Out on Top with 28.8 Million Viewers
The Eagles-Bills close finish marked FOX's second most-watched telecast of the regular season.

[12/31/25 - 12:46 PM]
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-Vikings Becoming the Most-Streamed NFL Game in US History
Said coverage averaged 27.5 million viewers in the US, with US viewership peaking at over 30 million viewers.

[12/31/25 - 10:11 AM]
NFL on Prime's Christmas Night Showdown Between the Broncos and Chiefs Sets New Viewership Marks for "TNF"
The streamer's "Thursday Night Football" finale averaged 21.06 million viewers, peaking with 22.90 million.

[12/31/25 - 10:08 AM]
ESPN Delivered Largest Average NBA Christmas Audience Since 2018
The San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game in the 2:30 p.m. window became ESPN's most-watched NBA Christmas game in the timeslot since 2017, averaging 6.7 million viewers.

[12/30/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of December 22 - "Stranger Things 5" Runs Up That Hill to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
At No. 2 on the list was "Emily in Paris" Season 5 with 13.3 million views.

[12/30/25 - 08:00 AM]
Aced It! ESPN Scored Most-Watched 2025 NCAA Women's College Volleyball Season on Record
The entirety of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament finished up 13% year over year, averaging 666,000 viewers across the 15 matches and featured the most-watched Regionals on record.

[12/24/25 - 10:01 AM]
Dec. 20 Holiday Episode Ranks as #1 "Saturday Night Live" Telecast of the Season
Hosted by Ariana Grande with musical guest Cher, the episode drew 5.4 million viewers.