"WILL & GRACE" IS NBC'S TOP NEW OR RETURNING NBC COMEDY DEBUT IN SIX YEARS

NBC SCORES ITS MOST-WATCHED PREMIERE THURSDAY IN NINE YEARS

SERIES RECORD FOR "GREAT NEWS"

Thursday Primetime Ratings:

Powered by the return of "Will & Grace," NBC has scored its most-watched Premiere Thursday (6.452 million) in nine years (7.930 million in 2008).

The ninth season debut of "Will & Grace" (3.0 rating in 18-49, 10.2 million viewers overall in "fast official" Nielsens from 9-9:30 p.m. ET):

· Is NBC's top debut for a new or returning comedy, excluding post-Olympic previews, in six years (Sept. 22, 2011).

· Is NBC's best telecast of a primetime comedy series, excluding post-Olympic previews, since the "Office" finale (3.0 on May 16, 2013).

· In total viewers, is NBC's most-watched telecast of a Thursday comedy series in 10 years (since "My Name Is Earl," 10.685 million at 8 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2007).

· Is the #1 entertainment show of the night in both 18-49 and total viewers.

· Soars +173% above NBC's timeslot average last season in 18-49 (3.0 vs. 1.1, L+SD excluding sports) and +4.2 million persons or +69% in total viewers 10.193 million vs. 6.023 million viewers overall).

The second season debut of "Great News" (1.3/5 in 18-49, 5.1 million viewers overall from 9:30-10 p.m. ET):

· Sets a new series record in 18-49 (topping its prior record, the 1.2 for its April 25 series premiere with a "Voice" lead-in).

· Jumps +63% versus last season's finale in 18-49 (1.3 vs. 0.8 from 8:30-9 p.m. on May 23) and +67% in total viewers (5.125 million vs. 3.073 million).

· Will add viewership via time-shifting and VOD - last season, "Great News" grew by +15% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+7 (0.85 to a 0.98) and +422.000 viewers overall (3.7 million to 4.1 million).

· Upscale: "Great News" delivered a strong upscale audience last season, indexing at a 118 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes).

The sixth season debut of "Chicago Fire" (1.5/6 in 18-49, 7.2 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET):

· Generates NBC's best rating with non-sports regular programming in the slot in two years in 18-49 (since Oct. 1, 2015).

· Ranks #1 among entertainment programs in the time period ahead of ABC's "How to Get Away With Murder" in total viewers, adults, men and women 18-49 and adults, men and women 25-54.

· Grows +67% versus NBC's average in the slot last season in 18-49 (1.5 vs. 0.9, L+SD non-sports) and +49% in total viewers (7.176 million vs. 4.824 million).

· Scores the show's highest 18-49 rating since Tuesday, March 21 in 18-49 (1.5).

· Will increase substantially via time-shifting and VOD - last season, "Fire" increased by +64% in 18-49 rating (from a 1.51 to a 2.48) and +3.7 million viewers overall (7.0 million to 10.7 million) going from L+SD to L+7

The third season premiere of "Superstore" (1.2/5 in 18-49, 4.6 million viewers overall from 8-8:30 p.m. ET):

· Equals the show's top regular-slot rating since Oct. 27, 2016 (1.3) and best total-viewer result since Oct. 6, 2016 (5.041 million).

· Jumps +50% versus last season's finale in 18-49 (1.2 vs. 0.8 at 8:30 on May 4) and +1.7 million persons or +57%% in total viewers (4.570 million vs. 2.910 million).

· Will add significant viewership via time-shifting and VOD -- last season, "Superstore" grew by +52% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+7 (from a 1.13 to a 1.72) and +1.3 million viewers overall (3.9 million to 5.2 million).

· Upscale: "Superstore" delivered a strong upscale audience last season, indexing at a 117 among adults 18-49 in $100K+ homes.

The second season regular-slot debut of "The Good Place" (1.3/5 in 18-49, 4.6 million viewers overall from 8:30-9 p.m. ET):

· Scores the show's top Thursday results in 18-49 and total viewers since Oct. 6, 2016 (1.4 in 18-49, 4.869 million viewers overall).

· Increases by +18% versus last season's finale in both 18-49 (1.3 vs. 1.1 from 8-9 p.m. on Jan. 19) and total viewers (4.624 million vs. 3.931 million).

· Maintains 100% of last week's special Wednesday season premiere in 18-49 (1.3 vs. 1.3 from 10:01-11 p.m. on Sept. 20), which benefited from a lead-in from the "America's Got Talent" season finale.

· Will grow dramatically with time-shifting and alternate-platform viewing:

· Last season, 61% of "The Good Place's" overall 35-day viewing occurred beyond the L+SD rating, across DVR, on-demand and over-the-top (OTT) viewing

· That represents a +154% increase over the show's L+SD rating in 18-49 (1.18 to 3.00).

· Upscale: "The Good Place" generated a strong upscale audience last season, indexing at a 135 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes).

In Late-Night Metered Markets Thursday Night:

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household averages were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.2/6; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/6.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 ratings were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.7/4; "Late Show," delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

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

NOTE: Primetime results are based on "fast affiliate time period" data from Nielsen Media Research. All ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated. "Will & Grace" averages are based on "fast official" Nielsens.