or


[05/06/18 - 08:38 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: NBA Playoffs Push ABC in Front
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 eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (5/5/18):

ABC (5.072 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) got a boost on Saturday thanks to its coverage of the "NBA Playoffs: Raptors @ Cavaliers" (5.072 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1).

NBC (3.536 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then offered up the primetime portion of "NHL Playoffs: Penguins @ Capitals" (3.913 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.781 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3).

Next up was CBS (3.210 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) and its mix of "Ransom" (2.761 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5), "NCIS" (2.938 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and "48 Hours" (3.931 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4).

And finally, encores of "MasterChef Junior" (1.119 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) and a second "MasterChef Junior" (1.329 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T5) rounded out the night on FOX (1.224 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4).

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

· The May 5 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Donald Glover and featuring Glover as musical guest Childish Gambino, has averaged a 4.1 rating, 10 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.8/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The May 5 telecast, which included appearances in the cold open by Ben Stiller, Martin Short, Jimmy Fallon, Scarlett Johansson, Alec Baldwin and Stormy Daniels, virtually matched the how's results for the same night last year (4.1/10 in metered-market households and 1.9/9 in 18-49 in the local people meters on May 6, 2017).

· "Saturday Night Live" ranked as the #1 entertainment show of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and in 18-49 in the local people meters, topping the primetime non-sports programs on those nets.

· The May 5 "SNL" aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and was replayed at 11:30 in western markets.


Here are the highlights of the seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/6/17):

ABC (4.417 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) claimed the top spot on Saturday with its coverage of the "NBA Playoffs: Golden State at Utah" (4.417 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1).

NBC (3.373 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then was the silver draw with the primetime portion of "NHL Playoffs: Pittsburgh at Washington" (3.722 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) followed by "SNL Vintage" (2.674 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3).

Next up was FOX (2.154 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and the return of "FOX Sports Saturday Presents Major League Baseball" (2.154 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5).

And finally, a repeat "NCIS" (3.704 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and new episodes of "Training Day" (3.219 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T6) and "48 Hours" (4.283 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) rounded out the night on CBS (3.735 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4).

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has outrated every primetime telecast on the broadcast networks so far this week in adults 18-49 except "The Big Bang Theory," while delivering the most-watched "SNL" May telecast in nearly five years.

· The May 6 edition of "Saturday Night Live," with host Chris Pine and musical guest LCD Soundsystem, averaged 6.919 million viewers overall and a 1.87 rating in adults 18-49 in "fast official" "live plus same day" results from Nielsen Media Research.

· The telecast, which aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and counted unduplicated viewers from 11:30 encores in western markets, generated the show's biggest overall audience for a May edition since the May 19, 2012 season finale, (with host and musical guest Mick Jagger, 6.954 million).

· With its 1.87 rating in adults 18-49, the May 6 "Saturday Night Live" ranks as the #2 telecast so far this week on the broadcast networks in adult 18-49 rating, behind only "The Big Bang Theory" (2.48) and edging out "Empire" (1.85).

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [may 2018]  
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
[11/06/26 - 10:56 AM]
ABC News Wins Across Sunday Morning, Friday Night and Late-Night
"20/20: Justice for Faith" ranked as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in Adults 25-54 (437,000) and Adults 18-49 (341,000) on October 30.

[11/05/26 - 09:30 AM]
"Yaga" Is the #1 Exclusive Series Launch in the History of AMC+
The series also charted as the #1 social drama across all U.S. TV and streaming on its premiere day.

[11/04/26 - 03:37 PM]
Bears-Seahawks Draws 16.4M Viewers, Becomes Most-Watched ESPN-Only "Monday Night Football" Game Since 2019
Bears-Seahawks is also "Monday Night Football's" third most-watched Week 8 game of the ESPN era (2006-present).

[11/04/26 - 12:31 PM]
"Saturday Night Live" Hits Season High with Host Inde Navarrette and Musical Guest Gracie Abrams
It was also the top Peacock performance of the season and best since March 14, 2026, with host and musical guest Harry Styles.

[11/04/26 - 11:01 AM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of October 26
"The Terminal List," "Carrie," "Reacher," "Neagley," and "Helluva Boss" led all original series worldwide.

[11/03/26 - 03:01 PM]
USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched WNBA Playoff Game Ever; 3.3 Million Viewers Watch Valkyries Win Title in First-Ever Game 7
Viewership was up 128% vs. the 2025 WNBA Finals deciding game (LV-PHX Game 4).

[11/03/26 - 02:42 PM]
"College GameDay" Continues Historic Run Over Halloween at IU, ABC Takes Top Spot and Delivers Three of Top Five Most-Watched Games
ESPN topped all networks in Week 9, with ABC delivering three of the week's five most-watched games and winning the noon and afternoon windows.

[11/03/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of October 26 - "Lupin" Part 4 Captures the No. 1 Spot in This Week's Top 10
"The One About Matthew Perry" debuted in the No. 1 spot on the English TV list, gathering 9.5 million views.

[11/03/26 - 11:01 AM]
CBS Up +12% from Its Week #2 Last Year - Network Places 14 of the Top 20 Series; Top Two Comedies; Top Three New Series
CBS episodes topped the Nielsen live plus 7-days of multiplatform viewership for the week of October 12-18.

[10/31/26 - 10:48 AM]
USA Sports Delivers 1.5 Million Viewers for Valkyries-Dream Game 6 Thursday Matinee
USA Sports' Game 6 coverage delivered the fifth most-watched WNBA Finals game on cable on record.

[10/30/26 - 08:57 AM]
ABC News Wins Across Friday Night, Sunday Morning and Late-Night
"20/20: Help Dale Find Dee" ranked as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/29/26 - 03:25 PM]
Champions at Last: 14.2 Million Viewers Projected for FOX Sports' Coverage of Milwaukee Brewers World Series Clinch
13,476,000 viewers tuned in for World Series Game 4 presented by Capital One across FOX and FOX Deportes.

[10/29/26 - 12:21 PM]
ABC Thursday Returns Strong with "9-1-1" and "9-1-1: Nashville" Rising Over Previous Season Averages
The Season 10 debut of "9-1-1" (8 p.m.) earned 8.14 million Total Viewers after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms, based on Nielsen's competitive multiplatform measurement.

[10/28/26 - 03:31 PM]
Cowboys-Eagles on "Monday Night Football" Delivers 18.8M Viewers
Seven weeks into ESPN's Super Bowl LXI season, "Monday Night Football" is up 26% compared to the same point in 2025, averaging 19M viewers.

[10/28/26 - 11:30 AM]
"The Drew Barrymore Show" Hits All-Time Series High
This season to date, "The Drew Barrymore Show" averaged 1.90 million total viewers, up +36% year over year.