or


[05/11/18 - 08:15 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS Tops Charts with "Big Bang," "Young Sheldon" Season Finales
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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (5/10/18):

CBS (9.244 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was of course the network to beat on Thursday thanks to the season finales of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.001 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1) and "Young Sheldon" (12.191 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) followed by a new "Mom" (9.095 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4), the season finale of "Mom" (7.916 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #5) and a new "SWAT" (5.632 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7).

Second place then belonged to ABC (4.607 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) with originals from "Grey's Anatomy" (7.261 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3), "Station 19" (4.506 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7) and "Quantico" (2.054 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T13).

Next up was NBC (4.826 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) with a repeat "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.699 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T13) alongside a new "Chicago Fire" (5.436 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7) and the season finale of "Chicago Fire" (6.344 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #6).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.270 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) offered up fresh installments from "Gotham" (2.196 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10) and "Showtime at the Apollo" (2.346 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11).

And finally, the penultimate weeks of "Supernatural" (1.941 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11) and "Arrow" (1.355 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.648 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Supernatural
+40.00% - Gotham
+21.74% - The Big Bang Theory
+12.50% - Grey's Anatomy
+12.50% - SWAT
+10.53% - Young Sheldon
+10.00% - Chicago Fire
+7.14% - Mom
0.00% - Showtime at the Apollo
0.00% - Quantico
0.00% - Arrow
-18.18% - Station 19

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+22.22% - Chicago Fire (vs. The Blacklist)
+20.00% - Supernatural
+20.00% - Showtime at the Apollo (vs. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Repeats))
+18.18% - Mom - 9:30 (vs. Life in Pieces)
+16.67% - Young Sheldon (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
+7.69% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - SWAT (vs. The Amazing Race)
0.00% - Mom - 9:00
0.00% - Arrow (vs. Riverdale)
-12.50% - Gotham (vs. MasterChef Junior)
-16.67% - Quantico (vs. The Catch)
-25.00% - Chicago Fire (vs. Chicago Med)
-35.71% - Station 19 (vs. Scandal)

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," 1.7/5; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.4/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.4/3; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.1/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.1/4. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.3/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.2/2.

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/3 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 (5/11/17):

CBS (7.508 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) took home top honors on Thursday with the season finale of "The Big Bang Theory" (12.602 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) followed by a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (10.062 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T2) and the season finales of "Mom" (8.205 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) and "Life in Pieces" (6.015 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7) as well as a new "The Amazing Race" (4.083 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8).

ABC (5.042 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then was the silver draw with new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (6.907 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T2) and "Scandal" (5.242 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5) plus the departing "The Catch" (2.978 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11).

Next up was NBC (4.841 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) and its lineup of a "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.775 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) repeat, the season finale of "Chicago Med" (6.785 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6) and a new "The Blacklist" (4.963 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.083 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) offered up a new "MasterChef Junior" (2.824 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10) alongside repeats of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (1.426 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and another "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (1.258 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12).

And finally, a new "Supernatural" (1.429 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and the season finale of "Riverdale" (0.951 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #16) rounded out the night on The CW (1.189 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+12.50% - The Blacklist
+9.09% - Chicago Med
+8.33% - The Big Bang Theory
+7.69% - Scandal
+5.88% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Mom
0.00% - The Amazing Race
0.00% - The Catch
0.00% - Supernatural
0.00% - Riverdale
-8.33% - Life in Pieces
-11.11% - MasterChef Junior

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+28.57% - The Blacklist (vs. Game of Silence)
0.00% - The Amazing Race (vs. Rush Hour)
0.00% - Riverdale (vs. The 100)
0.00% - MasterChef Junior (vs. Bones)
-7.69% - Chicago Med (vs. The Blacklist)
-14.29% - Grey's Anatomy
-16.67% - Supernatural (vs. DC's Legends of Tomorrow)
-16.67% - Mom
-21.21% - The Big Bang Theory
-22.22% - Scandal
-33.33% - The Catch
-35.29% - Life in Pieces (vs. 2 Broke Girls)

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," 2.0/5; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.5/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/4.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.6/3; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.0/3 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," 1.2/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.2/4. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.4/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.3/2.

· 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.

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.