or


[08/17/18 - 08:28 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: Another Week, Another "Big Brother" Victory 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 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (8/16/18):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Some high rated local pre-season NFL games (across all networks) are included here but will be excluded from Officials.]

CBS (5.371 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) snagged the top spot on Thursday thanks to its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.506 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2), "Young Sheldon" (6.019 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), "Big Brother 20" (6.487 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) and "SWAT" (3.363 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8).

ABC (4.107 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) then was the number two draw with its special "20/20: Aretha: Soul, Song, R E S P E C T" (4.782 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) followed by new episodes of "Match Game" (4.041 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and "Take Two" (3.498 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11).

Sharing the silver was NBC (3.777 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) and its lineup of "Ellen's Game of Games" (4.839 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T3), "Trial & Error" (3.413 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5), another "Trial & Error" (2.815 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.379 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.365 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) offered up primetime coverage of the "NASCAR Camping World Truck Series" (1.365 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12).

And finally, repeats of "Supernatural" (0.853 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13) and "Black Lightning" (0.844 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13) rounded out the night on The CW (0.848 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-10.00% - Big Brother 20
-18.18% - Trial & Error - 9:00
-20.00% - Match Game
-25.00% - Take Two
-30.00% - Trial & Error - 9:30

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Match Game (vs. Battle of the Network Stars)
+33.33% - 20/20: Aretha: Soul, Song, R E S P E C T (vs. Boy Band)
0.00% - Take Two (vs. The Gong Show)
-10.00% - Big Brother 20
-12.50% - Trial & Error - 9:30 (vs. Great News (Repeat))
-40.00% - Trial & Error - 9:00 (vs. Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update)

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," 1.8/5; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.6/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.5/4; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.0/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.3/5. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.3/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.3/2.

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households with an encore 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 (8/17/17):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Some high rated local pre-season NFL games on ABC, CBS and NBC are included here but will be excluded from Officials.]

CBS (4.968 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) held onto the top spot on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.326 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4), "Kevin Can Wait" (4.829 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5), "Big Brother 19" (6.560 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) and "Zoo" (2.768 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9).

NBC (4.762 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then was the silver draw with its lineup of "The Wall" (5.840 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3), "Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update" (5.836 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2), "Great News" (3.135 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and "The Night Shift" (3.960 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6).

Next up was FOX (2.425 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) with originals from "Beat Shazam" (2.517 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and "Love Connection" (2.333 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.617 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) served up new episodes from "Boy Band" (2.660 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9), "Battle of the Network Stars" (2.711 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9) and "The Gong Show" (2.481 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9).

And finally, fresh installments of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.896 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.586 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) plus a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.580 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) on The CW (1.739 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Wall
0.00% - Battle of the Network Stars (vs. 8/3/17)
-9.09% - Big Brother 19
-11.11% - The Night Shift
-11.76% - Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update
-14.29% - Boy Band
-20.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
-20.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway?
-25.00% - Zoo
-25.00% - The Gong Show (vs. 8/14/17)
-27.27% - Beat Shazam
-40.00% - Love Connection

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. My Last Days)
+33.33% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. DC's Legends of Tomorrow (Repeat))
+5.26% - Big Brother 19
0.00% - Battle of the Network Stars (vs. $100,000 Pyramid (Repeat))
0.00% - The Gong Show (vs. Match Game (Repeat))
0.00% - Beat Shazam (vs. Rosewood (Repeat))
-25.00% - Boy Band (vs. BattleBots (Repeat))
-25.00% - Zoo (vs. Code Black (Repeat))
-25.00% - Love Connection (vs. Bones (Repeat))
-73.68% - Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update (vs. Olympic Games Rio 2016)
-78.95% - The Wall (vs. Olympic Games Rio 2016)
-85.96% - The Night Shift (vs. Olympic Games Rio 2016)

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," 1.8/5; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.7/7; 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," 0.7/4; "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," 1.1/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.1/4. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.4/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.3/2.

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [august 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
[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.