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[05/22/20 - 08:13 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Tops Charts with "Holey Moley," "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"
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 (5/21/20):

ABC (4.729 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with a new "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (5.979 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) alongside the returns of "Holey Moley" (4.439 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) and "To Tell the Truth" (3.769 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4).

The silver went to CBS (4.385 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with its mix of "Young Sheldon" (5.460 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), a new "Man with a Plan" (5.350 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), "Mom" (4.832 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), a new "Broke" (4.317 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #8) and "SWAT" (3.175 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9).

Next up was NBC (2.561 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with its specials "Celebrity Escape Room" (3.803 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) and "Red Nose Day" (1.940 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.159 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) offered up a new "Celebrity Watch Party" (1.409 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.3, #11) and the debut of "Labor of Love" (0.909 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #12).

And finally, closing out the night were the season premiere of "Burden of Truth" (0.619 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T13) and a new "In the Dark" (0.535 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T13) on The CW (0.577 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Celebrity Watch Party
0.00% - In the Dark
-11.11% - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
-14.29% - Man with a Plan
-16.67% - Broke

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Celebrity Escape Room (vs. Red Nose Day Special)
+75.00% - To Tell the Truth (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat))
+14.29% - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (vs. This Is Farrah Fawcett)
+14.29% - Holey Moley (vs. This Is Farrah Fawcett)
0.00% - Red Nose Day (vs. Red Nose Day Special/Hollywood Game Night)
-14.29% - Man with a Plan (vs. Young Sheldon (Repeat))
-16.67% - Broke (vs. Life in Pieces)
-25.00% - Celebrity Watch Party (vs. Paradise Hotel)
-50.00% - In the Dark
-50.00% - Labor of Love (vs. Paradise Hotel)
-50.00% - Burden of Truth (vs. iZombie)


Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/23/19):

ABC (4.820 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) claimed top honors on Thursday with its two-hour special "This Is Farrah Fawcett" (5.780 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T1) and a repeat of "Shark Tank" (2.900 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7).

CBS (4.664 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) then shared the demo crown with its lineup of "Young Sheldon" (5.249 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3), "Young Sheldon" (5.347 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T1) and "Mom" (4.738 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) plus a new "Life in Pieces" (4.459 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) and the return of "Elementary" (4.095 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #6).

Next up was NBC (2.166 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3) with its annual "Red Nose Day Special" (2.245 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7) and a special "Hollywood Game Night" (2.007 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.237 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3) offered up fresh installments of "Paradise Hotel" (1.274 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7) and a second "Paradise Hotel" (1.201 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7).

And finally, The CW (0.673 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night with originals from "iZombie" (0.751 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12) and "In the Dark" (0.594 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Paradise Hotel - 8:00
+33.33% - Paradise Hotel - 9:00
0.00% - iZombie
0.00% - In the Dark
-25.00% - Life in Pieces (vs. 5/9/19)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - In the Dark (vs. Black Lightning (Repeat))
0.00% - iZombie (vs. Supernatural (Repeat))
0.00% - Elementary (vs. SWAT (Repeat))
-14.29% - Life in Pieces (vs. Life in Pieces (Repeat))
-20.00% - Paradise Hotel - 8:00 (vs. Terrence Howard's Fright Club)
-20.00% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. The Red Nose Day Special)
-22.22% - This Is Farrah Fawcett (vs. The Last Days of Michael Jackson)
-33.33% - Paradise Hotel - 9:00 (vs. Showtime at the Apollo)
-50.00% - Red Nose Day Special (vs. Celebrity Ninja Warrior for Red Nose Day/Hollywood Game Night)

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

TBA

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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