or


[10/17/20 - 08:30 AM]
Friday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX, "SmackDown" Hold Off Demo Competition
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 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (10/16/20):

FOX (1.986 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #1) held off the demo competition on Friday with its weekly installment of "WWE SmackDown" (1.986 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.5, #2).

ABC (3.287 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) was the most-watched network thanks to the season premiere of "Shark Tank" (3.814 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #1) and a new "20/20" (3.024 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3).

Next up was CBS (2.862 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) with originals from "The Greatest #AtHome Videos" (3.126 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3) and "Undercover Boss" (2.654 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3) plus a repeat "Blue Bloods" (2.805 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.120 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T2) offered up an encore of "American Ninja Warrior" (1.863 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) alongside "Dateline NBC" (2.634 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3).

And finally, The CW (0.669 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) rounded out the night with "Masters of Illusion" (0.718 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9), a repeat "Masters of Illusion" (0.638 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9), "World's Funniest Animals" (0.682 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9) and a repeat "World's Funniest Animals" (0.637 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Undercover Boss
0.00% - The Greatest #AtHome Videos
0.00% - Masters of Illusion
0.00% - World's Funniest Animals
-16.67% - WWE SmackDown
-20.00% - 20/20 (vs. 9/25/20)
-20.00% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+9.09% - Shark Tank (vs. American Housewife/Fresh Off the Boat)
0.00% - World's Funniest Animals (vs. Dynasty)
0.00% - 20/20
-20.00% - Undercover Boss (vs. Magnum P.I.)
-20.00% - Dateline NBC
-28.57% - WWE SmackDown
-33.33% - The Greatest #AtHome Videos (vs. Hawaii Five-0)
-50.00% - Masters of Illusion (vs. Charmed)


Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/18/19):

FOX (2.441 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1) held onto the demo crown on Friday with another installment of "WWE SmackDown" (2.441 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1).

CBS (6.441 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) then was a close second with its trio of "Hawaii Five-0" (6.214 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2), "Magnum P.I." (5.778 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and "Blue Bloods" (7.331 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

Next up was NBC (3.281 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) with new episodes of "The Blacklist" (3.509 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8) and "Dateline NBC" (3.167 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.772 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) offered up originals from "American Housewife" (3.323 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2), "Fresh Off the Boat" (2.474 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and "20/20" (2.709 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8).

And finally, The CW (0.622 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) offered up new episodes of "Charmed" (0.764 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #10) and "Dynasty" (0.480 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Fresh Off the Boat
+20.00% - American Housewife
0.00% - 20/20
0.00% - Charmed
0.00% - Dynasty
-14.29% - Hawaii Five-0
-14.29% - Blue Bloods
-16.67% - Magnum P.I.
-16.67% - Dateline NBC
-20.00% - The Blacklist
-30.00% - WWE SmackDown

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Fresh Off the Boat (vs. Speechless)
0.00% - American Housewife (vs. Fresh Off the Boat)
0.00% - Charmed (vs. Dynasty)
0.00% - Dynasty (vs. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)
0.00% - The Blacklist (vs. Blindspot)
-11.11% - 20/20 (vs. Child Support/20/20)
-14.29% - Hawaii Five-0 (vs. MacGyver)
-16.67% - Dateline NBC
-22.22% - WWE SmackDown (vs. Various)
-25.00% - Blue Bloods
-37.50% - Magnum P.I. (vs. Hawaii Five-0)

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

TBA

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [november 2026]  
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
[11/05/26 - 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.

[10/28/26 - 11:01 AM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of October 19
"The Terminal List," "Carrie," "Reacher," "Neagley," and "Off Campus" led all original series worldwide.