or


[02/26/21 - 09:45 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS Tops Viewers, Shares Demo Crown with ABC
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 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (2/25/21):

CBS (4.789 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) was the top draw a competitive Thursday with its mix of "Young Sheldon" (7.621 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1), "B Positive" (5.124 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3), "Mom" (5.075 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T4), "The Unicorn" (3.723 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8) and "Clarice" (3.596 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10).

ABC (4.243 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) shared in the demo honors with its trio of "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" (5.773 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2), "The Chase" (4.413 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T4) and the season finale of "The Hustler" (2.543 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10).

Next up was NBC (2.802 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) with the season finale of "Mr. Mayor" (2.465 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10) alongside originals from "Superstore" (1.838 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.677 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T4) and "Dateline NBC" (2.577 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.381 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) offered up new episodes of "Hell's Kitchen" (2.478 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T4), "Call Me Kat" (2.124 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8) and "Last Man Standing" (2.444 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10).

And finally, The CW (0.663 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) opted for repeats of "Walker" (0.940 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T16) and "Legacies" (0.385 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T16) to round out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Dateline NBC (vs. 2/11/21)
+25.00% - The Unicorn
+16.67% - B Positive
+12.50% - Young Sheldon
0.00% - Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
0.00% - Mom
0.00% - The Chase
0.00% - Call Me Kat
0.00% - Clarice
0.00% - The Hustler
0.00% - Last Man Standing
0.00% - Superstore (vs. 2/11/21)
-14.29% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-14.29% - Hell's Kitchen
-20.00% - Mr. Mayor

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Will & Grace/Indebted)
+40.00% - B Positive (vs. The Unicorn (Repeat))
+28.57% - Young Sheldon (vs. Young Sheldon (Repeat))
+25.00% - The Unicorn (vs. Carol's Second Act (Repeat))
+20.00% - Mom (vs. Mom (Repeat))
0.00% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. Last Man Standing/Outmatched)
-16.67% - Call Me Kat (vs. Deputy)
-20.00% - Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (vs. Station 19)
-20.00% - Clarice (vs. Tommy)
-20.00% - Superstore (vs. Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
-33.33% - Dateline NBC (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
-33.33% - The Hustler (vs. A Million Little Things)
-33.33% - Last Man Standing (vs. Deputy)
-33.33% - Mr. Mayor (vs. Superstore)
-45.45% - The Chase (vs. Grey's Anatomy)


Here are the highlights of the 18 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/27/20):

ABC (5.415 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with originals from "Station 19" (6.549 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2), "Grey's Anatomy" (5.973 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1) and "A Million Little Things" (3.724 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5).

FOX (3.461 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) was the silver draw with new episodes of "Last Man Standing" (4.093 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3), "Outmatched" (2.480 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9) and "Deputy" (3.635 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5).

Next up was CBS (4.610 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) with repeats of "Young Sheldon" (6.058 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3), "The Unicorn" (4.172 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9), "Mom" (4.399 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9) and "Carol's Second Act" (3.748 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) plus a new "Tommy" (4.642 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.412 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) offered up its mix of "Superstore" (2.597 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (1.765 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T9), "Will & Grace" (2.059 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14), "Indebted" (1.489 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.281 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5).

And finally, a new "Katy Keene" (0.488 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T17) and a repeat "Legacies" (0.304 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T17) closed out the night on The CW (0.396 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Tommy
+20.00% - Deputy
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Station 19
0.00% - Last Man Standing
0.00% - A Million Little Things
0.00% - Outmatched
0.00% - Will & Grace
0.00% - Indebted
0.00% - Katy Keene
-14.29% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-14.29% - Superstore
-16.67% - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. The Enemy Within (Repeat))
+16.67% - Last Man Standing (vs. Gotham)
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. A Million Little Things)
0.00% - A Million Little Things (vs. How to Get Away with Murder)
-16.67% - Tommy (vs. SWAT (Repeat))
-16.67% - Outmatched (vs. Gotham)
-25.00% - Deputy (vs. The Orville)
-33.33% - Indebted (vs. Will & Grace)
-37.50% - Station 19 (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-40.00% - Superstore (vs. The Titan Games)
-42.86% - Will & Grace (vs. Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
-50.00% - Katy Keene (vs. Charmed (Repeat))
-50.00% - Brooklyn Nine-Nine (vs. The Titan Games)

Source: Nielsen Media Research, ShowBuzzDaily.com





  [december 2025]  
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
[12/08/25 - 11:30 AM]
College Football on The CW Network Sees Double Digit Year-Over-Year Viewership Gains for 2025 Season
ACC football experienced the largest year-over-year growth, up 26% in total audience compared to 2024.

[12/05/25 - 03:31 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers
"Nightline" improved on the previous week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, hitting nine-week highs in both measures.

[12/05/25 - 02:05 PM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Best College Football Regular Season Since 2011; "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Scores Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks aired the most-watched game in 34 of 42 key Saturday windows, including seven of 14 noon windows, 13 of 14 late afternoon windows and all 14 prime windows.

[12/05/25 - 12:35 PM]
2025 CFB Viewership Surges on FOX & FS1
The 2025 regular season wrapped with big numbers for "Big Noon Saturday," "Big Noon Kickoff" and more - including year-over-year gains across the board.

[12/05/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Premiere Week Episodes Post Gains and Lead In Live Plus 35-Day Multiplatform Viewership
"Tracker" delivered 17.3 million viewers, up +6% versus its year-ago premiere.

[12/05/25 - 08:45 AM]
ESPN Delivered Most-Watched Women's College Volleyball Season on Record
Said coverage averaged 190,000 viewers, up 36% from the 2024 season.

[12/04/25 - 04:19 PM]
"College GameDay Built By The Home Depot" Delivers Second-Best Regular Season Episode Ever; ESPN Scores Best Rivalry Week Since 2012
The Lone Star Showdown drew over 13 million viewers, peaking with 14.3 million viewers.

[12/04/25 - 03:45 PM]
"Big Noon Kickoff" Scores 4.36 Million Viewers on FOX
The 2025 season was "Big Noon Kickoff's" most-watched season in history.

[12/04/25 - 02:41 PM]
18.4M Viewers Tuned in for Ohio State-Michigan on FOX
Ohio State's win over Michigan scored 18,424,000 viewers on FOX.

[12/04/25 - 02:28 PM]
Record Audience Watches Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix on ESPN2
The November 30 telecast earned an average audience of 1.4 million viewers, the largest audience ever to watch the event on U.S. television.

[12/03/25 - 11:59 AM]
"9-1-1: Nashville" Season Premiere Catapults to Over 19 Million Total Viewers
Over 35 days, ABC's Thursday night drama premieres amassed impressive audiences based on competitive cross-platform broadcast series rankings, with all three dramas landing in the Top 10 among Adults 18-49.

[12/03/25 - 08:57 AM]
Record NFL Viewership Caps Thanksgiving Night on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo
Bengals-Ravens is the most-watched Thanksgiving night NFL game ever with an average of 28.4 million viewers.

[12/03/25 - 08:55 AM]
"NFL on CBS" Shatters Record for Most-Watched Regular-Season Game in NFL History with More Than 57 Million Viewers
Viewership peaked with 61.357 million viewers for the game's thrilling conclusion (7:45-8:00 PM ET).

[12/03/25 - 08:49 AM]
FOX Sports Feasts on Thanksgiving Day with 47.7 Million Viewers for Packers-Lions
Viewership peaked with 57,957,000 viewers from 4:00-4:15 PM ET.

[12/03/25 - 08:47 AM]
Most-Watched NBA on ESPN Thanksgiving Eve in Six Years
The inaugural tripleheader averaged 2,099,000 viewers, up 54 percent from last year's Thanksgiving Eve doubleheader, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel.