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[01/30/15 - 08:34 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC's Dramas Return with a Demo Victory
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 (1/29/15):

ABC (9.400 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) was the demo champ on Thursday thanks to the return of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.643 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5), "Scandal" (10.418 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (9.138 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3).

CBS (10.156 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) then took home second place with originals from "The Big Bang Theory" (17.004 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1), "Mom" (11.841 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4), "Two and a Half Men" (9.696 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6), "The McCarthys" (7.125 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9) and "Elementary" (7.635 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12).

Next up was FOX (7.283 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with week two of its "American Idol" (9.240 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7) and "Backstrom" (5.325 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10) combo.

Meanwhile, NBC (5.363 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) served up the season finale of "The Biggest Loser" (5.310 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10) plus the series finale of "Parenthood" (5.470 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.453 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) and "Reign" (1.041 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (1.247 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.0 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+30.77% - Parenthood
+16.67% - The Biggest Loser
+16.13% - Scandal (vs. 11/20/14)
+12.50% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 11/20/14)
+12.00% - Mom
+6.67% - The McCarthys (vs. 1/15/15)
0.00% - Two and a Half Men
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - Reign
-2.22% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 1/8/15)
-3.23% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. 11/20/14)
-13.33% - Elementary
-18.52% - American Idol
-30.00% - Backstrom

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+260.00% - Scandal (vs. The Taste)
+200.00% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat))
+170.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. The Taste)
+21.05% - Two and a Half Men (vs. The Crazy Ones)
+7.69% - Backstrom (vs. Rake)
0.00% - Mom (vs. The Millers)
-5.08% - The Biggest Loser (vs. Various)
-5.56% - Parenthood (vs. Saturday Night Live Presents a SNL Sports Spectacular)
-13.73% - The Big Bang Theory
-15.79% - The McCarthys (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-29.03% - American Idol
-30.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-35.00% - Elementary
-42.86% - Reign

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," 2.1/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.9/8.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.1/5.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.9/6 in metered-market households and a 0.7/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.0/3 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (0.9/3. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "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 with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.


Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/30/14):

CBS (11.300 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was back in front on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (18.875 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1), "The Millers" (11.790 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), "The Crazy Ones" (8.273 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T5), "Two and a Half Men" (8.545 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T5) and "Elementary" (10.157 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4).

FOX (8.267 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then had to settle for second place with a new "American Idol" (11.230 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) and week two of "Rake" (5.304 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8).

Next up was NBC (4.155 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with fresh installments of "Community" (2.992 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10) and "Parks & Recreation" (2.952 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9) followed by the two-hour special "Saturday Night Live Presents a SNL Sports Spectacular" (4.746 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.603 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up an original "The Taste" (3.530 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and a repeat "Shark Tank" (3.751 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.355 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Reign" (1.688 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14) over on The CW (2.022 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Elementary (vs. 1/9/14)
0.00% - Parks & Recreation
0.00% - Community
0.00% - Reign
-6.06% - American Idol
-8.93% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 1/9/14)
-9.09% - The Taste
-9.09% - The Vampire Diaries
-15.15% - The Millers (vs. 1/9/14)
-20.83% - Two and a Half Men (vs. 1/9/14)
-20.83% - The Crazy Ones (vs. 1/9/14)
-23.53% - Rake

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+24.14% - Saturday Night Live Presents a SNL Sports Spectacular (vs. The Office/Do No Harm)
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-3.77% - The Big Bang Theory
-9.09% - Elementary
-23.08% - The Vampire Diaries
-28.21% - The Millers (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-31.11% - American Idol
-36.84% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 30 Rock)
-38.10% - Rake (vs. Glee)
-38.89% - Community (vs. 30 Rock)
-40.63% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Person of Interest)
-40.63% - The Crazy Ones (vs. Person of Interest)
-48.72% - The Taste (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat)/Grey's Anatomy)

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

·In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 3.5/9; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.6/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.9/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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