or


[02/16/15 - 09:23 AM]
Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: NBC Dominates with "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special"
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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (2/15/15):

NBC (20.141 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.6, #1) overshadowed the competition on Sunday with the "SNL 40th Red Carpet Live" (11.135 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) and the primetime portion of "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" (23.144 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.8, #1).

ABC (6.036 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then claimed a distant second place with its mix of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.567 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5), "The Bachelor: Chris Tell All" (5.622 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3) and "The Bachelor" (5.979 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T3).

Next up was CBS (7.670 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with originals from "60 Minutes" (10.403 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6), "Undercover Boss" (6.309 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6.990 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6.977 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

And finally, FOX (1.995 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) closed out the evening with the departing "Mulaney" (1.109 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15), a repeat "The Simpsons" (1.485 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) and new episodes from "The Simpsons" (2.747 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (2.136 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11), "Family Guy" (2.510 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T6) and "Bob's Burgers" (1.987 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T11).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - America's Funniest Home Videos
-8.33% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - 9:00 (vs. 1/25/15)
-8.33% - The Simpsons
-10.00% - Bob's Burgers
-14.29% - Family Guy
-15.38% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - 10:00 (vs. 1/25/15)
-20.00% - Mulaney
-20.00% - 60 Minutes
-25.00% - Brooklyn Nine-Nine
-40.00% - Undercover Boss (vs. 1/25/15)
-44.44% - The Bachelor (vs. 2/9/15)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+175.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - 9:00 (vs. The Mentalist (Repeat))
+175.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - 10:00 (vs. The Good Wife (Repeat))
+87.50% - The Bachelor (vs. Up/Castle (Repeats))
+80.00% - Undercover Boss (vs. Elementary (Repeat))
+66.67% - The Bachelor: Chris Tell All (vs. Up (Repeat))
+62.50% - Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (vs. 2014 Olympic Winter Games)
+20.00% - 60 Minutes
+16.67% - America's Funniest Home Videos (vs. America's Funniest Home Videos (Repeat))
0.00% - The Simpsons (vs. The Simpsons (Repeat))
0.00% - Family Guy (vs. Family Guy (Repeat))
-10.00% - Bob's Burgers (vs. American Dad (Repeat))
-18.18% - Brooklyn Nine-Nine (vs. Bob's Burgers (Repeat))
-33.33% - Mulaney (vs. Bob's Burgers (Repeat))
-37.50% - SNL 40th Red Carpet Live (vs. 2014 Olympic Winter Games)


Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/16/14):

NBC (21.075 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1) was of course the network to beat on Sunday with its primetime coverage of the "2014 Olympic Winter Games" (21.075 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1).

FOX (2.035 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then claimed a distant second place with its all-repeat lineup of "Bob's Burgers" (1.415 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11), "American Dad" (1.556 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #9), "The Simpsons" (2.392 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T4), another "Bob's Burgers" (2.213 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T4), "Family Guy" (2.507 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T2) and another "American Dad" (2.124 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6).

Next up was ABC (3.704 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) and its mix of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (4.964 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T2), the feature "Up" (3.308 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #8) and "Castle" (3.236 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10).

And finally, CBS (4.172 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) closed out the evening with a new "60 Minutes" (8.000 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T6) followed by repeats of "Elementary" (3.391 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12), "The Mentalist" (2.649 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13) and "The Good Wife" (2.649 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-16.67% - 60 Minutes
-30.43% - 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+300.00% - 2014 Olympic Winter Games (vs. Various)
-23.08% - 60 Minutes

Source: Nielsen Media Research





  [february 2015]  
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
[05/08/26 - 09:18 AM]
TNT Sports Delivers Its Most-Watched MLB Regular Season Start Since 2015
The Yankees/Mariners season opener on March 31 delivered 562,000 viewers and peaked at 735,000, making it the most watched opener on TBS since 2012.

[05/06/26 - 10:01 AM]
Strong Month of Sports Propels ESPN Studio Shows to Record Viewership for April
The entire lineup of ESPN studio shows was up 21% overall in viewership over April of 2025 and up 10% year-over-year (YOY) in the coveted Persons ages 18-49 demographic.

[05/05/26 - 03:52 PM]
ESPN Networks Aired Its Most Viewed First Round of the Current Rights Deal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
ESPN also delivered three of the top five matchups in the First Round including the Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins Game 1 (2.1 million viewers).

[05/05/26 - 03:36 PM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver the Most-Watched First Round Game 7 in NBA History for Saturday Night's 76ers-Celtics
Saturday night's matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 11.0 million viewers on NBC and Peacock.

[05/05/26 - 02:33 PM]
TNT Sports Delivers Its Most Watched NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Ever
Game 7 of the Montreal/Tampa Bay series on Sunday, May 3 averaged 2.3 million viewers, the most-watched First Round game on cable ever featuring a Canadian team.

[05/05/26 - 02:24 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Flexes Double-Digit Season-to-Date Viewership Increase
2,130,000 viewers tuned-in to FOX on Saturday, May 2, for a two-game slate highlighted by the Cardinals' 3-2 Victory over the Dodgers in most of the country.

[05/05/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of April 27 - The Hunt Continues as "Apex" Takes No. 1 for a Second Week
Plus: Revenge might be a dish best served cold, but "Man on Fire" served it up hot, reaching No. 1 on the English TV list with 11 million views.

[05/03/26 - 02:40 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers the Most-Watched Kentucky Derby on Record, Averaging 19.6 Million Viewers on NBC & Peacock in Historic "Run for the Roses"
Viewership peaked at 24.4 million viewers from 7-7:15 p.m. ET, as jockey Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo around the final turn to win by a neck over Renegade, and made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.

[05/01/26 - 01:33 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Jumps Back from Spring Break with Fifth Straight Week of Growth Among Both Total Viewers and Households
Dominating the New York market, "Live with Kelly and Mark" towers over its closest competition this season by double and triple digits in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Women 25-54.

[05/01/26 - 08:05 AM]
NBC Sports' NBA Playoff Viewership on NBC & Peacock Up 58% vs. Comparable Coverage Last Year Through First 13 Games
This is the first time in 24 years that NBC Sports is presenting the NBA Playoffs.

[04/30/26 - 02:17 PM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers Sunday Morning and in Late-Night
ABC News' "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers (931,000) for the week of April 20.

[04/29/26 - 04:01 PM]
"American Idol" Scores 5.3 Million Total Viewers with Biggest Audience in Over 2 Months During Taylor Swift Night
Monday's episode was the No. 1 entertainment program on the night among Total Viewers (5.34 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.42 rating).

[04/29/26 - 02:41 PM]
Record Breaker! ESPN Airs Most-Viewed First Round Game 5 Ever on Cable, Extending Milestone Run of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday averaged 2 million viewers, up 190% vs. ESPN's First Round Game 5 average last year.

[04/28/26 - 03:41 PM]
TNT Sports Continues Viewership Surge for 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Minnesota's Game 4 victory over Dallas on Saturday averaged 1.9 million viewers on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.

[04/28/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of April 20 - Charlize Theron Climbs to No. 1 with "Apex" in This Week's Top 10
Another warning to be careful who you trust, the psychological thriller series "Unchosen" debuted at No. 1 on the English TV list with 10.4 million views.