Primetime Ratings: ‘Big Bang’ Down, But CBS Holds Top Spot

CBS and ABC were virtually deadlocked in Thursday ratings, CBS putting up a 1.6 in adults 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, while ABC had a 1.5. Both networks tallied 6 shares. NBC played to a 0.8/3, Fox a 0.7/3 and The CW a 0.5/2.

The lure of post-work Cinco de Mayo margaritas may have siphoned off viewers, with usage down 10% week to week in Thursday prime.

It was comedy night on CBS, with The Big Bang Theory down 12% to 2.9, then The Odd Couple a flat 1.6, Mom off 11% at 1.6, and 2 Broke Girls a flat 1.6. Hour-long Rush Hour too was flat at 0.9.

On ABC, Grey’s Anatomy did a 2.0, up a tenth, and Scandal a 1.5, then The Catch a 0.9—the latter two down a tenth apiece.  

On NBC, Strong slid 14% to 0.6, and Blacklist scored a flat 1.2, then Game of Silence was also flat at 0.7.

Fox’s Bones rated a 0.9, up 13%, and American Grit slid 14% to 0.6.

CW’s DC’s Legends of Tomorrow did a 0.6 while The 100 scored a 0.4, both down a tenth.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.