Primetime Ratings: CBS Wins as Comedies Return to Thursdays

CBS took top honors in Thursday prime ratings, riding its top comedies to a 1.8 rating in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 7 share. Next up was ABC at 1.3/5.

Thursday comedies returned to CBS after its Thursday Night Football run ended. Big Bang Theory did a 2.7, then Young Sheldon a 2.4 as both shifted to their regular time periods. Big Bang posted a 2.9 in its most recent airing on a Monday. Young Sheldon opened to a 3.7 in late September.

The premiere of Mom scored a 1.8, up from its 1.5 finale, and the start of Life in Pieces a 1.5, better than its 1.1 season closer. The debut of SWAT scored a 1.3.

On ABC, Grey’s Anatomy did a 1.8 and Scandal a 1.1, then How to Get Away With Murder rated a 0.9. All three were flat with last week.

NBC did a 1.0/4 as its shows dropped from last week. Superstore was off 17% at 1.0, and The Good Place was down 9% at 1.0, then Will & Grace fell 17% at 1.5. Great News slipped 30% to 0.7 and Chicago Fire decreased 17% to 1.0.

Fox was at 0.9/4. Gotham rated a level 0.9 and The Orville fell 17% to 1.0.

Related: Fox Renews Space Dramedy ‘The Orville’

Telemundo did a 0.8/3, enjoying a boost from the El Senor de los Cielos finale (1.0).

The CW scored a 0.6/2. Supernatural did a 0.6 and Arrow a 0.5, both flat.

Univision did a 0.4/2.

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.