Primetime Ratings: ‘Empire’ Returns Healthy

Fox seized the Wednesday ratings crown with the returning Empire, which posted a 4.7 rating in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights. That was up from the 4.4 the hit drama signed off to in December, while season two debuted at 6.5 back in September.

Rosewood led in with a 1.4, up 40%, giving Fox a 3.0 for the night, with a strong 10 share.

CBS was next at 1.8/6, then NBC at 1.3/4, ABC at 1.1/4 and The CW at 0.7/3.

CBS had Survivor up 5% at 2.1, Criminal Minds down 14% at 1.8, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders at 1.4, down 7%.

NBC’s Heartbeat did a flat 0.9, then Law & Order: SVU fell 7% to 1.4, and Chicago P.D. grew 15% to 1.5.

On ABC, it was repeated comedies before Nashville scored a flat 0.9.

On CW, Arrow did a 0.9, up 29%, and Supernatural a flat 0.6.

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.