Primetime Ratings: Fox Wins With ‘Empire’ Return

Fox got the win in Wednesday ratings, with the return of Empire leading the net to a 1.2 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 5 share. In second were ABC and CBS at 0.9/4.

Empire scored a 1.3, off 13% from its last new airing in December. It was the first episode since cast member Jussie Smollett was charged with lying about being attacked in a Chicago hate crime. Star fell 8% to 1.1.

On ABC, The Goldbergs got a flat 1.1 and Schooled grew 11% to 1.0. Modern Family did a 1.2 and Single Parents a 0.8, both up a tenth of a point. Whiskey Cavalier rated a 0.6, representing a 33% drop.

CBS had Survivor at a flat 1.5 and the two-hour The World’s Best finale at a level 0.6.

NBC got a 0.6/3 with Chicago repeats.

Telemundo and Univision both rated a 0.4/2.

The CW scored a 0.3/1. Riverdale was at 0.3 and All American a 0.2, both shows level with last week. 

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.