Primetime Ratings: NBC Wins But Football Falls

NBC was top of the broadcast charts Thursday, the network posting a 2.6 in adults 18-49, according to Nielsen’s overnights, and a 9 share. But pigskin lacked power. Thursday Night Football’s pre-game show did a 2.2 while the game, Seattle Seahawks versus Los Angeles Rams, scored a 2.7. That was down 24% and 27%, respectively from last week’s Kansas City Chiefs versus Oakland Raiders matchup on NBC.

Having two West Coast teams and a lopsided score did not help TNF.

Last Thursday’s game showed a 21% drop from the previous Thursday Night Football.

CBS was runner-up at 1.6/6. Big Bang Theory grew 6% to 3.3, The Great Indoors climbed 13% to 1.7, Mom jumped 7% to 1.5 and Life in Pieces was a flat 1.3. Pure Genius was down a tenth at 0.9.

On ABC, Disney Prep and Landing scored a 0.8 and Great American Baking Show a 0.8, down a tenth of a point before What Would You Do? premiered to a 0.7. That spelled a 0.8/3 for ABC.

Fox aired repeats for a 0.5/2.

CW had the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball at 0.4, as the network posted a 0.4/1 for the night.

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.