Wednesday Overnights: ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’ Season-Ender Leads CBS to Victory

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 4.3/ 8, NBC: 3.9/ 7, Fox: 3.5/ 6, ABC: 1.6/ 3, CW: 0.4/ 1

Percent Change from Year-Ago Evening
NBC: + 5, CBS: – 7, Fox: -10, ABC: -16, CW: -56

-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS topped this final night of the traditional (September to May) TV season care of a full night of “Survivor.” The season-finale of the reality/competition mainstay scored a healthy 4.6 rating/8 share in the household overnights from 8-10:30 p.m. Comparably, that was just eight percent below the 5.0/ 9 for the year-ago season-ender. The live reunion show, which was trimmed to just 30-minutes, finished second at 10:30 p.m. with a 3.2/ 6. The bottom-line: While not the best season by any means (at least half of the competitors were completely forgettable), any season of “Survivor” is still an addiction.

There were three other season finales last night: NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU,” and Fox dramas “Empire” and “Star.” A two-hour edition of “Law & Order: SVU” closed its 19th season with a 4.4/ 7 in households from 9-11 p.m., which was five percent above the 4.2/ 7 for the year-ago (and also expanded) season-ender. Next season, “SVU” moves into the Thursday 10 p.m. ET hour out of new comedy “I Feed Bad.”

On Fox, “Empire” (#2: 4.1/ 7 at 8 p.m.) and “Star” (#3: 3.0/ 5), which will remain intact on this night next season, were at typical household overnight levels.

Elsewhere, ABC featured an encore telecast of theatrical “Toy Story 3” (#4: 1.7/ 3 from 8-10 p.m.) into a Wednesday 10 p.m. edition of “20/20” (#3: 1.6/ 3). NBC opened the night with a repeat of “Law & Order: SVU” (#3: 2.7/ 5 at 8 p.m.). And The CW featured encores of “Supergirl” (#5: 0.5/ 1 at 8 p.m.), which shifts to Sunday at 8 p.m. ET (into the revival of “Charmed”) next season, and “The Originals” (#5: 0.4/ 1 at 9 p.m.).

What follows are the household overnight ratings for Wednesday, April 25 broken out by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – Movie: “Toy Story 3” (R): 2.0/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor” (season finale): 4.9/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (R): 2.7/ 5 (#3)
Fox – “Empire” (season finale): 4.0/ 8 (#2)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.6/ 1 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – Movie: “Toy Story 3” (R): 1.6/ 3 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor” (season finale): 4.6/ 8 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (R): 2.7/ 5 (#3)
Fox – “Empire” (season finale): 4.2/ 7 (#2)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – Movie: “Toy Story 3” (R): 1.5/ 3 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor” (season finale): 4.7/ 8 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.2/ 7 (#2)
Fox – “Star” (season finale): 3.0/ 5 (#3)
CW – “The Originals” (R): 0.4/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – Movie: “Toy Story 3” (R): 1.5/ 3 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor” (season finale): 4.4/ 7 (#1t)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.4/ 7 (#1t)
Fox – “Star” (season finale): 2.9/ 5 (#3)
CW – “The Originals” (R): 0.3/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “20/20”: 1.6/ 3 (#3)
CBS – “Survivor” (season finale): 4.2/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.5/ 8 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “20/20”: 1.6/ 3 (#3)
CBS – “Survivor” Reunion: 3.2/ 6: (#2)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.7/ 9 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research