The Return of ABC’s TGIT-Themed Line-Up Dominates Thursday

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017

Household Rating/Share
ABC: 5.3 rating/9 share, CBS: 4.5/ 8, Fox: 2.1/ 3, NBC: 1.9/ 3, CW: 1.1/ 2

-Perfect Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
ABC: +165, – 4, CW: -27, NBC: -56, Fox: -65

—–

Ratings Breakdown:
ABC was the network to beat in the household overnights on this final Thursday in January care of the return of its TGIT-themed line-up: “Grey’s Anatomy” (#1 for the evening: 6.6 rating/11 share at 8 p.m.), “Scandal” (season premiere: #1: 5.5/ 9 at 9 p.m.) and “How to Get Away with Murder” (#1: 3.9/ 7 at 10 p.m.). While not as strong as previous seasons, “Scandal” is still a vast improvement from recent failed time period occupant “Notorious” and a welcome return on ABC.

In series-premiere news, drama “Riverdale,” based on the iconic “Archie” comic book characters, was left at the starting gate on The CW with a mere 1.0/ 2 in the household overnights at 9 p.m. Comparably, that could not even top modest year-ago time period occupant “The 100” (1.1/ 2 on 1/28/16), and it dropped by 17 percent from the time period debut of lead-in “Supernatural” (1.2/ 2 at 8 p.m.). Particularly alarming was a loss of 18 percent in the second half-hour (1.1/ 2 to 0.9/ 1).

CBS honored the memory of the late, and great, Mary Tyler Moore with special, “Mary Tyler Moore – Love is All Around,” hosted by Gayle King, at a 4.7/ 8 in the 9 p.m. hour. But the first half of the special seemed more like “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” featuring Gayle interviewing Oprah, than a tribute to this legend.

Leading out of Mary Tyler Moore special was the series-finale of “Pure Genius” at a typical 3.4/ 6 at 10 p.m. Earlier in the evening on the Eye net were encore telecasts of “The Big Bang Theory: (#2: 6.1/10) and “Mom” (#2: 4.7/ 7) from 8-9 p.m.

Elsewhere, Fox could not compete with its combination of “Hell’s Kitchen” (#3: 2.7/ 4) and “My Kitchen Rules” (#4: 1.6/ 3), which does not compare to year-ago time period occupant “American Idol.” And NBC populated with evening with repeats of “Superstore” (two episodes: #4: avg. 1.8/ 3 from 8-9 p.m.), “Chicago Med” (#: 2.5/ 4) and “The Blacklist” (#3: 1.7/ 3).

What follows is the breakdown by half-hour for Thursday, Jan. 26:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 6.6/11 (#1)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory (R): 6.1/10 (#2)
NBC – “Superstore” (R): 1.9/ 3 (#4)
Fox – “Hell’s Kitchen”: 2.7/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Supernatural” (time period premiere): 1.2/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy” (return): 6.5/10 (#1)
CBS – “Mom” (R): 4.7/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Superstore” (R): 1.6/ 3 (#4)
Fox – “Hell’s Kitchen”: 2.6/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Supernatural” (time period premiere): 1.2/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal” (season premiere): 5.5/ 9 (#1)
CBS – “Mary Tyler Moore – Love is All Around”: 4.8/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Chicago Med” (R): 2.5/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “My Kitchen Rules”: 1.6/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Riverdale” (series premiere): 1.1/ 2 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal” (season premiere): 5.4/ 9 (#1)
CBS – “Mary Tyler Moore – Love is All Around”: 4.5/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Chicago Med” (R): 2.4/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “My Kitchen Rules”: 1.5/ 2 (#4)
CW – “Riverdale” (series premiere): 0.9/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder” (return): 3.9/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “Pure Genius” (series finale): 3.4/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “The Blacklist” (R)” 1.7/ 3 (#3)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder” (return): 3.9/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “Pure Genius” (series finale): 3.4/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “The Blacklist” (R)” 1.6/ 3 (#3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research