Respectable Return for ‘The Bachelorette’ on ABC

MONDAY, MAY 22, 2017

Household Rating/Share
ABC: 5.1/ 8, NBC: 5.0/ 8, CBS: 4.2/ 7, Fox: 2.2/ 4, CW: 1.2/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
CW: +33, CBS: +20, Fox: no change, NBC: – 6, ABC: -18
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Ratings Breakdown:
ABC inched past NBC in the Monday overnights, with the below-average household rating a reflection of the return of “The Bachelorette.” The two-hour “Bachelorette” season-opener averaged a 4.0 rating/7 share in the household overnights from 9-11 p.m., which comparably was 17 percent below the 4.8/ 8 for the year-ago season-premiere. That 4.8 household overnight rating on May 23, 2016 translated into 6.63 million viewers and a 2.0 rating/7 share in adults 18-49, based on the Live + Same Day data.

At 8 p.m. on ABC was a one-hour edition of “Dancing with the Stars” at a 7.3/12. Tonight will feature the two-and-one-half hour season-finale of the perennial dance competition, which has been renewed for two more years and will spin-off “Dancing with the Stars Junior” last season.

On NBC, two more hours of “The Voice,” which also concludes for the season this evening, averaged a solid 6.3/10 in the household overnights from 8-10 p.m. And it led into a 10 p.m. edition of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” at a third-place 2.3/ 4. Second behind “The Bachelorette” in the 10 p.m. hour was “The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Late Night Special 2017” on CBS at a 3.1/ 5.

Earlier in the evening on the Eye net was two-hour special, “Princess Diana – Her Life – Her Death – The Truth”, at a competitive 4.7/ 8 from 8-10 p.m.

In season-finale news was The CW’s combination of “Supergirl” (#5: 1.6/ 3), which was a successful addition for the network this season, and “Jane the Virgin” (#5: 0.8/ 1). Next fall, “Jane the Virgin” moves to Friday at 9 p.m. out of more compatible “Crazy Ex-Girlfiend.” Military drama “Valor” steps into the Monday 9 p.m. time period on The CW.

Fox featured the pairing of dramas “Gotham” (#4: 2.2/ 3) and “Lucifer” (#4: 2.3/ 4). Next fall, “Gotham” moves to Thursday at 8 p.m. (into dramedy “The Orville”). “Lucifer,” meanwhile, moves to Monday at 8 p.m. into new Marvel drama “The Gifted.”

What follows is the half-hour breakdown for Monday, May 22, 2017:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing With the Stars”: 7.2/12 (#1)
CBS – “Princess Diana – Her Life – Her Death – The Truth”: 4.2/ 7 (#3)
NBC – “The Voice”: 6.2/10 (#2)
Fox – “Gotham”: 2.3/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (season finale): 1.6/ 3 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing With the Stars”: 7.5/12 (#1)
CBS – “Princess Diana – Her Life – Her Death – The Truth”: 4.3/ 7 (#3)
NBC – “The Voice”: 6.4/10 (#2)
Fox – “Gotham”: 2.1/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (season finale): 1.6/ 3 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Bachelorette” (season premiere); 4.4/ 7 (#3)
CBS – “Princess Diana – Her Life – Her Death – The Truth”: 5.2/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “The Voice”: 6.4/10 (#1)
Fox – “Lucifer”: 2.3/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Jane the Virgin” (season finale): 0.8/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Bachelorette” (season premiere); 4.0/ 7 (#3)
CBS – “Princess Diana – Her Life – Her Death – The Truth”: 5.1/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “The Voice”: 6.4/10 (#1)
Fox – “Lucifer”: 2.3/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Jane the Virgin” (season finale): 0.8/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Bachelorette” (season premiere): 3.8/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Late Night Special 2017”: 3.3/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “Running Wild with Bear Grylls”: 2.6/ 4 (#3)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Bachelorette” (season premiere): 3.8/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Late Night Special 2017”: 3.0/ 5 (#2)
NBC – “Running Wild with Bear Grylls”: 2.0/ 4 (#3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research