Respectable Overnight Results for ‘Dirty Dancing’ on ABC

What follows are the metered market (overnight) results in households by network and by half-hour for Wednesday, May 24, 2017:

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 4.6/ 8, ABC: 4.5/ 8, Fox: 3.9/ 7, NBC: 3.7/ 7, CW: 0.4/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
Fox: +56, ABC: +55, CBS: +24, NBC: -10, CW: -40

-Ratings Breakdown:
It was no blockbuster by any means, but ABC’s three-hour made-for television movie revival of “Dirty Dancing” scored a respectable 4.5 rating/8 share in the household overnights from 8-11 p.m. Comparably, the household rating for “Dirty Dancing” fluctuated by only three-tenths of a rating point in the six half-hours, meaning the audience was engaged with the content, no doubt. And this was an improvement of 29 percent, on average, over the week-ago combination of “The Goldbergs,” “Speechless,” “Modern Family,” Downward Dog” and “Designated Survivor.”

On CBS, the successful “Game Changers” season concluded with a solid 5.0/ 9 in the household overnights from approximately 8-10:14 p.m., leading into a 3.5/ 6 for the live reunion show in the 10 p.m. hour. While I will not reveal the winner for anyone who may have not seen the episode yet, the right person did indeed walk about with the $1 million.

NBC featured the two-hour season-finale of granddaddy “Law & Order: SVU,” which averaged a 4.2/ 7 from 9-11 p.m. Next season will mark season 19 for “SVU,” which at this point could easily surpass “Gunsmoke” and parent “Law & Order: SVU” as the longest running scripted drama in the history of television.

A repeat installment of “Law & Order: VU” opened the night for NBC with a 2.7/ 5 (#3) in the 8 p.m. hour.

In series-finale news, Fox limited drama “Shots Fired” concluded with a modest 2.6/ 5 at 8 p.m. And that led into a 5.0/ 8 for the third season-finale of “Empire” at 9 p.m., which built by 92 percent. “Arrow” on The CW, meanwhile, scored a 1.3/ 2 at 8 p.m. into a 0.6/ 1 for “The 100” at 9 p.m., which is slated to return in 2017-18 in midseason. Both were season-enders.

What follows are the household overnight results for May 24 by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – Movie – “Dirty Dancing”: 4.6/ 8 (#2)
CBS – “Survivor: Game Changers” (season finale): 5.2/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (repeat): 2.7/ 5 (#3)
Fox – “Shots Fired” (series finale): 2.5/ 5 (#4)
CW – “Arrow” (season finale): 1.3/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – Movie – “Dirty Dancing”: 4.4/ 8 (#2)
CBS – “Survivor: Game Changers” (season finale): 5.1/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (repeat): 2.8/ 5 (#3T)
Fox – “Shots Fired” (series finale): 2.8/ 5 (#3T)
CW – “Arrow” (season finale): 1.2/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – Movie – “Dirty Dancing”: 4.5/ 8 (#3)
CBS – “Survivor: Game Changers” (season finale): 5.0/ 8 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.0/ 7 (#4)
Fox – “Empire” (season finale): 4.9/ 8 (#2)
CW – “The 100” (season finale): 0.6/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – Movie – “Dirty Dancing”: 4.4/ 7 (#3)
CBS – “Survivor: Game Changers” (season finale): 4.8/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.1/ 7 (#4)
Fox – “Empire” (season finale): 5.2/ 9 (#1)
CW – “The 100” (season finale): 0.6/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – Movie – “Dirty Dancing”: 4.3/ 7 (#3)
CBS – “Survivor: Game Changers” (season finale): 4.7/ 8 (#1) / “Survivor” Reunion: 3.9/ 7 (#3)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.5/ 8 (#2)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – Movie – “Dirty Dancing”: 4.6/ 9 (#1)
CBS – “Survivor” Reunion: 3.4/ 6 (#3)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (season finale): 4.4/ 8 (#2)

Source: Nielsen Media Research