Thursday Overnights: Newbie Network Entries Marred by the Summer Doldrums

THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2017

Household Rating/Share
NBC: 3.7/ 7, CBS: 3.1/ 6, Fox: 2.1/ 4, ABC: 1.9/ 3, CW: 0.9/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
NBC: +117, CW: +50, Fox: no change, CBS: -11, ABC: -41

-Ratings Breakdown:
NBC led the Thursday household overnights thanks to a Best of Auditions edition of summer favorite “America’s Got Talent,” which topped the night at a 4.7 rating/9 share in the 8 p.m. hour. And that gave a boost to lead-out game show “The Wall” (2: 3.6/ 6 at 9 p.m.), which trailed competing “Big Brother” on CBS (#1: 3.8/ 7) by just five percent.

The bigger observation, however, is the ongoing lack of interest in the new network summer programming. The latest is the debut of adventure themed docuseries “Hooten & the Lady” on The CW at a modest 0.6/ 1 at 9 p.m. (out of a 1.1/ 2 for the season premiere of “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” at 8 p.m.).

New summer series tallies: ABC’s “Boy Band” scored a mere 1.7/ 3 in the household overnights at 8 p.m. into the revivals of “Battle of the Network Stars” (#3: 2.0/ 3) and “The Gong Show” (#3: 1.9/ 3) from 9-11 p.m. And just renewed “Beat Shazam” on Fox (#3: 2.2/ 4 at 8 p.m.) led into a 1.9/ 3 (#4) for the revival of “Love Connection” at 9 p.m.

Also lagging is season three of CBS drama “Zoo” at a last-place 1.9/ 3 at 10 p.m.

What follows is the breakdown by half-hour for Thursday, July 13:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Boy Band”: 1.9/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory” (R): 4.2/ 8 (2)
NBC – “America’s Got Talent”: Best Auditions: 4.7/ 9 (#1)
Fox – “Beat Shazam” (R): 2.1/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” (season premiere): 1.1/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Boy Band”: 1.6/ 3 (4)
CBS – “Life in Pieces” (R): 2.9/ 5 (#2)
NBC – “America’s Got Talent”: Best Auditions: 4.7/ 9 (#1)
Fox – “Beat Shazam”: 2.4/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” (season premiere): 1.2/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Boy Band”: 2.0/ 4 (#3)
CBS – “Big Brother”: 3.9/ 7 (#1)
NBC – “The Wall”: 3.5/ 6 (#2)
Fox – “Love Connection” (R): 1.9/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Hooten & the Lady” (series premiere): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Boy Band”: 2.0/ 3 (#3t)
CBS – “Big Brother”: 3.98/ 7 (#1)
NBC – “The Wall”: 3.7/ 6 (#2)
Fox – “Love Connection”: 2.0/ 4 (#3t)
CW – “Hooten & the Lady” (series premiere): 0.6/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Gong Show”: 2.0/ 4 (#3)
CBS – “Zoo”: 2.1/ 4 (#2)
NBC – “The Night Shift”: 2.9/ 5 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Gong Show”: 1.9/ 4 (#2)
CBS – “Zoo”: 1.8/ 3 (#3)
NBC – “The Night Shift”: 2.9/ 5 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research