Tuesday Overnights: CBS Wins; ‘Roseanne’ Concludes Successful First Return Season

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2018

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 5.2/ 9, NBC: 4.9/ 9, ABC: 3.8/ 7, CW: 1.2/ 2, Fox: 1.1/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
CBS: +13, NBC: + 2, CW: -14, Fox: -15, ABC: -37

Ratings Analysis:
Six series concluded their seasons – “Roseanne,” “Splitting Up Together” and “For the People” on ABC; “NCIS” on CBS; “The Voice” on NBC; and “The Flash” on The CW. And there was one series finale, ABC’s “The Middle,” which concluded its nine-season run with a one-hour installment at a respectable 4.6 rating/8 share in the household overnights from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Lead-in “Roseanne” ended on a typically rock-solid note at a 7.3/13 (#2) in the 8 p.m. half-hour, which was 78 percent above short-lived sitcom “Downward Dog” on the year-ago evening (4.1/ 7 on 5/24/17).

The bottom-line: The success of the “Roseanne” revival has demonstrated why the traditional linear platform still matters.

Also on ABC was the season one finale of comedy “Splitting Up Together” at a 2.8/ 5 (#3) at 9:30 p.m., which slipped from by 36 percent from the 4.4/ 7 for “The Middle” in the 9 p.m. half-hour.

On CBS, “NCIS” ended season 15 at an 8.1/14 at 8 p.m., which led into an encore telecast of the drama at a 4.4/ 7 from 9-10 p.m.

In season-premiere news was “48 Hours” NCIS” on the Eye net at a 3.0/ 5 (#2) at 10 p.m., which bested the season one finale of ABC’s “For the People” (#3: 1.8/ 3) by 67 percent.

On NBC, a clips edition of “The Voice” (#3: 3.7/ 7 from 8-9 p.m.) led into a 5.5/ 9 from 9-11 p.m. for the season-ender. Comparably, that was 10 percent below the 6.1/10 for the season-finale on the year-ago evening.

Over at The CW, “The Flash” ended its season at a fourth-place 1.7/ 3 at 8 p.m., which led into a 0.8/ 1 (#5) for “The 100” at 9 p.m.

Finally, Fox ducked from the competition with 2008 theatrical “Hancock” at a modest 1.1/ 2 from 8-10 p.m.

What follows are the household overnight ratings for Tuesday, May 15 broken out by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Roseanne” (season finale): 7.3/13 (#2)
CBS – “NCIS” (season finale): 8.0/14 (#1)
NBC – “The Voice” (clips show): 3.8/ 7 (#3)
Fox – Movie: “Hancock”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)
CW – “The Flash” (season finale): 1.7/ 3 (#4)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Middle” (series finale): 4.8/ 8 (#2)
CBS – “NCIS” (season finale): 8.3/14 (#1)
NBC – “The Voice” (clips show): 3.8/ 5 (#3)
Fox – Movie: “Hancock”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)
CW – “The Flash” (season finale): 1.7/ 3 (#4)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Middle” (series finale): 4.4/ 7 (#3)
CBS – “NCIS” (R): 4.5/ 8 (#3)
NBC – “The Voice” (season finale): 5.5/ 9 (#1)
Fox – Movie: “Hancock”: 1.2/ 2 (#5)
CW – “The 100”: 0.8/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Splitting Up Together” (season finale): 2.8/ 5 (#3)
CBS – “NCIS” (R): 4.3/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “The Voice” (season finale): 5.4/ 9 (#1)
Fox – Movie: “Hancock”: 1.2/ 2 (#5)
CW – “The 100”: 0.7/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “For the People” (season finale): 1.9/ 3 (#3)
CBS – “48 Hours: NCIS” (season premiere): 3.1/ 5 (#2)
NBC – “The Voice” (season finale): 5.3/ 9 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “For the People” (season finale): 1.7/ 3 (#3)
CBS – “48 Hours: NCIS” (season premiere): 2.9/ 5 (#2)
NBC – “The Voice” (season finale): 5.6/11 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research