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Thursday Final Nationals: Noticeably Lower Returns for ‘Scandal’ and ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ on ABC

Despite the return of ABC’s TGIT lineup of Shonda Rhimes dramas, Fox with “American Idol” still landed in the Thursday night winner’s circle being the top network in total viewers (8.96 million) and adults 25-54 (2.9 rating/8 share).

Fox and ABC tied for the lead in adults 18-49 rating with a 2.1, as ABC had the edge in adults 18-49 share with a 7.2 (over Fox’s 7.0).

The midseason premieres of dramas “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder” could only help muster a decisive win for ABC among adults 18-34 (1.7/7).

All three ABC programs experienced declines. Comparatively from Comparatively from their fall season finales on Nov. 19, 2015:

“Grey’s Anatomy”
Total viewers: -3 percent (8.498 million)
Adults 18-49: -2 percent (2.5 rating)

“Scandal”
Total viewers: -14 percent (8.132 million)
Adults 18-49: -14 percent (2.4 rating)

“How to Get Away with Murder”
Total viewers: -19 percent (7.187 million)
Adults 18-49: -21 percent (2.3 rating)

The erosion is even more stark when comparing it to each of their year-ago midseason premieres from Jan. 29, 2015:

“Grey’s Anatomy”
Total viewers: -5 percent (8.714 million)
Adults 18-49: -13 percent (2.8 rating)

“Scandal”
Total viewers: -34 percent (10.476 million)
Adults 18-49: -42 percent (3.6 rating)

“How to Get Away with Murder”
Total viewers: -37 percent (9.183 million)
Adults 18-49: -41 percent (3.1 rating)

The season’s sixth “Democratic Presidential Debate” was simulcast on PBS and CNN and it drew a combined 8.03 million viewers: CNN 4.1 million, PBS 3.9 million. This was substantially more viewership than the mere 4.5 million who watched Hillary Clinton-Bernie Sanders debate on MSNBC one week earlier from New Hampshire.

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Programming Insider Thursday, February 11, 2016
ABC PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 4.8/8 7019 1.7/7 2.1/7 2.5/7
8:00 Grey’s Anatomy 5.6/9 8282 2.0/9 2.4/8 2.8/8
9:00 Scandal 4.7/8 6955 1.7/7 2.1/7 2.6/7
10:00 How to Get Away with Murder 4.1/8 5822 1.5/7 1.8/6 2.2/7
CBS PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 5.4/9 8778 1.1/5 1.9/6 2.7/8
8:00 Big Bang Theory 9.8/17 16249 2.4/11 3.8/14 5.5/17
8:31 Life in Pieces 5.7/9 9347 1.2/5 2.1/7 3.0/8
9:01 Mom 5.1/8 8130 1.0/4 1.8/6 2.6/7
9:30 Big Bang Theory (r) 4.1/7 6467 0.8/3 1.4/5 2.0/5
10:00 Elementary 3.9/7 6103 0.6/3 1.1/4 1.6/5
NBC PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 3.2/5 4934 0.6/3 1.1/4 1.5/4
8:00 You, Me and the Apocalypse 1.9/3 2967 0.5/2 0.8/3 1.0/3
9:00 The Blacklist 4.1/7 6437 0.8/3 1.4/4 1.9/5
10:00 Shades of Blue 3.5/6 5399 0.6/3 1.1/4 1.6/5
FOX PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-10 Network Average 5.3/9 8956 1.4/6 2.1/7 2.9/8
8:00 American Idol 5.3/9 8956 1.4/6 2.1/7 2.9/8
CW PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-10 Network Average 1.2/2 1857 0.5/2 0.7/2 0.7/2
8:00 DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1.5/2 2392 0.6/3 0.9/3 1.0/3
9:00 The 100 0.8/1 1322 0.4/2 0.6/2 0.5/1
UNI PROGRAM HH/Share Viewers
(000)		 Adults
18-34		 Adults
18-49		 Adults
25-54
8-11 Network Average 1.1/2 1977 0.8/3
7:00 Muchacha Italiana Viene a Casarse 1.1/2 1948 0.67/3
8:00 Antes Muerta Que Lichita 1.0/2 1719 0.64/2
9:00 Pasion y Poder 1.3/2 2286 0.86/3
10:03 El Hotel de Los Secretos 1.1/2 1905 0.75/3

Sub-Demo Breakdowns – Thursday 2/11/16

“Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 2.8/12
Men 18-34: 1.1/5
Women 18-49: 3.4/11
Men 18-49: 1.4/5

“Scandal” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 2.5/9
Men 18-34: 0.9/4
Women 18-49: 3.2/10
Men 18-49: 1.1/4

“How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC)
Women 18-34: 2.2/9
Men 18-34: 0.9/4
Women 18-49: 2.6/9
Men 18-49: 1.0/4

“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)
Women 18-34: 2.8/12
Men 18-34: 2.1/10
Women 18-49: 4.3/15
Men 18-49: 3.4/13

“Life in Pieces” (CBS)
Women 18-34: 1.4/6
Men 18-34: 1.1/5
Women 18-49: 2.4/8
Men 18-49: 1.7/6

“Mom” (CBS)
Women 18-34: 1.2/5
Men 18-34: 0.8/4
Women 18-49: 2.1/7
Men 18-49: 1.4/5

“Elementary” (CBS)
Women 18-34: 0.6/2
Men 18-34: 0.6/3
Women 18-49: 1.2/4
Men 18-49: 1.0/4

“You, Me and the Apocalypse” (NBC)
Women 18-34: 0.6/2
Men 18-34: 0.4/2
Women 18-49: 0.8/3
Men 18-49: 0.7/3

“The Blacklist” (NBC)
Women 18-34: 0.9/3
Men 18-34: 0.7/3
Women 18-49: 1.5/5
Men 18-49: 1.2/4

“Shades of Blue” (NBC)
Women 18-34: 0.7/3
Men 18-34: 0.5/3
Women 18-49: 1.3/4
Men 18-49: 0.9/3

“American Idol” (Fox)
Women 18-34: 1.8/7
Men 18-34: 0.9/4
Women 18-49: 2.7/8
Men 18-49: 1.5/5

“DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (CW)
Women 18-34: 0.5/2
Men 18-34: 0.7/4
Women 18-49: 0.7/2
Men 18-49: 1.0/4

“The 100” (CW)
Women 18-34: 0.4/1
Men 18-34: 0.4/2
Women 18-49: 0.4/1
Men 18-49: 0.5/2

“Democratic Presidential Debate-Wisconsin” (CNN)
Women 18-34: 0.34
Men 18-34: 0.69
Women 18-49: 0.53
Men 18-49: 0.93

“Colony” (USA)
Women 18-34: 0.22
Men 18-34: 0.32
Women 18-49: 0.34
Men 18-49: 0.44

“Baskets” (FX)
Women 18-34: 0.25
Men 18-34: 0.30
Women 18-49: 0.27
Men 18-49: 0.27

Cable Rankings – Thursday 2/11/16

What follows are the top 20 most-watched shows in prime time on cable for Thursday, February 11:


  1. “Democratic Presidential Debate-Wisconsin-PBS Simulcast” (CNN, 9-10:54 p.m., 2.57 household rating): 4.119 million (0.73 adults 18-49 rating)

  2. “The O’Reilly Factor” (Fox News Channel, 8-9 p.m.): 3.586 (0.29)

  3. “The Kelly File” (Fox News Channel, 9-10 p.m.): 2.406 (0.23)

  4. “WWE SmackDown” (USA, 8-10 p.m., 1.51 household rating): 2.414 (0.75)

  5. “House Hunters” (HGTV, 10-10:30 p.m.): 2.080 (0.47)

  6. “Flip or Flop” (HGTV, 9-9:30 p.m.): 2.072 (0.53)

  7. “House Hunters International” (HGTV, 10:30-11 p.m.): 1.978 (0.44)

  8. “American Dad” (Adult Swim, 10:30-11 p.m.): 1.917 (0.93)

  9. “Hannity” (Fox News Channel, 10-11 p.m.): 1.852 (0.22)

  10. “American Dad” (Adult Swim, 10-10:30 p.m.): 1.672 (0.79)

  11. “Flip or Flop” (HGTV, 9:30-10 p.m.): 1.655 (0.41)

  12. “Flip or Flop” (HGTV, 8:30-9 p.m.): 1.623 (0.39)

  13. “Anderson Cooper 360 Post Debate Special” (CNN, 10:54 p.m.-1:00 a.m., 1.02 household rating): 1.509 (0.33)

  14. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 9:30-10 p.m.): 1.468 (0.53)

  15. “College Basketball: Iowa @ Indiana” (ESPN, 9:04-11:10 p.m., 0.81 household rating): 1.310 million (0.45 adults 18-49 rating)

  16. “The Big Bang Theory” (TBS, 9-9:30 p.m.): 1.280 (0.49)

  17. Movie (Nick at Nite, 8-10 p.m.): 1.265 (0.33)

  18. “Nightwatch: After Hours” (A&E, 10:01-11:02 p.m.): 1.250 (0.45)

  19. “Flip or Flop” (HGTV, 8-8:30-9 p.m.): 1.247 (0.30)

  20. “Lip Sync Battle” (Spike, 10-10:32 p.m.): 1.245 (0.58)


  • “The First 48” (A&E, 9-10:01 p.m.): 1.235 (0.46)

  • “Anderson Cooper 360” (CNN, 8-9 p.m.): 1.164 (0.21)

  • “NBA Basketball: New Orleans @ Oklahoma City” (TNT, 8:00-10:24 p.m., 0.74 household rating): 1.119 million (0.47 adults 18-49 rating)

  • “Project Runway All-Stars” (Lifetime, 9-10:02 p.m.): 1.090 (0.32)

  • “Colony” (USA, 10-11:01 p.m.): 1.074 (0.39)

  • “Impractical Jokers” (truTV, 10-10:30 p.m.): 1.042 (0.51)

  • “Real Detective” (ID, 10-11 p.m.): 0.974 (0.20)

  • “Beat Bobby Flay” (Food Network, 10-10:30 p.m.): 0.941 (0.26)

  • “Murder Book” (ID, 9-10 p.m.): 0.923 (0.21)

  • “Top Chef” (Bravo, 9-10 p.m.): 0.856 (0.39)

  • “Inside the NBA” (TNT, 10:24-11:06 p.m., 0.51 household rating): 0.806 million (0.38 adults 18-49 rating)

  • “My 600 Lb. Life-Super Sized” (TLC, 8-9 p.m.): 0.725 (0.25)

  • “Ridiculousness” (MTV, 10-10:23 p.m.): 0.682 (0.33)

  • “Growing Up Hip Hop” (WE-TV, 10-11 p.m.): 0.645 (0.31)

  • “Child Genius” (Lifetime, 10:02-11:02 p.m.): 0.598 (0.17)

  • “Baskets” (FX, 10-10:32 p.m.): 0.567 (0.27)

  • “Workaholics” (Comedy Central, 10:01-10:29 p.m.): 0.554 (0.35)

  • “Party Down South” (CMT, 9-10 p.m.): 0.550 (0.30)

  • “Tamar & Vince” (WE-TV, 9-10 p.m.): 0.522 (0.25)

  • “Those Who Can’t” (truTV, 10:30-11:01 p.m.): 0.444 (0.23)

  • “Redneck Island” (CMT, 10-11 p.m.): 0.413 (0.19)

  • “Idiotsitter” (Comedy Central, 10:29-11 p.m.): 0.332 (0.20)


Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

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