Tuesday Ratings: A Night of Sluggish Network Returns (Including ‘This Is Us’ on NBC)

Tuesday 3/23/21 Preliminary Primetime Ratings  

Total Viewers:
CBS: 4.61 million, NBC: 3.78, ABC: 2.44, Fox: 1.31, CW: 1.12

Adults 18-49:
NBC: 0.6 rating/4 share, ABC and CBS: 0.4/ 3 each, Fox: 0.3/ 2, CW: 0.2/ 1

NBC’s “This Is Us”, as usual, topped Tuesday in adults 18-49 at 9 p.m. But a modest 0.8 rating/6 share in the demo (with 4.94 million viewers) is a clear example of how far the broadcast networks have fallen. An encore telecast of CBS’ veteran “NCIS” was first for the evening in total viewers, with 5.55 million.

In season finale news was ABC’s “To Tell the Truth” at 3.94 million viewers (#2) and a 0.5/ 4 in adults 18-49 (#1t), which should be enough to remain in production. On a fun nostalgia note was original “Family Affair” star Kathy Garver pretending to be Dolly Parton’s sister.

The CW’s already renewed “Superman & Lois”, which is going on hiatus, proved its worth with 1.21 million viewers at 9 p.m. (out of 1.03 million for lead-in “The Flash”). Both series scored a 0.2/ 2 in adults 18-49.

Elsewhere, two hours of Canadian series “Holmes Family Effect” was a bust on Fox (see network averages above). NBC sitcom “Young Rock” (Viewers: #3, 2.87 million; A18-49: #1, 0.6/ 4 at 8 p.m.) stands a better chance of being renewed than also recently introduced lead-out “Kenan” (Viewers: #3, 2.17 million; A18-49: #1t, 0.5/ 3 at 8:30 p.m.). ABC’s 9-11 p.m. combination of comedies “black-ish” (Viewers: #3, 2.20 million; A18-49: #3, 0.4/ 3) and “Mixed-ish” (Viewers: #3, 1.84 million; A18-49: #3t, 0.3/ 2) and documentary series “Soul of a Nation” (Viewers: #3, 1,35 million; A18-49: #3, 0.2/ 2 at 10 p.m.) cannot compete. And CBS was in all repeats.