More Anemic Results for Thursday Night Freshman Trio

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Household Rating/Share
ABC and CBS: 4.6/ 8 each, NBC: 3.1/ 5, Fox: 2.1/ 4, CW: 1.0/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
NBC: – 3, ABC: – 4, CW: -17, CBS: -18, Fox: -64

-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC and CBS tied for first in the household overnights on this third Thursday in February, with the strength of the Eye net in the hands of “The Big Bang Theory” at a top-rated 9.0 rating/15 share in the 8 p.m. half-hour. Confirmation of the reported two-season renewal for Sheldon, Leonard and company should be coming at any moment.

CBS, unfortunately, continues to squander the lead-in support, with freshman “The Great Indoors” slipping by 47 percent at a second-place 4.8/ 8 at 8:30 p.m. Erosion of this magnitude does not warrant a second season renewal.

In the 9 p.m. hour, CBS sitcoms “Mom” (#1: 5.0/ 8) and sophomore “Life in Pieces” (#3: 3.9/ 6) were at typical household overnight levels, but episode three of action drama “Training Day” scored an anemic 2.6/ 5 (#3) at 10 p.m. Comparably, that was 10 percent below the 2.9/ 5 one week earlier, and that 2.9 overnight rating translated into just 4.43 million viewers and a 0.8 rating/3 share in adults 18-49, based on the Live + Same Day data. One year earlier, former Thursday time period occupant “Elementary” was notably stronger at a 3.9/ 7 in the overnights.

ABC, meanwhile, had nothing unusual to report with its combination of just renewed Shonda Rhimes trio “Grey’s Anatomy” (#2: 5.6/ 9), “Scandal” (#1: 4.8/ 7) and “How To Get Away With Murder” (#1: 3.6/ 6).

Also in episode three news last night was NBC sitcom “Powerless,” which scored a mere 1.7/ 3 (#4) at 8:30 p.m. Comparably, that was equal to last week, which resulted in just 2.52 million viewers and a 0.8/ 3 in adults 18-49, based on the Live + Same Day data. And the overnight retention for “Powerless” out of just renewed “Superstore” (#4: 2.5/ 4 at 8 p.m.) was lacking at 68 percent. “Superstore’s” order for season three is for a full 22-episodes.

At 10 p.m. on NBC was the winter finale of tired “The Blacklist,” which at a 3.2/ 6 (#2) was down by 11 percent from year-ago time period occupant “Shades of Blue” (3.6/ 6 on 2/18/16). Overnight household retention for “The Blacklist” out of “Chicago Med” (#2: 4.6/ 8 from 9-10 p.m.) was also modest at 70 percent. Next week, spin-off “The Blacklist: Redemption” debuts in the Thursday 10 p.m. hour, which leads me to wonder why there will be interest in this if the parent series is deteriorating.

Elsewhere, “My Kitchen Rules” on Fox (#4: 1.5/ 2 at 9 p.m.) dropped by 44 percent out of “MasterChef Junior” (#3: 2.6/ 4 from 8-9 p.m.). And slippage for recent entry “Riverdale” on The CW (#5: 0.8/ 1) was 33 percent out of “Supernatural” (#5: 1.2/ 2 at 8 p.m.).

What follows is the breakdown by half-hour for Thursday, February 16:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.6/ 9 (#2)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 9.0/15 (#1)
NBC – “Superstore”: 2.5/ 4 (#4)
Fox – “MasterChef Junior”: 2.6/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.2/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.5/ 9 (#1)
CBS – “The Great Indoors”: 4.8/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Powerless”: 1.7/ 3 (#4)
Fox – “MasterChef Junior”: 2.8/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.2/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 4.7/ 8 (#2)
CBS – “Mom”: 5.0/ 8 (#1)
NBC – “Chicago Med”: 3.8/ 6 (#3)
Fox – “My Kitchen Rules”: 1.5/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Riverdale”: 0.8/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 4.6/ 8 (#1)
CBS – “Life in Pieces”: 3.9/ 6 (#3)
NBC – “Chicago Med”: 4.1/ 7 (#2)
Fox – “My Kitchen Rules”: 1.4/ 2 (#4)
CW – “Riverdale”: 0.7/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder”: 3.7/ 6 (#1)
CBS – “Training Day”: 2.7/ 5 (#3)
NBC – “The Blacklist” (winter finale): 3..2/ 6 (#2)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder”: 3.4/ 6 (#1)
CBS – “Training Day”: 2.4/ 4 (#3)
NBC – “The Blacklist” (winter finale): 3.1/ 6 (#2)

Source: Nielsen Media Research