‘The Big Bang Theory’ Season-Ender Leads CBS to Thursday Overnight Victory

THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2016

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 5.1 rating/8 share, ABC: 4.8/ 8, NBC: 2.9/ 5, Fox: 2.0/ 3, CW: 1.1/ 2

Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
CW: +10, CBS: + 2, ABC: -14, NBC: -24, Fox: -35

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Ratings Breakdown:
There were three season finales last night: “Scandal” on ABC and CBS sitcoms “The Big Bang Theory” and “2 Broke Girls.” “The Big Bang Theory” topped the night, of course, with a 9.8 rating/17 share in the household overnights at 8 p.m. and it concluded with an interesting twist: Sheldon’s mother (Laurie Metcalf) and Leonard’s father (Judd Hirsch) potentially finding romance. Hmmm…

Next on CBS was on-the-fence “The Odd Couple” at a second-place 5.2/ 9 at 8:30 p.m., which slipped by 47 percent. “Mom” at 9 p.m. perked up to a dominant 5.4/ 9, followed by the “2 Broke Girls” fifth-season-ender at a third-place 4.4/ 7 at 9:30 p.m. and recently introduced (and expected-to-be canceled) “Rush Hour” at a 2.9/ 5 (#2) at 10 p.m.

ABC’s “Scandal” ended its fifth season at a first-place 5.1/ 8 from 9-10 p.m., with retention out of lead-in “Grey’s Anatomy” (#2: 6.0/11 at 8 p.m.) of 85 percent. One year earlier, “Scandal” concluded the season with a 6.5/10 in the overnights.

“The Catch,” which could benefit by the cancelations of “Castle” and “Nashville” and snag a second season renewal, capped off the evening for ABC with a modest 3.3/ 6 (#1) at 10 p.m.

In the distant No. 3 spot overall was NBC with its combination of reality/competition “Strong” (#4: 1.8/ 3 at 8 p.m.), which does not live up to its title, “The Blacklist” (#3: 4.6/ 7) and recent scripted entry “Game of Silence” (#3: 2.3/ 4). Comparably, this was “The Blacklist’s” strongest overnight performance in three weeks.

Elsewhere, Fox’s veteran “Bones” (#4: 2.8/ 5 at 8 p.m.), which concludes next season, led into a mere 1.2/ 2 for failing reality/competition “American Grit” at 9 p.m. And The CW populated the night with “D.C.’s Legends of Tomorrow” (#5: 1.5/ 2), which is not the hit the network was hoping for, and “The 100” (#5: 0.8/1 ), which is not worthy of its fourth season renewal.

Source: Nielsen Media Research