CBS’ ‘Survivor’ Tops Wednesday Overnights in Arguably the Most Painful Tribal Council Historically

What follows are the metered market (overnight) results in households by network and by half-hour for Wednesday, April 12, 2017:

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 4.0/ 7, Fox: 3.7/ 6, ABC: 2.8/ 5, NBC: 2.7/ 5, CW: 0.6/ 1

Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
CW: no change, CBS and NBC: -23 each, Fox: -27, ABC: -30

-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS ranked first on this second Wednesday in April in the household overnights, but the home of “Empire,” Fox, should have no trouble dominating in the key young adult demo groups.

Veteran “Survivor” on CBS topped the night with a 5.1 rating/9 share at households at 8 p.m., which was on par with the year-ago evening. As the ultimate fan of this always addictive reality/competition, last night’s Tribal Council was the most painful to exhibit in the show’s 17-year history. Needless to say, I truly admire Zeke for his courage, and well as the members of his tribe who stood up for him. And I am embarrassed beyond belief that Jeff Varner would go that far to try to stay in the game.

Also in the 8 p.m. hour was limited Fox series “Shots Fired,” which at a third-place 2.7/ 5 in the household overnight was 21 percent below year-ago time period occupant “Rosewood” (3.4/ 6 on 4/13/16). The remaining networks were in all repeats care of NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU” (#2: 2.8/ 5), ABC sitcoms “The Goldbergs” (#4: 2.5/ 5) and “Speechless” (#4: 2.1/ 4), and “Arrow” on The CW (#5: 0.7/ 1).

Tops at 9 p.m. was Fox’s aforementioned “Empire” at a 4.7/ 8, which year-to-year slipped by an extensive 31 percent (versus a 6.8/11 on 4/13/16). CBS’ just renewed “Criminal Minds,” which heads into season 13, was second at a 3.7/ 6. Once again, the remaining three networks were in all encores care of the regularly scheduled edition of “Law & Order: SVU” on NBC (#3: 2.7/ 4), ABC comedies “Modern Family” (#4: 2.6/ 4) and “black-ish” (#4: 2.3/ 4), and two episodes of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” on The CW (#5: avg. 0.5/ 1).

First at 10 p.m. was ABC’s “Designated Survivor” (3.7/ 7), which built from the repeat of lead-in “black-ish” by 61 percent and is a shoo-in for a second season renewal. Next was on-the-fence “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” on CBS (3.2/ 6), which is unlikey to be picked-up for a third season, followed by an encore telecast of “Chicago PD” on NBC (2.6/ 5).

What follows are the household overnight results for April 12 by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Goldbergs” (R): 2.5/ 5 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor: Game Changers”: 5.1/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (R): 2.7/ 5 (#2)
Fox – “Shots Fired”: 2.6/ 5 (#3)
CW – “Arrow” (R): 0.7/ 1

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Speechless” (R): 2.1/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor: Game Changers”: 5.1/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (R): 2.9/ 5 (#2t)
Fox – “Shots Fired”: 2.9/ 5 (#2t)
CW – “Arrow” (R): 0.6/ 1

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Modern Family” (R): 2.6/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Criminal Minds”: 3.7/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU”: 2.7/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “Empire”: 4.6/ 8 (#1)
CW – “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “black-ish” (R): 2.3/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Criminal Minds”: 3.7/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU” (R): 2.7/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “Empire”: 4.8/ 8 (#1)
CW – “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “Designated Survivor”: 3.8/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders”: 3.2/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “Chicago PD” (R): 2.6/ 5 (#3)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “Designated Survivor”: 3.5/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders”: 3.2/ 6 (#2)
NBC – “Chicago PD” (R): 2.6/ 5 (#3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research