Lackluster Debut for ‘Conviction’ on ABC; Competing ‘Timeless’ on NBC Also Disappoints

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2016

Household Rating/Share
NBC: 6.9/11, ABC and CBS: 6.1/10 each, Fox: 2.5/ 4, CW: 0.7/ 1

Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening:
Fox: + 4, NBC: – 7, CBS: – 9, CW: -12, ABC: -13

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-Winners:
“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS), “The Voice” (NBC), “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)

-Disappointing:
“Timeless” (NBC)

-Losers:
“Gotham” (Fox), “Lucifer” (Fox), “Conviction” (ABC)

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Ratings Analysis:
NBC opened this third week of the new TV season on a winning overnight note, besting No. 2 ABC and CBS by 13 percent in households. With “The Voice” as the anchor, NBC’s advantage in adults 18-49 (and all the key young adult demos) will be more significant.

Two more hours of “The Voice” scored a 7.9 rating/12 share in the household overnights from 8-10 p.m., which was seven percent above older-skewing competitor “Dancing With the Stars” on ABC (7.4/11).

In the battle of the 10 p.m. drama series premieres, “Timeless” on NBC (#2: 5.0/ 9) was a hefty 35 percent above “Conviction” on ABC (#3: 3.7/ 6). But “Timeless” opened 15 percent below “Blindspot” on the year-ago evening (5.9/10 on 10/05/15, which translated into 9.06 million viewers and a 2.4 rating/8 share in adults 18-49, based on the Live + Same Day data). It slipped by 32 percent from the 9:30 p.m. portion of “The Voice” (7.9/12). And it trailed the second half of the two-hour season premiere of CBS’ “Scorpion” (#1: 5.3/ 9) by six percent.

“Conviction,” the real loser here, trailed fading year-ago time period occupant “Castle” (4.7/ 8 on 10/05/15) by 21 percent in the household overnights (which translated into 6.76 million viewers and a 1.2/ 4 in adults 18-49, based on the Live + Same Day data). It dropped from the 9:30 p.m. portion of “Dancing With the Stars” (7.1/11) by 48 percent. And slipped by 17 percent in the second half-hour (4.0/ 7 to 3.3/ 6), which was more severe than the 13 percent for competing “Timeless” on NBC (5.4/ 9 to 4.7/ 8).

Overall, the two-hour “Scorpion” season-opener on CBS (5.4/ 8 from 9-11 p.m.) was 18 percent below the 6.6/11 for the regularly scheduled 9-10 p.m. installment on the year-ago evening.

Earlier in the evening, “The Big Bang Theory” on CBS topped the night with a 9.1/15 in the household overnights at 8 p.m. And it led into a 5.9/ 9 for episode three of Kevin James sitcom “Kevin Can Wait” at 8:30 p.m., which was comparable to the 5.7/ 9 for “Life in Pieces” on the year-ago evening. Three-week overnight track for “Kevin Can Wait”: 7.1/11 – 6.5/ 9 – 5.9/ 9.

The true test for “Kevin Can Wait,” of course, will come on Oct. 24 when it moves to Monday at 8 p.m. into new Matt LeBlanc sitcom “Man With a Plan.”

Elsewhere, Fox could not compete with its pairing of dramas “Gotham” (#4: 2.4/ 4) and “Lucifer” (#4: 2.6/ 4). And The CW aired two more repeat episodes of “Supergirl” (#5: avg. 0.7/ 1 from 8-10 p.m.), which opens season two (and its first on The CW) next Monday.

Here is the half-hour breakdown:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing With the Stars”: 7.3.12 (#3)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 9.1/15 (#1)
NBC – “The Voice”: 7.4/12 (#2)
Fox – “Gotham”: 2.5/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing With the Stars”: 7.7/12 (#3)
CBS – “Kevin Can Wait”: 5.9/ 9 (#3)
NBC – “The Voice”: 7.9/12 (#2)
Fox – “Gotham”: 2.4/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing With the Stars”: 7.3/11 (#2)
CBS – “Scorpion” (season premiere)”: 5.5/ 8 (#3)
NBC – “The Voice”: 8.2/13 (#2)
Fox – “Lucifer”: 2.6/ 6 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing With the Stars”: 7.1/11 (#2)
CBS – “Scorpion” (season premiere)”: 5.4/ 8 (#3)
NBC – “The Voice”: 7.9/12 (#1)
Fox – “Lucifer”: 2.6/ 6 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “Conviction” (series premiere): 4.0/ 7 (#3)
CBS – “Scorpion” (season premiere): 5.4/ 9 (#1t)
NBC – “Timeless” (series premiere): 5.4/ 9 (#1t)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “Conviction” (series premiere): 3.3/ 6 (#3)
CBS – “Scorpion” (season premiere): 5.3/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Timeless” (series premiere): 4.7/ 8 (#2)

Source: Nielsen Media Research